Quote:
Originally Posted by Meg
Robin – my motto for maintenance is – whatever works. Seriously, if it means taping up the cookies or throwing away food or being ‘selfish’, I’ll do it. Keeping the weight off is too important for me to screw up; I couldn’t care less what other people think of all the demented things that I need to do to maintain. This is MY life and I feel like I’ve been given a second chance, so … whatever it takes.
...– the more I read and hear about weight maintenance, the more it seems like something changes to cause weight gain: a death, illness, move, or big life change. Sounds like that’s just what happened with you – the injury and new job. I know how comfortable I am now in my routine and how it would throw me if anything major changed. I don’t know if there’s much more we can do than to simply be aware of life changes and the havoc they can bring to our weight loss/maintenance and try to adapt to them.
Your new kitty really sounds cute Meg. I love cats and have two of the little over-pampered creatures.
Whatever works. No truer words can be spoken. Some of the weird things I do would make others wince in the same way I wince when I read what some of you all do. This time around, in addition to having thrift store clothes hanging all over the house for inspiration (whatever works), I am being totally selfish - as in For me, by me, about me. Me, me, me, me...... I am using whatever time or props or books or food or money or whatever helps in this effort. And I am absolutely worth every iota of it. Those who say being selfish is wrong just want us to do more for them. Being the best we can be for ourselves translates into being the best we can be for others too.
Regarding to your second paragraph Meg about life throwing us curves and what we can do about it, there is something pertinent in the new Thin for Life, Ppg 236-7. The following are some selected excerpts from the sub section 'Maintainers vs regainers: How they cope'
"Masters at weight loss appear to handle stressful events in their lives very differently from people who regain weight."
"maintainers believed themselves capable of handling their problems and used problem -solving skills to cope with their difficulties. In contrast, relapsers did not deal with their problems directly (perhaps because they lacked effective problems -solving skills) and reported that they used food to make themselves feel better when upset."
"compared with maintainers, regainers were more likely to try to escape from or avoid their problems by eating, sleeping, drinking or wishing the problem would go away."
"
A striking 95% of maintainers used 'planful problem-solving' skills or confronted issues; in contrast, just 10% of regainers used these skills."
"But the masters have shifted their behavior from that of the regainers to that of the maintainers. They have not only learned to identify emotional situations that make them want to eat, but to deal with their feelings and problems more constructively."
In the book, this is followed by several sections of how to do just this. So yes, there is something we can do when life throws us curves so we dont resort to eating to comfort ourselves.
Jan
) though you can pay per session. Same with aerobics classes - by the class or an extra monthly charge. But, they have a great selection of machines and tons of free weight stuff. Good thing, too, as it's the only gym in town (next closest is a 20-30 minute drive).
with a matching jacket that makes it look far less "in your face" (to be worn with black wool pants), or a nice, but dowdy sueded 2 piece long dress in dark brown from Talbots. That's all that fits! Everything else is huge, or gym clothes. Without the jacket, the gold tank top would make a great outfit with leather or vinyl pants and a few tatoos, spike leather boots and I'd be all set for a big-time body-builders' show 
Thanks, Meg 
congrats Susan...