Still on P3 and had my first lisp up. Mini corn muffins. I'm over it and not feeling guilty anymore. Moving on. For P4 I need to figure out what snacks I want to have around. I'm out of premade IP, bars, shakes etc - which I prefer. Time to understand my natural choices. Off to the "what have you been eating?" Thread.

Hi Maintainers!

Its been nice reading all of your posts. I think P3 is a good way to eat instead of P1 as well, not so restrictive for those of you trying to decide how not to eat so restrictive. Steph, (posts on October Newbies thread 2013) has been doing really well on it and lost some lbs she had regained. It is about maintaining in a balanced and healthy way and we each have to decide what that is for us as individuals. All of our bodies are different and react different to amount of calories and carbs. Its certainly a learning process. And the suggestions on this board are great and encouraging. We are all dealing with these issues daily, and it helps to know we aren't alone!

I am in mid range right now and am okay with that. I have to say I'm happy with that as it seems I feel I'll be at scream weight, step on the scale and the number is a few lbs lower so a very happy surprise. Sometimes it works the other way though! That isn't so fun! hee hee I keep plugging. I saw a dietician this week about ibs. I can't say that I learned a lot. She just read a form with me and a lot of the info, I knew. But, there were a few things to think about like, apples can cause gas. And of course all the bad things like too much sugar, caffeine, alcohol, bad carbs, those gassy vegies like broccoli and cabbage etc. Dairy can be bad if you are sensitive to that especially milk and then there's beans, red meat. Basically you have to decide how your body reacts to any foods that you are eating. She suggested a journal.

Have a great day maintainers and keep up the posting. I enjoy all of them.

Rayze: yes, go to the maintainers eating thread to get good ideas on snacks. Personally I like an apple with a tbsp of peanut butter or a protein bar,I love to cut up vegies and dip in hummus, sometimes its cheese and crackers(healthy preferably) or Greek yogurt and I add an apple with peanut butter (I buy the kind with nothing but peanuts in it) and a couple drops of stevia.

Hello all! Well, my body is just plain stubborn, because I stepped on the scale today and I was back at goal - 125.0 on the dot. I decided to move onto P3, like others have discussed. I mostly ate P3 in maintenance with the occasional cheat day once a week if I was out being social. I think I'd still like to get down to the 120-125 range to live in comfortably, but I think I can do that eventually on P3, especially when I add in exercise when my carbs are back up a bit. Had a bit of granola, almondmilk and some raspberries with my omelette this morning and feel good.

We're bracing for another weekend blizzard here. Temperatures got so low last night the house was groaning and banging. Very grateful we replaced the roof last year instead of the kitchen - we're the only house in the area without icicles and dams, so we've been helping out all our neighbors. Thankfully, it looks like the blizzard should start after our Valentine's Day dinner plans (there's no way I'm missing sushi tonight!).

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend and for those of you who are in the Northeast with me, stay warm!

Hey slip thanks for checking on my roof. Our guy thinks it isn't anything to be worried about. No leak, just a fluke gap where the wind needs to blow just right to happen again.

Darth I hope you will be happy in P3. I am already feeling so much more in control. No hunger, no cravings. I was actually almost too full to eat dinner last night. Definitely didn't need a snack in the evening.

Working around the house this weekend to get ready to list. Evemomma we are doing the opposite of you and looking to move into something smaller now.

We have a long weekend in Ontario for Family Day. Yah!

Quick update - yeah, not great choices today has made me name this a fun day for me which means p1 tomorrow. I'm nervous as this is my first one, but I trust myself!

Darth Kitten, I am right outside of Boston. Where are you? Just got a bunch of art projects lined up for my 5yo to do while we are snowed in. It helps to be prepared - whether its a blizzard or an IP dinner!

Good luck with your first P1 day! When I did mine, I just ate extremely low carb but wasn't too restrictive on calories because otherwise I felt sick, and I had no problems maintaining until I hit the holidays

We are right on the Holliston/Sherborn line in metro west - we're in a "jackpot" location again this year

Darth - Glad to see that you posted. The winds are fierce with this storm. Looks like you are taking the brunt of another storm. . Praying that the power stays on.


Rayze, hope you enjoyed your free day. Have fun with your art day.

Chip, so happy that the roof issue was resolved. Enjoy your long weekend. We are off too, President's Day.

Hawaii, wish the nutritionist had given you more ideas.

With the snow, I will be snuggling up in my jammies today. Need to read my book club book- The Blackbird House. Hope you all have a great day!

How does everyone handle the IP vitamins/supplements in maintenance? I stocked up on alternatives from the Vitamin Shoppe as I started maintenance a few weeks ago, but am not sure if they are still necessary. I know I will continue on the Potassium supplement, as I think they may have contributed to the decrease (almost elimination) of my migraines. What about the salt? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Howdy Maintainers:

Mars: Thanks for the info on the Iyengar yoga. I'll have to look into that. I'm going to pick the brain of the PT guy on Wed. for the best workouts for strength. I feel like such a weakling, I'm having trouble opening jars because I just have no strength, but doing it on my own, I keep hurting myself. I was doing upper body strength training with 5lb. free weights and my shoulders were crunching with every raise. I guess it stands to reason that if I have osteoarthritis in my knees it's in other joints as well. Sigh.

Hawaii: I haven't hit mid range yet. But I know it will probably happen. I hope that I can be as calm about it as you are. Sorry you didn't get more help from the dietician. But the food journal sounds like a good idea. I love hummus, but oh the gas I get when I eat it. Very uncomfortable. Beans and I just don't get along.

Darth: How was your sushi Valentine's Dinner? Iremember sushi. I haven't given that a try yet since I started Maintenance but it's on the list.

Slip: I love the idea of a PJ day with a good book. I'm having a quiet day at home today. Making homemade chicken stock and knitting my son's beanie.

hellafat: On the vitamins: I get my vitamins at the Vitamin Shoppe as well. I take the potassium every other day, and every day: the Nordic Natural Complete Omegas, and the Solaray cal/mag 2:1, Centrum, Vit. D and Align probiotic. I tried to cut down the cal/mag after I first started Maint. and I had a problem with Big C. I go for my annual in April and I'll get the full blood panel this time to see where things stand and adjust from there. As far as the salt, MFP puts me at 2300 or so and I'm usually pretty close to that, without even putting salt on anything. Canadian bacon on my breakfast sandwich, salami at lunch, cheese, even Quest bars have high sodium content.

I had my fun day on Friday and did P1 yesterday. Back at 139. I got through it but I sure enjoyed my omelet and toast for breakfast this morning. Oh, and I found a bottle of that WF coffee creamer. I tried the Vanilla. It's not bad, but at $5 a bottle, I think I'll stick with the Torani SF Salted Caramel. More bang for my buck when I find it on sale for $7.99. Had an NSV yesterday. Bought a pair of cute sherbet green pants for spring in a size 8. Got them home and they were too big! So back they go for a 6! Of course I realize different mfg. sizes can't compare to others, but hey, a 6, I feel pretty good about that! Right now I have a couple of size 12's that fit, some 10's and some 8's. So it just depends on the mfg. And I took my measurements this morning and they are the same as when I entered Maint. at the beginning of Jan. That feels pretty good.

You'll figure it out catlady. You're barely off of a very rigorous P1, and there is always some muscle lost in a diet. That might mean joints have less support, but it will self-correct with maintenance eating and more use. I hope your PT gives you good ideas.

I've finally recognized that I need to think out of the box to figure out a routine that I'll enjoy enough to stick to. One week of treadmill walking with a short bit on the elliptical makes me so happy I lost weight. Hopefully I can gradually sneak up on a long, hard elliptical workout without my hip complaining.

So my one funday spread to two, including wine during the blizzard. I went a bit off the rails with sweets. I've got it together and am having a successful P1 day. Back to P3 tomorrow and then on to P4 after I meet with my coach.

Scale shows up, but still below goal. I'm going to trust in the plan and not freak out.

When you all have a fun day is it usually a special meal, a special treat or an all out "treat yourself" kind of day?

Rayze: I've done all of that. My first fun thing was just a meal(lunch) with dessert. The second one was lunch and dinner with dessert. The third one (this past Friday)was just lunch but with a donut in the morning. I've only had 3 "fun" days/meals since I started maintaining so nothing has become a habit quite yet. I didn't think that I could do a whole day of "fun" but I surprised myself the second time. I'm finding it really hard to face a P1 day afterwards because I just want to eat real food. I did a P1 day this Sat. and I was dreading it when I got up but I got through it. I would prefer to just "fit things in" to my counts rather than do a P1 day. But so far it has worked, I haven't gone off the rails and my weight has gone back to goal each time. There is so much learning to do in Maint. and as evemomma says "You have to make your own rules". Trial and error is the way this seems to work.

Hi hellafat: hope you are staying warm & safe there!
I have always taken vitamin & mineral supplements and continued with the potassium until I ran out. Then I didn't bother getting any more as I take a Mega Multi anyhow. I do take extra D, Omegas, and Cal-Mag still. I use Himalayan and crystal sea salts in grinders so I don't bother with the Ideal salt. I say if the potassium is helping with your migraines keep it up. If you discontinue, you will know fairly quickly I suppose, if that is the reason for the lessening.

Andrea I liked your comment on the Daily Chat the other day, just didn't get around to mentioning it there.
Hope all are safe and well....

Liana

Hello ladies,

Sorry Andrea, I think I mixed up your comment about DH also looking for work with someone else's. Happy to be here in Florida, back home has had the coldest weather all year.
The great plans I had to eat strict P3 are not so strict but I think on the whole things are going okay. I find myself snacking more, struggling to get all the water in, and dealing with cravings. I brought my IP food with me and some vegan shakes which help. Ran 23km - longest run ever for me which was hard but got it done. Helps that Florida is flat

Liana love the picture of DH and you.

Rayze - congrats on getting to maintainence. For my fun day I usually do meal or add extra snacks in a day. I try not to do an all day thing as that can lead into the next day for me.

Mars- great work on your exercise

Darthkitten - how is P3 going?

Hi Eve, Pishposh, Chip, Slip, Hawaii and everyone else. I hope everyone had a good long weekend, I think we all had it Family day in Canada and Presidents' Day in the US

Jealous of you Jenny - down there in Florida! Wow what a great run you had, and nice to have different scenery eh? Family Day for Alberta & Ontario but we had our Family Day in BC the previous Monday. I thought Prez Day was last weekend, but I find out lately that it was this weekend.

Another Rock n Roll Dance Party last Friday (last weekend of Winter Carnival)... we had fun but then I had to catch 3 hours of sleep before a 12 hour shift , then immediately after that shift we were off to a hockey game that ran into double overtime and got me home late again before my last 12 hour shift - did nothing today (except a big 1 hour brisk walk).

Liana