LaChick- I lost in Phases 3 & 4 also. When you go from Phase 1 & 2 where everything is very black and white with no shades of grey and this works so well in taking off weight it is
very hard to switch gears and go into the land of different shades of grey. Paranoia about extra calories = extra weight makes one very tight with the distribution of said calories. My coach actually said "W" "T" "F" to me after I lost in my first week of Phase 4 and told me to start eating more. And I had a 'free evening' mixed in that week. Albeit we went for a 12km walk the next day but it still resulted in an overall loss for the week. It's all trial & error... If you want to maintain you'll probably need to up your caloric intake. I'm 2 inches shorter than you and usually aimed for about 1500 cal/ day for maintenance. Some days are 1700, some are 1200. But everyone's body & metabolism is different and you will have to find what works for yours. In the meantime don't sweat the coaches... it's your body and it takes time to figure it all out...
Pat That was interesting to find out that bread is such a high source of sodium. I'm of the mind that if it's refined & white it really isn't good for me. Flour, sugar, sodium. And these are all found in most breads. So it makes sense that 'Bread is the Devil'. I think it is much better when it's ezekiel, rye or sprouted grain but still consumption should be extremely limited- I keep it to mornings only as I have the whole day to process it. And I love my toast
Alaska- I eat Liberte non fat plain Greek yogurt. This can be hard to come by even where I live so not sure about the feasibility for you but it has the best stats I've come across and I love it's tart taste. I use .25 Cups Kashi 'Go Lean Crunch' mixed into my yogurt and berries as I need a 'crunch' to my yogurt. Granola really isn't that great for you when it's store bought regardless of the manufacturer because it almost primarily consists of sugar (honey, sugar cane, evaporated sugar cane) and carbs (oats, grains) and your body will crave it. You can take
pxlkitty's suggestion and make a low carb version if you're really dying for it... I eat 'winnipeg' brand rye bread from Safeway. Kraft natural peanut butter. And still use an IP bar for a snack most days- though the Detour brand that can be found at Costco has very similar stats and tastes just as good!
pxlkitty- your story of working from home with your son there had me laughing! How is the oatmeal from nutrition? I'm always loathe to part ways with my yogurt in favor of oatmeal so haven't had it in ages but I'd love to have a low carb version!
maile- thanks for another wonderful quote that I played back to myself while running on the treadmill! Sometimes I don't feel that I'm doing enough as I know a girl that just absolutely shreds me when it comes to running- she can run faster & longer any day any time. It was a great reminder that I am still doing so much better than if I were curled up in front of the tv!
bigpassport- is that scale moving yet??
I've been having a pretty frustrating week myself scale wise. It has been mid- high range with no low at all. Still getting used to TOM of being back and having it lurk. This is only my third one in almost three years. I am hungrier than normal and was waking up absolutely ravenous after my Phase 3 days. But from what I can remember of PMS this is pretty typical. High weight, grouchy & starving. Can't really say I missed it. I'm a bit freaked out that I will not have a scale available to me in Hawaii. Was thinking that maybe there will be one in the exercise room. But even if there is I don't think me stripping down to step on it at 5 am (my usual weigh in time is 8 am at home) would go over all that well. Not that lycra weighs anything but hey in my head anything short of naked is going to add weight.
Still if there is I will be utilizing it. So here's hoping.
maintainisgoal- I will definitely let everyone know how it goes while I'm there. Both
woolberger &
maile have been to Hawaii on maintenance and both are still maintaining! Hawaii lends itself well to healthful eating as so many there are health conscious. I always saw lots of runners & cyclists & over course people walking and enjoying being outdoors at a time of the year when so many of us are cooped up inside. The grocery stores also offer an abundance of healthy choices. We are staying in a condo that has a fully equipped kitchen so I have absolute control in that. No, my biggest concern is that my Italian in-laws are staying with us. And MIL LOVES to cook. LOTS. It's primarily fresh and sodium free though, I'm just going to have to be extremely careful about portions, fats & pasta. Maintenance anywhere isn't jail. It's freedom. With a lot of responsibility. To continue making good choices when temptations abound and acceptance that making those good choices is beneficial not only for the body but also the mind & spirit. I can't think of it as being 'unfair' that I can't eat whatever I want whenever I want. I can, I choose not to. Because I know that I feel so much better about myself and my decision making when I continue to make good choices for myself. That said, I eat lots of fruit & veggies for snacks. I keep my protein up throughout the day, have yogurt in the morning and cheese at lunch. I enjoy what I eat... and I'm sure that you'll find things that are healthy and that you enjoy eating as well... That all said I'll keep you posted on how things go with Hawaii!