Medi Weight Loss Maintaince Phase

[Desert-Rose7]

Thanks Susie, I will go check it out!

Jo

[Mommy-2-girls]

Susie- What a great Christmas present! Isn't it funny how much different our "splurges" are now? I used to get candy and chocolates from my husband on holidays. This year I asked for and got a yoga mat, a sports bra, EA Active exercise game, and Wii Fit Plus! For Valentines day, we have a $20 limit, so I asked him to get me a bag for my yoga mat!

[crobyninc]

Originally Posted by Mommy-2-girls

Hey all,
I am up and bopping around I had trouble with the pain meds (always do) but once I got off them and just took Ibuprofen, I feel great. Sore in the abdomen and I look about 4 months pregnant, but much better!

My Ladies Bible study is having a Girls Night Out on Thursday this week and I REALLY want to go! But it's at Carrabbas where I never eat. Can you guys help!!

Here's the menu
http://www.carrabbas.com/menu/pdf/38PF-37PW.pdf

Now, a few stipulations.. in addition to the Medi maintaince guidelines I am staying away from red meat for a bit (part of healing from the surgery), everything spicy or fried for a LONG time (lack of a galbladder), I hate mussles and also I don't like mushrooms (so no Marsala for me). Help! Do you guys see anything at all that I can order? I really want to go out with the girls and it will be my first evening out since the surgery. Oh, and I don't drink regardless, so no worries on that part of the menu I have never had a problem finding things to order out even on acute, but I'm not seeing much here that I could eat with all the restrictions right now..

Hi Jessica! Hope this week is finding you feeling better and better. I have a dinner engagement now at Carrabbas as well on Saturday. I fould their Gluten Free and Diabetic menu: Here is the info on it:

Gluten Free:
http://www.carrabbas.com/menu/pdf/GFmenu.pdf

Diabetic:
Carrabba's Italian Grill - Nutrition

Hope this helps! Looks like you ask to not have Grill Baste when ordering like the Chicken Marsala and have the sauce on the side. Use the Weight Watchers technique of dipping your fork in the sauce and then a bite of chicken for less sauce. Of course you would order the salad without coutons and side dressing, no bread and veggies plain.

Good luck with your luncheon and then going back to acute phase!

Robyn

[Mommy-2-girls]

Thanks Robyn!

For you guys in maintaince, I found this blog that I thought had some really inspirational articles Refuse To Regain
Her writing is spot on for keeping the weight off

[Fit2010]

WOW Jessica....I looked up the site you referred to, "refuse to regain" and it is so awesome! Blogs go back May 2008 and are SO insightful and trustworthy because these two are female physicians and have successfully lost their weight and continue to maintain in their healthy lifestyles! Thank you SO much. That, in combination with accountability on the Medi Newbies group here, plus my MWL clinic, plus friends at work and church give me great determination that I WILL be Fit2010! No more lies to myself....I'm m-e-l-t-i-n-g away the drauss, the barnacles of self overindulgence, and a healthier me is waiting to shine!

[Mommy-2-girls]

Glad you liked it! It seems really inspirational and very grounded

[crobyninc]

Originally Posted by Mommy-2-girls

Susie- What a great Christmas present! Isn't it funny how much different our "splurges" are now? I used to get candy and chocolates from my husband on holidays. This year I asked for and got a yoga mat, a sports bra, EA Active exercise game, and Wii Fit Plus! For Valentines day, we have a $20 limit, so I asked him to get me a bag for my yoga mat!

Hi Jessica!

For your yoga mat bag, please consider this site:
Yoga Mat Bags

Kenny Jackson, lives in my neighborhood and is the same age as my daughter! He has played on several soccer teams my husband coached and even took guitar lessons from my son. He is a very nice young adult and I love supporting his unique business.

Obviously no pressure to buy from him but just letting you know there is an old Lando local who may have what you are looking for!

Take care and good luck on Friday!

Robyn

[missyd]

Hey everyone ,weighed in today and down 1 1/2 lbs ,only 3 to go to maintenance. These last few lbs are hanging on for dear life . I'm going to kick box them right off my body if its the last thing I do. I just saw the before and after pictures and i am truly amazed by them ,congrats to all you beautiful losers, the weight loss makes everyone look so much younger. Have a very medi-week everyone and keep up the good work. MissyD

[Mommy-2-girls]

That's cool Robyn! I love to buy from local people. I'll check his stuff out. I'm looking for one like this Amazon.com: Gaiam Tree of Life Yoga Tote: Gaiam because I have an extra-thick mat and the vertical ones make it really hard to slide the mat in. I may contact him and see if he can do something custom for me

[missyd]

Hey all , I have a question for all you maintenance people, what do you think about the carb control yogurt by dannon ,its says only 3 carb s per serving and no added sugar ?
Do you think its a good choice ? Also does anyone know of a no carb bread ? MissyD

[Mommy-2-girls]

Missy- The Carb and sugar control yogurt is actually allowed during Acute, not just maintaince. I personally am not a fan. I find it really overly sweet because of the artificial sweeteners. But if you don't mind artificial sweetener, then it's a good choice.

I'll leave the bread question up to the others!

[fit2b50]

Look for Ezekiel bread. In bread section of Trader Joe's. In freezer in a lot of other stores. Freeze when you get it home. It's not no carb but close. The sesame is good and the raisin rocks!! Also, the Thomas' English muffins with 8 grams of fiber are good. And the Flat Out breads in the deli section. I didn't look to see where you live but most areas have or you can google and check their website! El

Originally Posted by missyd

Hey all , I have a question for all you maintenance people, what do you think about the carb control yogurt by dannon ,its says only 3 carb s per serving and no added sugar ?
Do you think its a good choice ? Also does anyone know of a no carb bread ? MissyD

[NOT2fat4fun]

Hi maintainers - I had a bit of a set back with my injured foot and now I have been dealing with some crazy weather - so I haven't been to the gym in weeks. I can tell by my clothes, too. Anyone have some video workout experience - I was thinking I wanted to have something I can do at home for situations like this.
Any suggestions? I have a carpeted living room...
Tracy - Jo - - how are things?

[fit2b50]

Macauley-The CA weather is frightening right now. Stay safe!

I'm not a work out video person. I have a bunch of workouts that I've torn out of magazines over the years that use bands and balls and I work with them. You could jump rope, jumping jacks, forward lunges, side lunges, and/or back lunges, pushups, situps and some arm stuff with bands and get a pretty decent overall work out.

I feel your pain on the pants. After over 3 months of no weight gain, I went to a three day company meeting and came home 2 pounds heavier. I brought bars and nuts--TSA friendly and bought where I could without drawing attention but the menu for three days consisted of fruit, bagels, danish, pasta, popcorn, deep dish pizza, cookies, banana bread, muffins, etc. They served NO WATER!! UGH! So I did run out to Starbucks and get a few $3 bottles of h20...I guess I should be thankful it was ONLY 2 pounds! When I put on my pants yesterday morning I experienced that too tight feeling that I haven't had since June

Should be able to get back to normal over the next few days but I just feel cruddy right now! El

Originally Posted by NOT2fat4fun

Hi maintainers - I had a bit of a set back with my injured foot and now I have been dealing with some crazy weather - so I haven't been to the gym in weeks. I can tell by my clothes, too. Anyone have some video workout experience - I was thinking I wanted to have something I can do at home for situations like this.
Any suggestions? I have a carpeted living room...
Tracy - Jo - - how are things?

[Desert-Rose7]

Yes, the weather is awful lately. Here in AZ, we have had more rain in this week than we had all of last year. And the high country is really getting a huge amount of snow.
As for me, I pulled a series of muscles around the rotator cuff which resulted in having to take a corticosteriod (much against my will) to reduce the swelling and begin the healing. Needless to say, 6 pounds boom! I told the doc I would take it for the absolutely minumum time due to the side effects. I am off it now but it is taking some time to shake the weight off again. I am down 4 of the six but it really makes me angry that meds can do that to you! I am back to a week one regimen to get things back in control.

Jo

[tracy_d]

Originally Posted by NOT2fat4fun

Hi maintainers - I had a bit of a set back with my injured foot and now I have been dealing with some crazy weather - so I haven't been to the gym in weeks. I can tell by my clothes, too. Anyone have some video workout experience - I was thinking I wanted to have something I can do at home for situations like this.
Any suggestions? I have a carpeted living room...
Tracy - Jo - - how are things?

Hey Macauley! I'm doing good.

I absolutely LOVE the biggest loser workouts. Cardio max and 30 shred are my favorites of theirs. Also, if you have a wii, wii fit is good and EA active for the wii is good. when I can't workout as much, I make sure I drink extra water. It seems to help with the tight clothes feeling. You can always get some small weights (5-to 10 lbs) and lift while you are sitting. At least you are burning some calories. Something that Biggest loser taught me.... if you can put weight on your foot, squat into a double lunge and hold that position while you alternate punches across your body with your arms- a good no impact cardio!!

[tracy_d]

Originally Posted by Desert-Rose7

Yes, the weather is awful lately. Here in AZ, we have had more rain in this week than we had all of last year. And the high country is really getting a huge amount of snow.
As for me, I pulled a series of muscles around the rotator cuff which resulted in having to take a corticosteriod (much against my will) to reduce the swelling and begin the healing. Needless to say, 6 pounds boom! I told the doc I would take it for the absolutely minumum time due to the side effects. I am off it now but it is taking some time to shake the weight off again. I am down 4 of the six but it really makes me angry that meds can do that to you! I am back to a week one regimen to get things back in control.

Jo

Yes, Jo I know all about steroids!! That's what made me gain 35 pounds!! I was on them off and on for over a year to get migraines under control... Funny that now I hardly EVER have migraines and when I do it's from carb overload (and hormones)!!

[Desert-Rose7]

Last two pounds are gone, and am back to 150 where I belong. Whew!


Jo

[SDC2]

Macauley and Jo, so sorry to hear about your injuries. I don't know how my weight would react if I couldn't exercise. I hope your weather has improved too!

[SDC2]

I know some of you maintainers have, but when are the rest of you going to post to the before and after picture thread?

I haven't heard from some of you in a while. I hope all is well.

[dodgern]

Originally Posted by SDC2

I know some of you maintainers have, but when are the rest of you going to post to the before and after picture thread?

I haven't heard from some of you in a while. I hope all is well.

Hiya Susie_ I'm doing great ty!!! Lost another 10lbs-my choice so I'm sitting at about 130lbs-loving it and still loving MWL

I haven't posted before and after or any pics :blush: cuz I'm having probs finding any before pics....I was really really good at avoiding the camera

The tv spot turned into commercials that run on our local stations up here so I'm now "infamous" for being the lady who dropped her pants on tv I took a pair of my jeans that I was wearing when I was at my biggest and they insisted on using them in my bit
I have yet to see that commercial though My hubby saw it the other morning though!!

I'm still getting high compliments on my new physique hehehe...hubby loves it!!!

I just sorta stick with the MWL way of eating...more veggies and protein with the odd indulgence

My best-loved indulgence.....sweet potato fries with low fat ranch dip YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Great to see you're doing well and wish your hubby as much success as you've had

cindy

[NOT2fat4fun]

Hi All -
So this is a hard one to write because really, I am ashamed. Christmas was good for me - although I ate more than normal I was at the gym a lot and busy so my weight fluctuated - mostly up... Then my guy went to work down south, I injured my foot, and got completely stressed out at work and couldn't stop eating those extra carbs that I had started munching on at Christmas.
I made a couple of appointments at my clinic but had to cancel because I could not get there. I felt bad. My head felt bad, my body felt bad, and I still munched on those carbs...
Yesterday I was so disgusted because my new thin clothes felt horrible and LOOKED too tight and I really just felt like a big fat pig. I just could not find anything that felt good. (You know those days from long ago?). SO - I just took some time off of work this morning and went to my clinic.
I have to tell you - it was the same feeling you get when you have been away from home for awhile and you finally get home. OK - maybe a little over dramatic but it was pretty darn good.
I really didn't want to get on the scale but of course I had to. I have gained ten pounds. I really thought I had gained 35 by the way I felt. (I knew I hadn't but it FELT like I did).
I told my doc that I could not understand how I ever got to 195 - feeling the way I felt now at 155. She told me that it was probably because when I was on my road to 195 - that I had forgotten how good thin felt - or what thin felt like period.
And that is true.
So my doc put me on 500 protein calories a day for the next week to purge the carb demons that haunt me.
It is now 6:00... - and already I feel absolutely great. Fat, but great.
I can start working out again so I will do so this weekend.
My clinic was great by the way - super encouraging and super happy to see me.
So I guess I am really not in maintenance - but I am going to stay on this thread because I will be soon.
Thanks all!

[SDC2]

Originally Posted by NOT2fat4fun

Hi All -
So this is a hard one to write because really, I am ashamed. Christmas was good for me - although I ate more than normal I was at the gym a lot and busy so my weight fluctuated - mostly up... Then my guy went to work down south, I injured my foot, and got completely stressed out at work and couldn't stop eating those extra carbs that I had started munching on at Christmas.
I made a couple of appointments at my clinic but had to cancel because I could not get there. I felt bad. My head felt bad, my body felt bad, and I still munched on those carbs...
Yesterday I was so disgusted because my new thin clothes felt horrible and LOOKED too tight and I really just felt like a big fat pig. I just could not find anything that felt good. (You know those days from long ago?). SO - I just took some time off of work this morning and went to my clinic.
I have to tell you - it was the same feeling you get when you have been away from home for awhile and you finally get home. OK - maybe a little over dramatic but it was pretty darn good.
I really didn't want to get on the scale but of course I had to. I have gained ten pounds. I really thought I had gained 35 by the way I felt. (I knew I hadn't but it FELT like I did).
I told my doc that I could not understand how I ever got to 195 - feeling the way I felt now at 155. She told me that it was probably because when I was on my road to 195 - that I had forgotten how good thin felt - or what thin felt like period.
And that is true.
So my doc put me on 500 protein calories a day for the next week to purge the carb demons that haunt me.
It is now 6:00... - and already I feel absolutely great. Fat, but great.
I can start working out again so I will do so this weekend.
My clinic was great by the way - super encouraging and super happy to see me.
So I guess I am really not in maintenance - but I am going to stay on this thread because I will be soon.
Thanks all!

Macauley,

Thanks for your honesty. I am so proud of you going back to the clinic and getting the help you needed before it got out of control. I also gained about 5 pounds over Christmas, didn't really feel it in my clothes and was maintaining the 5 pound gain beautifully. My husband mentioned that I didn't look quite as thin as I did when I first hit goal and that was all I needed to hear. I went back to the acute phase and have already lost 3 of the 5 pounds. I didn't feel the need to share it before, but I think it helps to know that we all fall into that same trap and we are not alone. We are in this together.

[tracy_d]

Well girls... I guess we will always be fighting this demon. I too gained 5 pounds over Christmas. I had already lost it by going back to week one menu for a week. I had some left over AS so it helped. Now I feel like the same thing is happening again. Every time I eat too many carbs of ANY kind, I keep wanting more. It is TOM , but I am up that 5 pounds again, weigh in is Monday, which is also my birthday. I have been working out a lot, but last night I had 2 1/2 large beers and a soft pretzel at the Magic game. Today I feel like crap! Every time I try to cut back my calories without the AS I can't seem to do it. Any pointers?

[Nick80]

Happy Friday all.

My clinic is now putting me on maintenance. I am allowed up to 1800 cal. to maintain my weight. Just perusing this part of the forum I am a little nervous of rapidly gaining weight. I have found in the months since I started that if I cheated even a little bit i.e. had some pasta or dessert (once). I would gain like 4 or 5 lbs. My weight would drop after a few days. Just wondering how things shaped up for all of you once yuo shifted back into the real world.

Thanks in advance to all.

Happy Friday.

[hudiman]

Originally Posted by tracy_d

Well girls... I guess we will always be fighting this demon. I too gained 5 pounds over Christmas. I had already lost it by going back to week one menu for a week. I had some left over AS so it helped. Now I feel like the same thing is happening again. Every time I eat too many carbs of ANY kind, I keep wanting more. It is TOM , but I am up that 5 pounds again, weigh in is Monday, which is also my birthday. I have been working out a lot, but last night I had 2 1/2 large beers and a soft pretzel at the Magic game. Today I feel like crap! Every time I try to cut back my calories without the AS I can't seem to do it. Any pointers?

Are you still logging/journaling your food on a daily basis? You just need to count your beer and pretzel in your daily allotment of carbs and calories. And if you go over then cut back the next few days. Don't keep eating poorly every day, and journaling helps curb that. And no ones weight stays exactly the same day to day and week to week.

[SDC2]

Tracy,

While I still have my struggles, the thing that is helping me most is my Bodybugg. It tells me exactly (with 90% accuracy) how many calories I am burning in a day. While different WOE help us to control our caloric intake by minimizing cravings and hunger, the bottom line is calories and calories out. So by knowing how many calories I burn, I know how many calories I can consume. I still try to journal everyday. The Bodybugg has this neat application on their website where you can set a variety of goals, journal your daily food, download the calorie burn data from your Bodybugg and it tells you how you are doing compared to your goals on a daily basis. The goals are things like daily caloric consumption, daily caloric burn, daily caloric deficit, number of steps daily, number of minutes meeting caloric burn target during exercise, calories burned during exercise, ...

My downfall is when I start drinking wine on a regular basis. While red wine has only a few carbs, it has 90 calories per 4 oz. glass and if I have a few I tend to indulge in the mindless eating as well, especially if I am tired. I know what I personally have to do when this happens is to stop the wine and go back on the lower calorie acute phase.

Nick, welcome to maintenance. You should be so proud. I am far from perfect, but what I do is stay accountable (which the job will do for me), and follow the acute plan only with more calories (i.e. increase protein, vegetables and fruits). I have the occasional splurge, like pasta, bread, potatoes, ..., but just for one meal and go right back on afterwards. This is what my Medi doctor instructed me to do. The few times I have had bread I have had it right before a workout so that my body would burn off the carbs and eliminate any carb cravings.

I think this will always be work, especially as we get older and our metabolism slows, but we can do this.

BTW... you probably already know this, but strength training is an important component of keeping a good metabolism.

[Nick80]

Thanks Susie. That makes sense and I am glad I am not the only one to splurge! I love Italian food and that has been the most difficult part for me. Was getting stressed that I could not have it again! It is as you said some time back that just because one ate such and such doesnt mean that one should just eat everything else in one's way. So slipping should'nt mean sliding!


I have incorporated strength training and do cardio on alternate days. I am excited about it all!

[SDC2]

Originally Posted by Nick80

Thanks Susie. That makes sense and I am glad I am not the only one to splurge! I love Italian food and that has been the most difficult part for me. Was getting stressed that I could not have it again! It is as you said some time back that just because one ate such and such doesnt mean that one should just eat everything else in one's way. So slipping should'nt mean sliding!


I have incorporated strength training and do cardio on alternate days. I am excited about it all!

I think the thing we have to remember on maintenance is that it is not cheating if we only have those things once in a while. We are allowed and it is nothing to feel guilty about. I think the guilty feelings are what cause the slide.

I think my greatest disfunctional relationship in the past was that with food. We (food and I) are now trying really hard to build a new healthy relationship that is based on honesty, respect and is functional. No more guilt!

[Desert-Rose7]

I did not have a weight gain issue over Christmas, but the athletic injury set me back a bit, and it was hard NOT to indulge. I just kept reminding myself what it took to get where I am, and hard I worked to accomplish that goal. It has not stopped me from enjoying the occasional piece of bread (usually in a small sandwich from a vendor at work), and like Susie, I walk it off during breaks and lunches, plus my morning walk. My big addiction is Tillamook cheese. The extra sharp really expensive one. I just cannot buy it and have it in the house. Because I will eat the whole thing, and I know it. So I don't buy it. Because I live by myself, I can only buy what I can really have and enjoy. I know that a food addiction has to be fed, so I do not allow myself to buy those things, however sorely tempted I am, and bring them into the house.

I am on the Healthy Living Committee now at work, and just did the First quarter pre-test, and joined the President's Challenge. This will keep me accountable at work, and I am keeping myself accountable at home. Which is not to say that I have not a few little extravagances along the way. But I plan for them as much as possible. And bank calories if I need to. It truly is a slippery slope and it is far harder to maintain than it was to lose. The longer we get into this, all together, the better we will do. We are all pretty new at this maintanance game. We will learn together.

Oh, about the weighing. I have taken myself back to weighing once a week. I can (and have done so) make myself sick weighing every day and fussing over small increases that are natural and normal. I go to my clinic once a month. Two reasons - it keeps me accountable and I really like seeing them - they have become extended family in many ways. And I do journal every day. That too keeps me accountable.

I do not use the word "cheat", because I am not cheating. I am allowed to have little indulgences now and then, and I plan for them carefully. I think I will always have to.

The day of the pre-test, I had to be weighed. How not looking forward to that was I? A whole lot as it was in the late afternoon and I had been through about 3 liters of water at that point. Plus they would not take off two pounds for clothes, and did not allow you to take your shoes off. I broke my own rule and weighed that morning just to see the difference at different times of the day. Needless to say I weighed 7 pounds more than the weight in the morning. That is normal for me, as I have a few kidney issues that cause water retention and for which I take meds at night to help with it. But it was demoralizing nonetheless. It was stupid for me to feel that way and I know it, but nonetheless I did feel awful. I weighed on Friday as usual, and it was back to what it should be. Arggggghhhhh!

I would like to get a body bugg one of these days. But I am trying to rebuild my savings after being "displaced" for 6 months and having to delve into those savings to survive. So that little device will be awhile in coming to my house!

Hang in there,Macauley. This too shall pass. We will struggle through this together. We will get the hang of maintenance the same way we got the hang of the acute phase. Together!

Love to all


Jo