Do you go off plan sometimes?
 

Sometimes it seems like everyone on 3FC eats a healthy range of calories between 1200 and 1800, exercises regularly, and rarely or never snacks "off plan". Except for some of the posters just starting their weight loss journey, you dont really hear much about the "bad" times when we're eating totally or partially off plan. Are you out there? Or how in the world do you manage to stay so strict with your plan?

As for me, I've somehow found myself totally off plan the last few days..having had 2500, 2600, and 2400 calories Thurs, Fri and Sat. Not sure how this happened and it was by no means intended. I was eating pretty low for the prior few days and so on Thursday I WAS really hungry so I ate a lot. Fri I munched on a few pieces of DH's cake and some cookies, and yesterday I didn't really eat anything unhealthy like cake, but somehow managed to consume 2400 calories when I had planned to have 1800. Luckily I burned an average of 500 calories per day on my elliptical to somewhat make up for it. If this wasn't right in my home believe me I would have been too lazy from all that food to get to the gym so lucky for me.

I'd been doing so well and had gone down to 140, only to go up to 144 yesterday though down to 143 today. I certainly expected the upward fluctuation with all that food, but even if its water it will take me longer to get down to my next new low. Sometimes once I get going not eating that much (say 1500 - 1600 calories) I lose my appetite and then eat even less the next day, though I feel hungry food just starts tasting like cardboard after a few low days (low for me is under 1600). But once I get going on a few good meals and get my appetite back in gear, I go overboard. At those times I really dont have much will power at all (like the past 3 days). I know I should be eating more evenly, but it is such a struggle for me to keep my appetite down sometimes or up when I've been "good".

I've been able to maintain a healthy weight doing this in the past (eat lots on the weekend and probably around 1700 calories Mon-Wed), but it does get in the way of weight loss! I do this quite often and I wish I could just stick with things so much more consistently, like it seems most of you are doing.

Claudia, I can honestly say that once that *click* :flow1: happens in my head, I become very aware of what I'm eating at all times, and if I DO go off plan, as you say, it isn't in the range of a thousand calories. I haven't been on this eating plan - "new lifestyle" - or whatever you want to call it for as long as you. Only three weeks. So, maybe you were still gung-ho at three weeks, and after three months, I'll lose some steam, too. I dunno :?: but I DO know that in everybody's story here on 3FC that I've read - especially those who have accomplished really amazing weight loss, like a hundred pounds or more - DO say that from time to time they have gone OP, but that they don't waste time agonizing over it, but jump right back on the wagon and keep on keeping on. I think maybe that you get a little defeatist once you've gone off, and that's what keeps you off for two or three days in a row? I think what I have had to do is really and truly eat CONSCIOUSLY - that is, being aware of every calorie that I put in my mouth. :hun: I think most times it's the unconscious eating - just eating whatever's there to eat, and telling yourself you'll deal with the consequences later - that leads to major slips. And, with me, I have to COMPLETELY avoid sweets altogether, because when I eat anything sweet (chocolate, especially) I know myself well enough to know that a little is not enough, and that eating something sweet can trigger one of those unconscious eating binges for me, where I eat everything in sight. :ink:
Maybe, too, it would help to read some more of the success stories - another consistent thread is that we can't be "on a diet" and think that we're depriving ourselves of the "good stuff", and that going off-plan means we get to eat "good stuff". We have to rethink "good stuff", and see it in terms of good stuff being good for our bodies, leading to fitness, good health and attractiveness. :goodvibes
Again, I've only been "eating healthy" for about three weeks, but I have a LONG (too long) history of DIETING, and DIETING never works over the long term. A lot of us have taken the weight off through DIETS, only to gain it back again.
Listen ....this is DIFFICULT. I think you should feel good about yourself because you're doing it, period, you know? I know I do. None of us are perfect here, but we just keep trying, and sooner or later, we get where we want to be. For some it's sooner, for others it takes a little longer, but we're all here for the same reason, and we have the same struggles.
You are NOT alone. :grouphug: Hang in there, okay? You CAN do it!!!!! (and will).

TTFN,
Ella :wave:

I Go "off plan" every single Saturday and every 8 weeks on the day I donate blood. I also go "up plan" on Wednesdays eating my maintenance amount of calories. I have been doing this since day 1 and will do this for the rest of my life. I know there are people here who disagree with my method but it works for "me". I cannot and will not live a life of deprivation for the sake of a faster weight loss or a size smaller jeans. These off plan days keep me ON plan for the week. They are the reason I can say no to foods. Just knowing I CAN have them on certain days, keeps the motivation strong. Usually when those days come along, I forget about them anyway. :) It's funny that when I go off plan on Saturdays and blood donation days, I get more excited about not logging foods than the eating part. lol

A couple of months ago my weight loss stalled. I was eating 1600 calories and was refusing to go lower. So, I decided to maintain. I did that for a month and then came back with renewed energy. I cut calories to 1400 for my 5 days of dieting a week and to 2000 for my Wednesday maintenance day. I started March 1st and, to date, I have lost another 5.50 pounds. I even had sciatica for a week or so and was so depressed I ate a whole bag of M&Ms...gaining two pounds in the process.... lol I am sure this downward trend will end and then I will, once again, make a decision about whether I am willing to go lower or not. I also have made a deal with myself that, regardless of my weight at the time, on July 1st, I am going into maintenance for the summer. I need a break from the tediousness and the practice is good for when real maintenance begins.

My advice to you, would be find a "lifestyle" you can live with. For me, I simply cannot live a life where foods are banned and I feel guilt whenever I eat a cookie. After all, health is important and I do love my size 6 jeans, but in the end we still die and we only get one chance to enjoy life. I enjoy it on Saturdays. :)

Good luck to you and remember that it doesn't matter if you are the tortoise or the hare because they both ended up on the finish line. :)

Claudia, we are all just so different and our journeys are therefore so different. For me at this point, I am like a woman possessed. I can't explain it. I just am. I am just not tempted the way I used to be. Even if I am, it doesn't matter, I would rather do without because I am truly a woman on a mission. I know if I eat something off plan that I will not lose weight and I'm not WILLING to go without a weightloss for the week. Or a gain. Each and EVERY time I put something in my mouth, or DON'T put something in my mouth I am AWARE of the fact that it will either get me closer to my goals and or take me further away. It is a decision that I am making all day long. And then of course there's the fear factor. I can never go back to where I was. I just can't let that happen. But keep in mind I was coming from being 287 lbs at only 5 feet tall. With a bmi of a whopping 56. For me it was literally life or death. My quality of life was greatly diminished. And not to belittle your situation, because believe me I think if someone is unhappy with an extra 5 lbs on them, well then that is majorly important. There were just so many things I could not do. So I HAD to do something. You, again, not to belittle your situation, but your quality of life will not drastically change. You're already looking FANTASTIC, you're already at a healthy weight, your life is not in danger, and you are able to do all kinds of physical things and "fit" in places that I wasn't able to. You've always been able to shop in regular sized stores, again something that was out of the question for me. So naturally my MOTIVATION and therefore my DETERMINATION, for the most part has got to be greater then yours. At least I think so. Quite frankly when I'm down to 142 lbs, I'm not sure if I will have the same motivation and determination. I will have already accomplished so much and changed my life so much and will have such great improvements, I will be in your exact situation. Who knows if I will still have such will power. I have no way of knowing. I certainly would like to think so, but again, I don't know that for certain. I really think it's got to be harder on you smaller girls.

I also think you are very hard on yourself. You have lose 25 lbs girl. 25 lbs!!!! That's not to be taken lightly. That is NO EASY FEAT. And of course WE ALL struggle. I suspect I always will, I suspect we ALL always will. I am sure there is not one person here who can not relate to what you have just posted. You are by all means not alone. I have no doubt you'll get yourself back on track because I really do think that you're determined, very determined. So you veer off from time to time. It's your journey and if that's what you need to do from time to time, so be it. You'll get there. It's not a race to the goal line. The goal line will always be there for you. And you'll make it. *hugs*

.........and I'm sure responsible for a lot of them.:D

Claudia, I do know what you mean because it does seem like everyone's doing better than me and frankly I'm amazed to learn that you struggle. It's like Jillybean just said, just cos someone posts amazingly great advice it doesn't mean that they're on plan. You always post great advice I think and yet you obviously sometimes struggle.

Anyway, to actually answer your question. **** yes I struggle. I've just calculated that I ate off plan for 17 days in March and on plan only 15. this has been a wake up call for me. But at the end of the day you are getting there mami, that scale is going down and look how far you've come. And if you need any extra inspiration just look at your own signature pic - you look fantastic and it's really not that far off. Keep going :hug:

Here's one of those confessions threads Claudia. I'm there a few times.
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=106483
Check peoples fitday links too .... sometimes, I very quietly .... um .... go off plan.

Christina7806, I wouldn't dream of arguing with your plan, because look at the results you've gotten. Way to go! :cb: You have found a way to do it that works for you, and that's what we all have to find.

Mami, I stay strict with my plan because I pretty much know what I'm going to eat every day. That doesn't mean there are no deviations, however.

A couple of weeks ago I went out of town and stayed with friends overnight, and there was Thai food involved and lunches at Boston Market. I did my best, but it was still more calories than I had wanted to eat. The result was a quick weight gain (probably water imbalance) and a couple weeks of stalled weight loss. I've only just yesterday gotten back to where I should be according to my FitDay chart. Now, I'm older and I have slower metabolism, so that may not apply to you. It's just an example from my experience.

So yeah, those deviations really play heck with my weight loss. The only thing I know how to do is get back on the horse, so to speak. What helps me stay consistent is having been through a few of those rebounds that just don't go away for a couple weeks after I get back on track.

Also, I'm really aware of portion sizes these days. When I see a piece of cake, I start thinking in terms of cubic inches, for example. Do I really want to eat 9 cubic inches of cake for 235 cals?? Heck no! A 2-by-2 square is just as satisfying.

So, don't feel like you're unusual in this--you just have to work with it.

Good luck!
Jay

Heavens yes, I go off plan at least 1 - 2 times a month. I think that very few of us, especially those who have been doing this for a substantial length of time, can say we never go off plan. I don't post about them much, I also don't post about my "great - on plan days". I just assume that everyone has some off plan days and if they are getting really frustrated they will post and reach out for help and commiseration.

Also want to say that I always have the same reaction to "getting my appetite back in gear". I had an off plan meal at my sister's last night. I ate too much, ate dessert afterwards, then came home full and stuffed and rummaged around here to see what I could find in the cupboards. I didn't do too much damage, but I recognize that appetite rearing its ugly head. I can already tell that I am going to have to watch myself today to get it calmed back down. It happens everytime I go off plan. I'm not sure if mine is really appetite or head hunger, but I know what you're talking about.

AND I want to tell you that you are already looking so great. I love your new avatar of you and your baby. I know you want to be back to the bikini avatar, and I'm sure you will get there, but I wanted to tell you how fantastic you already look. :hug:

For the last 6 months, I've been off plan more than on plan :)

When I'm in the right mindset, I really don't go off plan. That doesn't mean I eat 100% the absolute best things but I watch my portions and don't stuff myself. I think mixing in a few higher calorie days is ok and part of my "plan".

I guess it really depends on what your plan is on whether or not you go off plan.

I have slip ups, too...I just try to get right back on track, instead of letting a day of bad eating or skipped exercise turn into a week. :o


:lol:

same here. After having a bad day I get back in the saddle. I get miserable and then have to turn my thinking around and tell myslef, ok so you had a bad day, tomorrow is a new day. I wake up the next day with a focus to make it a very good day and just having that one good first initial day again makes me feel good again an d is enough of a reinforcer to motivate me and bring me into the positive. Last month during TOM, i had a really bad time and one bad day spiraled into several bad days. I was soooooo miserable, I just couldn't stand it! It overwhelmed me! I did as you mami and reached out for help, we are so lucky to have each other here. Anyways, that week was painful for me emotionally and such a negative reinforcer that I simply DON'T want to go there again! so now when i have an off plan day or a little something extra, I am extra cautious!

Mami, I know what you mean about the weekends. I used to do that a lot and have done it many times before. I would be good all week long and then go off plan on the weekends. THe result would be no loss, just a maintenence. For me, only way I can lose is to take it through the weekends. What is helping me now is that I start thinking before the weekend what I am going to do, where I am going, where going out to eat and what I am going to have for dinner. I pre-plan it as I pre plan my meals a few nights in advance during the week and that really helps a lot.

You mentioned also your apetite changes. I have experienced the same thing too! I can be fine for dayssss with a set appetite and then all of a sudden hit a phase where my apetite increases. I analyze it to death (TOM, emotions, blood sugar, etc. etc.) Sometimes I know the reasons and other times, I don't have a clue!!!!! then, suddenly my apetite would go back to normal.....I am very hard on myself too when I go off plan and it sure isn't a fun feeling, just get right back to it, today is a new day. Put it behind you, brush right past it and keep going...you'll be feeling better in no time :)

Well I must run ladies, hope you all have a super day :)

claudia,

I'm seen many posts where a member confesses to slipping off the plan. Way more of these than members posting that they've always been ON plan!

Yes, I'm guilty as charged for this as well. :o

I generally go offplan in two situations:

1. Planned treat meals (like my fabulous dinner at Daniel's Broiler steakhouse on Friday night). Technically, I'm not sure if this is "offplan" because I plan to have a treat meal. This generally happens once a week and includes wine, dessert and a nice entree (I used to never eat out of the bread basket, but lately I've been dipping into it,need to stop doing that again! mainly because it contributes to that "overfull" feeling I hate).

2. "Surprise" food. A meeting at work has cheese and crackers and little desserts. Someone brings something in, someone offers me truffles. I plan to go to a party at someone's house and only nibble on a few appetizers and eat more than I had expected. This usually happens about once a week too, and I tend to beat myself up for it.

Otherwise, I am very similar to Jayell and RockinRobin - I am a woman on a mission and I plan every meal, every week. I really don't get a lot of cravings anymore and I am very firm with my "no" lists - no chips, no packaged cookies, no fast food, no soda.

Hi Mami!

I fly by the seat of my pants most of the time, and that's how I like it! Loosey-Goosey!!! I could NEVER stick with one plan!

Cheryl

My only "plan" has been to try to eat no more than 1200-1500 calories and exercise. Sometimes it's a little less if I don't really feel that hungry. I'm the type to eat more than 3 times but I eat smaller portions. The only junk food I really crave is salty snacks so I have those but use portion control. For instance, some days for me look like this:

Breakfast: Crystal Light iced tea & 2 Lean Pocket Bacon, Egg & Cheese (300 cals)
Lunch: Turkey sandwich on lo-cal bread, lo cal mayo & lettuce (less than 200 cals) plus a 100 cal snack pack or the equivalent...or a Lean Pocket Pizza (280 cals)...diet soda or a flavored water
Dinner: Lean Cuisine or Healthy Choice (anywhere from about 250-400 cals) and the Crystal Light iced tea or flavored water
Snacks: this usually happens in the evenings, once or twice...This can be seedless grapes, 100-calorie pack of Cheese Nips with my flavored water...or even another turkey sandwich if I'm particularly hungry

There are a couple of things I haven't bought because I feel I might be too tempted to pig out on those (Pringles, ding, ding, ding!!!) but, thankfully, I can control myself around most other junk food. I don't even miss cheeseburgers and fries much. But I think the fact that I haven't really restricted anything but just modified it or reduced it has worked for me. When Salt Monster roars out, she gets her 100 calories of salty nips and she's okay. :devil: :p I think if I had gone totally cold turkey (pardon the pun), I'd have binged long before now. With Easter and a couple of other events coming up for me in April, certain meals will be bigger but I don't really foresee a problem. I think it's more important what I'm doing for myself most days as opposed to the occasional days where the meals are a little more out of my control. They won't turn into quicksand for me. It'll be "Yum, that was a huge dinner tonight. Tommorrow, back to normal." :D

I go off plan on the weekends (I can't escape skinny boyfriend's brats-and-beer grillfests!) and when Tom comes for a visit.

somedays, I want a couple of Reese's Pieces - so I eat em. I don't overanalyze it, I don't freak out thinking I'm going to gain everything back, I just adjust what I eat the next day or do a little bit more exercise for the benefit of my mental health. It's no use worrying about slipping up yesterday, it's what you do today that matters.

Heck, yes. In fact, my goal is to be able to go off plan - that's real life, after all, and that's what normal eating means to me. The key is to do it infrequently, and to then get back on plan right away, not next Monday morning. My "plan" is pretty loosely structured anyway, because I've given up on formal diets. I'm trying to make some sustainable changes and not go back to bingeing, and I've found that the best way to do that is to not put unrealistic expectations on myself to eat "perfectly" all of the time.

Honey, Honey, Honey. I think we all go off plan sometimes. I took a break the other week. I quit logging in Fitday and pretty much ate what I wanted. I think we would go nuts if we didn't. I did come back after a week and I am more motivated now. I needed a break! Like others have said, this is a life long way of eating and it has to be something we can live with. So don't beat yourself up. Your doing well and I'm sure you'll be fine. ;)

I think the process is the goal-- by eating healthier most of the time I'm eating healthier most of the time and I'm losing weight. For me, the freakouts at going off-plan when I'm otherwise eating perfectly aren't worth the mental gymnastics. Good enough often enough works for me.

I wonder how having/having had more to lose versus less to lose plays into how we look at this.

As my new lifestyle changes are intended to stay this way for the rest of my life, I allow myself "cheat days" now and then. If I stall because of it, I don't take it too hard -- this is a lifelong change, and as long as I am, on average, heading downwards, then it's all good. Slow and steady works for me, so long as I can maintain it for the rest of my life. ...that said, my "cheat days" are relatively tame...and I try not to take them too often. ;)

At any rate, you certainly aren't alone!

My plan is to avoid high-sodium foods and to eat nutrient rich foods.

I'm not sure its specifically a more/less to lose thing as much as a "why were you overweight" thing maybe?

I see a lot of people swearing off fastfood/junkfood/pop, etc and for me that was never my weakness. Unless I was self-sabotaging (which was a deliberate hate based action that has nothing to do with cravings or habits) I rarely ate junk, I have portion control/hunger recognition issues.

So basically I am eating the same foods I always ate, which in someways makes it harder (I am not trying to diminish how hard it is to change your life). It is for me easier to say "no more fast food", never have it around, never go there than it is to say "only 4 oz of lean chicken breast" when there is more left. Or only 5 almonds whatever. I can easily add 5-600 calories to my diet without eating a single unhealthy food.

I think given that Mami gained the weight mostly because of pregnancy and has maintained a low weight in the past, it is a difference between NOT needing to overhaul her life
and having to battle a strategy that has WORKED in the past for maintaining a healthy weight. Then it is really not a choice between unhealthy and healthy, its a choice between healthy and healthy faster. The stakes are much lower

One of the things that is helping me this time is I am not beating myself up most of the time, I am just trying to learn WHY. Some days the answer is "I was HUNGRY" in which case kudos to me for recognizing it and responding to it. I dont believe our bodies need the exact same amount of fuel every day and rigid adherance to a number is more dangerous then occasionally overeating.

Some days the answer is less positive, but it can be a learning experience just the same. Some times the lesson is that I can not handle certain social situations so to go to them with a plan to only eat a tiny amount of food is just setting myself up for failure...so I am trying different strategies, hoping to find one that works eventually

Sometimes it is learning trigger foods

Sometimes it is learning to recognize self hate

Sometimes I cant figure it out so I just let it go

Perfectionism is the most dangerous enemy.

I also believe in practicing maintenance...I am good at dieting and bad at maintenance.

Hi, since my "plan" is to eat health-IER for the rest of my life, I can't honestly say i've ever been "off plan". I was also above 300 and realized I have to do this the rest of my life.

Normally I don't eat processed foods, flour, sugar, caffine, that type of thing, but on special occasions I indulge in certain things. New Years Eve I had ice cream and champagne, then I was "on plan" until last Thursday when I made the decision to have a nice dinner for my date which included steak and mushrooms, baked potato with nothing on it, sauteed fresh veggies, wine and chocolate tort. It was WONDERFUL :D and I never felt guilty or deprived. That's not what life is about. I simply went on the next day as though it never happened. I only weigh myself every couple of weeks now and have averaged a steady half pound loss a week and right now that is fine with me. I could restrict myself more or exercise more, but I have no desire to do so right now.

As others have said we are all different. We just have to find what works for us. :hug:

Mami, I didnt mean to diminish your journey, just an example of how it could be psychologically different

Hey ladies..wanted to thank you so much for your support. I've finally just surfaced after a very busy day out. My appetite has finally come under control..I do tend to max out at about 3 days of overeating and then I get full and sick of carbs and junk. Plus being out and not around the house sure helps! Today I've had 1568 calories and burned 600 on the elliptical, so back OP! This morning before we left your messages of support did spur me on to make it a good day while out. I dont usually feel guilty when I've been overeating, but I really had intended to get back OP yesterday and I did really badly, so was hoping posting would head that off. Well it worked! Just knowing you all are out there keeping yourselves on target gave me the motivation I needed!

Robin, you are so right and I certainly don't underestimate the difference between the featherweights' circumstances versus say 100 pound club members'. I'm so glad you've found this motivation..now if you could just bottle it up and sell it you'd make billions.

Thanks Tammy and Doughnut for your much appreciated compliments.

You all are right, I'll get there and I shouldn't be wining about a minor set back when I'm relatively so close. Hope I wasn't be insensitive to anyone else's plight :).

Also realized I was eating DH's high calorie snacks because I hadn't bought any low-cal snacks for myself. So I got some cool whip light and a couple of bananas and ate this for desert. I must admit, I honestly found it as satisfying as DH's entenmann's cake (which is 360 calories for a tiny sliver!). I also got some 40 calorie grape popsycles and had one. Substitution is key for me when I'm having the munchies as I just dont have the discipline to not eat if I feel like it. So I guess having some lower calorie snacks are a must for weekends.

I would agree with this ennay. This is exactly how I maintained my weight all those years..and a struggle it was I must admit, but doable and I was never deprived. I've always eaten a lot on the weekends and less during the week. I do eat my junk food now and then, but generally I eat healthy food..but too much of it sometimes when I'm feeling like eating (which tends to be every weekend). Wish I could be one of those really disciplined types that never look back (like say Robin or Glory) but I'm more of the instant gratification type. I just try to minimize the damage as best I can. And that's worked for me over the years. Its just a lot easier to maintain that way than to lose because a stumble delays things..but that's OK.

Thanks again everyone for putting this in perspective and giving me some support and motivation. Much appreciated!

First of all, dear G-d how I wish I COULD bottle up this determination that I have found. Big time. I would certainly love the billions, but more importantly I'd love to share it with everyone here and everyone in need of weightloss, I am truly passionate about it now and I wish there were some way to pass it along.

I don't know what kind of eating plan you are on, I don't know if you care to share it. But I know for me, and me only I must plan each and every meal and each and every snack. I have the entire week mapped out in front of me. It really and truly helps me to stay ON plan. And that's really the key. As far as you said about substitutions, well that is another big key for me. I have found foods that I love just as much as the old stuff, meals and snacks alike. I have the jello 60 calorie chocolate puddings (they have lots of yummy flavors) with a squirt of fat free whipped cream and some Fiber One cereal tossed in. Tastes like chocolate pudding pie. All for about 85-90 calories. And that does it for me. I know I have one of those to look forward to and I'm satisfied.

One other thing, don't kill me for saying this. I know you are very into figuring out what your exercise burns, calorie wise and the such. But for me, and again this is just me, everyone has to do what works for them and what they think is best - I keep my calories and my exericse totally and completely separate. In other words I dont determine how much "extra" I can eat because I've exercised a certain amount. Or even how many calories I've just burned. To me, my exercise is my exercise and must be done and will burn whatever calories they will burn and my calories are my calories and must be stuck to. Like nothing changes for me eating wise, if I've had a very physical day, like I was out walking all day long for whatever reason. I don't see that as a reason to eat more, I just see it as a bonus. I don't think I'm really explaining myself too well here, but hopefully you get what I'm trying to say. Where's Jayell, or somebody who knows how to write eloquently? Jay could probaly say it better for me. :D

Anyway, you were not even CLOSE to insensitive about anyone else's plight. Not at all. Nor were you whiny at all. That's why we're here, to help and support you in any way that you need. I know that you'll get where you want to be, really I have no doubt. But you sure are lucky that while getting there you look as beautiful as you do. Your avatar pic is really stunning. Hang in there. :hug:

I definitely go off plan at times and sometimes it takes me a couple days to get straightened back out. I don't know how to change my ticker or I'd be changing it most every day. My wt. bounces around. I have days that I'm super motivated and nothing could cause me to stray. Other days that I eat more than I should and feel guilty but keep eating. Sometimes, I get lazy and don't exercise when I know I should. Sometimes I over-exercise to try to compensate for eating too much. For me, this is just life. I'm not perfect and I never will be. But, over-all I still KNOW that I eat healthier and AM healthier than I was before I started trying to lose the weight. My goal is/was to maintain at 145. I range anywhere from 137-148 depending on the day. This is definitely still a struggle for me, but being too hard on myself only makes my eating worse. I've now been on plan for a total of 2 days this time. Weekends are generally the hardest for me and Thursday's (DH's pay day when we normally eat out).

rockinrobin, I know exactly what you are saying. Yesterday I worked 7 1/2 hrs. outside. (Hard physical labor) and I had the fleeting thought that I burned a lot of extra calories and could afford to eat a little more, but I resisted and felt better for it.

Thanks for the compliments, always appreciated!

I must say your posts really motivated me to get back on track. It really does help to post when you're falling off.

As far as what my plan is? I tend to calorie count my foods and activites and then deduct to get the deficit. I try to eat lower calorie foods, and change my recipes to be more healthy (all the while hoping and praying DH wont notice otherwise he wont eat it). Unfortunately, I have little will power so if I feel like having something, even if it will totally blow my planned calorie count, I'll have it anyway. A perfect example was last night after I posted I ended up having 2 of DH's cookies (150 calories) for no reason; had I not seen them on the table I wouldn't have eaten anything but I just grabbed one and even after DH gave me a disapproving look (because I've asked him to help me not eat his junk) I went for another one. This morning I noticed there are about 5 left and I cant wait for him to finish them. I've gotta stop buying junk for him! LOL I guess my plan is a modified version of Cheryl14's "flying by the seat of my pants" but trying to keep within planned weekly calorie levels when possible.

I tried to figure out what happened to get me off plan. The last 2 weeks I've been a bit stressed at work so I haven't been eating much, so by the end of the week I'm literally starving. And once I start trying to fill up, I guess I keep going.

Because of my large appetite and lack of discipline, the only way I can keep weight off and even lose is to incorporate as much exercise as possible. This has always been key to my maintaining my weight and I believe is what's helped me lose weight. When I had my RMR tested, the test even noted how many more calories I can eat per day if I exercise 30 minutes at moderate intensity 5 days per week. So I do think the two are linked and can be used, for those of us who eat a lot and are not as disciplined as the Robins of the world (God bless your strength woman!), to help lose.

So this week the plan is to not be too hungry during the week that I start munching on Friday and the weekend to make up for it. Let's see how this works!

And for those who dont like weighing everyday? Me being up 3 pounds when I should have been down 4 by now - though my deficits are still in the right direction so hoping this is water - is sure a motivator for me!

Lilybelle, maintaining is indeed a lifelong struggle but so worth it and so do-able. You're doing great just the way you're doing it!

For me I dont count "normal" levels of exercise (4-5 mile run or hard gym workout) but if I do go above that I do eat more. Not because I "deserve" to, but because I NEED to. Otherwise I am not as strong at my next workout, I feel lightheaded and all I can think about is food. Eventually I would get sick. If I run 10-12 miles, I am burning about 1200-1500 calories. I cant get by without eating extra that day, but I dont try to be precise.