Maintenance Strategies?

(KCKO, KCFO) #56

Welcome Shawn. It sounds like you are leaning towards Paleo eating when you “cheat”. That works for a lot of folks

I moved from ediets CICO, Zone, Paleo, Atkinsish, then full keto. In maintenance I am able to slightly up my carbs, @50 g per day. Sounds like you might just need a few more carbs to stay on track? The main thing is keep super sugary, super starchy items out of a healthy diet. If the weight is staying off, then you are probably doing it right, for you. Just do keep an eye on your weight, if it starts creeping up, take the carbs back down til you lose it again.

Good luck sorting it all out.

#57

Originally…I set my goal weight @ 185. (My all time high was 333.) I hit that 1st goal at Thanksgiving of 2017.

But now, I’m weighing 165, 6’2" tall and 64 years of age.

I guess… I’m in maintenance. But typing that gives me the heebie-jeebies. I always think I’m just at the edge of the Abyss, prancing all about, losing my balance.

Just 1 (ONE!) Indiscretion, and I feel like…ummm… “the fecal matter will hit the rotary cooling device” any time now. Primed and ready to fail.

This very real and present danger has kept me in the safety zone for several weeks now. I just can’t relax.

It isn’t a healthy way to live, and I don’t know what I’m going to do about it. But I’m here to find out. That’s why I’m on this sub forum.

I have more questions than answers, but I recognize that the answers are here somewhere, buried in the text, and vast experiences of you, my friends…and similarly afflicted travellers. I don’t want to reinvent the wheel but I don’t really think I’ll need to.

I’ve lost weight before this, but gained it all back. But I’ve never lost 165 before. So my success this time encourages me, and sharpens my focus.

Stan

#58

Wow! That is amazing weight loss!!
Congratulations!

Looks like maintenance is easy for some and harder for others. I like to think time is on our side- the longer we go down the right path, the stronger we get!

Good luck and of course- KCKO!!

(KCKO, KCFO) #59

@goldwingnut I know that fear.

I don’t think maintenance is easy for anyone. In fact, it is harder than losing. You have the tools to stay within a range that is right for you now. You know all that grained base eating is BS for people like us. Dr. Sears says in one of his books, only 25% of the worlds population can eat grains without some issues.
I certainly have a sensitivity to them.

I have yoyoed up and down for over 35 yrs. I think lchf will keep me from doing that. I decide it is time to eat, not a bunch of hormones that are whacked out. I make myself stay at my target weight. All it takes is some IFing and occasional 36 hrs. fasting. I had cut back from time to time on the grains and sugars too except for honey which I “thought” was a great natural sweetener instead of cane or beet sugars. Since I am tolerant of stevia, it is my sweetener now. Luckily I am more a salt and crunchy gal, instead of soft and sugary.

Now that you are fat adapted, you can probably eat the occasional carbage and not fall off the cliff. So Keep Calm and Keto/LCHF on my friend.

#60

@goldwingnut You are not alone! The fear is real for me, too. However, I do have more faith this time that IFF I weigh myself regularly I keep adding data to know what I can (and cannot do) to stay in maintenance. For example, this month I did a few experiments to see what I tolerated – and learned more about what I cannot tolerate.

Even the unsuccessful forays are not all a bust as each time I am negatively impacted by an experiment I just revert to strict keto for a few days and get back to base camp! That has always been the miracle of keto for me - as opposed to my multiple, multiple other attempts with other ways of eating: Keto welcomes me back each time. Good luck! You’ve got this AND this thread has been SO helpful to me - and I hope to you as well!

(Karen Parrott) #61

Welcome to maintenance. Hope it’s going well for you and your wife.

APRIL 2019 Weight Maintenance Check-in
(Frank) #62

I downloaded an app called lucky roulette. I’ve started 4 lists. Meal pattern, exercise pattern, dessert pattern, stress relief pattern. Each of these pattern has its own roulette wheel. So for example my meal pattern wheel has approx 10 choices from 3 meals to 24 hr omad. I would spin each wheel the night before which then determines my next day strategy. I’m still working on the pattern lists but I hope to start this little one month n=1 on Monday the 15th. If I were to start it right now this is what my day would be. 1. Lunch+dinner+ black coffee in am. 2. Walk during lunch + 10 min core workout before dinner 3. No dessert tonight :confused: 4. Research new or existing hobby on YouTube in evening. One of the reoccurring themes that pops up is our body’s ability to adapt to patterns and create set points as a result. I figured by doing this, my body would be getting something a little different every day. This is just something goofy that I came up with to keep it interesting.

(KCKO, KCFO) #63

Frank, that sounds like fun. I might have to check that app out. You were thinking outside the box on that approach.

(Frank) #64

When I start I will probably start a thread so if anyone else wants to join they can. At the very least I’ll give my lists so anyone can use or edit them for their own use.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #65

I just set mine up. This will be entertaining, but let’s see what I do when push comes to shove!! I set some of the bars pretty high :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

(Frank) #66

Oh fun! I did put a 48 hr fast on there which I will only do once in a month. Everything else is within the boundaries of what I do normally so it shouldn’t be too difficult.

(Anne Brodie) #67

Have to say, this idea is absolutely genius. I’ve been developing meal menus to draw from but still have to figure out which to have each day.

(Frank) #68

I guess I’m lucky. I usually eat similarly week over week. As long as I have ground beef, salmon, a steak or two, shrimp, chicken thighs, spinach, avocados, asparagus, and broccoli, I’m pretty set. I think I may add a few extras on the wheel for carnivore, vegetarian, vegan, etc.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #69

I added those three as well, just for variation. Can’t wait to see your new thread on the subject.

(Frank) #70

I’m kinda jazzed about it too. I am aware though that there are going to be selections that I’m not fond of for sure. I’m not a big EF guy since being in maint so that’s going to be tough when/if I spin that. 24hrs is easy still.

(Stacy Lee) #71

Do you go through keto flu again after the carb heavy?

(Ken) #72

No, never. I go back and forth with no noticeable effects.

What does maintainence look like?
(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #73

Are you still using this method? Is it fun?!

(Empress of the Unexpected) #74

It is fun, and gets me thinking about ways to shake things up, but do I do it every day? Honestly, no.

(Mel Simpson) #75

Uhmm…I want your problem.
You have obviously revved up your metabolism…good for you.
Exercising may actually help.