Positive vibes all around...Maintenance Land

Lauren

Good afternoon, lovely forum folk! I just wanted to write a new post, in a different section, with all good vibes and energy.

We are all taking HUGE leaps and bounds to improve an area of our lives that has, for many of us, been a cause of lifelong stress and duress. Because of the significance of fat and diets in our lives, our feelings and emotions are heightened, everything is heightened, especially here, where we are putting into writing some of our most personal thoughts. But let's just keep in mind that we all have a common goal, and that's to reach goal, find maintenance, and then succeed in maintaining for the long-term.

And just in case you're wondering why I'd post this in Maintainance, it's because I joyfully found the "pot of gold" at the end of the MF rainbow! The key here, is that I can't take the pot and go spend all the gold! Instead, I need to invest it back into my daily life, let it earn some interest, and then enjoy all the new and wonderful experiences I get with these new-found riches! We can't expect to hit goal and then just go eat and live like we did prior to MF, and maintain the new bodies we've created. Instead, we need to honor this new healthy living. And whether you decide to honor that with MF foods or without, you will see that all the people who have long term success (I am not including me there, yet, it's only been about 6 months for me!), have made permanent changes to their lives.

There are several of us who reached goal around the same time, give or take a few days/weeks/months, Lizabette, Dogma (Robyn), and Jo, I'm thinking of you! We are each working hard at navigating this thing called maintenance, gleaming tips and support from one another, but also following different plans and eating. But we are all still pretty new to the game that being firmly in MF 5 &1 days is by no means a memory, and each of us, for various reasons, have chosen to have 5&1(ish) days on occasion. I am not speaking for them, and they don't know I've written this, so these are just my thoughts, but I learned so much from Nancy, and talked to her frequently about my anxiety heading into maintenance, that I want you to know that I am here, as I believe these other fine ladies are, to help with your anxieties as well.

We all tend to connect with people who have gone through similar experiences as us, and here, on this forum, we tend to connect even more so with those who've shared in our experience along the way, during the same time frame. I know that each round of newbies who come in tend to latch on to one another for support, because they are sharing in this new experience together. For that same reason, some of us have developed a closeness based on start dates, shared histories, similar goals, etc. We can all still garner support from one another, but maintain closer ties with those who relate most - it's just like life - and perhaps we can all share in the enormous pot of gold together, there's plenty to go around.

Lauren

Unca_Tim

Karli · Preferred Member 60# Club Joined: 24 Jun 2006 Posts: 1234

Lauren, I want to thank you very much for your post. You sensitively touched on some issues that I know come in to my mind from time to time, and that I think come into other people's minds from time to time, too. But, what I am reading is that everybody can have success, and that we here will all do our best to help and support each other accomplish that success, individually.

Thanks !
Karli

bdg · Posted: Thu May 10, 2007 6:47 pm Post subject:

Well stated. Thanks for your continued involvement and support. I am looking forward to joining you in maintenance and know that the support I find here will be a lifesaver!

dede4wd · Posted: Thu May 10, 2007 7:36 pm Post subject: Hi

Lauren, that was so well-put!

Thank you for adding style and grace to this board!

Following you guys as you do maintenance is so comforting to me! I love seeing you guys rock maintenance in your different ways!

DeDe

Serendipity · Posted: Thu May 10, 2007 8:03 pm Post subject:

Lauren, I don't know what to say except that I'm so happy that we've traveled this road together. This experience of a life time has been enhanced by this forum and the friends I've made here.

Lizabette · Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 1:38 pm Post subject:

LAUREN, I appreciate your post very much. For some reason I have not read the Maintenance Forum as I actually should have since I am also a happy 'maintainer'!
And I had missed this one til now.
But it did give me added strength, even as I hope that my presence on the forum can be of help to others.
It seems only right that because I achieved my maintenance goal here, that I scoop out some of that gold you speak of and spread it around...
There are times, of course, when it might be easier to use my time and efforts in other ways,
but I really do care about those whom I have connected with, and so many here that are still on the sometimes rocky road that I have already been priveleged to travel.
Of course, I'm now on that other fork in the road called Maintenance, where I receive motivation from such as you and my other role models here...including above all, our fearless leader, NANCY.
Thank you again LAUREN.

Lauren · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 6:29 am Post subject:

Thanks for posting here too, Lizabette! See, we maintainers have a home of our own, and you didn't even realize! :-) I love that we have each found different paths for maintenance, and while we may have certain struggles or obstacles, we are navigating our way pretty darn well!

Have a lovely day, doll!

Lauren