Maile
I have read that the ideal amount of exercise for maintaining is 5 hours a week. I assume for this they mean intense exercise...

I am really thinking of joining the precision nutrition lean eating program this year. I am interested in learning more about the timing of food for athletic performance, an I appreciate I will eventually like to eliminate most packets from my diet. I would still use ip as a protein supplement as I like some of the packets so much.

I slacked off at the gym with my traveling and the lack of fitness classes at our y until next week so today I did one of the insanity workouts. It was tough and sweaty! I plan to do another tomorrow.

I had curried shrim and spinach with cauliflower rice tonight (did use a very small amount of coconut milk). It was delicious! I so don't miss rice!

It is obvious that in maintenance most people can be expected to still put on a few pounds. It is recognizing this and getting things back in check that work for long term success!

Hello All,

I have always lurked, but now that I am on maintenance decided to post. I had my first vacation since starting the IP diet and was able to maintain my weight!! Love reading all your posts.

LOL Maile - sounds like an exchange I would have with my mom! I had an inkling of hope when she told me she wanted to 'eat like me', but I think that never happened. Still holding out hope, all I can do is maintain and continue my lifestyle.

I agree! My coach said that accountability & support are two keys for successful maintenance. Since my job moved across Dallas from the clinic I haven't been able to WI in Phase 4, but I plan on continuing to stay active & involved on this forum.

The mac & cheese was FANTASTIC! I have actually had it 2 days in a row now! I did the lobster, pumpkin, ricotta, mozzarella & parmesan - then today did chicken, pumpkin, greek yogurt, mozzarella & parmesan. Both with Miracle Noodles & Kale and they were fantastic!

Here's my fatsecret breakdown of the 'basic sauce', the Miracle Noodles add nothing to the equation - you can add an extra protein - but you can see from the stats that at 37.88g it's a good 'standalone' protein dish. The kale adds a nice texture, I really didn't need to add meat. I pan roasted the noodles to dry them and then sauteed them and the kale in ~1tsp truffle oil. Seasoned with nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, salt, pepper, & paprika. Baked at 350deg for ~30 minutes. It is delicious!

___________________________Fat(g)___Net C(g)___Prot(g)__KCals
6oz 0% Plain Greek Yogurt.. - ...... 7.00......18.00 ...100
4oz Organic Pumpkin........ - ...... 6.00 ..... 1.00 ... 50
1/3c Mozzarella Cheese..... 7.98 ... 1.33 .....10.64 ...106
1/6c Parmesan Cheese....... 4.69 ... - ........ 6.03 ... 67
1 c Kale................... 0.47 ... 5.41 ..... 2.21 ... 34
================================================== ==========
............................13.14g...19.74g.....37 .88g...357

**Update: I just submitted my recipe to the Miracle Noodles website - wish me luck on winning 30 bags of free noodles!

Maile LOL on your mom. When I was 16 I met my grandma in a beauty shop (it was her 60 wedding ani) and she was under the dryer. She saw me and said "wow, you've gained weight"....being under the dryer meant she had to yell it... Family! lol!

greeniris Be kind to yourself, I can imagine that entering maintenance during the Christmas season was tough. You did better then you think I'm sure. Even I reviewed how much I indulged and realized that it was no where near what it used to be. And now you have to tools to fix it

Liz You need a COOK BOOK girl!! WOW, thanks for all that you do in your kitchen and then thanks for SHARING it Good luck, hope you win your bags of noodles!

evepet Well done on your mini break. Good luck, you'll be fine

loco Glad to see you back! Miss your posts.

cap

Jury is still out on the bursitis...although some improvement it's still not 'gone' and I ran to my building from the parking lot yesterday (not far) and I felt it still although not as bad as I can actual climb stairs now (ugh). Leaning towards a cortisone shot...only ever had one (when I was 19) and it H-U-R-T. Anyone have them for buristis in the hips??

I have bursitis and have been using a Power Plate workout with a focus on my hips and seems to have helped quite a bit. However, if I use the hip joint a lot (meaning lateral movements repeatedly as is done in some dance steps), I can get the pain back fast. But still, this helps.

Thank you Liz & Ishbel.

Liz (or anyone else!) - I'm not a great experimenter in the kitchen, but have been wondering if the soft or silken tofu can be used to make sauces similiar to what you've done with the lobster mac & cheese. Any insights there? I've only used tofu in a couple of recipes so not sure about 'free-lancing' with it. I'll ask Susan (Rainbowsmiles) too...

ISHBEL!!!! Stinks to hear about your booty. I was hoping it was just something a little rest & stretching would fix.

I am going to The Cotton Bowl tonight! Watching my TX Aggies whoop up on OU. Excited to see our Heisman-winning quarterback in a bowl game! I am kust calling it a cheat night!

I used silken tofu in a smoothie before, but dont see why it couldnt be used in a sauce. Never have done anything with tofu besides that 1 time.

Hey ladies , been away for a month or so. I had rebooted in October....got back to my goal weight...maintained a few weeks, but just returned from a 10 day vacation (only up a couple of pounds). So I am dumping those pounds and hopefully another 10 (going for a size 6).

Technically I have been on maintenance for about 20 months...I have had to reboot quite a bit during that time, but with that said...I am still near my goal weight (or maybe at it by today)...waiting a full week to weigh.

This works if you stay accountable. Must return to phase 1 (or eating like phase one...in summer I do fruit/veggie days...nothing else) (2X aweek) must weigh-in, but life is hard.

I know so many people who gained every pound back....it is so important to keep yourself in check and enlist someone who keeps monitor you daily.

Here's to another full year of maintenance ahead in 2013

As some of you may remember, I started on p4 right before Christmas. I'm wondering about the phase 1 day. I did many cheat moments but no major cheat days. I went from 128 to 132. Since then I've been sick and decided that I'll just be smart but not phase 1, I want fruit to help me get healthy. Anyway, I'm back down to 130 (goal) so do I need to do a phase 1 day after cheats when I'm not actually gaining? Is it bad if I don't do fats or carbs at every meal? I'm very content with phase 2 meals most of the time with a little something thrown in every now and then! Thanks so much for your help!!

Good morning! (Well, almost noon now) It is a bright, sunny and very COLD morning here in northern MI...was 8 degrees a couple hours ago! I'm spending the day catching up on housework, making beef stew and zucchini muffins (both IP P1 appropriate), and doing a ton of laundry. Also have a 1000 pc puzzle going on the dining room table we've both been working on (an after-Christmas tradition). Am going to begin the yoga-like exercises again today. VIP is working his 2nd job all weekend so I have to keep myself busy. At least he'll be home in the evenings.

I have a full week of P1 meals planned, veggies purchased and a new grip on my determination to get back to goal, if not even lower. This IS important to me; I am important to me and worth the effort! (Do any of you give yourselves little pep talks??? lol)

Hi Darbs - welcome back. Glad to hear you're doing so well on your re-boot. I suspect that is going to be part of our new, healthy lifestyle - rebooting every so often. Life is hard, but we now have the tools to fight back, and WIN!

LoriKay - I don't have any answers for you. I believe we each have to find what works for us to maintain. The only thing that jumps out at me with your plan is that you should probably continue with the supplements if you're going to stick to P2 most of the time. Good luck, and hope you feel better soon!

Think I'm going to experiment with the silken tofu today - I'm feeling adventurous and it's too darn cold to be outside for more than a couple minutes. Have a great weekend!

Well Happy New Year everyone. It's been 2 months since I've been on here. I am doing well and am doing a phase 1 week or 2 to remove the 5 pounds I have gained over the past few weeks. I let myself have too much sugar and alcohol and I felt like crap... I knew it would happen and I let myself do it anyways. I am happy to be feeling normal again.

So good to see you!!!! I began maintenance in December and indulged too much as well, so I am back on Phase 1 to get rid of those 5 pounds and 10 more.

Welcome back! And good for you, getting on top of 5 pounds before it becomes 25!

Congratulations on reaching maintenance. I am thinking I am going to try and lose a total of 10 pounds. That will put me at 135 and I think that will be a good weight for me to maintain. I am having a tummy tuck and breast lift middle of Feb. and want to get as much fat off as I can before then. We shall see. My body likes 142, it is easy for me to stay around that weight if I don't eat sugar like I did over Christmas. No more sugar for me. It makes me crazy!!!

Hi Mooselover. Nice to hear from you again. You're being smart in tackling those 5 lbs now and keeping things under control. Sounds like you're doing very well in general.