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Originally Posted by EPAPRN
Sarita: maintenance was explained to me as P3, but add one serving of fat with lunch (tuna with real mayo on a salad or chicken Caesar salad with real dressing and/or cheese, no croutons), and add one serving of carbs to dinner (1/2c brown rice or quinoa, 1/2 sweet potato, fruit or a slice of whole grain bread). Snacks can be cheese sticks, nuts, a piece of fruit, or a packet/shake of your choice.
Sarita: The above is a good description of Ph 4, I would usually save my carb for my evening snack and have fruit and greek yogurt.
I also went back in the threads as
infoplease also gave a good description of Ph 4.
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I've been thinking about this a lot -- what information to give someone still in P1 that might help in maintenance, so, thanks for asking.
I think the biggest thing, is that your p1 lunch and dinner is going to become the main ingredients of your p4 lunch and dinner. So use p1 to learn both quick things to throw together and tasty things you enjoy when it comes to preparing salads, meats and vegetables. Then with p4, you are going to "enhance" lunch with a broader range of vegetables and some fat--like cheese or nuts or mayonnaise or unsweetened coconut, and your are going to "enhance" dinner with a broader range of vegetables, and perhaps a serving(!) of potato or pasta or rise or quinoa and/or fruit.
You want the mindset that things you know aren't particularly healthy--cake, ice cream, chips, etc--are only to be eaten on your fun day except for the rarest of exceptions. And if you slip, you get right back on track with the very next meal.
Plus, you'll want to think about whether you are going to keep artificial sweeteners part of your diet or not and how or if you want to transition from the IP/alternative products you have been using.
Once you move along in that direction for awhile, then you experiment with what is OK for a snack--what are still trigger foods? can you handle popcorn? a glass of wine? cheese? nuts? chocolate?
It is still going to take focus to maintain. The diet is never really "over"; it is the unbalanced diet part that has the beginning, middle and end. Maintenance is less socially isolating, but you still only have one day a week where you don't have to pay attention to what you put in your mouth (well, sort of. Because some of what you eat can make you feel sick, so you think twice.) So the "tricks" you learn in p1 for social situations--drink sparkling water with lime, it's about socializing not necessarily eating, eat before the event if appropriate--are sometimes going to be used in p4 as well.
Hopefully, you will become a big breakfast eater and enjoy the p3 breakfasts that carry over into p4. It gives you real food -- fruit! oatmeal! toast! yoghurt! -- to look forward to every day, and often keeps you full until lunch.
Last thing, start thinking about exercise if you haven't already. You'll need to think of something or a variety of somethings that you are willing to do most days (5 out of 7). You can try stuff on P1 if you keep the pace moderate to slow. Check out weight training, zumba, Les Mills, spinning, even walking or at least be thinking about the things you're going to try once you are close to or at your goal.
Read the Maintenance threads and find all of Maile's quotes and book recommendations. You'll also find some back-and-forth on meal frameworks, snack ideas, how much people do/don't exercise, vacation victories, and "stuff".
Keep pursuing your goal. You'll be a maintenance pro before you know it.
Disclaimer: I do not consider myself a maintenance pro.
This is the 3rd time I've lost over 50 lbs. P4 so far seems to be the most liveable maintenance. I have made it to the 1 year mark at least twice before (I think), so I'm shooting for the 2 year mark as my next goal. I'm currently at over 13 months (at lowest maintained weight ever!).
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Pat and Joysh: Thanks
Pat, funny you should mention the riders, what gave you that idea
- when we announced on facebook it was right before Grey Cup and I had a rider mat top on and VIP had his jersey and the post said "either way something big is happening for the Riders soon". I was so happy to have experienced the Grey Cup in Regina when they won...amazing
The poor kid will be in rider and star wars gear I'm sure.
