The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Sylvia]

I have to confess, I am really struggling with this maintenance thing. I kind of feel like I breezed through the weight loss phase. That doesn't mean it was always easy, but I was focused and confident that I would see it through which I did. Now I'm in the brave new world of trying to keep it off which is a whole different ballgame.

First, I feel old habits creeping back and it scares me. I refuse to go back to the fat me. I resolve each day what I will eat and what I will not eat. The good news is that I'm keeping some of those resolutions. The bad news is that I'm not keeping all of them.

Today I was at an all day meeting out of town where there is food galore. For breakfast I had a small bagel and some fruit. For lunch, I had a large green salad with some turkey breast. I had very small spoons of pasta and cous cous. In the afternoon they brought in brownies, cookies and biscotti. They all looked really good. I went to my room at a break and had an MF bar to avoid them.

For dinner I had salad, a small piece of chicken and a small piece of salmon. for desert I had berries and a tiny dollop of whipped cream. I also had 2 glasses of wine. This was not horrible but really much more than I intended to eat.

On the other hand, I went to the fitness center when I arrived here last night and again at 6 am this morning. I plan to go again tomorrow morning. Staying with the exercise plan seems to be easier than staying with the food plan.

I seem to do very well when I'm in the office during the week and in a set routine. I do less well at home and on the weekends. No, haven't gained weight but I really fear that loss of control. I have always eaten too much and have for so long needed to lose weight that I am struggling to know how much I can eat to maintain. I know I am making much better choices than I ever did before but still feel like I'm eating too much or that I'm one spoonful away from the point of no return.

I feel such a contradiction. On the one hand, I am seeing people here who I haven't seen since June. Many did not recognize me and others who did have been effusive in their compliments. On the other hand, I feel like I could get out of control and just start eating and never stop. I don't really think I will do that, but I seem to have lost that focus and willpower that I maintained for so many months. I am finding it hard now that the main task is done to keep the momentum going so I think maybe I need to learn different skills for the long term - don't think I can maintain he level of focus I had during weight loss from now until forever but I need a strategy that will work for me.

I also am feeling like i want to lose another 10 pounds. I am thinking I will return to the program for a few weeks after the first of the year to do that but am worried that I will truly have the commitment to be successful. I am also worried a bit that I am telling myself that as an excuse to allow myself to gain a few pounds over the holidays which is NOT ACCEPTABLE!!

If anyone has any ideas I would love to hear them. I am doing OK but I am really missing the sense of control over my eating I had for so long.

[mombarnes]

Sylvia - I can't really help a lot with what to do ... I just know what NOT to do. My huge weight gain is partially attributable to travel for my work. I've been a "road-warrior" for years & years. I found the same thing that you talk about in your post ... so I wanted to say I understand & offer some solidarity.

I know for a fact that visiting this Forum will help, no matter what stage you are on!

When you say you resolve what to do ... do you keep a journal/list of what you eat? That's helpful.

I see that you are getting compliments and that usually provides motivation. Did you keep a journal during your weightloss journey? If so, you should re-read it ... particularly if you wrote about your feelings of being/not being in control, since that seems to be one of your main fears right now.

You know that Medifast works ... and can only be reassured that maintenance works, too. It's like a bedrock that you can depend upon.

GOOD LUCK. Please keep writing about maintenance because I'm sure that all of us share those same fears! I know I do.

[explorthis]

Welcome to the world of maintenance. This is my world.

Remember this – it will get easier. I read and re-read your post, and you described me to a tee. This is my daily life, as now it is yours. It has been almost a year. I have gained a few pounds, not much, since my total loss, but I feel good, heck I feel great! I eat comfortably now.

I have the same problems as you at home; office life is easy, regimented, and planned. You are also probably busy at the office all day, where as at home, you watch a little TV, are on the couch for a bit, allowing the thoughts to come in. Don’t let them. Get out, do something to take your mind off of the pantry, or that fridge. The cravings will pass trust me. We have food ALL the time here in the office, constantly having seminars, and they spare NO expense. No wonder the world is fat. It is all about choice. I read your food choices, and I think I would have eaten the exact same things as you. You had the bar instead of the sugary stuff – GOOD choice. Problem is the choices are going to haunt you, as they still haunt me. Remember this, there is no reason you cannot experience that cookie, or that second glass of wine. I was too hopped up on having NOTHING that would affect my diet, but in real life you can have everything you want, just in moderation, something we lacked power over in the past. NO MORE. Look, your right off of a full fast, and are right in the beginning stages of learning for the first time what you can and cannot eat, It takes time, and you will get into a regular schedule. Just be smart in your choices, if you want wine, have wine. If you want the bagel, by all means have it. The difference is NOW you know when to say when, and when to stop. This was the problem in the past, 2-3 bagels. A HUGE handful of cookies. Now it’s one, and one is OK.

Have you started seeing after you eat a bit, just a few minutes later you are content? Be mindful of this feeling; don’t let your brain get the best of you. Mine, as yours will still wants to eat now, and worry later, but we HAVE to make sure they are in sync. Brain has to me mindful of that the belly is thinking. Eat, eat slowly, and make the right choices.

Give it time. You are just a baby in this new life. I am still learning. It is a pain, but like Nancy says, this thin thing tastes a lot better than the fat life.

Face the truth; you are probably going to be on a “watch diet” for a long time. What’s the alternative? Going back and becoming fat again? Not on my watch.

It will get easier, just make the CORRECT choices, and you will succeed.

-M

[Karen]

Can you USE that fear of "losing control" to be your conscience? Maybe it will just be the angel on your shoulder asking the questions to double check what to eat before you eat it? I still have over 100 pounds to lose, and I already know this will be a problem for me too, so I am already starting to plan strategies of how to handle not just daily maintenence eating, but also the "special" or out of the ordinary occasions.