Lessons Learned & Learning 24: 720 Days of Maintenance

Ejourneys

Prior maintenance updates: 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, 120 days, 150 days, 180 days, 210 days, 240 days, 270 days, 300 days, 330 days, 360 days, 390 days, 420 days, 450 days, 480 days, 510 days, 540 days, 570 days, 600 days, 630 days, 660 days, 690 days.

The vertical red lines on my chart for average weight indicate the day that I had started taking anastrazole, the drug I'm on to try to prevent cancer recurrence (day 355) and the days of my bout with what was likely E. coli (days 580-581). More on the shifts in my weight trends around those events is in my 630-day update.

Here's how my 24 30-day maintenance periods compare:



My twenty-fourth 30 days looked like this:


Weight: I had reached my goal weight of 150 lbs. on Dec. 17, 2013. According to MFP, that would place my net calories at 1600 for maintenance.

Between days 691 and 720 inclusive my weight averaged 147.7 and ranged from 146 to 149.5.

Exercise Calories Burned: I took 2 rest days (0 calories burned) during maintenance days 691-720. My average exercise calories burned for this period (including rest days) equaled 382/day. My highest burn was 606 on Nov. 27, representing 95 minutes on the DeskCycle.

Not counted is the calorie burn from my Better Bones and Balance workouts, because I have no idea what that burn would be. In this 30-day period I have done 5 BBB workouts, all with a 15-lb weighted vest. Also added to my regular cycling workout is two 30-minute sessions on my manual treadmill set at a 10-degree incline, all with a 15-lb weighted vest.

Total and Net Calories Consumed: Total calories for maintenance days 691-720 averaged 1961/day and ranged from 1371 (Dec. 6, a rest day) to 2322 (Nov 27, the day of my highest calorie burn during this period). Net calories (total calories minus exercise calories burned) averaged 1580/day (99% of maintenance) and ranged from 1345 (Dec. 5) to 1856 (Nov. 30).

My breast cancer support group will hold its annual cookie exchange meeting this week. I plan to bring the no-bake mini-cake that I had improvised last year because that worked pretty well. It's the first time that I had ever figured out a recipe in advance.



My take-home bag from the exchange is on the left; my contribution is on the right. My exact ingredients per batch were:
1/2C Quaker oats
1/4C Sunsweet chopped dates
1/4C Winn-Dixie flake coconut
1/4C Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet dark chocolate chips
1 envelope Knox unflavored gelatin
3 tablespoons raw unprocessed wildflower honey
1C water, brought to a boil
8 foil-backed baking cups

In first (microwave safe) bowl, combine oats, dates, coconut, and chocolate chips. Mix thoroughly.

In second bowl, place gelatin and honey. Add boiling water. Stir until gelatin and honey are both dissolved.

Pour gelatin mixture slowly into oats mixture, stirring and combining thoroughly.

Heat in microwave for 3 minutes. Remove from microwave, mix further if necessary, let cool. Spoon into baking cups and refrigerate for 3 hours. Serves 8.

Per serving: 132 cal, 21g carbs, 6g fat, 3g protein. (Might be a rounding error from packaging specs in there; calorie count totals 150 per serving based on 4 cal/g each for carbs and protein and 9 cal/g for fat.)

Will mark two full years of maintenance on the 17th. Wishing everyone a happy and healthy holiday season!

scolaris

You're amazing! Baby I love your charts!!