Hi friends. It's been awhile...probably three weeks or so since I have posted but I have been thinking of you all and sending goof vibes.

As some of you know, my work situation has left a lot to be desired and I have been very unhappy for almost a year. Back in early September, I decided to start looking for employment opportunities and I am happy to say that I have a new job that I start on the 10th of November. Here's the bonus...my pay increased 21K, they pay for graduate school, the benefits are insanely amazing, they buy me a ski pass, etc. etc. etc. The list goes on! I am so incredibly grateful...beyond words and feeling so blessed that not only do I get to leave a really bad work situation but I also get to transition into a better financial opportunity. How did I get so lucky? I still cannot wrap my mind around it! Thankful is all I can say. My last day of work is on Tuesday the 21st and then I leave for Miami with my husband and my mom until November 1st for a much needed vacation. The best part is that I have a week when I get back to decompress and prepare for my new job. I haven't had a week off to myself since college...or maybe EVER!

I am still maintaining...the range is 130-135 depending on the day truthfully but usuaally at 132-133. Liana...te separtation is WORKING. WOW...who knew maintenance could be so easy? This last weekend we have a very dear friend's wedding with lost of wine and food (not so much bad food just not separting the carbs and fats lilke I usually do) and the scale shot up to 135 although I am confident that it was mainly water. Either way, I am doing phase 1 until next Wednesday...to get rid of any bloat and maybe shake a lb or two before I slip into my bikini for a week. We have a condo and I plan on eating like I usually do with the exception of a treat meal for lunch perhaps (yummy cuban dishes). I am excited to do a lot of walking and relaxing on the beach.

Hawaii69 and Mars75...I too have found myself in the past doing phase 1 more than I would have liked because before I never totally followed IP's plan...my coach suggested eating "well" 80% and enjoying the other 20%. It didn't work. Since September I have maintined by separating the carbs and fats and had not had to do a phase 1 even after a cheat meal...I would do more low-carb and things worked themselves out in a day or two.

RuthAnn...I am happy to hear you are recovering well and taking good care of yourself. I would imagine that you would lose additional weight after a surgery like you had after the swelling goes down because of the tissue removed. Did the doc say you would or I am way off LOL?

Evemoma...so good to see you are doing great and maintaining. The body is strange in that things flucuate. I would rather see it go down than up though. Either way, I do hope your thryoid is OK.

Hello and well wishes to eveyone here.

Is anyone making holiday travel plans? Anything exciting coming up?

Hi Everyone!

Good to hear from you, Jenny! It sounds like Florida was an adventure for sure but that you did amazing with your eating!!!!

eandc2006.....so happy to hear that the fat/carb separation is working so well. Your coach seemed way off "IP" protocol with the 80/20 rule. Sometimes I am curious how things would play out if I kept my calories the same but didn't separate so strictly. Not worth the gamble though I AM curious!

Mars, SylviesGirl, Hawaii....such helpful input into "living" in maintenance. Thanks for being so real about the ups and downs!

ChipnDip....I didn't get any actual IP coaching about maintenance, it's interesting to hear the input from your coach. To maintain my balance of 35% fat/ 35% protein/30% carbs in my 1550 calories a day diet, I need to eat a minimum of 136g of protein and 60g of fat a day...that leaves me 116g of carbs to play with (and aim for under 100 net carbs with lots of fiber!). Anyway, the only reason I mention this is that I don't think coaches and all the written maintenance information does a good job plugging the numbers into real life since you will need to make up the difference in fat/protein from keeping your carbs low and still maintaining a 2,000 cal a day diet. I highly suggest using MyFitnessPal and starting to build some menus for yourself to see what eating will be like. I don't mean to sound critical....I'm still in the learning process of this, and I easily get caught up in the logistics of it all.

Fighting a cold here still and NOT looking forward to going to work in a few hours. Ah well.....at least I will be to busy focusing on others to think about how I feel!

Extra big hugs, Liana! Congrats for getting your extra weight back off quickly!!!! I absolutely will be praying for you, your family and your mom as she is struggling health-wise. Make sure you give yourself a little extra pampering as we often forget ourselves when we are working so hard at caring for others!

eandc2006, Congrads on the new job! Sounds excellent and I'm jealous of your travel plans! Miami sounds great. I appreciate the advice of separating fats and carbs, maintenance is certainly trial and error for each one of us to see what works for us individually

Jenny; thanks for your advice on sticking with my plan to do a week of P2 and P3, I will do that. And those up lbs will be gone fast I'm sure for you!

Eve: hope you don't get that cold. Its travelling around here and some seem to have it for a few weeks. I am trying to avoid it!

Hi all,

To all who are struggling to find more balance in maintenance, I wish for you greater peace.

While my eating has not been super clean lately, I am okay with some slips. This morning, I was 1.6 up from my goal. I can live with that number for today.

I have been quieter on the threads lately, because I am tired from work. Am so looking forward to this weekend to relax and have a little fun.

To all the new maintainers, congratulations!

Eandc- hurray on the new job! Sound like a wonderful opportunity.

Jenny- sorry to hear that your friends hit a bump so early on in their marriage.

Eve, hope you feel better soon.

My mantra, progress-not perfection

I hear you! I've been using MFP for months and the ratios do not work with what IP has told me to do. I will definitely have to play around and see what works for me. The big thing for me will be nit returning to junk food and not over eating. Everyone munched for the 4 hour car ride and I spied my water. I wasn't hungry so I didn't eat.

My DH seems to have a hard time with me in P4. Keeps trying to stop me for eating everything! I keep saying, it's ok, I can have this now!

Chip...it sounds like you have a very supportive spouse which is so helpful in losing and ultimately maintaining. I imagine he has witnessed all your hard work and wants you to be successful. My husband always loves when I eat "normal" again...

Slipfree...Thank you. I am so humbled and just so overwhelmed with excitement. I hope I never feel the way I have here at my current job ever again. I can say it has been the worst supervisor relationship I have ever had so I am unbelievably grateful to be done. I couldn't agree more with you on the progress-not perfection! I remember so vividly wanting to get to goal and then when arriving feeling as if there was still so much work to do and in a way feeling sad about it. Almost two years later after reaching goal, I am still playing around finding what works and what doesn't. Its never a "goal" for me at this point but rather a journey to staying in a range and maintaining good health. Your statement was a well-needed reminder today.

Eve...I am with you! I think my coach was also way off. It may work for some but truly wasn't the best plan for me and I am loving the separation right now. Easy to follow, easy to do, easy to plan, easy, easy, easy. After I am done with a couple days of phase 1 before my vacation, I am looking forward to my big salads with full fat dressing, And my almonds...love those! It's funny because I eat way more fat than carbs (cheese, lots of nuts, heavy dressing, etc) and never find any problems. So interesting about the two when combined.

Jenny....where in Florida were you? I am leaving for Miami in a week and cannot wait for some beach time. Right now Denver is in the low 60's and so beautiful but I am already missing summer!

Hawaii...I swear by the separation. I am now a believer! You are right...so much trial and error and ultimately adjusting. The sweet spot exists...its just finding the thing!

Well today is my LAST Friday at work. I am off Monday for some doc appts., work Tuesday, and then I am FREE! It already feels so good. Today they are having a potluck and since I am doing phase 1 for a few days before VK, I am not participating. Even if I wasn't doing phase 1 I don't think I would participate. I am just that done here and really have nothing left to give socially or otherwise. I know it sounds bad but I really don't have it in me. I put on the façade for almost a year! This morning when I was around my boss, I literally had a physical reaction (I have before but this one was strong) almost to the point of becoming ill. It's amazing what our bodies tell us. We can only push things down for so long before they come up.

Hi eandc: Sounds like your body is liking the separation thing like mine is! Funny, isn't it, after all the hype about lo-fat yadayada for decades.

It really is that easy, and don't you feel like it's a treat when you get all those creamy yummy things for your fat meal (or maybe it's just me, lol).

I'm so glad you are getting out of a bad work situation (I've been there before - I had a settlement from CIBC which I cannot comment further on - legally) It can be so toxic as to make you physically ill alright! Don't forget to say a private personal thank you to anyone who wasn't horrible to you as you always want to keep those networking contacts & not burn those bridges But you probably already know that...

On a completely different note... you know how you get those days where you look at your hair and it doesn't want to cooperate in the least, it lays flat, or it doesn't lay flat enough, or it feels coarse and ugly, or whatever... I've been having a week like that, then I figured it out, lol. Time to grab the L'Oreal again as it's been 4 weeks and I want to time it for fresh colour for the upcoming wedding of a cousin in another month. So I am sitting here, 'perking' and will get it all whipped into shape before I head off to work this afternoon. Funny how a bit of haircolour can change your whole outlook...

When I went to put away a couple of Lindt bars that I bought on special the other day, I found we already had 2 bars in the 'secret cupboard' in our antique sideboard. DH and I laughed, but it does work... out of sight, out of mind... We are well stocked for this fall and I should probably quit buying Lindt bars for the rest of this year, even if the sale price is amazing.

Liana

Eandc- Congratulations on the new job, the benefits sound amazing. More importantly good for you for getting out of what sounds like a very toxic work environment. Enjoy your holiday. I just came back from Safey Harbour which is about half an hour from the Tampa airport. Weather was lovely.

Slipfree- I love "progression not perfection". I will think about this theorist, Winnicott, who had a quote about a good enough mother and that your good enough is likely better than most. Sometimes all you have to be us good enough. Hope you have time to relax this weekend.

Chip- good for for resisting road trip snacks. My DH is so confused on what I can eat now it makes me laugh.

Liana- hats off to you for finding leftover chocolate in the secret cupboard. I would not forget about that. I just saw a wag jag for 15$ for 30$ for Lindt choclate and had to do some quick self talking to not buy it. How is your jaw?

I'm still battling this persistent cold. We all had dinner in bed tonight and now the kids are watching a movie while I'm on iPad. I can't wait to go to sleep. Tomorrow is my last long training run, 19km, before the 1/2. Don't thinfk I will be able to it with this cold but will try to get close. Still have .5-1lb to get off which should come off this weekend.

Have a great night

Wow, I'm behind!

Have had so much going on at work and home, but I've been reading along (ok, sneaking peeks when I had a break at work). Seems like putting out fires is my main job right now, not getting a whole lot of actual work done.

I am pleased that my scale this morning put me back to 132. I'm really trying to be okay with a range but it's hard not to feel like I failed on days when it goes up a pound or two. I thought I was okay in my head with the flucuations but the last couple of weeks have shown me that I really am trying to micro manage it and that's not going to work. I may take a scale break for a few days and see how I do.

SylviesGirl - You are so right - perfectionist thinking is so hard to let go of! I was thinking the other day, P1 was so simple and there were constant rewards for staying OP and once we get to maintenance it doesn't work the same. The rules aren't so clear cut and it's a different reward system. I don't want my weight to be the focus of my being, but I know me, if I stop paying attention I will be in trouble. We'll find a balance! (Okay, now I'm just rambling.)

Hawaii - sounds like your reboot is doing well! I find keeping the dark chocolate in the freezer makes it easier for me to stop at one or two squares (usually). Take a long time to melt in your mouth!

mars - you always say things so clearly! Thank you for helping me clarify what was churning in my brain! You are exactly right on the initial P1 when we lose a lot vs. the correction P1. I may just be over thinking things too - I have a weird tendency to do that.

Jenny - Glad Florida was interesting. If you can't have a great, wild time then interesting is the next best thing. Sounds like you handled the eating well!

Slipfree - wishing you a restful, peaceful weekend, sounds like you need it!

ChipnDip - Car rides can be trouble, so you did good! My problem is I end up drinking a bunch of water and make dh stop the car at every rest stop. Isn't it cute how they do the "can you eat?"

eandc - I'm so happy for you for getting out of the job that was making you unhappy. Your new job sounds like a great one! It's hard not to let a toxic workplace overtake your life. Sounds like you handled the departure with as much grace as anyone could muster - bravo for you!

Liana - Been thinking of you and your family.

I hear you on the hair, I just had mine colored and it always looks so good leaving the shop and I just can't get it to do the same thing. It's thick and curly and wants to just go everywhere but where I want it to. And since I still am not supposed to lift my arms too high it makes doing anything with it difficult. Scrunchies to the rescue!

Hey all; Just a quick note before I head out for the day. P1 is still going great. I'll be interested to see what the scale says after a week. I totally relate Ruth Ann about micromanaging but to be in control thats not necessarily a bad thing but there are days that a person gets tired of doing it. Finding balance is the challenge. Have a great Saturday maintainers!

Hello, Maintainers,

I've lurked on this site before, but finally registered today. I have been on maintenance (this time) for 4 weeks. Have lost a few pounds on maintenance. It feels so fragile! I have been able to enjoy the free days, and find myself still being careful on those days too. I took 9 pieces of clothing to the seamstress yesterday to be altered. Amazing how HUGE some of them were. Will be like having new clothes. I am really thrilled at my new shape, but am still getting used to it. I also feel that I need to give myself permission to be thin. Maybe makes sense to some of you? I've been heavy off and on for many years. I first did IP in fall of 2012 and did very well, but the studio where I went just sent me on my way when I started Maintenance, which I think was a big mistake, as my weight climbed back up to 10 lbs less than where I started. Started IP again at the end of June. Weight is lower than it was first time. I'm at a different clinic now and have been checking in weekly. Coach is out next week, so I will go for two weeks and see how that goes. I still like having my IP snacks - especially the salt vinegar crisps! Happy to be here.

2timeIP -- Welcome! And congrats on 4 great weeks in maintenance. Sounds like you have a good grip on it this time. It is fun to feel like you have a whole new shape. I like what you said about sometimes it feeling like we need to give ourselves permission to be thin. The emotional side is so very complicated.

Hawaii -- I'm happy to hear that your P1 week is going so well. When will you weigh?

mars -- Thanks for your words of encouragement and support. I was too afraid to try on much of anything for a few days. I did get into my jeans yesterday, though, and was very relieved. Not to say I don't have some repairs to make, but at least it was not, physically, as bad as I thought.

eandc -- I am THRILLED about your new job. I do know what you mean about feeling physically ill being around someone who has treated you so horribly. I was in a situation like that once, a bit more than 20 years ago, and it still turns my stomach and hurts when I think about it. I'm sorry you had to go through that. Well, a couple more days and you are onward and upward. Good for you!

Evemomma -- Did you ever get that cold? I'm happy to say I managed to fend off mine, whew!

Slipfree -- "Progress, not perfection." Yes. So right. Hope you have a good week at school.

ChipnDip -- You got hideous advice from your coach. Thank goodness you knew better. Good for you for not succumbing to the snacking. That is hard when you're close enough to smell it.

Liana -- Yeah, how is your jaw these days?

In case you all missed it on the maintenance "eating" thread . . . Liana was hit on by a couple of twenty-something skateboarders. Femme Fatale!


Jenny -- How did your run go? Hope you smashed it.

Ruth Ann -- I hope you are fitting some rest and relaxation into your weekend. Rambling? I love rambling. Ramble away. Perfectionism has always been a problem for me. It's funny how weight issues -- and trying to resolve them -- puts you right in touch with all your dragons, isn't it?

Okay, maintainers. I need some "fellowship" as I am a bit off balance this afternoon. Since my last fall from the wagon -- and swearing off of drastic "corrections" -- I have been working very hard and just "being" and focusing on balanced, satisfying eating, calming down, etc. I was doing well. Fit into my jeans yesterday and worked hard at my son's band competition as part of the pit crew. Today, one of the photographer-enthusiasts posted a bunch of pictures. I didn't even know she was taking pictures. I have always hated pictures of myself -- like, they made me feel sick to my stomach. So, anyway, I looked okay in a couple of the pictures and not so great in a couple. (My husband says I look good in all of them.) Of course, I am focusing like a laser beam on the not-so-great pictures and am beginning to have thoughts of P1ing again. I'm not going to do it. I know that P1 just sets me up for a huge reaction in the opposite direction and that is what is causing me weight to creep up.

I can see and feel some additional "fluff" in my abdominal area and it is freaking me out. I have been following all your advice on here and have been eating relatively low carb (under 80 net carbs/day), yet satisfyingly . . . I need to just stick to that now and work on being okay with the process of figuring it out. Right? Right.

Hang on SylviesGirl, don't get waylaid by the negative pictures in your head. Look at those photos again and find one thing about yourself you like in each photo. Say it out loud not just in your head - ie: 'I love how my smile lights up when I'm having fun in this picture', or 'my calves look so shapely here'. whatever, just DO IT!!!

And quit the P1 talk, lol. Forward in maintenance, lol. You can do this! After all, the jeans still fit...

Liana

ps... hanging on with the jaw issues - I know continued stress doesn't help at all. Right now I can't eat raw carrots, or celery and even have trouble with broc & cauli. Oct 28 is the Orthodontist apptmt....we'll see what might be in store then.

Hi Maintainers! Quick hello as still on the road from a short weekend trip to Nashville. Had an interesting eating weekend...will fill more in tomorrow. Ready for a P1 day for sure!

Sylviesgirl....hang in there! You are SO much more than your jeans size or picture. You are witty and kind and caring...and I can tell that from here!!!!!