The Maintenance Club

There aren't many people who're active on the maintenance forum, but i'm convinced that maintenance is the affirmation that the project of weight loss/gain that we have gone through is not just a phase, but a commitment to a lifestyle.

some dietary habits of people who have lost weight and stayed slim:

1. Drink water before/during meals
2. Don't skip meals
3. Keep a food diary
   
4. Eat lots of vegetables and whole grain food
5. Exercise moderately and regularly
6. Weigh themselves consistently
   

we might not practice all of them... but we do at least have some things that keep us on the ball/on track! I'm hoping that this thread will help to keep those of us on this forum accountable and motivated. We could post our profile, and edit our post every week on friday to update one another as to how we've been doing, and to get motivated if we've been slipping off the wagon!

I'll start the ball rolling!

Name: doedoebird

Age: 21

Height: 5'6"

Starting Weight: 130lbs

Current Weight: 112lbs

Maintenance Range: 112~115lbs

*Now vs. Then: I'm definitely less sluggish, less easily fatigued, fitter (i can jog 6 miles at a shot!). Oh! and I've got better skin (and hair) too. :3
*i thought that this will help us remain motivated to stay on track subsequently whenever we feel tempted to slide off!

Aims: Regular and moderate exercise (3-5x a week of 30~60min moderate exercise), relatively clean and balanced (vegetarian) eating. Listening to my body (get better at eating when hungry and stopping when full).

Weaknesses: Boredom/emotional eating, a propensity to laziness and procrastination, a bottomless pit when it comes to certain foods (chocolates, cookies , ice cream and pastries....)

Strengths: I try to be self-aware. I am (or at least i try to be) kind to my body (in terms of both diet and exercise). I actually do like exercise (its after-effects especially). I'm a fidgety person. :3

**How I did this week, goals for next week: Last week was great, but a sleepover during which i didn't get any sleep has been leaving me dead tired for the past couple of days, exacerbated by the fact that i'm having my ToTM now (been feeling extremely weak and achy), and i'm also pretty stressed because i'll be going away from home for exchange in about a week. This week I'm just hoping to be able to hold on, stay calm, eat more (i've been having a terrible appetite) and do very light and relaxing exercises!

**I'm thinking that we should check in and update once a week, and the next week, we'll check in and when we do, clear away what we wrote down for the previous week. For me, this is symbolic. It's a pledge to move on, and refuse to be bogged down (or caught up) by what we did wrong in the past.

anyone with me?

Hey guys-

It looks like we've all been a little too busy with life to keep up posting, huh?  Sue, I hope the renovations are going well.  Can you see the light at the end of the tunnel yet?  Karey, I hope you're feeling better.  I hear where you're coming from about lacking motivation lately.  The last few weeks I haven't felt like working out much, I'm bored with food, I can barely be bothered to change out of my pjs to go to class.  It's not that I'm depressed or anything, I think it's just that time of year and I feel BLAH.

Also, my studying for the bar is ramping up big time.  The first part of the test is in just over a week. EEP.  I have study classes for 15 hours this weekend.  Ugh, no wonder I don't care about anything.

Hope everyone is doing well.  Any hints to get out of the late winter doldrums?  Any recipes to share or fun workouts, helpful websites, favorite new food finds?  Anyone heard any good jokes lately?...

...ehhh, better get back to studying.

Hey all,

Lydia, good to hear from you.  Where is everybody else?  Hibernating?  I'm tired of cold weather!.  We got a few nice days where I didn't have to put on long johns in the morning to work in the garden.  And then today they are predicting snow, here in Tallahassee!  And I just set out baby tomatoes!

Hmmm, good recipes... seems I am enamored of black beans lately.  Had black beans and rice recently in a little cafe in Havana (that's Florida) and it was delicious.  They said they add lime juice, a little sugar, and cilantro, that's it.  And last night I went to a monthly neighborhood party where everyone brings a dish.  Had a delicious spiced black bean dip, didn't get the recipe.

Renovations are going along, not as fast as I would like, with waiting for inspections after every step, and the crews are working other jobs too (can't blame them).  It's like a spider web spinning larger and larger, the way the work is affecting every room in the house.  Have to have different bedside tables in the master bedroom to accomodate the new entrance to the master bath.  What to do with the old bedside tables, which are nice, but not too large?  Put them in another bedroom.  What to do with that furniture?  Etc., etc.

Turns out that one of the drywallers is also a passionate gardener and whole organic food lover.  Had to stop myself from talking with him so he could work.

As for jokes, haven't heard any memorable ones lately, but did one on myself.  Lost my cell phone, bought a new one.  Found my cell phone, returned my new one.  Doused my cell phone with a faulty garden hose sprayer, had to go back and rebuy the new one!

Lydia, I really appreciate that your nose is to the grindstone; just keep telling yourself  it will all be worth it in the end.  Sometimes a good brisk walk helps me break out of the doldrums.

Sue,

Thanks for the food ideas.  I actually have a can of black beans that has been lurking in the back of the cupboard for a while.  Maybe I can whip them into something delicious.  I wonder if the coop has cilantro this time of year...?

Sorry to hear about your tribulations, too!  Between the renovations, your cell phone (which, I must admit, is also kind of funny) and the frost threatening your poor tomatoes, it sounds like you're having a heck of a time!

Things are not nearly as exciting here.  I just finished my first day of bar review for the weekend, and I'm thinking of taking the evening off to go see a movie with friends.  However, it's hard to convince myself to go out when it's cold and icy (and WINDY) like today.

Hope everyone's having a good weekend!

Hey ladies!

I've been so busy with work lately... really excited for tomorrow since it's my one day off this week, yay!  Thinking of maybe going shopping... I really need to get a cute new dress for two upcoming events in April.  My friend is getting married in Hollywood, Fl in early April and then I'm going on my cruise later in the month.  Hoping to find a dress I can wear to both if possible.  Nothing too fancy though.  Anyone have any ideas where I can find a cute and inexpensive dress?  Or is that too much to ask for?  I've checked Speigel's, Black House White Market (too pricey), and Victorias Secret.com (one I like, but more than I wanted to spend).  It's so hard to find anything... I guess I'm kinda picky.

Lydia~  Sorry you've got a case of the "blah's".  I'm sure I would too if it wasn't so gorgeous here today.  Good job on staying focused and all of your studying!  Don't have any jokes or recipes.  Did find a cottage cheese I really like yesterday - it's sodium free, so it's not horrible for you like the others.  I think the brand is Friendship and it's got a lot of protein in it too.... I cut up a strawberry and mix it in, yum! Sorry, I don't know why I mentioned that... you're not going to eat that because you're vegan.  Hmm... let's see...  Oh, I'm going to try out a new protein bar recipe hopefully tonight or tomorrow, but I'm not sure which one yet.  Got a whole new 5 lbs of whey protein online and it's really good.  It's Caramel Toffee Fudge flavor and it smells good too! 

Sue~  Bummer about the cell phone, what a pain!  Guess you were meant to have that new one.  Glad your renovations are still coming along, even if it's slowly.  I'm sure it'll all be wonderful once it's all done.  Today was beautiful, but tomorrow is supposed to be yucky... I want it to be 80 degrees and sunny all the time.  No more cold weather!  Boo!

Well, have a good night!  Gotta go get in my weights workout and stop procrastinating it.

Hi ladies. The good news is that I maintained this month; the bad news is that I still haven’t lost those pesky 5 lbs that came back when I first started maintaining. I think I’ll have to be happy with my healthy BMI and wait for spring to drop that last bit. Winter blahs seem to be haunting us all but soon it will be spring. . . and if I haven’t gained over the winter, that puts me ahead as we head into spring. Sue, so funny you hiding behind the boxes and crates and hiding out in the garden as the renovations go on. Sounds like the Borrowers.

Enjoy your day off K9.

Hi everybody,

Wow, lot's going on.  Karey, hope you had a fun day off and found a perfect dress.  I love Nordstrom's Rack, but we don't have one here.  I only get to go when I visit my daughter in Weston - probably a good thing.

Lydia, hope the studying is going smoothly.

Phox, I'm the same! 4-5 pounds since Christmas I can't get rid of.  I'm not walking, and the @#!! cold weather is keeping me from gardening as much as I would like to.

Tomorrow we go to Lakeland to babysit, and this week they are supposed to put the kitchen cabinets in.  I really hate to be away.  My husband is going to get home before I do, and I'm afraid he'll start putting things away, then I will have to replace everything, because we won't agree on where they go.

Plus, here it is 10:30 and the workers haven't even shown up yet-grrrr!

Phox~ Good job on maintaining! Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get those pesky couple of pounds off. Just be patient.  You have a point - you've gotten through the winter blahs and haven't gained, so I'm sure spring and summer will be good to you.  Oh, and thanks, I did enjoy my day off.  :)

Sue~  Yeah, I had a fun day off... hubby and I went to the mall and I did buy a dress an shoes and a couple of other new clothes.  Not sure if it's the perfect dress though.  I actually bought another one today after work... not sure which I'll keep yet.  I kind of like the one I got today better, but we'll see what my hubby says about it.  ;)  I was just in Lakeland on Friday night - we bought a new truck there.  There doesn't seem to be a lot around there though.  Have fun w/the babysitting and I hope your hubby doesn't beat you home and start putting things away in all the wrong places.  I hate that, lol.  :)

It's not too cold out right now, so maybe I'll go take the dog for a walk before hubby gets home.  Going to do some weight lifting later.  Have a good afternoon!

Arrgh!!  Up to 108 (tonight) from a low of 101 before Christmas!  I'm getting upset.  At least I did a good 2-mile walk yesterday and today.  Been eating my homemade black beans with Zatarain rice mix, plus too much popcorn (2 servings of 120 cal. each).  I'm going to have to give it up.

Tomorrow morning breakfast is a grapefruit and an apple, then probably a 6-inch veggie Subway as we drive to Lakeland.  Don't know if it will be harder or easier to lose while at my daughter's house in Lakeland. 

Karey, it's true there's not a lot going on in Lakeland; my daughter would prefer to move, but her husband's work is there, and his parents.  It is growing, though.

Enjoy your dress(es)!

Sue, have fun in Lakeland!  Sorry to hear about you being upset about your weight... don't worry, it'll come back down.  Maybe drink some more water... I'm sure that rice can be a killer too.

Anyone want to give me an opinion on which dress they like better on me?  I can't decide between two... the all black one or the black w/yellow flowers.  Going to wear it to a wedding next month and then on my cruise.  Thanks!

Hi Karey,

I like both dresses; they are very flattering on you.  I think I like the black one better; I'm having trouble with the shortness of the flowered one.  I feel like only "twiggy " girls look best in such short, but full, dresses.

I'd love the flowered dress if it had a tight-fitting bodice and longer, full skirt, with the bright flowers flowing about your legs.

Anyway, change in plans for me; no huge bowl of cereal this morning, but lo-fat yogurt and an apple instead.  And I'm going to give up the popcorn, or maybe buy organic and cook it myself.

Hi all,

I'm glad to hear everyone is keeping busy.  Phox and Sue, I'm sorry to hear your being frustrated by those last clingy winter pounds, but it probably is due a lot to the weather.  ...And now that it's March, spring is just around the corner and it will be so much easier to be active and enjoy the outdoors.  AND there will be delicious fresh fruits and veggies to eat and we all won't be craving warm, fatty comfort foods so much.

Okay, maybe I'm deluding myself!  Here it doesn't feel much like spring (high of 17 today...at least it's sunny).  I did go snowboarding, though, so at least I'll enjoy the winter if it insists on hanging around.

OH, and Karey, both of the dresses are really pretty, but I LOVE #2 with the flowers.  I actually *really* like the cut and the flowers are so fun, and the jewelry you paired with it is great.  Plain black is probably more classic, formal, and versatile, but I think the flowered one is great and looks awesome on you! And I think it would be very appropriate for a wedding and a cruise (though I have never been on a cruise, yet)  ...Actually, this makes me want to start looking for a dress for my cruise...but that isn't until August, so I should probably wait or I will end up buying, like, 6!  I love an excuse to buy a cute dress!!

Well, I had better get back to studying.  I have a terrible feeling about the exam on Saturday, and I need all the practice I can get!  Hope you all are doing well.

Hey guys!  Thanks for the feedback!! Sue, I know what you mean about those types looking good on "twiggy" girls and being a bit short.  My hubby is worried the wind will blow it up, lol.  Even so, I still really like them both... one is more classy and the other is flirtier and fun. 

Actually, a friend suggested I keep all the accessories for the yellow flowered dress and return that one and wear them with the plain black dress to give it a different look.  That doesn't sound like a bad idea either...  Hmmm...

Lydia, I bet you're getting excited for your cruise too!  I love getting excited and picking out a few new things to wear on it.  I think I'm actually about done shopping for it now, so that's good.  Just got to decide on the dress...  Good luck w/the studying!

K9--Have you made a decision about the dress? I agree with Sue. Both are cute but the black and white looks so much better on you. Classy and really shows off your figure. Also flirty. Perhaps keep both.

I bought fabulous strawberries at the market this morning. When I came home I saw DH had bought 2 boxes! What to do? Eat them while they are perfect. Now I logged to discover a cup of fresh strawberries is 50 calories. I must have had 3 cups. Is there anything else so delicious and so low cal? Eating healthy can be a treat. If strawberries are here, spring can’t be far behind?

Hi All,

Phox - I am so jealous of your strawberry overload!  Fresh strawberries sound so delicious!  I agree that it's a good sign that the fruit is showing up in the supermarkets.  I can't wait until I can actually see the ground...and maybe green things will start to grow.

So I want to let you all know that I am going to try and stay off CC for a while.  One reason that you know about already is that I am trying to study for the bar and all the craziness that it entails, and I can't justify all the time I spend surfing around on this website when I should be studying (like now!!).  I've also found that this site can actually be very negative (not this group, of course!!  You all are awesome!) and sometimes it makes me negative, and it's just not very helpful.  Some girl calling me anorexic and making fun of me was pretty much the last straw, so I'm going to try to focus on real-life relationships more.

So anyway, I am not falling off the face of the earth, I'm just going to be focusing on non-internet things for a while.  Karey, have fun on your cruise!!  Sue, good luck with the renovations (and all the gardening!!).  Mdillman, good luck on the novel.  And Phox - and everyone else - good luck with maintenance.  I'm sure whenever I make it back here, we'll all still be slim, healthy and lovely!  Bye for now!!

-Lydia

Hi everyone!

Phox~  Yes, I decided against both of the first two I bought and have gotten a third one (black & white one in my profile pic) that I love and am keeping instead.  I think it'll be perfect for both occasions and I feel cute in it and it fits me great.  Mmm, I love strawberries too!  I've been eating a lot of them lately since they're in season and have been on sale at the grocery store.  I got three cartons of them last time!  I like to cut them up and put them in some vanilla yogurt along w/some granola - so good!  I've also newly discovered pineapple and bought two of them the other day.  It's really good w/cottage cheese.

Lydia~  You most likely will not read this, but I'm sorry to see you go!  Especially on a negative note because of some idiot.  People can be very mean and sometimes say very stupid things.  What happened to you was totally uncalled for and has ruined your cc experience.  Have fun on your Alaskan cruise!  Good luck with the bar and stay healthy!  =)

Sue~  You're probably outside gardening and enjoying this beautiful weather!

mdillman~  Haven't heard from you in awhile, hope you're doing okay?  Did you start the NROL4W??  How's the book coming along?

Hi everybody,

Lydia, so sorry to see you (temporarily!) go.  But best of luck on your studies, stay healthy, and hope you come back with a glowing report!!

Karey, I love the new dress, and agree it will be great for both events.  How is the weight lifting going?

I'm still in Lakeland babysitting - all is well, but I'm anxious to get home to see the progress.  The Onyx wall in the kitchen will go in next Thursday!

Foodwise, I 'm holding at 105 - trying to do lots of walking and playing with the kids.  Strawberries are delicious here too, and we made an awesome Mexican chili, with cocoa flavor, last night.  Hard not to eat too much!  There is an organic vegetarian restaurant here that I plan to get to before I leave - yumm!

Ok so I feel like I am slipping this week again :( Last week at my weigh-in I gained and I want to gain again this week again but I feel as though I am not doing so well this week. I feel like I am cutting back on stuff throughout the day. I really really really do not want to lose weight next weigh-in. But I was wondering how much would I really have to cut out to lose weight because I need to know so it won't happen? I am 5'10" and I weigh 109 lbs. Please gimmi some adviceeee :)

I would like to start posting and reading posts in this Maintenance thread.  I jumped in on the "139" thread by mistake and only today realized it was for people who wanted to weigh around 139.  After I catch up on some of the reading, I hope to post here and get and give a lot of encouragement.  I relatively easily lost 45 pounds in 100 days (going from 215 to 170); but now, of course, I have realized just how difficult it is going to be for me to maintain.  I had been exercising around 3 hours a day and taking in an average of 2300 calories.  My goal, as I saw it, was to cut back to 90 minutes a day and take in 2500-2600 calories.  Well, now I am finding out that may not be doable.  That is sort of depressing.  I am working really hard at getting a healthy, high protein breakfast to jumpstart my metabolism each day and I start the day with a big glass of water.

Anyway, I need to catch up on the posts, as best I can; I hope I can learn a lot from you and also be helpful.

Calling all Maintainers!  Can't we keep the thread going?  I, for one, need support as I have only been in maintenance for a month or so.  How about sharing your "ups and downs," exercise routines, diets, recipes, changes you have made, clothing you are buying, etc, etc,?

Any interest in keeping this thread alive and some of us keeping each other going and sharing tips and techniques, successes and failures?

Maybe some of you could log in a couple of times a week, listing what you ate for the day, what exercises you did, your favorite foods, your biggest flop when trying new foods, the best healthy foods, etc.

Lately, for breakfast, I have been eating two 4 oz. boneless, skinless salmon fillets, lightly coated with extra virgin olive oil and dusted with black pepper and granulated garlic.  The total calories are only 320, and I am getting good protein and Omega 3's to start the day.  I often have an 8 oz glass of  juice with them. 

What breakfasts do you start the day with?  What are your favorite meals?

Ok, I often start the day with some peculiar breakfasts, but they give me good protein, and  depending on which ones I choose, good iron, omega 3's, etc. Here are some examples:

1) 6 eggwhites, 2 tablespoons bacon bits, 1 tablespoon ground flax seed, EVOO, ketchup

2) 2 cups of small red beans, bq sauce, 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed, 2 tablespoons of bacon bits

3) 2 93% lean ground beef burgers, ketchup

4) 4-5 pieces of french toast made from egg whites, skim milk, and cooked in EVOO, using I'Taliano light bread

5) two 4 oz. salmon fillets cooked in EVOO

6) 1/2 cup from dry steel-cut oats with maple syrup and skim milk,  and 8 oz. of 100% fruit juice

7) 6 pieces of D'Italiano light bread--4 tablespoons of Fitnutz peanut butter mix--1/4th cup of walnuts