Stayin' in the Groove ...The Recipe of Maintenance

finally the scale is being nice. exercised 2 weeks in a row. elliptical & dance.

every scale I've tried so far says I've gained 10 lbs. I hope its muscle, but I haven't exercised at all

Congrats!

I recently read a great article (on SP) about those who work do a maintenance phase BEFORE dieting do better in the long run (keeping it off).

It did better to explain but it was sort of like giving those 2 months of learning yourself (watching how foods affect you) and learning about health without the extra work of a losing phase prepped them better than those who leapt in.

I've found I do things in cycles: things happen and I stop paying great attention to health and things go astray for a while. Then, I refocus and get healthier. Many people don't do that or their version is 'tighter' than mine. I've been better than not for many years now (currently not so happy with where I am but again -- it's way better than I have been!).

Keep working and have fun experimenting!

It doesn't look like anyone has posted here for awhile. I'm close to goal and looking forward to the challenge of maintenance. I don't think we should change much. Increase our food intake to maintain instead of lose and keep a regular excercise program. I think I will probably save my extra calories for weekends.
Sandy

I've been at my goal weight for a month or so. I wondered what plan the rest of you use to maintain. So far, I've been not recording nutrition on Friday night or Saturday, and keeping my calories at about 1500 during the rest of the week. So far, so good, but I feel guilty and worried that it's not enough tracking. Any tips?

Uh, it's taking me a moment to figure out how to delete repeated posts...

Edited by: SILVERBIRCH65 at: 10/12/2011 (12:56)

Repeated post, edited to delete.

Edited by: SILVERBIRCH65 at: 10/12/2011 (12:57)

My fitness history--I've been lucky. In the past I have been for the most part been healthy and fit enough to be able to take the maintenance issue for granted. But--at 46, I have to recognize that the whole fitness issue is going to have to take more mindfulness from my end. It's all about keeping on top of things in small (but consistent!) ways, making small adjustments. I like how we're celebrating the big victories in this group--but the issue of maintenance is also able celebrating the small ones...

I really liked this recent post, which is up as a most-popular-one this month. I'm not a big photographs-of-myself poster, but this woman makes a compelling case for at least taking the time to take them! She has photos of herself, taken about a year apart, from when she first hit her maintenance weight--or close to it--and today, a year at that weight + consistent exercise.

She does look nice in both photos, but the muscle tone she's developed over that year--it's a big difference, even if it was frustrating to her on a daily basis that she was no longer seeing "big change" at every weigh in.

Here's the link, I hope:

www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_jo
ur
nal_individual.asp?blog_id=4524508

Hey Silverbirch...enjoy being slim n trim!! Perhaps you can find a new way to add value/support to your friends (instead of using your 'heft'). At 5'8", you could use your height to help...being 5'0", I certainly appreciate my taller friends! :)

12Know--you are tiny! Having read your weight loss journey--all I can say, I hope you are fully enjoying the dynamo you have morphed into over the past half year.

I'm a hefty 5' 8", and my self image is someone who is strong enough to pick up one end of a sofa and haul it upstairs, or help friends shift a ton of new garden soil or... other heavy-weight tasks like that.

At 145 (which is about where I am now) I begin to lose a feel for myself as having... I don't know how to put it--a nice heft. So I start to feel, at least initially, like I have lost a part of myself that is (literally) substantial, and has value, in giving me the power to help those around me.

Really, though, I think I just need to get over it and enjoy being slim.

(and I totally hear what you are saying, worrying about the winter months--it's cold where I live in January, and really, really hard to make oneself go out)

Hey KODABEAR...thanks!

When I was trying to lose weight, I ate apprx 1150-1250 cal per day (Fri night was my scheduled reward" night so I went way over the cal amt). I also exercised - a combination of running/walking and yoga/pilates. And since Fri night was my reward night, I exercised a lot on Sat (long runs, really long walks or a couple of fitness classes with a small break in between). I lost an avg of 2 lbs per week. The cal range may seem really low but I'm 5'0" and this was the "sweet spot" for my weight loss.

Now that I'm in the lifestyle maintenance phase, I've increased my daily cal range to 1200-1400. Fri nights are still my reward night and Sat are still my super fitness days. I haven't made it down to 118 but I'm holding steady between 120-121. I feel comfortable in my clothes so I'm in a good place.

I think I just have to stay focused and not get completely crazy with eating (or too lazy about exercising) as the fall/winter months creep in. I like to exercise outside so I think this will be a challenge...

I know what you mean, I maintained at 130ish and then got sick and have gained 12 to 13lbs and cant get it back off :( What did you do to loose?

Maintaining is very hard, you look great!

I think the maintenance phase will be the most difficult for me. I met my initial weight goal of 122 a few weeks ago and then set a new goal of 118 (not exactly sure why). I guess I'm torn between wanting to lose more weight and being satisfied where I am.

Does anyone else struggle with this? How do you really know when you're at your ideal weight range?

After gaining back 8 lbs. earlier this year, I have finally gotten back to my maintenance weight.


Edited by: CSIENK at: 9/16/2011 (09:46)

I hear you all on this. I was almost at goal, when I started to go up again, instead of maintaining. boy is it tough. Need soem motivation myself|!

I agree its much tougher to maintain. I love the healthy habits I'm in though my fridge is nearly empty and the first things I looked for were how I could incorporate fruits and vegetables into my lunch. It was a bit of an odd combination but I got three portions - woo hoo.

I am feeling more stessed maintaining than I did when I was loosing. I feel I need to be more active with the support and I read more motivational articles than I did before. I am finding reading posts, and posting, is helping me stay focused. I could not do it without SP. It is great!!!!!

Way to go, all you fabulous maintainers! I've been maintaining, but it's five to seven pounds more than I want to be maintaining at! No quit it this Fab 40-something female!

Spark on!

Edited by: LITTLE_DEBBIE at: 8/21/2010 (06:08)

Been maintaining around 106 for months now. I do not find it hard, but I am trying to tone up my abs and they are not coming along as fast as I had hoped. They are coming along though!

I think I need to increase the protein.

My goal is 125lbs from 145lbs. Reached 130lbs and then bounced back to 132lbs. Wow maintaining at 130lbs is no piece of cake let alone dropping till 125lbs. That doesn't mean i'm quiting though!

-Elaine-

Oh yes - nothing boring about Maintaining!

I also thought maintenance would be dull and unexciting. Instead, I find it to be a challenge. I went on a 7 day vacation, ate the foods I love (lobster, less the butter, etc.) and did not gain. I have never been able to do that. Maintenance can be as rewarding as weight loss!

Hello, fab 40's. This is my first message on this forum. Yesterday was my weekly weigh-in and today was my biweekly lifestyle checkup. I thought i'd get a big red arrow going down; I got a green arrow pointing up instead. I was not sure how satisfied I was with my two weeks past, but I scored really high on the other checkup questions.

I am learning that maintenance is a challenge and that stickups vary day to day and even week to week. Maintenance seemed boring, bland and vanilla-like before I got into it.

Here's to more exciting maintenance days, and weeks, and months...you get the picture.

How big is your buffer zone? Mine is 5 lbs. - between 115 and 120, but I'm "happiest" at 117-118, which is where I've been for most of the past year. Would your clothes still fit the same way if you lost more to make your range bigger?

I (officially)weighed in today for my first monthly checkup. I stayed the same. Still in the middle of my range. I had to buckle down last week because I was indulging in too many summertime treats. I can make all sorts of great things with strawberries, but some are laden with calories! I am fighting the urge to lose more just so I have a bigger "buffer" zone. Has anyone ever had those thoughts?

I agree totally - it makes a difference in how I feel too. Better about myself... better in my clothes...

Glad you're back to your low end.

I am back to my low end now too and it really makes a difference in how I feel. It helps that my clothes are more comfortable also!

Cindy, you rock!

So - I haven't posted on this thread in a while... was reminded of it when a fellow Sparker mentioned the thread to me.

I'm still maintaining within a 5 lb. range. As of Saturday, I'm at the absolute highest I am willing to go... so I've buckled down... increased my work-outs a little - cut back a little on calories... and hopefully I'll be back to the low or at least the middle of my range in no time.

Keep working at it fellow Maintainers! It is so worth the effort.
Cindy

Okay - here are those articles... This first one helped me to understand that I had to eat more to lose (point #2).

www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutriti
on
_articles.asp?id=387

And here are three good articles about busting plateaus... maybe there's a point or two in one of them that will strike a chord with you. (Maybe you're not getting enough sleep... or you need to change up your routine because your body has gotten "used to" what you're doing and it is no longer as effective, etc.) Try not to be discouraged...

Cindy


www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness
_a
rticles.asp?id=516

www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness
_a
rticles.asp?id=522

www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness
_a
rticles.asp?id=534


Edited by: CSIENK at: 2/17/2010 (11:34)

It does sound like you're not eating enough. I know it's counter-intuitive, but your body needs a certain amount of fuel to perform daily tasks... when you add cardio-burning exercise, you need more fuel. I have a couple of great articles from SP... I'll try to track them down and post them for you.

I am burning 400-500 calories a week and eating the same - sometimes more - calories than you are.

I almost forgot... when you update your goals... make sure the "By When" date (lose so many pounds, by this date) is at least 6 months in the future (mine is set for July 30, 2010) ... otherwise the calculator will think you need to lose it quickly and will keep your calories on the low end.

Hi: I track my food/exercise in a personal journal , not in Sparkpeople. I know exactly what I am eating and how many calories I am consuming daily. I burn roughly 500 calories a day when I do my cardio M-F, I don't know how many I burn when I strength train. I eat roughly 1300 calories every day. What do you think? I am so afraid to eat more...When I went and updated my goals (roughly burning 2500 calories/week) it says I should be eating 1200-1550 cal/day. I don't get it then.....???

Carmen

Edited by: CEEJAY21 at: 2/17/2010 (10:11)

Hi Carmen,

So I went to check out your trackers to see if you were eating enough for the calories you burn... and well... hmmm... I couldn't tell because the last date listed was in May. Are you tracking somewhere else?

I would suggest updating your goals to your best estimate of how many calories you are burning each week (it sounds like a lot)... that should give you an updated calorie range. I re-set my goals when I go out of town because I know I might not get to exercise every day (long hours)... that way my calories shift a little lower and I can compensate. But it sounds like you're burning quite a bit if you're working out 5x a week AND strength training 3x a week. So maybe you aren't eating enough on those 1300 calorie days. Try tracking for one week and see if you notice any changes.

Good luck!

Hi Ladies: How is everyone doing?
Been MIA for a while now. Ok, so I am back up to 133 and have been for for SEVERAL weeks now. I have been watching what I am eating 1300-1500 calories a day and working out 5x/week and strength training 3x/week and NO LOSS!! I would like to get back down to 130 already...what's going on????

Carmen

Hi Carmen and congrats on your weight loss! Cindy has got it down to a science, not that it doesn't still take work, but I'm totally inspired by anyone that can maintain for the long haul!

Hi Carmen,

It sounds to me like you're off on the right foot. I dropped my cardio down from 5 days to 3 and I'm still doing my strength training as well.

Make sure you update your goals on SP... and enter in a date about 6 months in the future. That should give you an accurate number for calories... and then do your best to stay within them. I'm still tracking, but if you don't feel like tracking, then I would recommend you do your best to stay within the guidelines using your best estimations. Weigh in weekly and if you find the scale inching up a pound or two, curtail the "naughty" eating until your numbers are where you want them.

And don't fret about a pound or two - it's bound to happen occasionally (water weight, the holidays, etc.).

Congratulations to you - you did a great job!

Cindy

Hi Ladies:
I recently lost 60 lbs. (see pics in gallery) and
I am working hard at maintaining the loss. I think losing the weight was the easy part, but I am scared to death at not knowing how to maintain it. I don't want to count calories for the rest of my life, but I also want to give myself a little more freedom to eat "naughty" foods. I dropped my exercising from 6 down to 5 days a week and I still
strength train 3x a week. I also donated all my "big" clothes to goodwill as my way of saying that I will NEVER be in that size again!
I indulged last week and the scale went up a pound and I almost freaked out! But I know I can't live like that! So my question is...what should I be doing? Am I doing anything right? Wrong?

Thanks!
Carmen

You'll get there Debbie. This next Bootcamp may be just the thing you need...

You are doing
I'm maintaining too...but I wish I was maintaining at a bit lower weight! We're tweaking things and seeing what we can do.

Thought I would check in here as it's the beginning of the new year...

Still maintaining at 115. I weigh in once a week - on Fridays. If I'm up a pound or two, I adjust my calories and workouts and I'm usually back to 115 by the next Friday. It was a little more challenging to keep that up between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I think I gained three pounds that first week... lost one or two... gained another back... etc. But, by New Year's eve I was at my goal weight and holding.

The goal this year is to better tone my muscles.... more definition, etc.

Hope you other maintainers are figuring it out as well...

I am tracking religiously myself. I came so far, I'm afraid it will come back on! so keeping myself in check.

Recently I started watching my sodium intake as I think that is causing some of the water weight gain. Which it might not even be, but going from 107.5 to 110 is NOT my idea of a good time on the . Trying to keep it under 1200.

Hi Maintainers.
Thought I'd check in here. I'm still maintaining - plus or minus a pound or two due to monthly water weight. It has gotten easier to recognize when I need to pull back and take in fewer calories or know when to take a day off if I'm pushing my body too hard. I'm happy to say that, for the most part, my energy levels have been great. Still tracking though... I'm just not comfortable walking away from it.
Keep up the good work everyone!

Edited by: CSIENK at: 11/19/2009 (14:10)

It's been a REALLY long time since I've been here too. Way to go. GOLIONS, on the strength training. You know you're making it happen when you can decrease body fat from where you are at!

What a great feeling to have to alter clothes! Love it!

Edited by: LITTLE_DEBBIE at: 11/13/2009 (18:09)

Its been a REALLY long time since I have been here. Still hanging in there, no gain no loss of weight but % body fat is down a point so that is a good thing (I guess the strength training is really working). I am figuring that I will go no lower than where I am now weight wise but that works for me as long as my % body fat continues to decrease and I have to continue to have my clothes altered (smaller)

Thank you
Thank you
Thank you very much.

Could not have done it w/o SP and

Raining today and 43. so looks like just a curves work out today.

I think my aerobic is going to be my step program until I get my treadmill moved to the new house.

BAILEYS7OF9 !
on reaching your goal!
SPark On!

on maintaining! That's one really cold walk!

hello other Fab 40's that are maintaining!!!



I can't believe I am here.. what a great sense of accomplishment!!!

I power walked today.. it is 45 degrees, windy and it started to lightly rain 1/2 way around the complex. Thankfully it was just tiny drops and they stopped after a minute or so!

Me too. I forgot all about this thread and was just scrolling on the team page.

Still working on being a maintainer myself! So close, but yet so far!

I just noticed this... and should have looked for it earlier.

You have done so far... looks like you're down a little more since you posted it.

Cindy

I am maintaining at current weight until school starts. I started in January and have lost 50 lbs. I have been up a little, but mostly down. I have gone through a hernia operation and the long summer with the kids. I am coasting right now and will get up and running soon. I would like to lose ten more pounds and continue my new healthy life. This is the longest that I have stuck with a plan and feel that this is how I will continue to live my life. Thanks to SP I have the resoureces to complete this journey!

Congratulations on maintaining! It can be difficult, but it is so worth the effort. The thing that may have helped me the most is weighing every day. It helps me to understand how my body reacts. I started trying to lose weight this past Christmas when we got a Wii Fit. I was floored by my weight. Little by little I've lost approximately 22 pounds and gone from 134 to 111 at 5ft3 with a small frame. I've given myself permission to go as high as 115 and not to go much lower than 108. I know after a weekend I'll be up a pound, but I always get it off during the week. I don't deny myself, but I don't need as many sweets or breads as I thought I did. I try to eat a lot more vegetables and fruit and fewer processed foods. With 4 kids and a full time job, this can be hard, but it is so much better than being at the weight I was at. Keep up the excellent effort!!!

No one has been here lately, but I thought I would check in anyway.

I've been able to maintain for six months and that just thrills me. I was a little concerned in the beginning that I might fall back into old eating patterns or slack off on the exercise, but I'm finding that, while that does happen occasionally, I am able to turn myself around pretty quickly. And that's a good thing.


I hope the rest of you maintainers are doing well also. Whether you know it or not, you're an encouragement to me to keep going.

Edited by: CSIENK at: 8/14/2009 (13:17)

* & to maintenance OTTAWAMOM2!
Keep making healthy choices, & stay active...those are the things that seem to work for me anyway!
Take care & SPark On!

Hello, this is my first post in this thread...I officially am at goal today ... so I guess I am now officially maintaining. I see this may be harder than I expect, but even before seeing the posts here, I had decided over the last little while (I have been so close to goal that I felt like I was already there) that my new goal will be to stay at or below 135 (to give me some wiggle room for those days where I am retaining water like a sponge, to allow for muscle as I think I might be lower because strength training has been a bit spotty lately due to a cold, trips, summer with the kids etc).

It certainly will be nice to check in with others who are "hanging in" and I will try to keep hanging in myself(even if it is only by my fingernails!)

Edited by: OTTAWAMOM2 at: 7/31/2009 (13:07)

Well I was up a pound and a half after camp, but I dropped the first pound within two days, so I think it was mostly water weight. It took another couple of days, but I checked in this morning and I'm back at goal. That helps give me confidence that I can stray for a few days and get right back to doing things right and be okay.


Hope the rest of you maintainers are hanging in there as well!

Edited by: CSIENK at: 6/26/2009 (08:31)

Cindy! With all that traveling you do, that's Fabulous! Way to Go!

I am pleased to say I too am doing well with maintenance, despite a hectic life and the set-back with my knee/hip!
I am being careful to ease back into the fitness thing now that I'm doing a little better, and plan to learn from that experience...
June still looks to be a very busy month around here, but I'm hoping mid-month things will mellow out a bit after school gets out for summer. (although then there's the "other" kind of busy with the kids & summer)
SPark On!

Successfully maintained my weight while on this last trip. I was happy to get on the scale today and see it right at 115. I am definitely getting the hang of this. I'll probably be ready to taper off on the tracking sooner than I had originally thought. I might try tracking-free weekends as an experiment in June. We'll see. Not sure I want to do that - there's something reassuring about knowing exactly where I am in the day and whether or not I have room for a 1/2 cup of ice cream or a cup of coffee and (my new favorite) a deep chocolate VitaMuffin VitaTop in the evening.


Edited by: CSIENK at: 6/1/2009 (11:00)

Way to go, Cindy! You truly inspire me! I totally agree with what you are saying about bootcamp. I've also dread it many days. I'm sticking with it too and will think of you when I'm dreading it and still doing it! Have a great trip!

I weighed in this morning, since I won't be here tomorrow. I'm back to my goal weight (I was a pound under for a while)... now to be able to maintain it while I'm out of town.

I've had difficulty keeping up with my cardio workouts in this last boot camp. I don't think five days in a row is working for me. What it's made me do is dread my workouts instead of looking forward to them. I'm going to stick with the boot camp this week because I'm sure it will help me keep on track while I'm out of town, eating hotel food, but I'll be glad to be back to my old program - which was working just fine for me.


Edited by: CSIENK at: 5/24/2009 (09:53)

Way to go, Cindy and Donna! You guys are doing so well! Thank you both for commenting on my page about the fitness minutes...I sometimes forget to note how many I have accumulated. Even if I don't always make great food choices, the exercise part seems to come pretty easily.

Well...I'm staying in the groove...
It's been a crazy busy week for me, and still I have managed to fit in my workouts and make healthy choices.

Way to go, Cindy! And good to see you over here, Debra! I'm half a pound closer to maintaining, and my life is changing quite drastically in a few weeks, and I think it will help my healthy lifestyle efforts. I'm going to make it work for me and not against me, but I may be scarce around the message boards myself!

Six days on the road... I got in most of my workouts, but a couple of my cardio days were runs through the airport (NOT fun)...

However... I weighed myself this morning and I'm just a little over 114 - which is still under my goal weight - so ... still maintaining!

Me again...

Well, I left for two out of town jobs last Saturday, so I missed my weigh-in on Monday. I know I did fine between Saturday and Tuesday afternoon because frankly, the food at the convention center wasn't great, so I was really picky with what was offered and relied on some of what I brought with me (protein bars, apples, celery, oatmeal packets).

HOWEVER, last night I was able to eat dinner at the wonderful restaurant here at the Ballantyne resort in Charlotte and I ended the day way over my calories because of the incredible salmon and parmesan orzo I had. I had broccoli too, but that didn't do any damage.

My plan was to eat 3 oz. of salmon (deck of cards) and half the orzo ... but that plan flew out the window
...
once I tasted how great it was. Ended the day 212 calories over my range and 13 grams over on my fats. Yikes! Will weigh myself Friday morning and not wait for next Monday - just in case I have work to do over the weekend...


Edited by: CSIENK at: 5/13/2009 (09:25)

Hang in there Debra. You're right - school is almost over. And I don't think it's such good news that your appetite is gone. You need to eat to keep up your energy...

Sending you some "virtual" snacks...



And I know you know this, but stay hydrated...


Edited by: CSIENK at: 5/10/2009 (10:47)

It is very difficult to come here now, because I am having so much trouble at work. My job situation at work is simply awful. Most days I just come home from school and collapse. The good news is that my appetite is gone (and I'm pretty sure at my weigh-in I'll be at goal), but the bad news is that I am too exhausted to exercise or to come here.

Well, I just wanted to explain my absence. Its almost summer!
Debra

Donna! Glad to have you here - posting on the maintaining thread.

And Debra - looking forward to hearing from you more.

Yup, Cindy. If I know that I'm going to have to come here and admit to eating something awful, then I probably won't. If I know that I'm not coming here, and it doesn't matter what I eat, then I go for that.

For the month of May, I want to be "super-vigilant" because I want to go into the summer feeling good about myself.

Debra

I can post here now too!

Glad to hear from you Debra.

We'll be here waiting.

I think you have hit on something though. I agree that when I'm vigilant, it helps keep me accountable. If I know I'm going to be posting and tracking here... I'm less inclined to eat junk food AND I'm more inclined to get my workouts in.

Edited by: CSIENK at: 5/6/2009 (09:13)

It appears that maintaining (or being close to goal) is almost more difficult than losing. When I was losing I was active, and here every day. Now that I am almost at goal, I get careless -- with my eating, with my exercising, with my coming here every day. I am one of the ones that seem to have disappeared, and although I have still maintained, I find the lack of consistency is not a good thing for me. I feel that I must get back to what works, and yet that is difficult. There seems to be a voice that says "enough is enough". And yet, if I'm not ever vigilant, I know that I will just be back where I started. SO, I said all that to say, that I will try to come here more and read the posts and respond.

Debra

You may be the only one posting, but you're definitely not the only one reading 'em!

Thanks Cindy,

I just wanted to let you know I read your posts and it helps me by giving me perspective in my struggle...

I appear to be the only one posting in this thread lately - but oh well, I guess I'll just do it for me.

I was out of town on a quick job Thurs. - Fri. and weighed myself when I got back and I'm somehow down a pound and a half since last Monday. I had decided to replace yesterday's skipped work-out on Sunday, my normal day off, but now I think I'll take two days off this week and hopefully my weight will normalize. Not really worried about it - just being proactive about maintaining.

Good luck doing the same to any of you other maintainers who might check in here.

Yesterday was my weigh-in day. Somehow I lost a pound and a half when I was out of town (I don't even know how that is possible), but I gained most of it back over the weekend. When I weighed in yesterday I was slightly under - not even half a pound - and today I double-checked and it's spot on. I took a couple of measurements yesterday and they are slightly bigger. I don't think it's muscle (on my hips??) ... it's probably a redistribution of fat
...

Will keep working on my abs & core and upper body strength training as I am really trying to tone these areas.

Gotta run - early call time this morning...

Edited by: CSIENK at: 4/28/2009 (06:33)

Let us know what you find out Debra. Glad your computer woes are behind you... and I just noticed - you're one lb. away from being back on goal!


Edited by: CSIENK at: 4/26/2009 (17:50)

I didn't know there was a group here that was doing the "clean eating diet". Very interesting. Perhaps I shall just look into it. I'm sure after a while, you feel really great eating that way. Thanks for the info.
Debra

It is the Tosca's book but I actually didn't buy the book. (too cheap) I bought the Clean Eating magazine which I absolutely love (not too cheap) and then just figured it out through other Sparks that are doing it. There is actually a team on Spark. If you search Clean Eating it should come up. It was a tremendous learning experience and something I may continue to try. There are some people that say once you break the diet you have to start over to "get clean" again but I feel that what ever I can do to be more healthy is better than nothing. It is really hard though. You have to plan very carefully and always be prepared. You can't be caught somewhere off guard because clean food is not always available. I am always up for an adventure but because much of my comfort food is not clean it was hard for me.

Felicia

I bought Tosca's book, but wasn't able to do the diet. The only "diet" I have been able to stick with is the one coming from the Spark People nutrition tracker, that automatically counts your calories. BUT she has some interesting ideas (thats why I bought the book!)
Debra

Felicia are you speaking of the Clean Eating Diet from Tosca Reno's book? I've read the book and taken many suggestions from it. Just haven't actually followed the weekly menus precisely.

Is it a two-week program you're doing? If you don't mind me asking, how does it work (if it's not from Tosca Reno's book).

JJAbsolute on reaching goal weight. It must be such a great feeling!!

I am still not there yet BUT I did finally make it into a size 8 and some were actually big! So that was amazing for me. I haven't weighed myself for almost 2 weeks now. I want to see how it goes. I am doing a clean eating diet and since it is not technically lo cal (although I am staying with in maintenance cals range) I don't want to weigh until after the 2 weeks are up.

Have any of you ever done the clean eating diet? It is very interesting. Not quite sure about it yet. Definitely feel good but it is very time consuming.

Felicia

not gaining!

Just a quick note... surprise, surprise... I weighed in today and I didn't gain weight from yesterday's Mexican/Pizza, heavy carb-calorie fest.


This next week I'll be on the road so it could be a little more challenging to maintain, but actually I'm optimistic that it won't be too bad at all.

Keep maintaining Sparkers!



Edited by: CSIENK at: 4/20/2009 (08:25)

Debra - you'll get there in no time... you're almost there!

Yeah for goal weight! (I can't weight to stay that!)
Debra

Congrats on reaching your goal weight, JJABSOLUTE! That is so exciting!!!

I CAN'T BELIEVE I MET MY GOAL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. I AM SO EXCITED!!! I am going to work so hard to keep up everything I've started because of all of you and Spark People! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!