SaraBean: Congratulations! It sounds like you are doing well to have kept your weight gain so low!

I have also been off the boards for a while and have come back for motivation. I tend to "lurk" and not post, but I appreciate all the input I read from others. I am following Phase 1 for a few weeks, just to get 5 pounds off and reset some of the bad habits I was starting (mainly nightly wine, too many nuts and lattes). Keeping my diet mainly low carb has helped not to get too out of control. I hope everyone has a good weekend!

Gazelle, I find that eating low carb as much as possible helps me stay in control also. It is a good idea for you to reset old habits and fine tune your maintenance. I hope you have a good weekend!

Sarabean: Congrats on keeping your weight so low! I am excited about your pregnancy! You get some weird cravings in that state.

JLus: I did lower my blood sugar when I lost weight. You might be extremely carb sensitive. There might be some truth to your body getting used to a lower blood sugar and then spiking on new low levels. Are you doing any better?

Ishbel: This move is exhausting and rush hour traffic is not helping. Thanks for thinking of me. One more long day. Unfortunately there are stairs..but they burn calories.

Rainbowsmiles and Joysh: The windy city has cooperated with beautiful cool weather. The suburb of Evanston is quite beautiful as is my son's campus. There is a beautiful lake beach. It makes me laugh to see all of the North Shore names..North Shore has always been related to Oahu and the surfing areas.
You are right about sharing this time with my son. It is worth it.

Epap: I hope the pg test is a good one. Your lab tests sound excellent.

Well I am removed from my scale, but my habits are firm. I eat as low carb as possible and don't worry.

Here is an interesting article on conditioning for resisting temptations for obese children. What the trainer does is put the high fat junk food in front of the child. Then he has them rate it as desirable on a scale. Then he has them sniff it and then rate again. Then he has them stare at it for 5 minutes and rate it again. He found that with training like this, kids can lower their desire for junk food. However, this training is not sustainable for a long period.

I do not think this would work on me. I am not sure looking and sniffing all of my trigger foods would work.


online.wsj.com/article/S
B1000142412788732432440457
9045403727762972.html

Here are some questions that are answered by National Weight Control Registry Predictors

1. What is the NWCR, and what do you mean by Predictor?
The NWCR is a voluntary survey of people who have lost at least 30 pounds and maintained it for over 12 months. They may or may not have attained goal weight.
A Predictor is a behavior or feature that is believed to predict successful maintenance.

2. Is there a particular diet that works well for maintenance?
There is not a particular diet in the sense of particular foods to eat or avoid. One predictor is eating breakfast. A commonly reported calorie average is around 1,400 but this is inaccurate because it is based on a tool known to underestimate calories 20-30%. The average is closer to 1,800 calories per day in a survey that is 77% women with an average BMI of 25.1 (down from average BMI 36.7). (Wing and Phelan 2005)

3. Do maintainers exercise, and how much?
Maintainers burned about 2500 calories/week for women and 3300/week for men, equivalent to about 1 hour a day of brisk walking. Walking is a popular form of exercise for the maintainers, many of whom workout from home. Fitness levels are best worked up to gradually.

4. What else do maintainers do differently from average Americans?
10 hours of TV per week rather than 24
Eat out 3x per week, and fast food 1x per week rather than 7x
Avoid situations that encourage overeating

5. Why do people regain weight?
Length of time in maintenance, only 2 years or more predicts continued maintenance
Disinhibited eating (periodic loss of control)
Depression

6. Has anything been shown to decrease chances of regain?
Dietary consistency (eating in the same way throughout the week including special occasions) is correlated with about 50% better odds of continued maintenance.
NWCR findings were used to design a program for a Study called STOP Regain, which indicated that active support and self monitoring (interpretation of daily weight and calorie numbers) produced a 47% rate of successful maintenance in the first year after weight loss. (Other NWCR data is on people who have already maintained for one year.)

To sum up:
1. Continued modification of food intake
2. Daily fitness
3. Eat breakfast
4. Self monitoring (understand weight, fitness and food interactions)
5. Less than 10 hours of TV per week (average is 24)
6. Utilize support and continuing education
7. Eat out less than 3x week, fast food 1x week
8. Gradually develop fitness up to 1 hour/day
9. Be vigilant of conditions that encourage overeating
10. Develop emotional regulation, especially resilience to setbacks

Sources:
NWCR Facts: http://www.nwcr.ws/Research/default.htm
Wing and Phelan 2005 http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/82/1/222S.long
STOP Regain http://www.brown.edu/Administration/...07/06-035.html

maile....that was a great post!! thank you!!!!!!!!

I'm not a maintainer YET, but check this thread for future reference. Love the above posted NWCR Predictors. Definitely FOOD FOR THOUGHT! Thanks Maile!

I have been in maintance for almost a month and was wondering if you guys had any snack ideas, I am finidng that finding a snack is the hardest thing!

I lurk here hoping to learn for the future, thank you for sharing that article Maile. Very interesting read.

Maile- Thanks again for the interesting post. I always like reading the information that you find!

twinsmonmmy- I still have a quest bar daily. My other "go to" snacks are almonds, cut up red peppers and cucumbers and an occassional piece of cheese. I still try to stick with mainly low carb eating, eat 3 meals and 1 snack. Good luck with finding what works for you!

Hello maintainers! I will be joining you all in 2 more lbs. Some faces I know and others are new. Congrats to everyone!

I started IP last October and began maintainence in December (21st I believe). Anyhow, I was staying in the 135-140 range for quite a while until recently I was pushing more of the 140ish area and it freaked me out leading to a reboot (on day 16 now) to kick the weight off and get down to 130. 130 was my inital goal but I settled on 135 last year because I was traveling a lot and a bit burned out and needed a break into maintainence. So whenever the scale moves down 2 more lbs, you will see me around more.

Any good books anyone can reccomend for maintainence? I have heard of refuse to regain and beck's diet solution which I plan on checking out. Any other ideas?

Looking forward to my phase 3 bfasts again soon.

I started 10/04/12 and on that day this year I will be 35lbs less (MORE) of a person! Really looking forward to that day!

How long do you reboot for? My clinic only let's us do 2 weeks of P1 and then 2 weeks of P2 and P3. I am planning to do just this come Monday. I have put back 10 lbs and my clothes are feeling snug. I am afraid it is going to be much harder this time around!

Epap: My clinic lets use do P1 as long as we want. Good luck on your reboot.

Sandyc: I don't have any other books...I did like Wheat Belly Diet. Good for you heading to one year of maintenance.

Twinsmommy: I eat chocolate covered almonds or regular nuts for a snack.

Gazelle, Crystalwolf,SusieV, and Rainbowsmiles: What I found interesting was an hour a day of exercise..less tv..but what surprised me was an average of eating out 3x a week and one fast food a week. That is lower than most people..but I don't eat out that often!

Ditto on both!

I almost always have a quest bar for breakfast monday-friday, in the car with
my coffee on the way to work! lol!
Weekends have more time for being creative. I've been liking Dry Roasted
Edamame for a snack, glutenfreee and locarb, Wasibi flavor has a nice kick!
Veggies and raw nuts work well too! I limit 1-2 pieces of fruit a day, been
staying at goal with that. Still not doing gluten or dairy. But I'm really
used it for now. Hopefully the holiday goodies don't get to me too much.
If I really want sweet I go to the quest brownie bar, yum! Or 90% Lindt Dark
chocolate, alittle bitter at first, but really enjoy a piece now and then.

Have a great weekend all!

D

Well after 3 months of CrossFit and a trip to Ireland I've started creeping back up again. I'm not going to do a "full" reboot but I am going to try the modified athlete phase 1 for a week or 2 just to push back down below 170. There's not a lot of carbs but enough to keep things going and allow me to continue working out. Other than vacation we haven't been eating much in the way of carbs except the higher veggies like carrots and an occasional sweet potato so it shouldn't feel like much of a sacrifice - well we'll see

Hi Dregan - your stats are amazing. Do you mind if I ask you how long it took you to get to 115?

M35: Good luck with your modified athlete Phase 1. I will bet you enjoyed your trip to Ireland. It is a lovely country.

DRegan: Thanks for the snack ideas. I am interested in the roasted edamame. I roast my own edamame and would like to try the wasabi version.

Too busy at work. I am cooking ahead this weekend.