Thread: Some tips from me for life after Cambridge....Long

Great read, thanks. I've been thinking about the maintaining side and I'm looking forward to it. Think I will have a read of others threads who are already there as i'll be more prepared for when I'm there. Good advice, xxx

great advice

Congratulations KD








Love Mini xxx

Really useful post, thanks.

Jan

Brilliant post as ever.

Its thanks to you that I am maintaining 3+ months since reaching goal. Your common sense approach definitely seems to be more helpful than all the scientific hard to understand statements that we tend to get baffled with.

Thanks once again.

Thank you KD! As always you're an absolute star and inspiration!
I have definitely been working hard on using all your advice scattered around the forum, and in this post I see that I am well on the way to developing a 'healthy lifestyle' rather than 'forever dieting'.
I've been working so hard on re-programming my brain...! It I guess definitely takes the longest - and will still need to be done for years to come. However, it is working.
Before I did my LL diet: I used to not eat vegetables often at all, and all I'd eat was pasta. I LOVED the stuff. Not a day would go by if I couldn't have at least a bucket of it.
However, now... I can't live without vegetables. I don't need a bucket of them (have learned portion control and moderation! it doesn't take much to not feel hungry - what a revelation that was! very liberating too ). Also pasta: I actually don't want any. It's so BLAND and boring. I choose to go for taste and flavours rather than a "quick-fix" meal.

The other great piece of advice which I followed through from you was: the question. When I get a hunger pang, or a craving for something, or I just want to eat.. I always ask myself: "But Why?"
If I don't see a good enough reason to eat something (i.e. not hungry, just ate a meal, etc etc) then I choose not to have it and move on. Sometimes on rare occasion though: I give in just because I want it! We never NEED a cookie: but it's damn nice to sometimes have one! And the key is: have ONE. I like that.

I feel free, I feel like I have a choice. I am in control of food, I am in control of me. If I start getting 'out of control' I have the choice to step back and reassess the situation. There is no black and white: it's never about winning or losing. We never truly lose until we give up on ourselves, and I have no intention of doing that.


So again, thank you - and well done on... well... living normally! Let me rephrase: Well done on being an amazing inspiration to the rest of us - showing us that it CAN be done with some soul searching and brain-rejiggling.

KD, thats super advice and i intend to follow it

i'm not at maintenance yet, actually just stepped back down to SS from SS+ for a couple of weeks before i have to go onto SS+...but i just wanted to start getting a feel for what its like being at goal!

I'm looking forward to 10st 5lbs A LOT right now!!!

xx

Just found this and re read it KD.
Even more helpful the second/third/fourth time around. Just going to print it out.

Just started 'Maintenance' and remembered this thread, which I read a while back. And so I came back... There's so many thoughts going round in my head - hopes and fears, and intentions. Many intentions! I have willpower and a positive mental approach to maintenance - and there's this advice which I think I need to return to often

I will maintain, I will learn, I will try not to persecute myself when the learning goes a little awry (because it probably will, once or twice). It's scary right now, 'managing myself', but it's exciting too. Cambridge has given me confidence, and a good starting figure and base weight to motivate me!

I've learned from the plans - I've adopted a model from the last few steps that should stand me in good stead... and I have developed a preference for CD bars rather than the standard muck you can buy in any confectioners!!! Much more tasty and much better for you I'm keeping those up by choice at present, one a day to satisfy the 'sweet treat' tendency mid morning. I plan my meals in advance - with planning there's less chance of going wild. It's easier now than it was - I know what tubs fit the portions I need, so I simply fill them and cart them off to work every morning. It's actually quite a freedom, because I don't have the pressure to seek out and buy whatever in the time I have available at lunch. I breathe before I eat, and enjoy every mouthful.

And I weigh daily - which I always thought was bad/mad/dangerous. But it's not - it aids mindfulness and responsiveness to circumstances when you need it. It also enlightens you - you start to see your natural cycles and rhythms laid out before you (especially if you chart it!). There's knowledge and learning in that. And self awareness.

Thanks for this KD

Brilliant post Miss Pinky, well done you, we are learning together.

Thanks for posting this KD.

Wow KD some powerful thoughts here. Thank you... you are an inspiration to us all!

Hi KD, thanks for this post which is the most enlightening piece I have read on weight maintenance. I am new to this and have found it difficult to find helpful advice, and so it is great to learn from your 'article'.

I've read this post a few times, it's really made me reaise that maintaining is different and a whole new challenge.
Thank you KD, you've really helped me. I want to keep my weight off this time and need people's experience to show me that it can be done.

P.S I hope you don't mind me posting on here because I'm not a CD person

Originally Posted by eternity

P.S I hope you don't mind me posting on here because I'm not a CD person

No problem at all