A Maintenance Roll Call

[Mitra]

I was wondering how many maintainers we have here? Drop in and introduce yourselves :).

If you started PP to lose weight, then you are generally considered ready to start maintenance when you're within about 10 lbs of your goal weight - or 5 ish if you didn't have much to lose. If you started because of other health issues, then it would be when those problems were resolved - blood analysis at or near normal, GERD gone, or whatever.

I'll start - I reached my goal weight almost 2 years ago, and have stayed within 5 lbs of it since then (I'm quite small - I'd think for a taller person, or one with a higher lean body mass, that staying within 10 lbs would be fine).

That's not to say I feel I've finished! I'm happy with my body composition now, but there's still work to be done. Even apart from the fact that I'm only just getting to grips with eating the right things without weighing and measuring it all, I'm still looking at ways to improve my health - through food, exercise, supplements, and anything else I think could be useful.

[banshee]

I moved myself to "maintenance" about 2 years ago when I reached my size goal (Size 10 pants). I still would like to lose more fat, but I'm currently trying to use exercise to reach that goal rather than trying to restrict carbs or calories further. For the past two years I've been averaging about 60 g carb/day, and that seems to be a comfortable place for me. I don't count every day or every meal, but I do "spot check" now and again, and that's always been the figure I hit. Since I started this over 3 years ago, I've gotten to where I know what I can eat without really thinking about it.

In addition to the size goal, I was also trying to improve my health due to several supposedly "chronic" health conditions. Those conditions have been "cured", so clearly they weren't all that chronic to begin with! :p I'm also extremely pleased that all my bloodwork falls into the normal or good range. Some of the problems, like acid reflux, cleared up almost immediately, while others took months while I slowly weaned myself off the prescription medications I was taking one at a time. Thankfully, I had a doctor who was willing to let me try this without any argument when I explained to her why I wanted to do this.

I'm actually hoping that the addition of exercise will improve my health even further, will reduce the final large deposits of fat, and will help with some health issues that really are chronic, namely allergies and asthma. The allergies I've had since a kid, the asthma is a new diagnosis. While my outdoor allergies haven't completely gone away since starting PP, I did notice that cutting the carbs did show an improvement in them. Right now I'm concentrating on some supplement suggestions for asthma, which includes vitamin A and fish oil. While I've been taking a combination omega 3 supplement that includes fish oil, the dosages recommended for asthma are much higher. I'm trying to "ramp up" my intake, since there were some unfortunate digestive issues when I started taking the highest dose all at once.

Oops, I'm starting to ramble. Anyway, that's me. I'm PP for life, and I'll never mindlessly eat sugar or starchy foods again.

[backpacker]

I'm very close! I'm only 10 lbs from going on maintenance. I was 230 when I started, and I'm at 188 right now. My goal is between 175 and 180. I want to be under 180, but not under 175. So, I'll drop back in this thread in a little while. ;)

[Shadow]

Backpacker - We look forward to your return :D!

I was technically ready for maintenance around a year and a half ago but am just now considering myself to be in the maintenance group. I am still eating carbs at Transistion levels, but that is just because I'm comfortable right where I'm at :). I had considered upping the carbs to maintenance level last summer when the fruits were abundant, but in the end I never did. Maybe this summer I'll bump it up a notch and see what happens ;).

Menopause has caused me to go to the upper end of my weight range but thankfully (and knock wood!) I am still staying within a range :p. Like Mary, I have some 'fine tuning' to do - but I am going to rely on consistent eating, exercise and time to take care of the rest.

[Relief]

I've considered myself in maintenance for about 2 years now--though as y'all who know me know--maintaining isn't exactly what is going on.:D

I started PP in jan 2000 and had an initial loss from 150 to about 118--size 14 to size 4--I'm 5' 2 inches and small boned and 54 years old.. I probably should wiegh about 112 -but probably never will ;)

Over the next 3 years I " maintained" by TALKING a lot about low carbing but basically eating whatever I wanted " in moderation" is what I told myself--haha! eventually I had gained back about half of what I lost, determinged to go back wholeheartedly and than found that I could not get the weight to budge. I found this group in Jan 2003 and since then have been on a real journey of learning, and self discovery.

basically my probelm now is low thyroid ( diagnosed, FINALLY, as wilson's syndrome) complicated by menopausal hormone imbalances and exhausted adrenals. we are still experimenting with thyroid dosages and hormone creams, but I'm feeling better and have actually lost 5 pounds. whee!

I currently keep the carbs around 40 or less per day and that from veggies and fruit only. (well, and nuts--I eat a lot of nuts) biggest issue now is getting enough protein--I just am not that hungry and have to remind myself to eat a large enough portion of meat.

I like to hang out here in maintenance--even though I still have about 15 pounds to lose--( again!) becuase this WOE is no longer challenging in any way. I am not tempted by off plan foods. I know exactly how and what to eat. over the past several years I have changed my eating habits completly around and have delicious low carb foods that suit my every need or whim.

getting back down to my fighting weght is a matter of patience, taking my medications. continuing to eat correctly and exercise ( shadow, you will be happy to know that I'm doing 3 yoga sessions and 2 slow burn weight session a week) and did I mention patience--that is the hardest one!

[Shadow]

Deborah - I just love your new picture :D - it is so good to see you again! And you are right - I am absolutely thrilled you're doing yoga and SB :D!!! Congratulations on the 5# loss - that is awesome! I know you're facing a lot of challenges but you can and will do it!!! I love it when you hang out in maintenance too and wouldn't want you to hang anywhere else ;)!

[Relief]

thanks shadow--it's good to "see " you again too!

Yeah the 5 pounds is a major victory! since last may I gained nearly 20 pounds and fully of that was in the fall after I really cleaned up my eating--eliminated all wheat and sugar alcohols-- and I was still gaining--the thyroid really was doing a number on me. So, when we got the upward trend to stop even THAT was a victory and when I finally saw a little loss--whew!!!! I know the exercise is really contributing. According to my research, just getting the thyroid right is often not enough to cause those pounds that you GAINED due to the low thyroid just to disappear. You really have to work to get them off. sigh

[Mitra]

I like to hang out here in maintenance

I'm so glad you want to hang out in maintenance - it wouldn't be the same without you! (And as I'm following along a few years behind, I'd hate to think I'm going to be thrown out if things get out of control when menopause hits ;))

And I agree with Shadow - lovely picture :cool:.

Your exercise regime is pretty similar to mine - except I'm just doing one Slow Burn a week, mixed in with the yoga.

[Shadow]

Deborah - I am so glad you got the thyroid issue diagnosed! Isn't it the pits when we do our best and mother nature continues to throw things our way :(? Hopefully you'll soon have the damage caused by the thyroid under control and be right back where you want to be. I'm here cheering for you :D!

[realruth]

Deb....getting those extra lbs to disappear once again after hormones help is my problem too...but I have started a really serious training schedule at the gym as well as my normal walking/biking etc.
So with a bit of help from you guys to keep my motivated (crack that whip shadow) I'll be leaner and thinner soon.
I took some photos in a size smaller bikini to *see* my progress in 3 months....not a real pretty sight ;)

Ruth

[Shadow]

but I have started a really serious training schedule at the gym as well as my normal walking/biking etc.
Oh Ruth - that's fantastic news :D!


So with a bit of help from you guys to keep my motivated (crack that whip shadow) I'll be leaner and thinner soon.
You got it, Ruth!!! You know how I love to crack the whip :p!


I took some photos in a size smaller bikini to *see* my progress in 3 months....not a real pretty sight ;)
Ah - but just think what a pretty sight it's going to be in 3 months :)!!!

[ShayKNJ]

I have been maintaining since May 2005. I have come within .5 pounds of my goal but had a stall of 9 months where I was three pounds above goal. Only recently was I able to lose 1.5 due to several changes. I cut out cheese, nuts and cream. I upped my exercise. I never gave up. Sometimes I thought my body just was happy at this weight. I have not obessed over the numbers I knew I still had to tone my body.

[Shadow]

(And as I'm following along a few years behind, I'd hate to think I'm going to be thrown out if things get out of control when menopause hits ;))
Heavens no, Janet - we're not going to let you go anywhere :eek: ! You're stuck here with us :D!

[Shadow]

Shay - Congratulations :D! Way to go getting to your goal!

[Mitra]

Banshee, Backpacker, Shadow, Relief, Ruth, Shay. How good to hear all your stories. Maintenance really is a totally different experience for each person, isn't it? But I've found the help and support since I reached maintenance has been at least as important as during the intervention stages, even though the challenges and the solutions are different for each of us. So it's good to be here with old friends and new ones.

Any more maintainers lurking out there?

[Shadow]

But I've found the help and support since I reached maintenance has been at least as important as during the intervention stages, even though the challenges and the solutions are different for each of us. So it's good to be here with old friends and new ones.

Well said, Janet :D! Even I might have ventured into maintenance sooner if the group had been more active back then on the old board. Thank you, Janet, for getting us together and more active when you did. It has been such a pleasure hanging out with all of you - and it's always exciting to see new faces here!

[Cora]

I'm not sure whether to consider myself on maintenance or not. I hit my goal weight in 9/2004, and maintained it for 6 months. I started exercising regularly in 2/2005, and gained 5 lbs, but my measurements didn't change, and I attributed it to gaining muscle. I then moved last summer, and my weight has been drifting up ever since. I'm now about 15 lbs above my lowest weight, but have made only minor changes in measurements. I'm still exercising, but starting to wonder if I need a change in type of exercise to increase the intensity (I've been going to Curves). The problem is that this is the longest I've ever continued a regular exercise program, and I'm kind of afraid to mess with it. I know that some of the weight gain is fat, since my measurements have changed some, and I've recommitted starting now to really working on those extra pounds.
The thing is that while I haven't kept track every days, the days I have "spot checked", my carbs have been within limits.
I'm not sure where I am with regards to menopause. I'm 51, but I had a hysterectomy years ago (so no periods). I don't have any hot flashes, but not everyone does. I also have history of low thyroid, and take replacement. I think that's why I lose so slowly. I only lost about a lb a month when I was losing the first time.
This has gotten really long. Sorry about rambling!:cool:

[Mitra]

I think you'd definitely count as "on maintenance." Do you calculate your lean body mass? That would give you a much better picture of the changes in your body composition than just the weight, given that it sounds as if you've gained muscle. Shadow will probably chip in with some views on changing your exercise regime!

It's likely that some hormonal changes would have been going on over the last few years, and they seem to cause lots of different effects (I'm nearly 45, so this stuff is starting to loom large for me!), and your maintenance carb levels could have changed too. I don't have answers, but you'll have seen in the posts above that you're not alone in facing hormone/thyroid issues.

Glad to have you with us.

[Ottawa]

I am in Maintenance as well. My daily carb limit can hit 70-80 with no change in weight or how I feel. Part of these might be the increased activity as well as the body possibly adjusting to a comfortable plateau.

I was wondering as well for those who post on Monitor Mondays whether we should mark ourselves as Maintenance since it would be confusing to those still on 10 ECC/meal.

[Mitra]

I was wondering as well for those who post on Monitor Mondays whether we should mark ourselves as Maintenance since it would be confusing to those still on 10 ECC/meal.

Randy, that's a good idea. I haven't got round to putting together a signature yet - but something that says, "maintenance" would probably help to reduce the confusion.

[Gaelen]

I was wondering as well for those who post on Monitor Mondays whether we should mark ourselves as Maintenance since it would be confusing to those still on 10 ECC/meal.

Well, not everyone just starting sticks to 10g ECC per meal. Yes, that was the recommendation of the original PP book, but there have been two other books since then, with slightly different recommendations. Now, some people start in Phase II, not Phase I, where they can incorporate as much as 15-18g ECC per meal, and people using the 30-day book focus more on portion sizes than on a strict carb count per meal. So if someone is eating at a higher carb level, they don't necessarily need to identify themselves as a maintainer, just as I don't need to identify myself as a cancer patient. ;)

Also, while 'Monitor Mondays' were helpful at a certain point on the old board, lately in our challenges we've let them go to focus on some other things. We've been experimenting more with challenges that can be all-inclusive of people at any phase of the plan from just starting to maintaining, encouraging people to post and participate and learn from others at different stages right from the beginning. In that way, transition and maintenance aren't such a mystery because people have seen other maintainers right along. In a way that's also motivating by showing people right from the beginning that maintenance is a possible goal.

Lately, challenges haven't always been about posting a daily menu (although people can do that if they want), but more about organized posts where people learn about the kinds of foods and exercises that work on plan by participating in some active thing--label reading; trying a new food or recipe and posting the results; posting supermarket finds or cupboard meals; listing ways we've found to take time for ourselves and be good to ourselves to reinforce self-esteem; recognizing the ways stress-reducers like humor and exercise can help us stay on track; describing our favorite exercise, equipment and exercise environment; and this latest challenge--giving ourselves points for doing the things we consider essential to our success.

It's a little less of a big-brother approach to checking in, and more of a positive-reinforcement approach to success. It helps people take responsibility for their own eating destiny, rather than relying on someone else's input to reinforce that personal responsibility. Now if we could only get some people to take the same personal responsibility for exercise, so that the warrior princess could retire her dominatrix equipment. ;)

[Shadow]

Pat - That would be a great day :D! 'Course, I am kinda into the whipping thing, ya know ;).


I'm still exercising, but starting to wonder if I need a change in type of exercise to increase the intensity (I've been going to Curves). The problem is that this is the longest I've ever continued a regular exercise program, and I'm kind of afraid to mess with it. I know that some of the weight gain is fat, since my measurements have changed some, and I've recommitted starting now to really working on those extra pounds.
Cora - Welcome! It is always hard to think of branching out and changing a routine we're comfortable with :). However, our bodies do adapt to the routines we do day after day. Change keeps the body guessing - and improving. There are many ways to "tweak" an exercise program without actually changing the entire thing. The most common ways of doing this is to change the duration of what we're doing or change the intensity. So, if you're hesitant to branch out and do something entirely different, why not change what you are doing at Curves? If I recall, Curves works on a circuit concept - you do one machine for a while and then move on to another. I am not sure what machines you are using but take this for an example:
Say you do 5 minutes elliptical, 5 minutes chest, 5 minutes treadmill, 5 minutes leg presses, and so on. You could change the order you do everything in (which would be least effective, IMHO), or you could do 10 minutes at each stop, or you could increase your poundage on weights and intensity on cardio - or do any different combination of the above changes. So what you would end up with would be a routine you're comfortable with - but with more time and/or intensity to challenge the body.

I find it most effective to change my routine every 4 - 6 weeks. Some prefer to go in 8 - 12 week cycles. But definitely, if you've been doing the same thing for 2 or more months, it's time to make a change :).

[LisaS]

From what I've heard, Curves is pretty strict on what you can do in the routine - 30 secs per station, period - all stations in order - etc.

My opinion - I think if you've outgrown Curves its time to join a real gym or invest in a home gym.

[Cora]

Sorry I've been "out of pocket" all week, working long hours at work. LisaS is right about Curves. Their routine is pretty set. I've been thinking about trying a "real: gym, but I live in a small town, so opyions are limited. I really can't travel because I take call so much and need to be close to the hospital. There is a new gym opening up in town, so I thought I'd check it out as soon as I get a minute :rolleyes:.

I did check my LBM, and it has gone up about 5 lbs, but my weight is up 15, so I really need to get on the stick. It seems it's so easy to gain and it takes so long for me to lose! :( Still, if I don't try it'll be worse!

[Shadow]

Cora - I was wondering where you got to! So glad to see you back :). Hopefully the new gym will work for you - but if it doesn't, it is possible to do good, quality workouts at home too ;). Gyms aren't the 'end all, be all' of exercise, IMHO :).

[Cora]

I know it's possible to workout at home, at least theoretically, but it really doesn't work out in practicality for me. I work so many hours that whenever I try to do something like that at home, my family will interrupt me endlessly until I just give up. I guess they just want my attention when I'm home. My husband is as bad as the rest. If I wait until they all go0 to bed, it's so late that I'm exhausted and end up just going to bed myself. :(

Going to Curves has been working because I can go right after work. One of the problems I've had in the past with gyms has been that that's a "prime time" and it's hard to get on the equipment. Because of the way Curves is set up, that's not an issue. I haven't had a chance to investigate this new gym yet, but that'll be one of my questions. I'll need to ask how feasible it is to get there at the "prime time".

[Shadow]

Cora - I will keep my fingers crossed that the new gym works out for you!

[deirdra]

I'm 4 lbs from goal but have actually been eating maintance levels of food/calories (1650/day) for my goal weight for the past 30 lbs. Cutting back on calories & fat to lose weight or speed weightloss was my downfall in the past, so I decided to simply eat what I will eat in maintance throughout the "diet"/weightloss phase (65% fat, 25% protein, 10% net carbs). So I don't need or plan to change a thing. I have tried moving to higher levels of carbs in minute increments ~10 times in the past 6 years with disasterous results and now just accept the fact that 40g ECC/day is my limit. And I don't even want more carbs (I'm eating 6-9 servings of veggies/day), so why bother?

[Carmen Sandiego]

Howdy folks...I realize it's been a little over 3 months since this thread's been active, but I just wanted to jump in the mix!

As of last weigh-in (7/4), I'm within one pound of reaching "goal!" So I guess I've been in Maintenance for a little while! :D Thoroughly enjoy PP/PPLP and certainly see this as a permanent lifestyle change now...after too many years of thinking, "Man I can't wait for this diet to end!" :rolleyes:

[Mitra]

It's good to see the thread bumped up :D. We're always glad to have extra company in the maintenance corner. Congratulations on your weight loss, and on making the mental adjustment too - often that's at least as hard as losing the weight!

[Shadow]

Welcome, Carmen :D! It's great to see another face among us :)! Congratulations on your journey - we look forward to getting to know you!

[Cora]

Congratulations Carmen! Good Work!