IMO, accountibility is definitely one of the main keys to successful maintenance.

Yes!!

I could have sworn that I posted this here earlier, but obviously not!

Time to start upping my carbs as I seem to have gone into weight loss and I don't want to go any lower. I am more than happy staying around the 148-150 range; for my height and age, any lower is not a good look! I've also gone back to my two meals a day regime as I much prefer eating that way. Aside from that, I'm still sticking to my list, though the 'no computer after 8pm' rule is playing havoc with my posting here on the forum!

You did post it on the first page.
I think its right that you accept your current weight rather than going as low as possible.

I got off track this past Sunday...oy! I ate something(buckwheat soba noodles) that I don't ordinarily eat and am still dealing with the after effects of my body processing it. The older I get, the longer this process takes. Did I say that getting old really sucks!

I made a delish roast beef last night and had it for dinner with roasted brussel sprouts. Lunch was a small 1/2 chicken breast with leftover sauteed cabbage and onions.

Absolutely agree! Not weighing and not coming here were the slide down the slippery slope for me the last two times. Not going to let it happen a third!

Almost 2 weeks since I began cleaning up my act with my Back to Basics challenge.

I plan to stay with it for another week or so, as I would like to turn these actions into routine behaviour; the established rule on turning something into a habit is that it usually 21-28 days of practice for an action to become one. So hopefully I'll have given it enough time for that to happen.

I may ease up on the no computer after 8pm action, but would like to make sure that it's not on a daily basis. While I feel that I've benefitted from doing this, I don't want to be so rigid about it in future.

Ditto being in bed by 9.30pm. For the majority of the week I'm more than happy to do this, but obviously there are going to be times when it's just not possible.

Also, I don't plan on never allowing myself any 'treats'. I do want to give myself a little bit of a leeway.

However, I do want to keep up with the rest. I know that they really do help me to function on all cylinders!


I do hope that everyone else who has joined in on this challenge has really fel the benefit of doing so too!

These weree my first week commitments:
1. Eat only food I have prepared myself from scratch (i.e. not processed)
2. Practise IF, 3 or 4 days weekly on alternate days with this day lower in calories
3. Eat green/colourful vegetables daily
4. Eat oily fish twice a week
5. Eat organ meat once a week
6. Perform daily bodyweight routine (planks, squats, push ups)
7. Back to the gym for weight training 3x week
8. Seven hours sleep every night

I have fully achieved 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8 and feel so much better for getting more veg back into my diet. I've done 2 weight sessions but they were only short and not enough; also, a bit hit and miss with body weight exercises - I've run so much this week I've lost focus. And I have failed at 5, despite really craving liver (I've had a week-long TOM after nothing for two months and feel my iron depleting rapidly). I also need to drink more water. But not a bad start altogether.

My revised list...

less processed meats - check
more veggies - needs work
keep reading lc fair - check
visiting this site daily - check

So I'm doing just okay. Really need to get with the veggies and hoping to do so as our grocery budget increases since the holiday expenditures are done with.

Somehow I missed this thread until now. The success some of you have had by refocusing and going back to basics is impressive. I'd love to join you in the hope of shifting this pesky 4lbs that's tormenting me. I know how to do it, but accountability is key for me to actually do it.

My Pledge
Drink more water - I somehow slipped out of the habit;

Bring homemade lunches to work so I know exactly what's in them and can control portion sizes - and save money;

Stop! Stop! Stop! snacking between dinner and bedtime - those late night ounces of cheese or almonds or 90% choc or yogurt or fruit don't just disappear into thin air and they wake-up the insulin monster.

Just 3 things I used to do. You'd think it would be easy but....

Welcome Whofan!!!

I totally forgot about this thread until you revived it.

I went back and looked at what I posted a year ago--I didn't do so great but I'm still maintaining.

I hate making resolutions because...well you guys know...

But I think I mentioned somewhere that I had been playing it fast and loose for a bit-and you guys know where THAT will get you. A bit tighter pants, a little more bloat, a revival of cravings...

I knew I had to stop it or it was going to bite me in the ass--so Jan 1 (I know, so cliche) I recommited to eating clean and stop playing it fast and loose with my food. I also stopped the glass (or two) of wine I would have when I got home from work and was cooking dinner.. Amazing--3 pounds gone in 16 days which for me is incredible.

I'm justgoing to keep on keepn' on with maintenance and be grateful that I slapped my self before more severe damage could be done.

Whofan--please join us at the weekly maintenance weigh-in that Judy started all so long ago--it's a great way to keep yourself accountable (most of the time) and a great place to vent about maintenance struggles and issues.

Hope to see you over at the thread!

Lisa

Demi, thanks for posting the link back to this thread on the maintenance weigh-in thread! I had forgotten about it, but it is interesting to look back at where I was last year and compare to now.



I found that this year I did way better with avoiding processed meats around the holidays than I have in previous years. I focused more on whole, unprocessed protein. This wasn't a conscious thing, just an evolution in my way of thinking about my woe.

I came to the conclusion that the reason why I have trouble with veggie intake at this time of year is because my veggie of choice is salad and that just doesn't appeal to me during the cold months. Again, I did not remember this thread and what I had written last year this time. I have been trying to make a conscious effort to include more veggies, including salads and been doing pretty well.

I have continued to read low carb/paleo/primal articles and such. Not really books, per se. More online material and webinars/videos. So I feel I have kept this habit up.

I have visited this site daily, at least reading and posting to journals. It's been a loooong time since I've looked at any of the main boards, but that's okay.

This has been a really tough year for me health-wise, but I have managed to maintain my weight loss because I am learning from my weaknesses, staying on the scale, and staying connected here. I said it last year, but I will say it again: for me it REALLY is all about accountability and not letting that scale go above a certain number without taking solid action.

My goals right now are to get up at a decent hour and to add more fish to my diet. I've been struggling with them all year as I have struggled with my health and lack of energy. I'm feeling good now and that is what my focus will be on.

The wonderful thing about this thread is that I can look back at where I was last year and see that I DID indeed make progress and learn and change some things. There's always areas of improvement, but it's nice to see where you have improved in black and white. LOVE this website/forum that makes that possible.

Think I'm going to add this to my list of links in my j so that I can keep up with this from year to year.

Totally agree, Freckles. I just looked back to what I posted 4 months ago and was pleased, and frankly a little surprised, to see that I did stick to a couple of pledges. I always bring homemade lunches to work now and I did stop snacking between dinner and bedtime. Yea! Truthfully, the homemade lunches thing was as much about saving money as eating healthfully, but whatever, now it's an ingrained habit. Yea again!

Wondering how others are doing.....anybody?