Hello,

For those of you who don’t know me hello there. My name is Gabrielle and I’ve been an active part of this forum since June of 2003. I’m squinting my eyes as I type this but it looks like I have made the decision to move into pre maintenance. My final resting place should be somewhere around 145. Anything over 150 is the red zone for me. My purpose for writing here is two fold. One is to force myself into admitting I’m moving on to pre maintenance but also because I would like to try to generate more activity in this part of the forum. Yes, I have read the posts about why people disappear. Yes, it makes perfect since to me that they would. But it also makes perfect since to not disappear. I understand that maintenance is an individual thing, food choices are always are. But mentally there are some things that we all go through and it always helped me to see that others struggled where I did. I posted to someone’s journal the other day about reaching within 9 pounds of my goal and not feeling the urgency I felt at 250 pounds. I no longer felt my life was in danger every time I looked at a sugar piece of candy and therefor I was having a hard time loosing. The only other person that seemed to hear what I was saying was in my same predicament. OK, I’m going to stop blabbering now but If you are at all interested in livening this part of the forum up please post when you can. I promise not to ask if I can eat this on pre maintenance or complain about gaining 5 pounds because I ate a candy bar: D.

Congratulations on reaching the home stretch! I've just arrived, too, and I look forward to sharing this part of our journey with you!
I agree that we need to hear from all the veteran maintainers. I still am trying to figure this maintainance stuff out. Like you, 150 is my max weight. I like being a little under so I have some wiggle room. Just how to stay right here is another story.....

Good luck to both of us!

Congratulations!!! You're practically there!

Welcome aboard, and no need to apologize for any questions. You're a forum pro.

Hey Karen and Kristine thanks for making me feel welcome!

Gabrielle

Hi! This is my first time posting in this forum, but your post caught my eye. I frequent the Protein Power area. I have a similar cap on my weight as you ladies, 150 sends out warning signs. I am currently at 148.5 today, which is still a little higher than I'd like to be. I am trying to get away from counting and obsessing over every pound and calorie/carb, and focusing more on exercise. Because of this, I know the scale probably won't go down much more, but I am fine with that. I have pretty much been this weight for almost a year now, and I feel very happy about being able to stay here. I look forward to getting to know you!

Wendy that's awesome that you've maintained for a year. In fact all three of you seem to be doing really well. It's one of the reasons I wish this side of the forum was a little more active. If only to see that people are doing well in their individual planes. Beans has a pretty active thread going though so I'm looking forward to joining you folks--both in the 140's and in Maintenance one day soon.

Congratulations Gabrielle on losing so much.
I understand, as you approach maintence the quiet of these forums can be a bit strange.

It isn't just that diet plans become settled. Although it may be for some, for many maintence isn't an 'ongoing struggle'.

For me, pre-maintence was a time to finally deal with the 'mental issues' - especially with self-depreciating attitudes - and by the time I was maintaing their was no diet in requirement of support and no mental issues needing discussion.

Many people skip pre-m (or start at goal), but to me it is a vital stage. It is a time to deal with your new size and to deal with the feelings of eyeing of a candy bar (which won't kill you) and deciding what to do. During OWL the goals are so easily set in lb terms and worked towards by avoidance of 'bad' foods, in Pre-m the goals become much more vauge and the means to success more blurred.

Mb99 You've captured my problem exactly. I have to work on my negative thinking big time. Wait let me rephrase I have been doing a great job with curbing my negative thinking but its something that I need to work on as I progress toward maintenance. Thanks so much for your insights.

Hey Congrats!!

Yes it does seem abit quite here from time to time, I've been maintaining for 15 months now and still check in here at least once aweek.
One thing everyone should remember, is the information here does'nt have to be of current date to be helpful. There is some great threads off here about introduceing foods, going into maintenance ect.
At times the lack of action here is also a sign of success, many of us have adapted to this way of eating and don't feel the need to be here all the time. But beleive me, most of us who have got to that point, have kind of done our time, so we pop in now and then to check on things

Cheers all Kathy