Hi Everyone

Andrea so glad to hear that everything went well.

Shasta - love your second pic also, even though I threw my neck out trying to rotate to see it (lol just kidding of course).

Jenny I had a similar weekend, went in 2 lbs up but didn't do anything to bring it down, and likely won't do much for the next few days as started TOM yesterday. Likely some of it's water retention due to that, but it's not my only excuse, had several days of a few hundred extra calories last week that added up overall.
I have my monthly WI and measurement for P4 this afternoon so perfect timing ... not My coach is very amazing about that stuff though, she's way more easy going about fluctuations than I am on myself.


As for me, I posted some about my weekend on the daily chat a little while ago but realized it's better said over here, because when I get into details about non P1 food it might be more respectful not to bother people that maybe don't want to hear about P4 stuff yet....

I had a great time at the all day meditation dance party...... so much so that I stayed several hours longer than I planned, and ended up eating the dinner they had provided, which was rare for me as I usually bring my own food, but the food was great and I got to have a little cole slaw and pulled pork which is something I haven't had in years, it's nice to be on P4 and feel completely fine tasting things and not freaking out that I'll gain weight. I certainly had enough activity to burn it off.

I was wiped out enough at the end that I strongly considered some of the chocolate they had, but decided to opt out, I'm just not ready to introduce sugar yet. Not sure if that will ever be a great idea for me. As I mentioned I started my TOM during the middle of the day, and I'm sure by hopping around for 10 hours burned off a ton of extra calories, and it was the perfect storm for "omg chocolate would completely solve how I feel right now". But I decided to go home and eat a salad with meat and fat, and that actually was perfect in the end. And I didn't feel deprived because they had some raisins there which was another thing I haven't eaten in years and I know that is borderline sugar for my body but was really tasty with almonds as a high energy snack...
- By the way I know there's a good chance that the BBQ and cole slaw had sugar in it even though it came from a health food restaurant so it was probably better than most... but I had a smaller quantity, and the sugar in the chocolate seemed over the top - I'm just weird with that stuff, it's not really based on science or fact... I think chocolate is probably just a trigger food for me - we'll see. Just couldn't quite go there yet.

Do most of you do OK with having a few bites of things with sugar/flour on special occasions, or does it take you down a worse road over time?
I'm sure it's different for everyone, but I'm curious what your experience has been.

I am curious about this too, because I had PIE last night! Which I so rarely ever had even before IP, but my sweet family had prepared such a lovely Mother's Day dinner (after having made brunch in the morning), and the dessert they had was pie. So, I wasn't going to have any but then decided on a few bites. Did not have it a la mode, but, boy, was it ever yummy on its own! I probably had about 6-8 little tiny bites, so not even one serving. Half the pie is, of course, still sitting in the fridge. So, I myself am wondering whether I am going to partake again tonight, or be able to ignore it. Have been doing a P3 day today so am hoping to ignore

Love your description of the dance party, Amber -- glad you enjoyed. Liana -- sorry it was such a rough, emotional weekend on you and your tummy. Hang in there during your hectic week ahead. And Jenny and Amber -- I am also up two pounds today, but I know it's due to the "fun meals" this weekend. Going to see if a couple of P3 days will take care of the issue. Otherwise will revert to a P1 day. (I know that's not exactly what I'm supposed to do, but I'm experimenting.)

Well, I haven't been in maintenance very long but so far, I have had cake at a wedding which was very much worth it. But I was good leading up to the cake. So, I guess from my perspective it's about trade offs now. I don't think I'm as conservative as you but it shows that my scale is going all over the place and I have had to go back to P1 a few days to make up for it. For instance, I don't know that I would consider raisons as forbidden. I would think twice about it if I was adding to a salad but if it was already there I wouldn't pick it out like I did during P1...

I am about to go to bed and, just for the record, threw the rest of the pie out in the trash tonight after everyone else had however much they wanted.

Shasta all your pictures are adorable
Also I’m not sure if I’m conservative or just have control issues (I think more so the latter) but I’m working with it all. I’m the kind of person that gets really intense about details until I feel like I have it handled, and then I calm down about it.
--

I had a really good WI with my coach, I was up 1.7 as I expected but she was so supportive and kept saying how rare it is for someone to maintain for even a month. So good for all of us!
She just kept saying over and over again how good it was just to stay within 5 lbs.

Also FYI this new IP maintenance program doesn’t seem so interesting or even all that new- I think Mimi mentioned the same feeling on another thread. Basically it’s just doing what we are already doing - tracking food, looking at patterns, coming up with workable meal plans, weighing and measuring once a week with the clinic for a while and then once a month.
For me there was nothing to add or change from what I’m already doing. I was fairly bored by the conversation but glad to know I wasn’t missing anything.

Yeah, after getting a bit excited about 'new' maintenance support, it's really what I had from my clinic in the first place. Perhaps that's why they haven't phoned me about any new info like we had agreed on.
Or it's because they are busy after moving into their much larger new premises. Finally - it was so cramped in their other offices, lol.

Liana

Hello All!

Today is my first day back at work after surgery and I'm thinking I should have taken another day. Very low energy and having trouble concentrating. Mild levels of pain. Thank goodness there is another lady here who has had the same surgery a few years ago and I can compare notes with her to make sure that what I am experiencing is normal. I had some major potty issues during recovery so my eating has been kind of weird. If I was feeling majorly sick, I reverted to P1. Then other days I would do BRAT. The pain meds caused major backup issues and I was so uncomfortable. I stopped taking those a few days ago to help with that issue. I'm hoping to make it the entire day but my boss told me to go home if I was in pain. Laying around on the couch for days makes you think you feel better. But sitting at the desk and walking around a lot shows me that I'm still recovering. I'm not going to post any menus until I am solidly back on P4 so as not to be confusing to newbies.

My ticker disappeared. What? Also, back down to my beginning Maint. weight. Yay!

Yay Andrea, overall what an inspiring success.

Glad you can go home today early if you need to, might be a good idea.

Yaaay, Andrea for low maintenance weight! Try to take care of your recovery first... the office can manage without you for a bit and you don't want to cause complications. Just because there isn't some big scar showing doesn't mean some 'major poking around' (as my DH calls it) didn't happen inside.
Opiates for pain work great but they sure can screw with the bowels. Keep up the water...

Liana

Amber & Liana Thanks for the advice. I did leave work an hour early and had a date with my couch last night. I didn't even cook. I had some soup and tuna fish for dinner and was in bed by 9. Back at work today and finding that sitting is the problem. I am standing up at my desk today because it's more comfortable. And you're right, my insides have been re-arranged so it's going to take some time for recovery.

Happy Friday ladies,

Andrea, I hope today is a little better, take it easy

Grateful - you are doing amazing staying off the process sugar. The meditation party sounded like lots of fun


Mimi- were you able to ignore that pie in the fridge? If so you would have done better than me. I've learned to eat my treat outside the house or else there is never just a half or only a few bites. I think part of maintainence is being able to have a treat every now and then because that is realistic.

Busy week and then to my horror we discovered my son has pinworms . I'll spare you'll all the details but I was ready to get some pills to cope. I'm off exercises for a bit my Achilles tendon is sore and don't want to get a tear. Going to have to wear running shoes all the time to get the right foot support.

Still up a lb but have official wi at 12.

Hi to everyone

Glad to hear Andrea that rest is happening. Best wishes with the ongoing recovery.

Jenny I feel like we're walking a similar road right now.

Hello to Mimi, Liana, Shasta, murrcat, DD, everyone else...

Ended up overnight on Sunday up 2 lbs, TOM and change of hormone meds, so didn't worry too much, but then every day this week another 1lb and saw 159 on scale which did almost make me scream. Did a P1 day yesterday with extra protein added when hunger came and back down 2 lbs this morning, will do a stricter lower cal P3 today due to activity and hunger levels but will do another alt. P1 this weekend if I need to.

I do have to say I'm grateful for the P1 and knowing I can go there when things don't feel good. I also stopped the meds change for this week, told my doctor I need to do that later when I feel a little more steady, I can't handle unexplained weight gain right now. They said it's fine, we'll just take it a little slower next time. We're not even sure I need the adjustment so this will give us a little more time.
I'm hoping with putting the meds back where they were the water retention etc. will ease back down this weekend.
The feeling of being all fluffy and my shoes and rings not fitting the same and my tummy all bloated was not fun at all.
The good thing for me though was I didn't freak out, I just talked myself through what has happening and didn't go into some self judgment spin.

Also talked to my doctor about processed sugar and alcohol and he just shrugged his shoulders and said "maybe for your body you don't do that the rest of your life for the most part" - but he said trust myself. But it was good to be reassured I wasn't getting insane about it.

Have a great weekend all.

Happy Friday Maintainers!

Jenny: Oh no! Pinworms. That's about as much fun as head lice. Hope that and your foot feels better. I use Vionic Orthoheel supports in all my shoes since I have plantar fasciitis. About $34 a pair on Amazon and you aren't stuck wearing sneakers all the time. They are wonderful.

Grateful: Sorry for those up lbs. but good for you on not panicking.

Yesterday morning when I got up to get ready for work, my body just said NO. I felt like I was walking through quicksand and had zero energy. So another vacation day used to lay on the couch. Blergh! At work today but taking it easy and wearing stretchy pants since my tummy seems to swell during the day, because of the sitting, I think.

I don't really have much of an appetite. I eat because I know my body needs it to recover, but it's an effort. Eating is still not back to P4.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. I'll be on my couch and taking very short walks.

Hopefully the weekend is good to you Andrea and your recovery speeds up. Good Luck with the up pounds Amber.

Yay for long weekends (Can.)

Hi gals... Sitting in front of Starbucks in my patrol car at 2:30 am, even though they are closed so I can hog their free WiFi on my tablet, lol. It's a quiet night for the first 'summer' long weekend and I have a bit of downtime between my next rounds of businesses and gov't offices. My weight is back up to scream wt again, I'm getting quite frustrated with this...part of it is that stupid menopause thing. I just feel like it's a permanent TOM without the relief of a period. My clothes aren't all fitting that nice right now. I feel like throwing in the towel and wallowing in a vat of melted cheese. AAARRGH!!! I know in the grand scheme of things I'm still at a healthy weight but it's not a good looking weight... Maybe I'll feel better tomorrow... I'm off to rodeo this weekend 97th year of the Falkland Stampede. I won tickets last week.
At least that will be fun.
Liana