yes, you know, if you've ever stalled, you were really "maintaining"... maybe we all know better how to do it than we think...

Andrea, I am thinking the same thing...I maintained all summer last summer and again since Halloween with a very slight change since Christmas...If this is maintenance, then I won't have a problem as long as I continue to work out and eat right most of the time. I am with you MaryKay...I have maintained nicely right around 160!

__________________
Lori

232/190/130
My other journal http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1130

I'm within five pounds of goal--and I'm now 2 lbs. below what has been (forever!) what I considered an immutable set point. Maybe I'll actually reach goal this time?? Then what??

I've done several things better since I launched induction in January. Better tracking of carbs (and cals). Better supplements. Green tea!

I really hope the discipline I've learned this time around will help me tackle maintenance more intentionally and successfully.

I do know that it was a serious lapse from the program that caused me to gain weight, and I'm not going to do that again. At least, not so carelessly and not for so long.

__________________
Barb L.
Atkins since Jan 2003
Maintenance as of 4/05


My Fitday Journal

Yes, Barb, this way of eating HAS to be for life. Congrats on getting past that "immutable" set point! I had a few of those on this journey.

I have decided not to worry about it! Just keep on doing what I'm doing. And if I do drop too low, just add some of the traditional lc stall foods! One thing I do vow to do is never to eat real sugar again. The white flour may sneak in at Christmas with my traditional pierogis.

Andrea, I guess Mr. Bowden is just snowed under. Thank you for trying. Thank you ALL for your support.

__________________
Alida
5'1" ~ 59 years old
Highest weight: 165
Atkins 7/10/2004
160/126/125
RE-DO, January 2008:
167/162/135

One warning about stalls compared to maintenance. The scale might not be so kind at a smaller number. Meaning what you got away with at 160 and maintained may not be what you can do at 130.

Maintenance has been an up and down ride for me!

__________________
Monica
206/16?/155

I know that, but thanks for the reminder. I know I can't go back to my former way of eating, I also know that eating healthy and basically clean is the only way I will be able to maintain at any weight and then there is the exercise which is totally nonnegotiable!

__________________
Lori

232/190/130
My other journal http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1130

I think one reason I got discouraged and totally fell off the wagon last summer was a seemingly unbreakable stall. A year at least.

I don't know what caused it, but I couldn't seem to get past it. That's when a "what the heck" attitude became a real setback.

This time, starting out with "less far" to go, I've made a better plan for monitoring carbs/calories. I added L-carnitine, biotin, and green tea to supplements. I discovered that I was taking my thyroid medication in a counter-productive way (wrong time of day, calcium conflict) so I changed that. I'm eating more fiber (flaxseed cereal and wheat bran almost every day), more veggies, and less cheese and bacon. And, of course, I'm continuing an established exercise habit.

Right now, I'm a couple of lbs. below that "stall" mentioned above. Can I make it another five to my goal? We'll see.

Then the new experiment becomes: what to add back in??

__________________
Barb L.
Atkins since Jan 2003
Maintenance as of 4/05


My Fitday Journal

THAT will be our new challenge!

__________________
Alida
5'1" ~ 59 years old
Highest weight: 165
Atkins 7/10/2004
160/126/125
RE-DO, January 2008:
167/162/135

Jonny's answer - emphasis mine - (which is on the home page of http://www.LCLmag.com as our weekly Q&A):

Q. I'm almost at goal. What do I do now? I never want to experience those awful cravings again, and I am so comfortable with my current eating habits. What have you done to "stop" the weight loss but not gain? I am just not sure how to handle the reality of being "at goal!"

Editor's Note: we passed your question along to Jonny Bowden, M.A., C.N., C.N.S., who is a member of our Editorial Advisory Board. The author of the best-selling Living the Low-Carb Life had this to say:

A: First of all congrats. Now for the easy and fun part!

First, when you're sure that if you keep doing exactly what you're doing you're going to keep losing, it's time to add more food. It doesn't necessarily have to be carbs, and it definitely shouldn't be junk food (though feel free to have that occasional recreational food - you've earned it!). I would start small, with one food at a time. For instance, if you're going to do a whole grain like oatmeal or even bread, start with just that, and see how you feel. Also wait a couple days to see what the scale says. You want to add one food at a time to make sure there's no food sensitivities like to wheat or dairy that might be responsible for increased weight or decreased well-being. If everything's ok, try a different food next time. Eventually you'll find the food/calorie/carb level that let's you stay just where you are. Don't be afraid of a one to two pound fluctuation in either direction by the way.

You sound very motivated and very healthy! Just keep doing what you're doing and trust your body. You have learned to listen to what it really needs." - Jonny Bowden, M.A., C.N., C.N.S.

Note that Jonny said: "now for the easy and fun part."

I happen to know that Jonny is really BIG into "speaking what you want."
We all know(?) that maintenance is the HARD part....so why is he saying this?

Because he wants us to change our thinking...and look forward to it, and not be afraid of it. After all, that's what we've all been working toward!

It wasn't really the answer I was expecting him to give, - I thought he'd talk more about the psychological aspects... but maybe he did?

From all I've read on low carb support boards, the majority of us don't ~naturally~ find maintenance to be "fun and easy". Or may those who do find it easy just don't post much. So on the surface, JB's answer sounds a bit flip - as though he's glossing over the challenges. It's not too unlike what I remember from DANDR. I'm a little surprised that he didn't talk about exercise, but maybe he just takes that as a given.

Still, I think your interpretation - "Because he wants us to change our thinking...and look forward to it, and not be afraid of it." - may have some merit. I will try to wrap my head around the "fun and easy aspect" of maintenance.

FWIW, the only times that I've found maintenance to be easier was when I could exercise ~a lot~. When an injured foot made my favorite exercise forms problematic, maintenance became much more of an "issue" instead of just being a fact of life.

Barb, Alida a couple of years ago, we had a long running thread going for folks who were close to goal or with only 10-15 lbs to lose. We shared our diet tweaks (often, smaller portions, substitutions, etc.), cheered each pound gone, and had a pretty good time. Some of the vets would pop in with encouragement, comments and so forth. The dialogue helped me stay focused after a long stall about 7 lbs above my goal weight (hey! that's about where I am now - since New Years!!! dang!).

Perhaps, when you feel like the time is right, you could start up something similar.

__________________
~~~Teelbee
Back to GOAL!!!
start weight: 176/goal range: 137-134/now: 138
Reached goal in Aug. 2003 - 4rd year of maintenance.

I know what you mean teel, but Jonny is anything but flip. I might try to get more from him on this, or someone else. Of course, he hadn't seen the thread here, so he didn't know the context, and we (LCLmag) send him reader questions to answer from time to time. I probably did a poor job of passing along the question, because I didn't really include the context. So I would blame me more than Jonny.

Hi everyone!

This is my first time posting but certainly not my first time visiting. I've been lurking for quite some time.

I've been lowcarbing since last summer and I'm about where I want to be. I've been following Atkins, have read DANDR about three times, and I love this thread. I'm very afraid of maintenance, but after reading the discussion here, I guess it's a trial and error period. My fears are that I'll never be able to enjoy a slice of pizza or a slice of birthday cake, etc. And if I do, will I be able to stop at one slice? Should I not even think about tasting those things ever again? This is so frightening.

I love this site, and you guys have helped me so much. Especially in regards to water consumption!

Vayda,
Caongratulations on you loss.
I think it was Maggie that said when you change your way of thinking from "I can't eat that" to "I don't eat that", you have made a major step toward success. It's taken me a long time to get there, but I just don't eat pizza or birthday cake. I have been up and down the scale a number of times and the switch finally flipped. Maybe someday the switch will flip for you. Until then, be careful and keep a close eye on things. Creeping eating is a hard thing to control.

__________________
Judy
Goal = <135, Current status = RIGHT ON TARGET!
Never give up. Never never never never give up -- Winston Churchill

Thanks, Judy.

I've read Maggie's wise words before, but they never sunk in until I started thinking about maintenance. I've been so good over the past 7 months and I never expected the final challenge to be worse than the initial commitment. After the 2 weeks of induction, the cravings pretty much subsided. I sailed through the holidays without a single cheat or craving. Actually, I think the worst part was giving up caffeine. Now that my goal clothes fit so nicely, I find myself craving high carb foods. The only thing I can contribute it to is sugarless gum. In the past few weeks, I've had 2 or 3 pieces a day. It's sad to think that something as benign as sugarless gum can sabotage a diet regimen. But, I guess sugar alcohols aren't for me, so it's best that I ditch the gum.

Thanks for responding, and I think my new mantra will be: I don't eat that.