Saturday, March 5

My two cents (and this is coming from personal experience) is that the back and forth calorie thing is really hard to manage. 1200 one day, then 1500 or 1600 the next. In my opinion, this is a sure fire way to start adding unwanted pound BACK ON. Speaking from experience, it also matters from what types of foods the extra calories come. 

So, I'm going to put this out there. Your DQ cravings and experience reminded me of ME. I don't want you walking down the same path that I did early in maintenance, so I'm being overly cautious (and maybe a little strong in opinion) about how you approach the up and down thing. 

Here is the plan I did not follow, that I wish I had, and will be doing once I am back to working on maintenance. 

Choose a base level calorie intake, say 1200. For one week up your calories to 1300. If you are still losing weight in a week, up the calories again to 1400. If you lose that week, up the calories to 1500 and so on until you find a maintenance level. ONce you don't lose for a week, stick to that calorie level for another one to three weeks and re-evaluate. If your weight is stable for three weeks within a 2 pound range, you've found your sweet spot. Then stick with that sweet spot for another month, check you trend, and so on. Adjust as necessary.

You (we all) have enough meat that if you lose another 2 or 5 pounds, you won't get sick or weak. Dicking around with calories and free days, etc... because I was thin and could lose 5 extra PDQ early out in maintenance is what got me into trouble. Please, please be careful and really think the bouncing around calories thing through. 

Hope I'm not coming on too strong.... meant with all the best intentions. 

I think one of my problems is that my life hasn't been very status quo, so it is hard to know what calorie level actually works. With 3 other surgeries since my VSG, I'm in healing mode (with little exercise) and then okay for a while and then back to the drawing board. I was trying to do just as you described and it worked until I threw a variable like surgery and decreased activity into the mix. I don't forsee another surgery on the horizon and should be back to 100% physical activity in another 2-3 weeks (still can't do too much core work or too much resistance training). I think I can then try to hone in on what my perfect number will be.

Paula

It took me quite a few months to find my number so take it slowly. Like Devon, I'd encourage you to find just one number. Another way to do it is to go to and stay at 1300 as long as it takes to lose an entire pound. If you don't lose one, you've probably found your number. If you do lose one (and it might take a month), go to 1400. Rinse and repeat. The beauty of this method is you won't overshoot your maintenance calorie level. So the idea is only add calories after you lose a pound. 

Kerrygold butter, Coconut oil, a tsp of PB added to a dish, avocado, whole fat cheeses and dairy, are all excellent ways of adding calorie density to your meals without adding volume. And like Linda, I do think those calorie dense mini meals work well, too (e.g. Quest Bar, 1 oz of cheese and 2 oz of meat, etc...)

Hi skinnies

Well after 6500 plus steps and a sound eating day I am up to 130 again. Go figure.  And the $120 eye drops seem to be making my eye worse. Its now puffy.  Well Crap. I have a plane trip coming up in 10 days and gotta get this eye cleared up. 

A big storm is predicted but hasn't started yet. At least the dog got a walk.  

One of our nephews is really talented (well they all are) and here is a link to the Huffington Post were a bunch of college students did videos of the Lady Gaga song  "til it happens to you".  if you go to this link there are several videos and his is the St. Olaf College mens group. Our nephew is the second soloist.  I think its great.       http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/till-it-happens-to-you-a -capella_us_56d5ffe9e4b0871f60ed00b1

Well hoping for a better weight day tomorrow. Meanwhile will spend the day in the studio.   diane s

Loved, loved, loved your nephew's video - very moving. What a talented bunch of guys. My oldest is going to go to school for music. Right now it is between Luther college and Lawrence but I have heard good things about St. Olaf too - I think I will have him check them out!

Thanks Paula.  St. Olaf is an expensive school but they gave our nephew huge scholarship.  He is into all sorts of arts. I married into a very musical family. I can't carry tune in a bucket.   diane s

wonderful video!  thank you for sharing.

Ron and I watched several of the videos. The St. Olaf group, Inversion, was the best of the videos we watched! Great group! Very talented young men!

I also like, of course, that they included the young gay man. In my mid 20s after losing some weight and working out a lot I garnered a lot of attention from older men who made me feel very uncomfortable. I once had to leave a party I was so upset by men touching me inappropriately. I was not equipped to deal with that type of sexual attention and quickly put some weight back on and the threatening advances stopped. 

Thanks  Kairk. Sexual assault on campus is an important issue so I am glad Lady Gaga lent her song. Our nephew is only a freshman but so talented. He is also an artist and traditional ballet dancer. And I to am proud they addressed the fact that its not always guy/girl.  

Hope to hear more music from this group.   They did all the arrangements and stuff themselves.   diane s