The first time I low carbed, I lost down to goal (size ten pants) in six months, and stayed there for several years. I was happy throwing out all my "fat clothes" and not missing them!

I got a little weight creep, but nothing major. And I had a pretty loose maintenance program, with half a dessert when I went out to eat or an occasional serving of french fries from the best place in town or some carby sides when I grabbed a rotisserie chicken after an exhausting day at work.

Then I had a Perfect Storm of a bad winter; car in the shop for two months; below zero temperatures, no money... and Dreamfields pasta for dinner. I had all the rationalizations; finances, stress, my previous maintenance experience.

But I wound up sliding back into eating crappy processed food and gained 20 pounds or so. When I switched my spandex corduroys for my slim spring pants, I couldn't be in denial any longer. I went back on the wagon; and once again, the weight came off; back to where I'd been.

But I'd changed. I was no longer happy with that.

Last year I made it through another winter (when I get HUNGRY LIKE BEAR) successfully with increased cooking skills and going gluten free. This summer, I pushed the process further by ditching seed oils and dropping my unsuccessful experiment with "resistant starch." Bottom line: in my body, it apparently does not resist nearly enough.

Once settled into my Paleo Summer routine of meat, veg, high fat dairy and fruit eaten with a meal; no snacks, just two big meals a day... I've lost five additional pounds.

So I've set a new goal; ten more pounds. I've got that to spare And I've set a new attitude: I'm willing to give up anything. (After giving up all grains, everything else is... well, a piece of cake!) Baking with nut flours, listening to my appetite, be it big or small, and deciding on nothing processed; it gave me gifts I never expected.

I think successful maintenance is just as much a journey as losing the weight in the first, or second or third, place. Those "cheats" and "indulgences" didn't seem to be anything that would derail me. But now that I've stayed away from things like that long enough, I feel the stomach upset that wheat gives me, and I see the breakouts that I get from canola oil.

So I'm not really giving up anything.

Congratulations on your success Wearbear! Your story is an inspiration.

Thanks for sharing your story, WereBear!

Good luck with losing those last 10 pounds.

That's actually a good attitude to have because sometimes we have to, in order to get what we want. Unfortunately, so many people fail with their weight loss goals because of the things they are not willing to give up or do.

So true. I'm thinking of the classic I can't live without bread!

Often, that's the first thing people say when they find out I'm a low carber. Sadly, knowing what I know now about the health implications, what I often think is, And you won't.

Excellent post WereBear!