Hi ladies...

I have noticed some loose skin under my arms, and I guess it bothers me a little...but I am more happy that they aren't all filled out with fat anymore!! LOL I guess it is bittersweet kind of...

I take 1000mg daily of MSM, which I heard is good for tightening the skin???

Had my WI today and did lose a pound, so that is good. However, I had to see a different counselor today since mine was gone, and I didn't like it. All I can say is that seeing others sure does make me appreciate mine all the more!!!! There is no doubt in my mind that God put me with her....that connection you make with some people is just so important, and I have that with her....and I am so glad I do! It makes this journey a bit easier sometimes for sure:)

A very naughtly lunch...so off to eat some salad for dinner! Oh the life of Maintenance...lol

I think just going to one or two yoga classes would really help you then move into instructional DVDs. Where do you live, jlpnebraska, if you don't mind my asking? I'm in Omaha and a certified yoga instructor now...if you aren't too far away, I might be willing to come to you a couple times to teach you some yoga basics so you might feel more comfortable doing a DVD on your own after that.

Yeah, I'm 33 years old and have always (even as a pre-teen/teen) had heavy upper arms. Now that I'm skinnier and have toned up with yoga, I definitely have batwings, and it's NOT attractive. I ALWAYS wear tops with sleeves. I struggle to find dresses/dressy outfits for weddings, since the most common style is to go sleeveless, and most of my options for covering my arms are styles that seem to age me even more.

Honestly, I wouldn't even mind the bit of hanging skin and squish I have on my abdomen--like previous posters mentioned, that's easy enough to hide. But I've always hated having to cover up my arms, and I'm pretty self-conscious of my droopy boobs now, so I'm just planning on getting those two things fixed after having babies and getting back to pre-baby weight. That will be my reward and motivate me to do it, I think. THe idea of surgery (and the cost!) makes me really anxious, but I have hated being self-conscious of my arms for the last 20 years...I certainly don't intend to feel that way for the next 40 or 50 years if I can help it. :)

Yep - sign me up with the droopy boobs and underarm sag. But, the way I see it, we've come so far... look at those "before" and "after". It's pretty amazing... sag or not ;)

Agreed!!! Very positive outlook:)

Did one week of preconditioning now back on the metabalance menu... Debated between going green and that and decided in my maintenance mindset plus all the activity I'm doing at work and working out, I need the little bit more. Less likely to cheat if I get a bit more during the day. Doing the preconditioning first definitely helped. My crazy cravings sparked by 12 days of vacation are pretty much gone.

Great news, Gina! Good advice for those cravings... I've often wondered how to counteract some of the bad eating/cravings that come from vacation. I'm just now getting back to where I need to be after a month since vacation. - I think your plan would be much quicker to getting back on track!

Struggling a bit as I'm eating perfectly and getting my water...yet the scale is staying the same. I can feel in my clothes (which is where it matters) that I've lost the vacation weight and I know the lack of change on the scale is due to 1) recent strength training (I retain water from that as my muscles rebuild), 2) water retention from the hot weather, and 3) TTOM...but it's still bordering on discouraging. DS's bday is today, I bought minicupcakes and am not going to eat them. Repeat, not going to eat them.

My scale hadn't moved when I thought it should have either, yet I actually felt like I LOOKED smaller. I measured my waist this morning- 1/2 inch smaller! Scales don't always tell the whole story!

Hi ladies:)

Just checking in...I am like many of you..the scale hasn't been budging much. However, I think I may have figured out part of the problem for me. I haven't been paying as close attention to my water each day...and haven't been exercising as much this summer, either. So...small goal setting at a time, but those two things are at the top of my priority list at the moment.

I really am enjoying that PB2 that was recommended....I have this 100 calorie chocolate protein shake HNS from Family Bariatric...and I mix 2T of the PB2 with it....oh my goodness. Tastes like a chocolate/peanut butter milkshake!!! Very yummy if you like that sort of thing:)

I have been using Fitness Pal more on my iphone...and that is certainly an eye opener...particularly the "pie graph" that shows daily what % of fat, carbs, and protein you are ingesting. I was actually beginnning to weigh on the side of a higher perentage of carbs, and didn't even realize it!! So...I was told by my counselor that it is mainly during weightloss mode that the percentage daily should be 60% Protein, with 20% of each carbs/fat. In Maintenance it should be able to fluctuate a bit more....I guess finding that happy medium is key, and it likely different for us all.

So, onward and upward! We just keep it up and never give up, right?!!!

Until next time...

Hi...
I had weigh in this past Tuesday and was up 1 1/2 pounds. They wanted me to come back on Friday and weigh in again, and I did and I lost it.. There was no reason for weight gain, and that is the fastest I h ave lost it . But I stayed high on protein, very little carbs and fruit, and ate a sensible maintenance menu. Sometimes one goes back and forth on green so much, it does not work for some, so I hsppy and am 5 pounds under goal. Reason they wanted me to come back on Friday, was to check my journal and see if any reason for gain, as I have started this lately on and off, up 2, off 2, etc.

I bought the peanut butter 2, and it is wonderful. I have coffee every afternoon, and added some to my coffee, with a small amount of a chocolate high protein shake and it was just wonderful.. My husband tasted it and said he liked it. I make him a healthy oatmeal applesauce cookie each week, and this week I added some powdered peanut butter and he said they are delicious. So, I am happy with my purchase.. Tami, thanks for mentioning this wonderful product and share any new ideas , please and I will do the same.

Hope you are all doing well on maintenance.

Patzi

I have a similar pie graph function on livestrong.com, and I generally try to keep my carb/fat/protein even while on maintenance, so about 1/3 each for the day. I do adjust for the days I exercise, by allowing my carb % to be a little higher, though.

That being said, I'm not overly strict with myself on that "rule" (especially since I created it for myself, lol)--some days I fluctuate higher in carbs or fat, but then I just try to make sure I'm higher in protein the next day. So far, so good. :)

I was curious about that... I've been doing Spark People... and it seems that my protein is too low while my carbs were low as well. Just trying to plan everything beforehand and make adjustments to my online journal if I go off what I had planned for the day.

So far, it seems to be working for me... I don't feel as out -of-control with so many food choices and such.

I thought after TTOM and being strict with my eating I'd go back down in my weight...but I was up another pound...so up 3 total (5 from my low). Pretty discouraged. Talked to my counselor today and I'm going back on the metabalance plan including using the MRC HNS's. I bought enough to do 4 weeks. That should get me down, plus a little wiggle room.

Hi... Before going back to Meta Balance,were you on stabilization or maintenance? Between you and counselor, this will work out.. Have you triggered what the weight gain is from? Have you tried any different foods that could have done it, under stress? I am having my ups and downs , too. I have maintained so well for so long, and have run into a problem, but am working it out. I gain and no reason for gaining. It does become discouraging, but think positive and know you will lose the weight and be where you want to be. I am wishing you the best. If I can help you , please ask.

Patzi

Patzi-I think the biggest reason was on vacation I got in a bit of a snacking habit-little bits here and there...and at first I still maintained (don't know if it was increased activity or just a delayed body reaction). I had been on maintenance since May and had done really well. We couldn't place our finger on anything specific beyond the habit of having small portions of random food (bites off my kids' plates, etc.). 2 days back on metablance and I'm down 2. Won't be surprised to be down 1 more in the next day or two...that is all water/extra carb weight. It will be the last 3 that are harder...but worth it. Then to keep my consistent good habits and not fall back into the mindset of "one bite of this won't make a difference..." but they all add up. I was also overcompensating eating after my workouts.