HAPPY FRIDAY

Today is co-workers last day and the department has been given permission to all go out for a luncheon! So he choose Maggiano's (ugh) - I've been there for a handful of occasions and never been overwhelmed - but his choice. The lunch options are super-limited so its going to be a salad with plain salmon..& everyone will get to hear how crazy-picky I have to be when I go out to eat too

+2 on the scale this morning, but TOM arrived and based on prior history, the # should be much better by Sunday

Also, as much as I love the new found recipe for mug cake, I may need to restrict them, like Quest Bars, due to the high carbs.

I was so excited about those size 10 jeans yesterday, I didn't take them off until bedtime, even thought it was warm here. What's funny to me is when I look in a mirror, I still see myself looking the same as when I was in size 16s. Weird.

I read through the Maintainers thread yesterday and it really scared me. Most of the posters there are struggling with regaining several pounds only a few weeks/months into maintenance. I don't want to be there, too. I'm wondering if staying on P3 indefinitely is doable? I could eat protein + veggies for lunch and dinner, and have my carbs at breakfast. And then a protein snack in the evening... I'm also researching ketosis for athletes, to see if I can stay on a low-carb diet and do this running thing. I was hoping that running would be the magic solution to keep my weight down, but I suspect the reality is that, at my age, strict diet management will forever be part of my daily life.

So funny, I did the same thing when I got in to my 14 Carhartt jeans-it was warm, but I was so happy to be in them! I don't think there is anything strange about still seeing yourself as the 16- I still see myself as I was, not as I am. We had a big discussion about this months ago. Body dismorfing I believe. I can't remember which thread it was, but there's lots of us out there.
I've also been spending a lot of time reading the maintainers and the "back again" threads- yes, they scare the CRAP out of me. I don't want to be one of the bad statistics, I want to be the success story- like my coach is. 3 years of maintaining. I had this discussion with a friend, I am going to have to be very attentive to what I eat and keeping my journey close to the forefront of my mind. I have resigned myself that I will never be able to let my guard down.

Happy Friday,
HIS and Linda: Gals, I have been maintaining for 5 weeks now, and I am still amazed when people stop me and say, "Hey skinny!" or "Hey you really slimmed down!" Is it weird that I still feel heavy? It's going to take me some time to see me in the mirror the way others see me in reality.

HIS I have also read about the maintainer's struggles...I have had strep so I haven't been able to eat more than yogurt really, but next week I'm back on what I call modified Phase 3 (Phase 3 during the week and open on the weekend). I need the structure. I don't think I know how to eat right without the structure. The structure is eating right to me.

BethGood for you for planning your order. Italian is the worse for IP but you are making it work! Good for you. Rock on!

Have a super weekend. I am going to a funeral in Florida, but I am hoping to get back to my routine next week.

Right? It seems like the P3 structure is a great eating plan. Plenty of calories in the morning, and fewer carbs for lunch and dinner. I'm afraid if I start routinely having even a small amount of potatoes for dinner or a sandwich for lunch, the pounds will start sneaking back on. I like your idea of strict P3 during the week and a bit more freedom on the weekends. Please let us know how that works for you.

Hope the strep runs its course soon. Seems like there is a lot of illness going around in my part of the country.

It's OK, HIS... take a breath ... most of us maintainers on that thread have been there for a year or more or close to it. And yes, if we get cocky and go back to old habits the weight will creep up. That's why we are getting our few up pounds off right away. We are NOT DISAPPEARING and hiding our heads in the sand. It is normal to actually gain a bit as we age, but we all know how to take care of this and are following the plan. You will do fine... the trick is to appreciate that we can never revert to old habits. Just something to get our minds around. And even though our bodies will be working better at our maintenance weight, they will always have a tendency to want to add fat if we were once fat in our lives. Maintenance is a game where we get to experiment and find out just what our healthy limits are for carbs, etc. Experimentation means 'things' may happen, but then you just get back to a bit of being strict and you've learned something about your body chemistry.
One step at a time,

Liana

Happy Friday afternoon my friendly IP-ers ��

Hope everyone is feeling motivated going into the weekend, I always find weekends the hardest! Had my first weigh in, and was pleased with results considering I was sick with head cold and wasn't eating enough- this next week will be 100%OP
On a side note- what does everyone use for breath mints or gum? I can't find anything that is 0/0/0

It took me a couple of weeks to get into an IP rhythm. I bet you will find the 2nd week easier than the 1st - especially if you're feeling better!

I use Spry mints. I believe they make gum, too. You don't have a lot of options because of the sugar substitutes that are used in most gums and mints.

I completely agree with everything Liana wrote. I have been at approximately the same weight for about a year. A lot of what we are sharing about in the maintaining thread is just everything we are learning about the same five up-and-down pounds. Don't worry. And, anxiety and fear unfortunately I think is part of the transition into maintenance, for some people, because the statistics are against us in maintenance. I had to struggle through the challenge of the anxiety, and still do, that is why we continue to share with one another.💋😋

Thank you, ladies. I will try to calm the heck down.

I decided this morning to change my goal weight from 150 up to 155. I weighed 145 when I was a high school athlete, and I think it's unrealistic to expect that I can get close to that weight now, some 40 years later. 155 might still be too low, but I'm not completely mentally ready to settle for 160. I do know the scale has practically come to a standstill, so obviously I'm getting close to where I need to be.

Today is supposed to be my long walk day (4+ miles), but it's drizzly and cool outside so I have to decide whether to walk in the rain - not my favorite - or just let it go for today. Yesterday I had to run in 95 degree full sun. Texas weather is bipolar.

Edited to add: I walked. Decided I wouldn't melt in a little rain.

Omg - survived the MD Ren. Faire but it was:
1. HOT (90+)
2. Crowded - really crowded.
3. A drunkfest :/ I was just walking and a drunk guy (who was running) plowed me to the ground I've got a nasty bruise on my shoulder
4. Too many temptations and I got the hangries everywhere we walked smelled like sugar - it wasn't just me, even DH commented on it

i was good - shared a turkey leg with DD10 and had a steak on on a stake for dinner with a Quest Bar for snack - but most of the day it was just too crowded to be enjoyable hate sounding like such a downer but gosh when you have to wait 45 minutes to get to an atm...ugh

The jousting was cool & saw a couple cool exhibits / plays

Going home to make a blueberry pancake mug cake and have a cup of Chai

We are planning to go to King Richard's Faire in October, it's usually a little cooler by then, and almost their last weekend so it;s not quite as crowded. I hope your shoulder is ok. That really stinks. Glad that there were things for you to eat. I never payed particular attention to the healthy options, mostly the "crap" is what we ate, and I was a little concerned what I could eat other than some of the turkey. The jousting is fun to watch. The capped our day last year. The "littles" had a great time on the rides and the one where they get on a "horse" and try to grab the ring with their "sword" That was probably the biggest hit. I loved the costumes and said that someday I'd like to do it dressed up- though my boyfriend will never go for that.

HIS I am one of those people that Amber (I think it was) alluded to. I can't weigh myself daily. Last week made that very evident. I will drive myself (and everyone around me) cra-cra . I am like you though, scouring the maintainer threads, trying to learn and be aware of all the struggles they face and how to handle them. I like to think that it is because I'm committed to making this the last time I have to lose weight. That the yo-yo has been put on the shelf not to be seen again.

Happy Sunday one and all!!

Confession timeSo, I went to a cookout yesterday afternoon. My plan was to eat things that I knew that I could and have 2 bites of the cake- like I did at DS's wedding. I told my coach and she said no problem, you'll probably knock yourself out of ketosis for a couple of hours- but you will be fine. (She is the coach I love and trust, she scours my journal, lets me know what is good, what is bad-little tips and tricks-shes maintained her weight for a couple of years now)
Well, that plan went straight to **** in a handbasket. About the only things I did right were to not eat chips, dips and potato salad. I did drink a TON of water- Probably 6 of those big solo cups (blue not red-lol) of water. I know some of the stuff is fine- BUT some of it totally harmful - not only to my body, my journey but also my psyche-
I ate an oyster on the half shell with some lemon, -the only reason I didn't eat more was because I got some shell, and that ruins it for me- then there were chinese link sausages, I had a small bite and handed rest of to boyfriend (b/f), then linguica-same thing, I noshed on the veggie tray 3 cherry tomatoes, some celery a little broccoli. There were steamers, cherrystones that were steamed, potatoes, onions (I stayed away from that stuff because the cherrystones I only enjoy raw with cocktail sauce and steamers need to be drenched in butter, the onions and potatoes, no biggie not eating them. Next round main courses-I had a hamburger with mustard and I put a slice of tomato on it, some romaine that had croutons and shredded cheese- I separated the croutons out and as much of the cheese as I could, though I got some. No dressing, though the ceasar looked amazing. b/f gave me a lobster clar, they were small, probably 2 oz at best cooked- no butter, Then they came around with chicken breast, they were small tender like pieces that had been grilled so I thought ok, the burger was only about 4 oz and the tender is probably 3 or less before grilling. I think it had been marinated in some sort of italian dressing- (not the end of the world)
The clean up and waiting for a few more guests to arrive and then the cake. I gave b/f the ice cream that was on the side, and started to have my little nibbles...it was so good - and I know that there were a couple of people watching (the family cookout was at my bosses house for his parents 50th anniversary-who we are very close to-the dad is like a dad to my b/f) One bite led to another, then another, I thought about handing it over to b/f, but then would have another bite, my boss laughed when he asked if everyone had cake and I a little too loudly said yes. They all joked with Tony, I'll probably be like a 5 year old on a sugar high it's been so long. It was like I was in this frenzy. <-scary part #1.
Scary part #2 is that in my head I kept telling myself that I needed to stop, I needed to hand Tony the cake to finish, thinking how I felt wearing one of my most favorite outfits from about 15 years ago last night, how much money I have sunk in to this diet. I rebutted that everyone does it, things like this happen, I can get back on the horse tomorrow, I'll get myself back in to ketosis by Thursday, I never cheat. I made every rationalization in the book to keep eating that frickin piece of cake. Even going as far as figuring it to be an inch or less wide by about 6" it was 3 layers and white frosting-thinking that based on the wedding cake I had eaten this probably would have been about the same as a little more that half of that piece.
THIS lack of control is what scares the sh*t out of me for maintenance.
I start my 8th food log tomorrow, and I still have almost 20 lbs. to go. I just don't want to be in that place I always get to and say "good enough" I am really good at beating myself up over stuff like this.
I'm putting this out here for one reason only, and that is to be accountable. If I don't, it's just my little secret.

Destony, honestly, until the cake, I think you did okay. You probably had a little more protein, fat, and veggies than a P1 or P2 meal allows, but they weren't totally terrible choices. Even the cake wasn't that big of a piece. As I understand it, in maintenance, that would have been an indulgence day and you didn't go way off the rails.

But I get what you're saying. It's not necessarily about the cake - it's about your inability to stop. I have to start every day thinking about how I'm not going to let food rule me that day. But, boy, when you're standing in the midst of a bunch of tempting dishes, sometimes its hard to have a clear head. It makes me realize that food really is an addiction for me.

Linda - I agree with HIM - and I don't think you have anything to worry about. You are recognizing the behaviors and can plan for future situations. Fwiw - sounds like a great get together and you did really well!
Your Faire sounds great too! Lol - I've been dieting so long / off and on my whole life I've passed most fair foods - except funnel cakes and I really don't like those...but 2/3 years ago, I tried a deep fried oreo. Insane...

NSV - went to the thrift store - all size 10 slacks for work & a SIZE 8 pair of jeans! A little snug & some muffin top, but zipped & wearable! Amazing!!!! Also got a couple M blouses - had to put one back b/c of my shoulders - fit through the waist but no give up top.

So, the more I keep looking around, the more I am coming to the realization & I am 95% positive I've knocked myself out of ketosis *sigh* I am sticking to the lower carb scale of veggies / products for a couple days and power back through the keto-flu (yuk!)

I saw some hard core IP'ers saying that a 4th packet will knock you out of ketosis :??: but extra packets are encouraged if you exercise...?

I am also making peace with this slow down in WL. Linda - I want to put the scale away so bad, but then I think about the fact that if I hadn't weighed yesterday, today's weight would have disappointed me even more...

That said, still haven't seen "healthy" BMI weight yet (155) - bouncing the same 2 pounds still (156 - 158)

A thought I've had that is giving me a measure of peace & patience with this though is that I've never been below this weight in my adult (18) life...and truthfully, probably since I was 8 / 9 years old...30 years of my life +155.
I am starting to feel like my body is holding onto everything it can for dear life. It doesn't know any better...I am down to a point where I am getting rid of fat / fluff that has been there for 30 YEARS!!!! Of course it isn't just going to go away without a fight.

I also wonder about having gotten so large at such an early age and if my body just thinks 15X is where it's supposed to be...and if this is the case, what, if anything, can I do to reset this...? I even wonder if issues like this have been looked into...