Well another good day. This weekend though I have a baby shower to attend. I am NOT looking forward to it because A) There will be lots of food to refuse, and people to tell me I must be crazy i don't need to lose anymore weight bla bla bla (that was the general sentiment at my last social gathering). B) I've never been to a baby shower, so I don't know what to expect. I don't have much to contribute since I've never been pregnant so, although I may be overthinking it.. I can't shake the feeling that I will be bored to death and C) Even though it pains me to admit it, it overwhelms me to be surrounded by lots of kids. I love kids and I have worked with kids.. but it's different for me in social situations..

Well in terms of food I just have to carefully think what will I say to refuse eating things that I shouldn't. I think I'm just going to go with a very blunt approach.

Hi! I haven't been on in a few weeks as I was preparing for and traveling in Hawaii. We are heading home today so I have nine hours of flights and a three hour car ride to look forward to. We have the day to spend on The Big Island, so I hope we get some hiking in.

I see I have some reading to do and hope to catch up on all the great info you've shared regarding wheat belly, carb cycling, eating for your blood type, etc. this is a continuous learning process.

While away, my coach encouraged me to let go of it all and simply enjoy myself. She and her hubby had just returned from Mexico and had drank beers on the beach all week, then when feeling bloated, had returned onto p1 eating, and returned home only a couple of pounds up. She reminded me I have the tools and I will use them when I return home.

Mid-vacation I was feeling bloated and had a p3 day and a major hiking day. Nothing like an hour long steep hike down to the sea followed by two hours of a stair stepping like hike to make you feel better! In addition to two glasses of wine each day and a few days of cheese and crackers, I'm feeling bloated again and missing the comfort of my new regular food. I did bring a rtd shake and protein bar for each day of the trip, and did have lots of veggies and lean proteins. I did not follow the rules about not combing, obviously, and ate fruit more than I typically would in maintenance. We stayed in a condo, so I had a modified p3 breakfast, nonfat plain Greek yogurt fresh fruit, two slices of WW toast (but way more carbs than I would have at home) and regular PBS when I would typically have PB2 at home.

I have been wearing size six or eight, and plan to keep both sizes in my closet for TOM, and I tried on my size six jeans yesterday and they are quite snug. Feeling uncomfortable in them or the car ride home should act as a great reminder to stick to p1 for a few days when I get home!

I asked my coach to WI weekly for at least one month to ensure I get back on track.

Mentally, I haven't come to terms with if this was the right thing to do or the easiest at the time. I know I have been OP and quite restrictive with this plan and have lost 90 lbs. I certainly have no intention of this being the downward spiral I have so often feared.

Good luck to others planning trips. I hope the plans you take with you will help you to be successful. Maintenance is quite a different journey, and I'm so happy for the support I find in this thread. You ladies rock!

Well Pxl - I think I'm coming down with it too. NOthing like a pre-schooler in day care to bring home every nasty virus out there! And this on the eve of my first weekend away with my husband since she's been born. Bummer.

Gika - good luck with the baby shower. You never know what to expect. Sometimes they're really fun and sometimes they get into a "can you top this" tales from the delivery room which is horrible. Guaranteed there will be food you want no part of. That's a shame they aren't supportive of your food choices. My friends pretty much are now.

Welcome back Jolo. Sounds like you enjoyed Hawaii! How could you not? It is paradise. If I could find a job, we'd be living there.

Hello all....

Found this article on the internet today and thought it interesting enough to pass along. Some of the info I knew while some I found to be quite enlightening.

http://todayhealth.today.msnbc.msn.c...in-7-easy-ways

Hi everyone! Hope you're all having a good day!

Gika...there might not be many kids there...sometimes it's mommy's time away from the kids.

Pixl...glad you're feeling better and cutting the wheat is making you feel better!

Hi Everyone,

First post in Maintainers and would like some input just started phrase three and breakfast is really confusing for me. So is the goal to have 30 carbs at breakfast or 50 ?
Also my coach told me Phrase four goes as follows for daily allowance of carbs:
60-150 carbs you will slowly lose or maintain weight.
under 200 carbs you will maintain weight.
over 250 carbs you will actively increase your weight.

Has anyone else's coach shared this carb theory with them? Thanks for all the help that anyone can share on this theory with me.

Congrats and welcome. The goal for P3 breakfast is no more than 30 g carbs FROM GRAINS and no more than 20 g carbs FROM FRUIT. So you could have 50 g of carbs between your grains and fruits. Remember that's a maximum number. On the carb advice from your coach, no, my coach didn't share that with me. In fact, my coach has repeatedly been unable to answer questions regarding specific numbers of grams of fats, carbs, etc (I believe she has asked the company but has not been given bright line rules). For myself, I found that on a regular diet of 100 g of carbs a day, I continue to lose weight but that gives me a cushion for small treats during the week and my free day on the weekend so the net effect is that my weight is maintained. As we've been discussing a little bit here in Maintainers, each person has a different carb tolerance. Those guidelines might be helpful for you to find yours.

DING DING DING!!! If you have ever been to a bridal shower, it is the same thing but with baby presents instead of household items. Same boring games, same boring time sitting and watching the guest of honor open gift after gift. Sorry gals, but I hate showers.

Thanks for reply.... This is a whole new world for me joining "Maintainers" and hopefully I will be as successful as many who post....

Hi all. On train to new York. Finally, a vacation day! I am down a total of four pounds in four days off wheat. I'll keep this up as long as I can. I even had tacos last night and crisped up corn tortillas in the oven. Haden some low fat chips and salsa. I didn't have cheese.

I'm back to 150, which is the top end of my goal range. Yay! Let's see what this weekend brings.

Nope. There are no guidelines like this that I know of. Just separate carbs and fat. There are some recommended serving sizes of carbs for the "fat poor" meal.

Thanks for the advise and info girls! Jennydoodle you totally made me laugh.. a nervous and tragic kind of laugh haha. I haven't been to a bridal shower either but the way you describe it.. confirms my fears of boredom ha.

I've decided I'm bringing my zucchini chips to munch on.

JoLo - Glad you enjoyed your vacation! I agree that that was the way to go. Fortunately we have IP now to do damage control.

Pxlkitty4- I'm sure that loss will put you in an even better mood to enjoy your trip! Have fun!

Thanks for that article! Definitively good info to keep in mind during maintenance!

Also, remember that 50 is the maximum number of carbs total for breakfast. So, If you have yogurt with 9 carbs, you have to shave that away from either your fruit or your grain total. I was originally confused by that, because all I had was a grain total and a fruit total. I was wondering where dairy fit in.
My favorite breakfast is:
8 oz. non-fat greek yogurt, 9 carbs
Nature's own whole wheat multigrain sandwich rounds, 19 carbs
1 Tbs Jif natural peanut butter, 3 carbs
1/2 banana, 12 carbs
Total 43 carbs for breakfast
I also add some 1/2 and 1/2 to my coffee and some sugar free mocha stuff which together equals about 1 carb.

I love this so much that I very rarely eat anything else for breakfast. I do not suggest eating something like bacon for your first few breakfasts. I did on my first phase 3 day and it was a fat shock to my system. I was queasy all day.

Regarding reg. diet of 100g of carbs a day... what do you have for "small treats during week" and what about "free day"?

Hi Gika. Good luck at the baby shower. I agree with you, the blunt approach works the best! Hopefully everyone will be focused on the baby and the gifts and not on what you are eating or not eating!

Yes, 2 months ago my husband told me that I looked too thin for my large frame. After telling him that my BMI wss normal and that my dr approved, we dropped the subject. Mainly I was hoping that time would cure him..and that he would get used to seeing me this way. While his response was not estatic, at least now he says I am not too thin and look fine. This is progress.
I have had the hernia..small one for 20 years..It is not a problem and I don't need surgery. I was just concerned that it was belly fat..and that I did not want to lose anymore weight.