Well, the truth is, I DON'T agree with ALL of the rules the author gives.
You see, I believe in taking from each book just what WORKS for you, what
resonates with you. I don't subscribe to ANY one philosophy 100%. I
take and choose based on what makes sense for me!
So for example, in 'Refuse to Regain' the author says to 'Eat Primarian' (I don't go that far) and 'Don't eat after 8 pm' (nope, sorry, I eat my last snack of the day right before I go to bed, which may be as late as 10 pm, and I don't worry about it. Having a full stomach when I go to bed prevents refrigerator grazing in the middle of the night!) and 'Weigh yourself every day' (No No No....this is a sure way to drive yourself NUTS!)
So.......I got to thinking, what are MY '12 Tough Rules to Keep the Weight Off'?
Well I came up with a list...and actually I've got 14 rules!
LOL... but be that as it may, I thought it would be fun to publish them.
So here they are, in no particular order:
Catlovers 14 Rules to Keeping the Weight Off
1). Be tough, not moderate.
Moderation is impossible for me. PERIOD. Anytime someone says to me, "What's wrong with you? Just cut BACK, that's all!" I laugh and shake my head and walk away.
They just don't get it, and they will NEVER get it, because they have no idea what it's like to be a food addict. If I had 'just one' chocolate mini-muffin at a gathering, I would eat MORE of them as soon as everyone's backs were turned. Fat Brain would be unleashed....and I'd find reasons to sneak back and grab a 'few' more....squirrel them away, and gobble them up when I was alone. Once the sugar-monster gets set free, that's IT....I'm off and running.
Sugar is OFF THE TABLE. Period. I've been down that road too many times....and it always leads to 'binge city'. Don't need it in my life, don't want it. And NO, I'm not 'suffering', not one bit. I enjoy the healthy foods I CAN eat that do NOT 'set me off'.
2). Weigh yourself on a set schedule....but NOT daily.
Weekly...or even MONTHLY if you can. If things are going well and you feel great and your clothes fit or are even loose....that may be a sign that you can switch to monthly weighing! Maybe even....(gasp...!) Annual weigh-ins? (and I'm NOT at this point yet. I'm at weekly!) Whatever....but I don't weigh in daily. NO WAY.
Weekly keeps me in touch with what's happening in terms of my weight, and I keep in mind that if I hit my 'Scream Weight' (a weight about 8-10 lbs above goal) I know what to do....switch to the 5/1 -- or decide to live at the higher weight until I'm strong enough to do the 5/1 again. Again, the key is to know yourself. That takes some trial and error.
3). Set a REALISTIC TEE and STAY there.
For me, the TEE (Total Energy Expenditure - basically the total # of calories I can eat every day and maintain my weight) calculation in the HOH books was just too high.
My metabolic rate is obviously slower, because I slowly GAINED using that figure.
Even with all the exercise I do!
So I use goal x 11, and that's my TEE. Those are the calories I shoot for...and YES I still 'count' calories, simply by inputting into the Food Log herein and making sure I'm at or below my TEE, that's all.
I also have a basic food plan which means I'm 'sort of' counting the types of foods I eat, but I try not to obsess about it. For example on fruit, I limit myself to 2 per day because I know I can go overboard with them, even though they are low in calories. Grains I'm careful with, mainly because they can make me hungry, so it's one per day (if that); proteins (at LEAST 2 per day), fats (only 2 per day, I still watch the fat), and dairy (two per day, not counting my Almondbreeze which is a condiment). I do NOT measure or count condiments and spices. (never did, don't tell anyone LOL).
I think this is the hardest part of Maintenance and one that requires some experimentation...and that can be scary....which is why I was very happy to have finally gone for a Coach by that point. She kept me SANE! LOL....but again, it's trial and error and everyone is different. That's the tough part about maintenance....there are no rules 'set in stone' like in the 5/1. It's a different mindset and it's a little intimidating at first, but you eventually get the hang of it when you realize that you're NOT going to 'balloon up again' overnight as long as you stay in CONTROL of your eating!
So for example, in 'Refuse to Regain' the author says to 'Eat Primarian' (I don't go that far) and 'Don't eat after 8 pm' (nope, sorry, I eat my last snack of the day right before I go to bed, which may be as late as 10 pm, and I don't worry about it. Having a full stomach when I go to bed prevents refrigerator grazing in the middle of the night!) and 'Weigh yourself every day' (No No No....this is a sure way to drive yourself NUTS!)
So.......I got to thinking, what are MY '12 Tough Rules to Keep the Weight Off'?
Well I came up with a list...and actually I've got 14 rules!
LOL... but be that as it may, I thought it would be fun to publish them.
So here they are, in no particular order:
Catlovers 14 Rules to Keeping the Weight Off
1). Be tough, not moderate.
Moderation is impossible for me. PERIOD. Anytime someone says to me, "What's wrong with you? Just cut BACK, that's all!" I laugh and shake my head and walk away.
They just don't get it, and they will NEVER get it, because they have no idea what it's like to be a food addict. If I had 'just one' chocolate mini-muffin at a gathering, I would eat MORE of them as soon as everyone's backs were turned. Fat Brain would be unleashed....and I'd find reasons to sneak back and grab a 'few' more....squirrel them away, and gobble them up when I was alone. Once the sugar-monster gets set free, that's IT....I'm off and running.
Sugar is OFF THE TABLE. Period. I've been down that road too many times....and it always leads to 'binge city'. Don't need it in my life, don't want it. And NO, I'm not 'suffering', not one bit. I enjoy the healthy foods I CAN eat that do NOT 'set me off'.
2). Weigh yourself on a set schedule....but NOT daily.
Weekly...or even MONTHLY if you can. If things are going well and you feel great and your clothes fit or are even loose....that may be a sign that you can switch to monthly weighing! Maybe even....(gasp...!) Annual weigh-ins? (and I'm NOT at this point yet. I'm at weekly!) Whatever....but I don't weigh in daily. NO WAY.
Weekly keeps me in touch with what's happening in terms of my weight, and I keep in mind that if I hit my 'Scream Weight' (a weight about 8-10 lbs above goal) I know what to do....switch to the 5/1 -- or decide to live at the higher weight until I'm strong enough to do the 5/1 again. Again, the key is to know yourself. That takes some trial and error.
3). Set a REALISTIC TEE and STAY there.
For me, the TEE (Total Energy Expenditure - basically the total # of calories I can eat every day and maintain my weight) calculation in the HOH books was just too high.
My metabolic rate is obviously slower, because I slowly GAINED using that figure.
Even with all the exercise I do!
So I use goal x 11, and that's my TEE. Those are the calories I shoot for...and YES I still 'count' calories, simply by inputting into the Food Log herein and making sure I'm at or below my TEE, that's all.
I also have a basic food plan which means I'm 'sort of' counting the types of foods I eat, but I try not to obsess about it. For example on fruit, I limit myself to 2 per day because I know I can go overboard with them, even though they are low in calories. Grains I'm careful with, mainly because they can make me hungry, so it's one per day (if that); proteins (at LEAST 2 per day), fats (only 2 per day, I still watch the fat), and dairy (two per day, not counting my Almondbreeze which is a condiment). I do NOT measure or count condiments and spices. (never did, don't tell anyone LOL).
I think this is the hardest part of Maintenance and one that requires some experimentation...and that can be scary....which is why I was very happy to have finally gone for a Coach by that point. She kept me SANE! LOL....but again, it's trial and error and everyone is different. That's the tough part about maintenance....there are no rules 'set in stone' like in the 5/1. It's a different mindset and it's a little intimidating at first, but you eventually get the hang of it when you realize that you're NOT going to 'balloon up again' overnight as long as you stay in CONTROL of your eating!
4). Eat from a Limited Menu.
And for me, that means eat HEALTHY. That is, eat the things that are growing in the ground....that God gave us....also HEALTHY cereals, grains, and lowfat dairy. The grains should be 100% whole grain and high fiber. And as high protein as you can find and still like it! And if it makes you hungry....or you're eating too much of it....it has become a trigger food and needs to be eliminated (see below).
I eat basically the 5/1 with lowfat dairy (2% cheeses, part-skim ricotta/cottage cheese etc), greek yogurt, Almondbreeze (lowfat or skim milk would be OK but I prefer my Almondbreeze so I rarely drink the other two), eggs, eggbeaters, all lean proteins including beef, fish, poultry, and meatless things like Morningstar crumbles and BOCA burgers....as well as ALL veggies. Including starchy veggies but potatoes are "once in a purple-with-orange-spots moon" LOL. Because it's not a great habit for me to get into.
I prefer to fill up on the lower glycemic veggies....and I'm experimenting with more and more ways to use them. I love zuccchini, spaghetti and yellow squash, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, green peppers, string beans, broccoli, cauliflower, pumpkin (I make a mean SF 'pumpkin pie'), sweet potatoes, butternut squash, baby spinach, the list goes on and on.....
For someone who called veggies and lettuce 'rabbit food', I've come a long long way.
But you know what? There's a reason God gave them to us. THEY ARE GOOD FOR US! LOL! And they fill you up with less calories and you can make them in myriad different ways, ways that are DELICIOUS. Nope, I don't look the same way at vegetables anymore. They are LIFESAVERS. And I owe the 5/1 to that attitude. You do it long enough, it takes hold! Really! (I can see the newbies shaking their heads....believe me, I was where you are! "Never say Never"....LOL)
5). Watch out for trigger foods!
As a food addict and compulsive overeater, I have to be on my guard for ANY food that I seem to be 'craving' too much or overindulging in. If I start out eating 1 cup and this 'morphs' into 3 or 4 cups, I've got a problem with it. It has to be re-evaluated and maybe put away for awhile. Maybe even eliminated altogether. It depends on the food.
Trigger foods can create binges. You eat too much....you know you 'blew it',......you hate yourself...then the old 'might as well eat what I want' song and dance starts playing in your head. PLUS you might have gained weight. And the cycle repeats. AGAIN. It's not worth it! It's a constant battle with some foods so you have to be aware of it and be prepared to get TOUGH with yourself on a food if it's turning into a trigger. And regarding trigger foods, I've run the gamut from throwing them out, to buying smaller quantities, to portioning them out differently, to saving them for 'once a month' or as a 'special treat'. But I'm very, very careful with them. Maintenance is NOT a free-for-all. That's RULE #1, really....(I guess I have 15 rules! LOL)....
6). Eat 6 meals a day.
This STILL works for me. I eat every 3 hours and it works. I'm hungry after 3 hours, and yet not 'starving', so I can eat a small meal or just an MF meal (and yes I still use them, see below) and be satisfied. But those meals always have some protein in them. Once in a blue moon I'll have an orange alone...but I really try not to and since I plan my meals, I'll plan 1/2 cup of green yogurt to eat with it if I do that.
7). Plan your meals and work your plan.
Again, this works for me....others may be able to 'wing it', but I still cannot. I need a plan. It makes me feel more settled, it helps with my grocery shopping and dinner preparation, and there's no guesswork. I know how many calories I'm going to eat that day and it's all set.
Not that I can't change or make substitutions....but I'll substitute like foods with like foods...for example, another protein with a protein if I don't 'feel like' chicken tonight, or a different veggie, or a different fruit depending on what's on sale. But the calories are figured out because I plan it ahead of time. And YES I still log my food!
8). Drink 64 ozs. of water a day -- at LEAST.
I still drink lots of water. And I still get up 4-5x a night to pee, and I DON'T MIND A BIT. Because it helps me keep my weight down. It also fills me up, keeps my skin clear and my digestion functioning smoothly.
I also drink non-calorie beverages......but NOT diet soda. Diet soda still makes me hungry, for some reason, so I stopped trying to figure it out and I just don't buy it anymore. I'll have a diet Coke when I'm out 'in a pinch' if I can't find anything else....or at a party or whatever...but that's it. The rest of the time it's Crystal Light or Sparkling Water or plain water. I drink flavored sparkling waters....my favorite is strawberry....but I buy just the generic store brand and it's cheap.
9). Don't discard your MF meals, because they make perfect snacks!
Seriously! When I hit Transition I was like, 'Oh goodie.....I can get rid of ordering now and save tons of money and eat whatever!'
Oh boy....not true! I quickly learned that there ARE NO SUBSTITUTES. Even the protein bars....I never DID find one I loved. And I tried a lot of them, believe me. (I even posted on the forum about this). They just weren't worth it!
Nope....I went all the way around and came RIGHT BACK to MF meals. I still use the bars as snacks, especially when I'm running errands and in the car, etc., also the pretzels, I still use the parm cheese puffs as breading for my chicken (really!), I still eat the brownies and the mashed potatoes (LOVE these, I make 'MF potato pancakes' out of them), etc.
I know they are going to be good for me. I know they have protein in them. So it's a no-brainer!
And Money-wise? I would've spent that money in JUNK at the store anyway! So I don't see it as a hardship. I see it as I AM WORTH IT.
That said, I don't order ANY meal I don't like....I'll try new stuff and if I don't love it, I don't order it again. To each his own! But I even keep a "Flavors of Home" meal in my cupboard just in case, as an emergency L&G.
10). Your L&G is for LIFE.
I believe this. Like I said, only once in a great while will I have something like potatoes. And even the starchier 'good' veggies like butternut squash or sweet potatoes or carrots, like that....not very often. I always always 'start' with a typical L&G. I have a repetoire of MF meals I love, and I just keep eating them. I'll try a new one once in awhile and if I love it, it goes in my recipe binder and I keep making it. But just like my MF meals, I know they won't 'backfire' on me. I know they are healthy. So I rely on them. Good, delicious 5/1 L&G recipes are GOLDEN. They can "save" you on this program. BIGTIME. Over and over again!
11). Portion control is STILL important.
Even veggies are no excuse to go 'hog wild'. I still measure out my fruits....I don't weigh them but I'll measure one cup of cherries, for example, or 1/2 cup of blueberries....whatever it is I'm eating. And I STILL level off my measuring cup for PS ricotta or anything dangerous like reduced-fat sour cream on my MF potato pancakes. If it's a dangerous food for me, I'm DOUBLY careful with it.
12). BOOZE IS OUT.
That's my own rule but it works, because it's pure SUGAR to my body, #1, so it's as dangerous as a piece of chocolate cake, and #2, it lowers my inhibitions so I'll be like, "Sure, I'll have dessert!"
I just don't. I don't worry about it, I'll even tell people I don't drink anymore (let them think I'm an alcoholic, I could care less). It's just EASIER.
13). Have a love affair with Exercise.
I don't even have to tell most of you how I feel about working out. I've grown to love it! I don't go crazy....3-4 times a week....and depending on the week, sometimes only 2x....but it's 'sacred' to me. And my workouts are good long hard ones, too. I don't do 15 minutes on the treadmill and call it a day. I work out for an hour. I do an hour-long Pilates class, or a Spinning class, or Body Pump followed by Body Flow, or a half hour on the weight circuit machines followed by 40 minutes on the treadmill, like that.
I think it's important. PERIOD. And not because I'm counting on burning 'X' # of calories to 'offset' whatever I ate....but because it's great stress relief, it's great for my body and my heart, and it keeps those long lean muscles I love to see when I look in the mirror. It's also working to raise my metabolic rate.
14). Maintain with Support and Support others.
Last but not least, I stay on this website and I enjoy Coaching simply because I'm still involved and motivated. And helping others helps ME. I mean, I can't very well preach to my client about drinking water when I'm not doing it myself!
Also, I think when you stay on this website and you read others' stories and posts, etc, a lot of times you can see 'how far you've come' and what you've learned....and by helping others, you REINFORCE your own ideas and methods for what works and what doesn't.
There you have it....."Linda's tough rules for keeping the weight off!" Those of you getting close to Transition and/or Maintenance, take note....those of you just starting, don't sweat it right now, just put your head down and do what you need to do.
Bottom
line, there is no "FREE RIDE", gang. There is no quick fix or magic
pill or permanent solution except YOU and what's going on inside that
brain of yours.
But the GOOD news is, EVEN
IF your brain has been 'sabotaging' you for years, you CAN undo those
bad habits, you CAN relearn how to eat healthy and you CAN gain control
over your eating. One day at a time, one step at a time.
Have
faith in the program (because it WORKS), have faith in yourself....if
you fall down realize that it's NECESSARY for you to learn (we learn
more from our failures!), just pick yourself up and get back OP as soon
as you can. And don't beat yourself up. It takes TIME to relearn good
habits and undo the bad ones. Time and self-analysis and discipline and
courage and sometimes, a great deal of swallowing your pride and
admitting that you screwed up. It's all OK. We're HUMAN. That's the
definition of being human....to make mistakes and learn from them!
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