For those with achieved target weights, what did you do next....?

(Alex ) #1

For months and years, those with weight loss, food and exercise goals very like get dialled into a hardcore OCD-like process for literally months and years.

For those who successfully had a target weight, or goal, or fitness outcome, or illness/ailment they wanted to overcome; what did you do when you actually got there?

Was there a big mentality shift when you found yourself suddenly having finished your project, and not really sure what next steps were?

I’ve never been there personally, never managed to finish off most weight loss/transformation projects that I started, but I think this time I will.

What did you do next, and what then happened?

(Alex ) #3

nor me! apart from celebrating! but then, I actually dont know what it will feel or look like, to have rid of these last 10 kilos of excess weight.

Might want to go further, I might need another 6 months of intermittent fasting, I could just need to start an aggressive weights program… will have to see what happens!

(Allie) #4

Set a new goal, twice, then shifted to muscle gains instead

#5

Yeah, been thinking about the same thing myself. I’m only 7kgs away from my target weight. I’m guessing I just go into maintenance mode. Hopefully it’s just a case of eating more keto food than usual and maybe even upping my carb intake slightly,

#6

When shifting to muscle gain, do you up your carbs on the days you work out?

(Allie) #7

No carbs are still as low as possible but I did stop limiting protein.

(ANNE ) #8

I have been wondering the same thing too, what next? Other than falling off the horse kinda… sort of lost grip of my reins and gained a couple of kg. Knowing full well I need to be stronger in sticking to low carb. I am determined to stay at a healthy weight and body composition. With a healthy Hb1Ac etc.
I wonder how long I have to eat low carb and higher fat, before it becomes second nature. So far I have been keto since mid January this year, but I have felt really strong cravings for sugar again, with every day seeing me have something sugary.
I guess I have to just reform my mind, and remember that when I was a child the only day I was allowed candy was a Saturday! When I was given pocket money and I could buy “ a quarter of…” dispensed by the store keeper into a small paper bag from a glass storage jar.
There must be some kind of study where it shows how long one has to follow a pattern of behaviour before it becomes your sub conscious normal. I thought 11 months would have been adequate, but I guess not, for me at least.
I have an active job in a garden nursery, and new puppy so the exercise routine is established, I also know myself well enough to know I hate gym workouts! But I guess I need to find a way to make the elliptical tolerable. More podcasts I guess!
Thank you to the OP for opening this thread, I need to think hard about how I keep this healthy life going and still have a taste of Xmas pudding!

(Alex ) #9

exactly yeah! I’ve never been at a weight where I felt happy, and decided I wanted to stay the same long term. Never really had that conversation with myself where I said `right you need to maintain now, all of this’

(Chris) #10

Back on the permabulk :slight_smile:

#11

I went “hard-core” for about 6 months until i reached my goal. Since then I’m trying to keep in mind the motivating factor which originally led me to pursue the goal. Since then I’ve been working on relaxing more about my Keto lifestyle. It is definitely getting easier for me. At about 18 months- I’m surprised how good it feels to continue experimenting with things and to understand Keto will always be there to correct any slip ups. Spreading the word is another thing that helps me stick to Keto. There is a maintenance category that i check in with others who are maintaining- i enjoy their success and sometimes learn tricks etc- not to mention it helps me stay accountable.

#12

If I can just throw an idea out there if I may…maybe a bit off topic…

Maybe keto isn’t a permanent way of life, maybe it’s cyclical. Lose weight, gain weight, lose weight, gain weight. Isn’t that what our primitive ancestors did? (granted though, they wouldn’t have been insulin resistant). Maybe ‘listening to our body’ when it craves sugar, whilst fat adapted, in ketosis and at a certain weight threshold, is that ancient instinct telling you to gorge on the summer fruit and get ready for Winter…

Just a thought. I’m sure this isn’t the first time this idea’s been brought up.

(Frank) #13

I’ve just recently broke through the last stall point and have been at or below goal weight for the past week. I don’t like shopping for new clothes so I don’t plan on loosening up in a general sense from my keto woe. I see this as an opportunity to perform self experiments. I hate lifting weights so I don’t see muscle gain as a goal. My experiments are therefore likely to involve food and meal timing related. I have been and will continue to be a daily weigher. This has helped me dial in exactly how certain foods and cheat days affect me. See “keto Roulette” if anyone wants to know how I managed to break the last 3-4 lb stall.

(Mike W.) #14

It think that is very hard on the body. It wants to stay in homeostasis.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #15

I want to keep getting as fit as possible. I am exploring how different foods affect my blood glucose. Doing this will keep me at my target weight, along with continuing to keep carbs as low as possible. Not saying I won’t have off days, but I have proof that keto does work, so will never stray too far.

(John) #16

Well in the past, what I did was slip back into old habits and gain the weight back. :frowning:

I will reply again in a year or two with my strategy at that time, assuming I am at a target weight by then. :wink:

#17

Okay I think I get what you’re saying. It isn’t a case of some sort of primitive instinct which urges us to change a diet to reflect the change in environment, but instead it’s the negative feedback loops of the body’s homeostasis adapting to and balancing out the new stimuli to maintain body stability. i.e. if we lived in an area with an evenly temperate environment etc, the body wouldn’t feel the need to change anything in our homeostasis as nothing has changed externally to warrant it. Got it. :slight_smile:

(Chris) #18

I think some of the things that got us into the place do not just disappear. Though I am not at my target weight, I have been Low carb/keto/carnivore for 14 months straight now, nearing 115lbs down.

Sugar is very much still a trigger for me. Just eating some fruit can spin my mind out of control with cravings. It was just apple season here, pounding 8 or more apples in a weekend isn’t something Id call logical, but when that craving hits… at least it wasn’t Halloween candy

I think there is nothing wrong with demonizing sugar and grains. Take it a step even further, avoiding bad fats is beneficial no matter what your weight. Those things don’t change. Also, Keto may put T2D under control, but I think people that where once T2, or on the edge of T2, can be right back there in a matter of a few meals

(Jane) #19

I have been maintaining my weight for the last 3-4 months.

I basically eat keto for the majority of my meals because 1) it’s become a habit 2) I feel better, healthier and have more energy on keto and 3) I DO NOT want to gain my weight back!

I occasionally add some carbs back but never for more than one meal and not daily. Potatoes from my garden, for example. Had my first piece of garlic toast in a year and felt guilty LOL but it had no effect since that was my one indulgence for the day.

I still fast for autophagy and that helps keep me from gaining weight and the need to track my foods. So far. If I start to gain I will start tracking again and tighten up on my carbs and fast until back at maintenance.

But so far my body seems to have healed a lot in the last year I have been keto and I can over or under eat in a given day and my weight stays stable. Like normal people LOL.

(KetoQ) #20

Hi Alex –

I’ve been doing low carb for six months and have lost 60 lbs and can stand to loose another 20-30. But I’ve been thinking about what’s next as well, because I want to keep the good mojo going.

Now that I’m feeling better physically, I’ve been thinking more about getting back into a regular meditation program, as well as going back to creative pursuits that help me feel like I’m making the most of my time here.

I do enjoy working out, but I don’t want to live and plan my life around it. There’s so many other interesting things to do. That said, I’m now dedicated to my weight training, but I’m consciously trying to not over do it. Short workouts on a regular basis, and trying to be more strategic about it, I hope will help keep me motivated and fulfill my fitness needs.

Food wise, I’m still working on hacks that will help me maintain a healthy, low carb way of life. I think keeping the wrong foods from sneaking back into my diet is key. Low carb is not always going to be easy, but I know it works for me, so I need a plan and a strategy to make it work.

At the end of the day, I think its about finding balance in life, as well as not becoming complacent and lazy when it comes to diet, fitness and health. Find ways to stay motivated and focused on what is important.

Cheers,
Q

(Dee) #21

This is a good question. I’ve been wondering the same thing.

I hit my goal weight, though another 10 pounds wouldn’t hurt…
I do want to work on building more muscle and have been weight training almost throughout my entire journey. But I wonder…should I eat more or should I halt fasting? I don’t want to change a thing.
If I don’t change what I’m doing will I continue to lose? So many questions.

Experimentation and time will tell I suppose.