Using Core for Maintenance
 

I don't recall seeing anything at all in the At Home kit about maintenance if you are using the Core Plan. What exactly happens at that point? I know from doing the Points Plan that you start adding a few points per week until you begin to show a gain and then level out. How does this work with Core?

I love this plan. It works well for me. I had lost my weight on the Points Plan a few years ago and have done well, but a little was creeping back on. I rejoined a few weeks ago after reading how much you liked the difference which Core makes. I know I am thinking ahead, but just wonder what would be the next step after getting back to goal.

I am just under goal (again :o ) but they won't give me the maintenance book until I tell them I am ready for maitenance again. I am still trying to lose another 10 pounds. Anyway, from what I gather, for maintenance you start by adding an extra 28 points to your weekly points allowance (4 a day). If you lose/gain you adjust that number until you find the right balance.

From what I have been told is you have some WPAs of 4 a day you HAVE TO USE and then you do the play game like with Flex. I have a few friend on maintenance that have told met his....

Hmmm, that's interesting. I wonder if you are encouraged to add things that might already be on the core plan (like 2 tsp olive oil) but make it 2 tablespoons on your salad????? You would still be using Core food. Or if they are trying to shift you back to "whatever you want" sort of food.

Since the current 35 WPAs are for non-core foods, I would assume that the additional 28 weekly points would be too.

I'm very interested in this topic too since I am only 2 lbs from my personal goal. The whole thought of 28 additional WPA's is very exciting and scary to me at the same time. But I am looking forward to it. Nice to know I won't be the only one doing core maintenance soon! :)

Yes it is supposed to be for the NonCore Foods (whole grain breads, etc) but still stressing towards a healthier choice rather than with the 'treats.'

I have been reading the lifetimer boards at WW but never heard that about you having to use the 4 maintenance points per day. Everyone always just says it is per week. I will have to ask about that.

I have several friend who are on maintenance with core and they say you start with 4 WPAs a day and use them for NonCoreFoods and then the next week if you gained you take away 1 or 2 and if you lost you add 1 or 2 and you do this until you no longer gain or lose...still allowing your 35 WPA on top of that.....

Kelly - 4 points in addition to the 35 WPA's?

Oops - should have read the whole thread before asking a dumb question :o

WOW - 63 WPA's a week! :devil:

Yeah...I just can't get into Core...my body and mind don't talk with the 'until satisified' stuff. LOL! I'll keep doing what I always did by eating whole foods (few processed, simple carbs) and counting points with my portions...I know where I stand there and easier for me because my life...not to say mine is better or worse just my way. :)

This information is really helpful. It is good, I think, to be able to plan ahead...sort of an inspirational tool! If you really are allowed, in fact required, to add 4 points per day, this assumes that you are already using the 35 points allowed, doesn't it?

How many of you who are just a pound or two to goal are using all your available pollible points? I think that some days I probably don't add that 7 points in total but on the days when I have a huge salad for lunch, olive oil can flow pretty easily! I tend not to go for a pigout situation but to use them in a daily portion most of the time.

Not the way I see it. Your 35 WPA is still optional but you start using 4 a day 'mandatory.'

Kelly: I tried it for a few weeks, good program, just not one I could sustain... So I am back to eating mostly core foods, still losing weight and lots of exercise.

About maintenance: I messed up maintenance bad, I started eating more and more snacks, ended up with an eating disorder basically... now I am doing things much more simply. I am not maintaining, but losing and trying to eat in a way that is very loving to my body and my lifestyle. Take maintenance slowly takes a lot longer than 6 weeks to perfect. Maintenance is for life.

Cheers!

Ali

I don't think you HAVE to use them
 

I just got the "Going the Distance" guide Wednesday, and on page 5, the "Halting Weight Loss" page, it says
My interpretation is that you don't have to eat your new 63 points WPA, and you don't have to eat it in the form of 4 points worth of non-Core foods every day. My leader didn't mention anything like that.

On the other hand, I'm being hypocritical and making myself eat those 4 points every day, because I think it's the best measure of the points range, can I eat it all and still maintain? I've been eating all 35 WPA every week, Core or Flex, and I've been looking forward to those 2 small Dairy Queen Peanut Butter Cup blizzards a week. Or the equivalent :devil:

The way that it is written but I only know what my friends said as their leader explained it to them. I would say if you aren't eating them and losing without eating them that you 'should' start using them at least on maintenance.

I don't eat WPAs every day. Most weeks I only use 10 total. That's mainly for my toast or bread for a sandwich. If you just want to see how much you can eat in a week's time without gaining and want to add all those WPAs that's fine, but I don't think any of us will "waste away" once we get to goal if we don't increase our food intake by 60 points! That's just me.