Maintenance Strategies?

#21

Karen- thanks for all the tips, & glad that you’re still here & maintaining for such a long time!
I’m nearly at goal weight, so thinking a little ahead to maintenance… I’m early days on keto, so not fat adapted yet, but have noticed over time that I never seem to get full- even after a binge pre-keto I would only finally feel full perhaps a few hours later! On keto, have you ever got to the stage of not being hungry, only needing OMAD that others have found once they’re fat adapted? I’m waiting for that, but wondering maybe for some if we never get there?! I can fast for 24 hours, but when I eat, it’s a real struggle to keep control…
Thanks again for the input you give here!

Hey, so about fasting
(Karen Parrott) #22

Thank you for your kind words.

No. My food addiction will be with me always. LCHF and fasting are tools only

I may have may a few hours where I get signals that are correct. I know it’s my biochemistry, so I don’t hate myself. There’s that. With 40 years of obesity or binge urges, I wasn’t sure I’d reach this point

To this day, I’d sit down and start to binge again if I’d let myself, on Keto food. I’d use it to get food high. Hey , it’s “fun” but not good for me. And I know that.

One thing is for sure, using satiated as an off signal was the wrong tool. Once I tossed that metric, it freed me to work on tools that do work. I still fast 17:7 or 18:6. I cringe when people are told to use satiety as and end point after they’ve clearly demonstrated that that method is not effective for them. The advisors think they are helping but are driving the eaters back to the big clothes. The eaters may never feel off signals, the advisors may never know what it’s like to rarely have an off signal.

Also the advisors tell folks that you should never feel hunger. There’s binge urges, real hunger and both. Yes, you’ll feel it again in recovery-IMO. I feel it but it doesn’t crush me. That’s the one nice thing about fat adaptation. If you are hungry eat…they say … lol. Okay…that doesn’t work for me either.

Seeing my extra ghrelin SNP on my Promethease report was life changing. I was always told I was lazy or a glutton. At least now I know that I don’t need to Keto harder. Lol.

Thanks again. A lot of people OMAD with Good results

Hunger control
#23

No, thank you! Nice to know I’m not alone, but a bit scary knowing that it’s still going to be very hard to maintain, & that perhaps I shouldn’t focus on not feeling hungry as a sign of fat adaptation… I’ve had quite a few years of being messed up with food too, so it’s not going to be easy… Must’ve been good to know there’s a hormone behind it all with you!

(Karen Parrott) #24

Each year, it gets easier for me. KCKo :smiley:

(Liz ) #25

Karen, I wonder what tools you’ve used to walk away from the kitchen without the feeling of satiety? If I try it I get endless messages in my head, relentless, telling me to go get more food though I can see through food tracking I’ve likely had a beautiful amount of calories and lovely macro ratios.

I think my satiety signals work pretty well, mostly, but on days they seem screwy I’d love to know how to handle it.

(Karen Parrott) #26

Hi Liz, I batch cook, or cook for my meal, then I “close the kitchen”. I clean up and walk out and don’t hang out in there or food seek.

I busy myself into other projects, other things. If thoughts overwhelm me, I calmly look at MFP and Fitbit and say, well, I have enough nutrition for my activity levels. I’m fine, this will pass.

IF helps, I eat 6am to 12 noon most days, so I eat within my window, then I don’t have to worry about it later. Even if I’m cooking or serving my daughter dinner, I’ll make some tea or decaf and sit down with her. Keeps me from night time stress eating.

Hope some of these ideas help.

(Liz ) #27

Yes, thank you! These are things I do as well, so I think it probably just takes time to master it. I use all these skills when extended fasting but it’s easier then because food is a non-issue while fasting, no choices to wrestle with. We live in a very small apartment so it’s hard to get away from the kitchen so often I’ll go take a bath. Going forward I’ll practice “closing the kitchen” in my mind by realizing I’m starting an IF as soon as I finish dinner.

I’ve been at this particular place in my health journey about 13 months & adding skills as I go. I know I’ve said it before but I always appreciate your posts.

(mark whittaker) #28

so are you controlling it completely with carbs? or are you counting calories too? are you staying in ketosis most of the time?

(John B) #29

I am controlling it mainly with carbs. I have a few every now and then, but not exactly ‘counting’. I still stay away from bread, pasta, potatoes, rice and of course sugar, but I was never counting calories. To be honest, I never actually checked to see if I was in ketosis, just followed the diet.

(Teresa Coffman) #30

Congratulations on maintaining for 6 years! I’m entering maintenance and I’m so worried that I won’t be able to keep these 60 lbs that I’ve lost off. I really appreciate your list of tips. I’m 54 and I also can not eat with abandon or I gain. I just know that I’m going to have to work just as hard to maintain as I did to lose.

#31

^^^ What she said! :slight_smile: Thanks so much for this thread and the sharing that happens here! It definitely helps us as we enter this anxious time of maintenance!

(Sharilyn J Clay) #32

Thank you for these tips. I’ve started eating keto-ish after having lost weight on hCg (i didn’t know about keto before doing hCg). So I’m starting this lifestyle in maintenance and the plan I’m following has daily carbs between 40 - 50 grams. I’m encouraged to join a Zornfast too…gotta figure out how to find out about that.

(Allan L) #33

Its easy

Type Zornfast into the search bar…

image

(Sharilyn J Clay) #34

Thank you so much…I just did that and I don’t see when the next one is…i’d love to join it. I’m gonna look some more.

(Allan L) #35

Usually the 3rd weekend of each month. Brenda will post something about 1 week before so keep an eye out.

(Sharilyn J Clay) #36

Thank you!

#37

It’s so helpful to hear other people’s ideas about maintenance. I have ALL the negative factors: hypoglycemic since I was young, short,(5-1) old(67) long history of autoimmune issues such as mild lupus, high fasting insulin(37) and a long history of yo-yo dieting. I’m determined not to gain and lose this weight again. I’m about 10-15 pounds from goal right now at 141 pounds.

Having a long history of hypoglycemia makes my glucometer and my ketone monitor my best friends. I used to eat to avoid hypoglycemia, constantly. Knowing that my blood glucose is in normal range makes it much easier for me to say, “No, I’m not hypoglycemic, I don’t need to prophylactically eat to keep my blood glucose up. I have plenty of ketones to keep me going.”

I know I’ll have to stay low carb, if not ketongenic, for the rest of my life. NOTHING else has ever worked for me. Losing the fear of hypoglycemic episodes is going to be what keeps me on the path.

(KCKO, KCFO) #38

@sclaytex sclaytex, Brenda posts a monthly announcement in the FASTING subfourm. It is generally the third week of each month. So this month’s should be starting on Thursday the 17th thru the 20th.

(Sharilyn J Clay) #39

Thank you…I will look for the Fasting subforum…still very new to how to get around here.

(KCKO, KCFO) #40

Having a long history of hypoglycemia makes my glucometer and my ketone monitor my best friends. I used to eat to avoid hypoglycemia, constantly. Knowing that my blood glucose is in normal range makes it much easier for me to say, “No, I’m not hypoglycemic, I don’t need to prophylactically eat to keep my blood glucose up. I have plenty of ketones to keep me going.”

I know I’ll have to stay low carb, if not ketongenic, for the rest of my life. NOTHING else has ever worked for me. Losing the fear of hypoglycemic episodes is going to be what keeps me on the path.

@Noapples4u welcome to the maintenance thread. Anyone within 15 lbs. should start following this thread. Lots of good info. I find it a challenge, but one I heartily welcome. I am 68 and started keto/lchf eating about 1 3/4 yrs. ago. I had been a yoyoer since my early thirties, luckily I didn’t have any serious medical issues. I am 5’3" with shoes on and my goal weight was 141, but I make myself stay around 5 lbs. lower, because life happens and you are going to bounce some.

I really like your attitude and look forward to more posts from you.

KCKO