Eggzackly! another fit and lean and active person who does that!

Hi Lisa, I think you've had some great advice from Judy already But as another (fairly) long-timish maintainer, I just thought I'd add my 20 cents!

To stop losing any more weight you do need to either up your cals or your carbs to the point where it does just that. How you want to do that is entirely up to you.

If you go the calorie way, then upping your fats is a great way to do it. Do you like avocados, for instance? That's one of my favourite ways of adding in extra fat.

If you choose to add carbs, then rice, sweet potatoes are probably the best way to go.

Obviously, we are all different and need to find what works for us, but I find that remaining fairly low carb during the week, allows me to splash out on 'treats' at the weekend (check out my journal and what I had for lunch yesterday, if you're interested).

Good luck with finding the best way for you, and like Judy said, why don't you come and join us in the weekly maintenance weigh in.


BTW, I totally agree that strength training is one of the best things we can do! (especially for us older broads )

Good post Demi!
I'm so happy that another successful maintainer has given you good advice.

hi Lisa-

another longish- maintainer chimes in! I'm sorry I didn't reply sooner- I am visiting my daughter and have not been able to get online.

Lisa, I went through something sooo similar. I had gotten down to 150, stayed there a few months and without changing my plan I started losing again. When I got to 125 I got really nervous that I was losing too much- and that it would be too hard to maintain over the long run. So I increased my carbs. I still stay OP- but allow myself more carbs at my one carb meal/day. It can be a glass of wine or a fruit or bread or cereal in addition to my sweet potato or whatever.

I think it is important to listen to your body- and your heart. I know from reading your posts that you really think things through- and I think posting about this, reading the stuff on maintaining, and taking the time to work it out will really make a difference- and you are doing this YOUR way. It is worth the work.

HTH-

E

Occassionally I'll eat rice tht is surrounding the sushi

I really relate to the fear of moving up the rungs. I am so afraid of adding new food (old high carb foods) and starting the cravings. Going for sushi is one of the things I miss the most. I'm happy to hear that the small amount of rice didn't cause cravings for you and hope it won't for me.

You've done so well, congratulations.

Welcome and congrats on your loss.

IMO, the thing that causes many people's regain is the fact that they never did go up the carb ladder and add in the good carb foods that are there for us to eat.....while they are still losing their weight.
When we do it while in weight loss mode, our body has a chance to adapt to burnng them and if we do see a slow in weight loss or triggering cravings or triggering overeating, as in my case with wheat....we won't know which ones we can take with us into maintenance and life after weight loss.

Your fears are not uncommon, many feel as you do.....I'm sorry to say. But this is why Atkins has an OWL phase, or SBD phase II.....and many people don't follow it out of their fears....as a wise friend told me, feel the fear and do it anway.
I did follow my SBD plan as written and tried out whole carb foods, good ones, as I was losing my weight. I found what I can and can't have and not see gain or experience cravings. If I can do this, I know that anyone can as I was a very poor eater before learning to eat this way.

I say...go for it now....try out some foods like berries...some dairy...a sweet potato......feel the fear and do it anway.
Limit your servings and don't add it all in the same day or week. Go slowly.
ps- we don't add in the "old high carb foods" as part of our daily food....those become a once in a while treat.

Good Luck!

Hey guys thanks for all the insight.

This time around I followed thru OWL and thru the carb ladder. For the first time I'm really cognizant of what causes cravings, what I can have once in awhile--such as rice and corn tortillas. I have figured out and accepted that the final rung of wheat will never be art of the gig. Legumes are OK including hummus but it's never been something that I "missed". I've made the ever popular farting cupcakes and do occasionally partake in hummus I eat berries but know that most fruit is a huge trigger. Eat my nuts, have my greek yougurt and keifer, have always had wine. By going up the ladder is probably the reason I can have 30-50 net carbs and blow past goal.

After taking Judy's advice I'm keeping to the mantra I'm making something out of nothing.

Funny, I have a loaf of Eskeial in the freezer--where a year ago it would be calling my name, now, I don't even remember it's there.

I think I had a panic anxiety attack and you guys have talked me down off the ledge. Maintenance is like losing--you have to be ever diligent every day.

I'll keep measuring and keeping track because that really does keep me from overeating.

I'll keep weighing every day.

I'll keep active.

I won't let people guilt me into food or making bad choices.

I'll just have to see where the next leg of the journey leads me.

Chermac--a huge WOOOO HOOO!


Progress not perfection.

Lisa

Or not! Very often, I find that something I thought I really missed doesn't taste all that good anymore.

Yeah, I do that too, although not usually with bread. In my case it's that ice cream that gets covered in frost and eventually tossed because it's taken on freezer flavours. Never thought that would EVER happen!

I thought I'd revisit my thread because of something that happened.

As I say at work...Nothing bad. Just a musing.

I've been perking along hanging out in maintenance doing really well if I maypat myself on the back for a moment. (Not to get too cocky )

Weight=low of 137(those rare ays when the Gods want to mess with my head) to around 140 (my "normal" maintentance weight). If I creep up to 142-143, I go on induction for 2-3 days. I'm serious this time around--the 5 pound rule at this point is a bit high for my comfort zone. I fully embrace the normal weight flucuations--meaning, My head doesn't explode nor do I live my life by the scale.

Logging. Measureing. That's what keeps me focused. The week I didn't have access to MY PLAN like I usually do and didn't log my food I overate a bit.

I keep my carbs around 45-60. I'm satisfied.

So, here is where I ask you if this was paranoid or not.

I eat off-plan meal about once a week, sometimes twice a week in a blue-moon.

I went grocery shopping the other day and decided to incorporate potato--I purchased 1 white and 1 sweet.

I thought I'd bake one (the white one) and eat half tonight with my steak. I plugged it into MY PLAN--~6 grams per oz--I figured a half was 4-5 oz. 24-30 grams for half a potato??!! I totally said no way--if I was going to eat 25-30 grams of carb I'd have an extra glass of wine and/or a LC dessert or save those carbs for an off-plan meal. Suffice it to say, I gave the potatos to my mom.

Was this totally paranoid?? or was it that the potatos really didn't hold that much of a facination for me.

I should say that I'm not totally paranoid. The other day when I was really hungry after 2 Zumba classes and working in the yard, I ate a piece of toasted Eskeial with my scrambled eggs. (and no, it didn't turn me into a crave monster or anything like that--it's that same loaf that's been in my freezer for a year )

So whattya think?

Let's hear it?

Lisa

OK Lisa, I'll take the bait. I'm not sure that you're going to like what I have to say though.

First lt me say that I admire your total willingness to still count all your carbs daily and enter it all into myplan daily also. That takes a lot of time and dedication.
All this work has enabled you to reach your ideal weight and learn how to maintain it.

This reminds me of my daily logging of my food into my journal as I lost my weight. It was my safety net. After I got to my goal it became a crutch, and one that I wanted to let go. It was scary at first but I felt it was the way to go to keep moving forward and grow into a person with healthy eating habits.
Am I perfect? No way, I am a work in progress and will be until the day I die.

But I do think that at some point, you do need to stop obesessing about the amount of carbs in 1/2 of a white potato...or having 1 slice of Ezekiel once in a while. Both are an OK food for you to eat in moderation and once in a while.

So, I hope that I haven't offended you with my opinion on this. I do hope that it helps!!

Lisa, Judy and all you ladies that have made it to goal or beyond, I just want to say that you are such an inspiration to me. I hope, no I will be in your place one day. I know that I would not even be where I am now without some of your encouragement and great advise.

Thank-you
Roxanne

Nahhh...you never offend. If I didn't want to hear it, I wouldn't of put it out there.

I didn't obsess over the potatos--just thought well hell, if I'm going to eat that many carbs I'd rather spend it on a nice meal or cripsy chicken tacos, not some lousy potato.

Excuse or not...you guys be the judge...

1. I'm an overeater. Logging really does keep me from overeating. Crutch or embracing your known limitations and using a tool.

2. Was it a fear of the "potato" or spend the carb allowance on something more tasty such as crispy chicken tacos from the taqueria...no fear there!

You'll be there before you know it!!!