Hi Elisa and welcome to Maintainers! It sounds like this is exactly where you should be, so stick around. I guess you've seen that maintenance is a rollercoaster for most of us, rather than a steady number on the scales, and that we're always fighting to stay below our "red line". It's a lot different than the idea that you reach a magic number and effortlessly coast along there for the rest of your life.
Many of us are struggling with the last few pounds, even though we're pretty happy where we are, and it might happen ... and it might not. For the longest time I wanted to get to 128.5 pounds, just for the ridiculous reason of saying that I had lost half my bodyweight. I've given that idea up, finally, but still struggle with staying in my five pound maintenance range. So your story sounds just like so many of ours!
I think it really helps to be accountable, so face the scales and put the number behind you. Besides, we've got goals that don't involve the scales, right?
We're glad you're here and we're all looking forward to getting to know you better!
Hi Elisa! Welcome to the Maintainer's Forum. This is an EXTREMELY valuable place and I'm glad that you're here and you most definitely belong. Yes, we've been having quite the conversation this week as we all try to muddle through some maintenance hurdles. I'm afraid those hurdles will always be with us. BUT, THEY ARE NOT INSURMOUNTABLE. WE CAN DO THIS!!
And though I said I was avoiding the scale this week, I DO think it is a very valuable tool.
Anyway, I look forward to getting to know you better.
Pat, where are you going on vacation? Hope your husband gets his yuckies cleared up quickly!
Elisa, I'm glad you've joined over here! I've just started posting here myself, but the gals are so very nice and helpful!
Meg, I think I was subconsciously saboutaging my efforts to lose those final pounds because I thought after the Loss Phase was over, I wouldn't have a project any more. I am very good at 100% Commited to the Weight Loss Plan and I am very good at I Don't Care What I Put in My Mouth Right Now but I have a very difficult time with Making All Your Hard Work Stick. So, thanks to all of you for sharing your struggles! It's actually a bit comforting to know I'm not the only one who can't just coast along at maintenance.
Robin, you're so right. These things, while frustrating, are not insurmountable. Just challenges.
Today starts my fourth week back in the States. My smileys tell me that I've been successful at staying on plan more than half of the time, so that is an accomplishment. Usually when we get home, it's a free-for-all, so, while I slid around a bit that one week, this has been a much better experience than usual. My real test comes in two weeks when Tom gets home and we literally have four days in a row of parties, dinners and lunches out, and shuttling around so he can see all the family before he has to go down to Florida. I am really going to have to sit and make a detailed plan for that time or I will completely derail.
Off to get some water and then breakfast!
Kara
Last edited by tomandkara; 02-28-2008 at 07:46 AM.
OK, this has been my weigh-in day since we got back, but today I did not follow my normal weigh-in routine of get up, pee, and get on the scale naked so I don't know how today's number really stacks up, but...
I'm just 0.5 pound from my red line!
So tomorrow I'm NOT going to wake up, pee, drink 24 ounces of water, run, pee, shower, and then weigh, and we'll see if I am actually on that line.
Elisa Welcome to the group. Like you I am "new" to this group and struggled for awhile accepting the fact that this is where I belong!
I had a rather tough day yesterday in the family department which left me not really wanting to eat dinner which is a first for me. Before I always dealt with stress by eating. I did throw together a salad though and that seemed to do the trick.
I guess raising children doesn't get easier even when the hit thier 20's. It's so hard when you realize you have to just step back and let them make their own mistakes. Does anyone know where that fine line is? You don't really have to answer that it is just something I threw out there.
Ok I am rambling! Good news is I have managed to post here every day this week. GO ME!
Hooray for Thursday, it's almost the weekend! Oh how I love weekends... I'm headed to the city with friends to see a play tomorrow night, but Saturday there is a big festival where I live and then gathering at a friend's Sat. evening. I'm looking forward to the social aspects but as usual am worried about the food aspect. BF also just got me a new load of mushroom compost for the garden, so I will be planting my spring vegetable garden Sunday if not sooner. I love my fresh veggies!
I started Stage 2 of NRLW yesterday at the gym, and am a wee bit sore today (in a good way). I lifted fairly light b/c several of the moves were new and I was trying to figure out form - the trainer did help me a bit, I introduced him to the book and he wants to buy it to research for his female clients. I plan to do workout B Saturday morning. I think I like stage 2! Oh, and my roommate told me that our boss told her I was a "bada$$" at the gym. Me? A bada$$? These compliments are really making me feel great!
Elisa, welcome to the maintainers forum! Yes, many of us have been struggling here of late, but we are getting it together, well, together! Maintenance is definitely a roller coaster rather than a smooth road for me. I look forward to seeing you around here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tomandkara
I am very good at 100% Commited to the Weight Loss Plan and I am very good at I Don't Care What I Put in My Mouth Right Now but I have a very difficult time with Making All Your Hard Work Stick.
Amen, sister. I can relate! Kara, it sounds like you've been great at staying OP (lots of smilies!) so I'm sure the scale will fall into line tomorrow.
Kery, as Meg says, don't beat yourself up! It is really tough dealing with medical issues. I really do understand - I've had several medical-induced rest periods where I could not work out, and it was HARD for me to accept. It can be difficult for active people like us to feel like we're not just making excuses, and accept that we have a legitimate reason and must let our body rest. I agree it's also hard to "do nothing" while you sit and watch TV. I try to catch up on my reading (I always have an extensive "for fun" pile of books sitting there) or if I'm watching TV, I needlepoint or knit to keep my hands busy. It's an inexpensive hobby that keeps my idle hands from creeping into the kitchen (totally picturing my hands jumping off me and going to the kitchen, then returning to me and force feeding me crackers, like "Thing" on The Adams Family). I hope today is a better day.
Meh, today is a worse day, actually, but at least it's not because of food, for a change. -_- But thanks for your kind words. If only I'm able to remember them every time I need them, it'll already be a big victory of sorts. I guess I can always play the role of the stupid girl who tried to make healthy lifestyle changes instead of dieting, and still ended up with an eating disorder no matter what.
Now if someone could lend me a spare brain... because I'm still not done with my oral presentation for this upcoming Monday, and I've come to realize that I just can't function properly in terms of mental performance, so it's not a matter of being lazy or unwilling... I seriously can't. This is starting to worry me and stress me even more. I don't think I can go see the teacher on Monday and tell him I didn't finish my homework because I was "tired".
Elisa, Welcome to the forum and glad that you joined us. Like Meg mentioned, I also wanted to lower my wt. a little more than where I stopped at. I wanted to get to 135 lbs. (my old high school weight), but it just wasn't feasible for me.
Nothing much new around here. I did get the front entryway it's second coat of paint yesterday. Then cleaned and hung back up everything in the kitchen and living room. I'm totally satisfied now with the paint color and think it looks very good.
We decided that later we will add marble or granite counter tops throughout the house.
My 3 grandsons will be here today so I've wisely put away all the painting supplies for now. Our weather is sunny and almost 60 degrees. So plan to take the kiddos outside to ride in the PowerWheels truck and play with a football. It should be a nice break from my remodeling work.
Tonite we're going to a friends birthday party and we'll be singing karaoke. I think it should be a fun time.
Well, I said I would get on the scale and post the update so here it is. Thankfully my last three "good" days must have undone some of the damage of the week before because my scale had me at 129.5 this morning. Not too bad considering. Let's see if I can make it through this weekend unscathed for a change. Actually, I have no "functions" planned so, in theory, that should help!
Megan - I'm also working my way through the NRLW, although I'm only on Stage 1...due to life getting in the way! I'm really enjoying the workouts. They're fast but they feel extremely affective.
I am on day 10 of no sweets/desserts and doing amazingly well. I do think that my new meds are inhibiting my appetite though which might be related. I called my doc and left a message about the side effects, still waiting for a call back. Weight is good right now (139.8), I'm hoping it won't go up before tomorrow's official weigh-in.
Megan, I am jealous that you're planting your spring veggies! The ground is still frozen out here. We've got some seedlings growing inside though.
We're hosting a dinner party with our cooking club Sunday. I'm going to try not to overeat and to limit myself to one glass of wine. Not all the dishes are healthy but I tried to get some veggies and some cooking light recipes in the menu. I hope it goes well, this is the first time we've had anyone other than family over!
Lily - glad to hear that you are doing so well with all the home decorating
Kery - You really sound ill, AND the doctor said you should rest. Wouldn't that be a good excuse to postpone your monday oral presentation? If you would be running a fever the professor would not expect you to come I think ? Actually having a fuzzy brain can be a sign of too much stress. As far as i remember the cortisol stress hormone plays havoc with the functioning of the brain. For me, sports (the endorphines) and st johns wort helped. And don't leave maintainers !!! I bet I'm even more over the red line than you!
Pat - how nice to hear what foxes look like from someone who has actually seen them in the wild!
Hi to all other maintainers.
Day 2 on my clean eats...not hugely succesfull. I managed all day OK, but i got chinese takeaway because I was starving & tired this evening. Also tomorrow ould have been my 16th wedding anniversary with XH. I opened a bottle of rose to drink to my new freedom.
I did 20 mins treadmill this morning, yay for me! This is a first, and I liked it a lot. I felt very happy with myself for getting it over with instead of obsessing that I should go.
And I cannot even think about trying to catch up with all the conversation that I've missed these past 6 days!
My Mom is doing well. She's been discharged (basically) from the ortho doc and she no longer needs to wear her leg brace (unless she wants to). She is to be fit with an ankle/foot orthosis to help with her foot drop, but they really can't do that effectively until her pressure sore on the back of her heel is better. Due to her increased circulation (from the implant of the artificial vein), the sore is healing nicely, but it is also causing her intense pins & needles in her foot which may be her nerves regenerating after years of poor circulation. Anyway, I anticipate she'll get to go home in 2-3 weeks time. She was absolutely floored when she came back from therapy on Friday to see me sitting in her room! Dad appreciated the company as well.
So that's the good news. The bad news is that I couldn't even THINK about going out for a run (in 20-30 degrees most of the time)! I didn't eat well at all. Dad wanted to eat fast food most lunches (I did make okay choices, though) and we ate out 4 out of 6 dinners. The two home dinners were extremely light, so I'm hoping that there is not some drastic change in my weight, but I'll report on that later.
Tomorrow I'll probably be absent all day as I will be cooking for the "Sweet 16" party for my mother-in-law tomorrow. We're having a Mexican fiesta! I'm making seafood enchiladas and chicken enchiladas, and the guy who washes our cars came in with tamales (his wife makes them and they are so good!) so I'll serve them as well. All that with the usual rice, beans, chips, salsa, guacamole and margaritas.
Take care everyone and I'll let you know more about the party next week (when I have a minute to catch my breath!).
Good Evening maintainers.
Welcome Elisa
Megan-I'm so jealous. I took my kids sledding today. No veggie growin' goin' on here yet.
Kery-I hope you start feeling better soon.
Allison-sounds like a fun party. I'm still waiting on dd to decide if she wants a Sweet 16 party. I think she's leaning more towards a day for her and a couple friends to go shopping, eat out, maybe get their hair done. Works for me.
Just a drive-by here, as I've been really busy all day (it's 3:30 pm here).
Tara - I go to Minneapolis for a conference 3/25-3/30, then leave the night of 4/1 to go to Bozeman, MT to visit my stepsister. We'll be there til mid-day on Sat 4/5 when we fly to Phoenix. On Sunday morning we'll get a shuttle to the western end of the Grand Canyon (Peach Springs) and join an Elderhostel trip. We'll have 5 days of hiking, 3 at the top, then one day down to Supai (on the Havasupai reservation), one day hiking down from there, and the last day hiking out and going back to Peach Springs, and the last day we get driven back to Phoenix, where we'll overnight and fly back to Alaska on Sunday, 4/14. The visit to my stepsister has 2 purposes. One of course, to see her , and the other to begin acclimating to the altitude. Bozeman isn't as high as the GC, but lots higher than where we live - which is at sea level!
Lisa, sure sounds like a day out with friends and shopping would be lots easier on Mom!
Welcome home, Alison. Glad to hear your mom is on the mend. And we were in the 30's last week - felt downright balmy!
Yay, Friday, I'll be out in the field all day and it's sunny, and I've already gone to the gym for the day. I skipped the gym yesterday b/c I was so tired and had no energy (not getting enough sleep again), but I planted most of my garden instead, and tried to go to bed early. I'm more sore than I realized from NRLW Stage 2A Wednesday.
Kery, could you discuss postponing your presentation with your professor? Sounds like all of this medical stuff is a really good reason to me. If you usually do get your work done on time, your prof may be more willing to give an extension. It doesn't hurt to ask. Hang in there.
Allison, I'm glad your mom is doing so well. I'm sure now that you're home and back in your routine all will be fine with your eating/exercise. My Texan roommates who don't usually cook at all made tamales a few months ago. It was quite an undertaking. I didn't have the heart to tell them that they weren't to my taste, although they assured me that theirs weren't as good as what you get in Texas. Apparently nothing is as good in Florida as it is in Texas - they are Texas snobs!
Rabbit, cheers!
Lily, as usual, you're making me tired. How was karaoke?
Has anyone "seen" Shane lately? Shane, are you out there?
I guess you've seen that maintenance is a rollercoaster for most of us, rather than a steady number on the scales, and that we're always fighting to stay below our 
You don't really have to answer that it is just something I threw out there.
Oh, and my roommate told me that our boss told her I was a "bada$$" at the gym. Me? A bada$$? These compliments are really making me feel great!
to everyone for the warm welcome.
Just a drive-by here, as I've been really busy all day (it's 3:30 pm here). 
I skipped the gym yesterday b/c I was so tired and had no energy (not getting enough sleep again), but I planted most of my garden instead, and tried to go to bed early. I'm more sore than I realized from NRLW Stage 2A Wednesday. 
