Such great motivating stuff to read today!

ChipnDip - congrats on starting P3! Apples are one of my favorites. Been eating a bunch of nectarines lately since they are in season and cheap - I'm trying to train myself to eat the in season fruits and veggies since that's when they are cheap and best tasting but I have to admit I miss my blueberries and strawberries. I may buy some frozen just for a treat once in awhile.

SylviesGirl - You have such a great attitude about getting back into the swing of things. It really is some trial and error and sometimes we go off track, the important part is recognizing when we do and getting ourselves back under control. I have been rather lax in my diet since surgery - mostly not enough veggies but am getting back to it. Still up a couple of pounds due partially I think to the effect of the narcotic painkillers. Been really good about stool softners, etc., but still not quite back to normal.

Good to hear from you hawaii! I'm enjoying Chuck - good rather mindless entertainment.

evemomma - it is hard finding the right balance. I started maintenance trying for 1400 to 1500 and it took me awhile to get there. I'm currently going for between 1600-1700 and seem to be doing well there. As I can start exercising again I may change that - we'll see how I do. I'm really looking forward to being able to exercise again. The PT was just getting me into doing more weight exercises and it definitely helps.

Slipfree - sounds like you are a great teacher. Kids can be challenging to redirect and it sounds like you are good at it.

Maile - congrats on 3 years! You are so inspirational!

Jenny - So good you enjoy running - it's great to find an exercise you love and can continue doing.

Been taking it easy before going back to work tomorrow - planning on a 1/2 day depending on how I'm doing. Was very excited to switch from bandages to a sports bra yesterday (ok, that sounds weird). I'm very pleased with how things are looking - going to have to get used to things being back up where they are supposed to be!

Hi Ruth Ann, so happy to hear from you! Sounds like everything is on the upswing, including the girls. Good luck tomorrow at work.

So, today I did a yoga tape. Some of the poses were challenging, and I was definitely like- what is she doing?! My body is going to be sore tomorrow, but the calm is worth it- I think?

SlipFree -- I am taking a yoga class right now, once a week. I never thought I would say this, but I don't think it is challenging enough. (Is this ME saying this?) I should take some dvds out of the library and try something else on top of that. I took one other yoga class years -- and 100 lbs -- ago. When she went around the room using each student as an example, I knew right then and there I would never be back. I could not bear the idea of everyone looking at me attempting Downward Dog! Now . . . I am able to beat back that self-consciousness and feel like, while I may not look great, I look relatively normal. "Progress, not perfection." (Love this saying of yours.) You really do sound like a great teacher -- your students are lucky.

Jenny -- Congrats on enrolling! What a wonderful vote of confidence in yourself.

RuthAnn -- I have no doubt that you will get right back into a good eating routine as you regain your strength and activity level again. You are doing great with your recovery. You must be looking terrific!

NSV: I got my jeans on today. It's funny, the things your mind does. I had convinced myself I was WEEKS out of my jeans. Not the case, they went on just fine -- and, almost immediately, my body seemed to shrink back, mentally, to a manageable size. Now, that is not to say that I don't have smaller jeans that would stand up and laugh at me if I came near them right now, but one dragon at a time . . .

Hello All!

Slipfree....I think you asked me this before about Zumba. You are going to laugh, but I just use a YouTube video. When I search it out on my Wii, there are two Zumba classes that pop up top of search that are for beginners. One is 16 minutes long and one is 30(ish), both by the same teacher. I also found an amazing beginning yoga YouTube that I would definitely do again, a good balance of strengthening, relaxation and stretching without making me feel like an oaf!

I made AMAZING Oat-flour Banana Choc Chip Muffins today on my fun day! Delish!!!! Here's the recipe:

Oatmeal Banana Choc Chip Muffins

2 mashed bananas
2.5 c quick oats (ground to flour in food processor)
1 c plain non-fat greek yogurt
2 eggs
3/4c sugar (I used 1/2 c and 1/4 c splenda....could easily modify this more)
1.5 tsp baking power
.5 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pure vanilla
sea salt and cinnamon to taste (I like sweet and salty)
1/2 c semi-sweet choc chips

Mix batter thoroughly and spoon into evoo sprayed muffin tin (mine made 12 large muffins). Bake at 400F until golden brown (mine baked for 18 min). Muffins are 170 calories with choc chips (130 without), 4 g fat, 52 net carbs, and 5.6 g protein. These fit easily into my fun day, though are pretty high in carbs for a regular day. I think I will experiment with making something similar using canned pumpkin, no sugar, and no choc chips. Ready for some pumpkin tasting things even if it IS 85F outside today!

Hello again, Everyone

I've not been posting for a bit, but I have been checking in to see how everyone is doing & loving all the stories! My son was married oceanside here in BC end of August, then a niece in Ontario the following week, so it has been an energetic, emotional & food-challenging time. Some family visiting here & almost my full extended family back East - some really lovely moments.

Great NSV when 2 of my nephews walked right past me, not recognizing my new silhouette (they hadn't seen me since the beginning of my first IP journey)!

The good news is: I returned from Ontario at the exact same weight I began the wedding cycle! Mindful but not obsessive worked REALLY well!

The less-good news is that I went up a few (3) a couple of weeks later - but was able to come back down within 2 days. I feel very empowered!

Emotional eating yesterday put me up again, so I am on a more restricted day today & feeling good about that. I agree with other posters who have said how reassuring it can be to go back to the basics of earlier Phases. Aiming for even & steady & still fumbling a bit.

It may be time to go back to daily posting on MFP - that keeps me more aware, for sure.

Sylviesgirl Welcome back - it's lovely to have your voice again, with all your observations & honesty. So sorry to hear about your sweet dog - he is lucky to have you. I loved your review of this thread's posters over the past while!

Mars Congratulations on 1 year's Maintenance.

Maile Three years! What an inspiration you are in so many ways.

Chip Love your anticipation of P3 breakfast apples on Thursday - acquiring & planning are at least half the fun!

Jenny Congrats on your pb recently (in the rain!) and Wow! A Half-marathon! I stand in awe. You go, girl!

RuthAnn Wonderful to be reading your posts & your steady improvement. Your pace sounds perfect. Some of us will be envious that your surgery placed things 'back up where they are supposed to be.' I suspect I am not alone in dealing with 2 tennis balls in the toes of long tights! (Perhaps TMI - )

Liana I am sorry to hear that your body is giving you pain lately. Even so, you seem irrepressible, with your enthusiasm, support & wonderful menu creativity.

evemomma Muffins sound wonderful. and 85F - Wow! Not so here on the Wet Coast, although it is a beautiful fall day here today.

Re Yoga - I have been doing a weekly class & occasional practice at home for over 3 years, regardless of my weight - I highly recommend it - for soooo many reasons. Not only for flexibility & strengthening, but also peace of mind - I hate to miss a class!

I have registered for an 8K event on Canadian Thanksgiving weekend - I will run/walk it, though - not up to Jenny's capabilities But having an event commitment helps me stay active in the meantime & I have come to really love my outings.

Anyone else find this new 'self' is a major change from the 'former self' in more ways than weight?

Happy end-of-weekend - Susan

Maile,
Congrats on 3 years! You continue to be such an inspiration to me.

Slipfree, Willow, Evemomma,, Jenny, Sylvie's Girl (hope I didn't leave out anyone out): Thank-you very much for your kind words & encouragement--so appreciated! Yesterday was a long work shift and I am still brain-fried. Lurking and reading everyone's comments added much pleasure to my day... and kept me on track even when grocery shopping after work (an especially vulnerable time).

Hope everyone's Monday gets off to a good start!

Good morning!

Congrats on the jeans Sylviesgirl! Isn't it amazing how just putting on smaller clothes that fit can help bring home the reality of our new smaller selves? I still grab clothes out of the closet and think "that can't possibly fit" and then get tickled when it does.

evemomma - those muffins sound amazing!

Was at Kohls yesterday and was dismayed to see their Christmas decorations out already. Made me want to redecorate their store with a hammer.

Glad you made it through a long and stressful day and a successful grocery trip! I love filling my cart with healthy, whole foods...I'm like, "Oh yeah, this is how i eat....", lol!

RuthAnn....glad to hear you are out an about a little! I'm cracking up at your hammer comment. I imagine you are going to have to be redecorating your wardrobe again with smaller tops, eh? So happy to hear things are back up where they used to be! If only I could say that about myself............their are no tennis balls to reduce - only socks left at this point......

Made it through my third fun day up a pound most certainly from the sodium-laden pizza I ate (thin crust, supreme). But I didn't overeat and have been having tummy-peace despite some water retention. Having my P1 day today, which I really enjoy - I feel like it is the key to allowing oneself to do the fun day because it helps to get refocused.

I did not exercise this weekend, so I need to get back on track with that piece. I work less this week, so I can actually get myself into the gym instead of just my YouTube videos. REALLY needing a yoga mat though, since we have hard floors

I found a recipe blog I really enjoy called "Running with Spoons" which has a lot of easy recipes that are often lowfat, low-carb or gluten-free (or easily adaptable), low sugar, and made with whole grain products. I have a few Banana Muffins leftover that I will eat at breakfast starting tomorrow. But once those are out, I am ALL OVER her pumpkin-bake in a mug recipe. MMMMMMM....I will let you know how it goes! Of course, some of her recipes may not fit our plan exactly, but I am game to try what she calls "sweet potato nachos" just using low-fat toppings instead of cheese.

Hello to all of you - I am hoping to be joining your ranks in the not too distant future and have a question to pose to you experts. I've been doing a lot of analyzing as it relates to goal weights/attainable weights/maintainable weights... I'm hoping you could provide me with some feedback on my current plan, while of course I keep in mind that I will ultimately have to do what works for me once I get started on maintenance (for the 2nd, hopefully more successful time).

I have my goal weight listed at 145, with the thought being that would be the low end of my range with the top being 148. My big question is what people's actions are when they go outside their range...do you automatically do a phase 1 day? For 1 day or until you are back in your range? Chock it up to possibly some water retention?

These are the kinds of neurotic questions I'm asking myself as I near goal. Thanks in advance for any advice you may have

Oooh, Evemomma -- I'm going to go check out that blog once I post this. I am in the mood for pumpkin something. It might have something to do with the mountains of pumpkin products in the middle of every store right now! Of course, right now, I'm on P1 . . . but it is fun to look forward to the P3 breakfasts. ;-) I'm right there with ya with the "top" issues. That always used to be my "asset," but um not anymore. A trade I will gladly make, I guess, but sorry there had to be a trade.

mars -- I'm glad the feedback brought you some cheer. Being around this group the last couple of days makes me wonder why I left left a couple of months ago. There is nothing like this group for info, support, and camaraderie. Good going at the grocery store -- I had to stop in this morning for rice for my poor pup, but I scored so many great produce buys. Funny how giddy I get at the idea of cheap asparagus, cauliflower, and just the sight of jicama. lol

RuthAnn -- How's your day going? Hope you're feeling well and remember to not overdo. I am one of those annoying people who is happy to see the Christmas stuff no matter how early. <head hung in shame>

Westwillow -- So good to see you! Wow, you did great over the summer. All those festivities and breaks in routine and only a couple of lbs to clean up after all is said and done? I'd call that maintenance done right.

I'm going on only a couple hours of sleep today. Poor dog had a bad night -- intestinal issues, the worst kind. I tend to get major cravings when this tired, so I treated myself to the most decadent P1 dinner (which I have to have for lunch today due to an appt at the dinner hour): Bunless burger and rutabaga fries. Yummy and comforting.

Have a great OP day, all ~

Hi Skye! This is my few months at maintenance, so I am hardly an expert, but I am currently on P1 for 2 reasons. #1, most of my pants were too tight to wear, so that implies about 7-10 lbs up from goal for me, well past my "scream weight of 128; #2, I needed to break the carb-craving cycle I had created by getting too far off plan. I was getting pretty out of control with the hunger and cravings, so I felt that I needed to reset my pancreas and get away from the insulin I seemed to be swimming in again. For those 2 reasons, I will stay on P1 long enough to get into ketosis, and I will stay there until I am back down to goal and start the phasing off process all over again.

I will be interested to see what some of the longer-timers say as I have had this same question at times. "When do I go nuclear and when do I just cut back?"

I don't know, SkyeAvery... imho three pounds at your height is not a sufficient range for maintenance and could set you up for stress and emotional eating... I am 5'8" and my range is 130-135 so 6 lbs. 132 is my easy to stay at optimal weight. This makes sure I'm not stressing about TOM (but maybe you are past that - don't know your age) or even a bit too much sodium one day. I have only been 1 or 2 lbs above my range weight once in the past 6 months of maintenance and that was due to several days of eating off plan... I usually end up doing P2 for a day after and it works for me. I have been at my 'top of range' 3 times for a day or two but just ate normal maintenance and dropped it quickly back to my comfortable 131/2. Usually it's water retention because when I eat a bit off plan or do a fun day it's the salty stuff that I like.

No neuroses allowed...
heheheh, I'd choose nuclear at 5 lbs ABOVE my top of range weight.
Liana

Skye: Great question! I am new at maintaining and have done a few P1/P2 days after a day with a fun meal.

Still learning and appreciate everyone's input!

Oh Liana, my neuroses knows no bounds. I like to think I just really analyze things to the nth degreeI do tend to overthink things, & truly appreciate your feedback. I do think I will mentally reevaluate my range to a more reasonable 145-150. Your point is valid. My height is a blessing in that I can gain quite a bit of weight before it 'shows'. I'm also quite muscular & workout quite a bit & know my weight can fluctuate in recovery. And yes, TOM is still a standing date with me - I'm 36.

So...when you are at the higher end of your range do you do some phase 1/2 days until you are at you're more comfortable 132? Or just generally cut back and keep your calories under the recommended per MFP?

I can't say thank you enough. I've mentioned in other threads that I believe IP drops the ball quite a bit when it comes to phase 4 & I'm grateful to anyone who is willing to share with me (& others ) how you've made the program work for you.