nepta

I have my goal at 155 but I am working to get below goal so I have some "bounce around" room. I want to never see anything over 155 again and I find that my weight can bounce quite a bit when I maintain.

I added in more good carbs because I am close to goal. I am basically eating "maintenance" on UP cycles. I found that when I went from "low carb" to "moderate carb" I gained a lot of water weight (at least 5 pounds). By upping my carbs to the level I can maintain, I do not have to worry that I will see that water weight gain.

I was at 155.5 in May but bounced up to 164 when I got back to maintenance eating. I had surgery in March and again in May and was treating an abscess for weeks before the second surgery. I wasn't eating much so lost the weight. Once I felt better and my eating returned to "maintenance", I gained a lot quickly. Then in August I went very low calorie and went down to 155 again. I went back up to 162 when I added back calories. I had slowed my metabolism because I wasn't eating and I wasn't exercising.

I spent September and October eating maintenance and exercising a lot. I lost 2 pounds in October. Then on 11/8 I started in WLM.

When I come off my down cycle I plan to up calories gradually. I will add 300 calories a day for 2 days, then another 300 a day for 2 days, etc. until I get to about 2200. I will monitor how my weight responds. Then I am going to slow down a bit on the exercise. I have to learn what will work as an ongoing WOL.

I have learned that it isn't just taking the pounds off, it is finding what will work for me to keep them off.