How many of the maintainers on this thread are still maintaining... ( just a little research for my journey)

I am. It's been three years for me. I tend to gain back a few temporary pounds with carb creep caused by magical thinking ("I can eat just a little of this and get away with it"), then I pull myself together and get rid of it. That seems to be my pattern.

Me too. 8 1/2 yrs in maintenance.

I've technically been maintaining for about 10 years, altho three years ago, I thought I could handle a few bad carbs here and there - you know, the odd icecream, birthday cake, family meal....... and I slipped and almost lost control again. I went up by 20lbs, my arthritis, IBS and eczema returned !! So, I went back to induction and came back to the forum. I lost the 20lbs about a year ago and am maintaining again, in the knowledge that I can never eat bad carbs again. They are what alcohol is to a recovering alcoholic!!!! No wheat or sugar for me ever again!

Jo xxx

I'm maintaining, will be four years this August. I too drift up over my line in the sand, 169, top number for a healthy BMI for me, but not much. My thighs still look heavy but nothing else, still fit in smaller clothes. Staying on this board, having a Local LC support group, Reading, reading reading LC and Paleo research! keeps me focused on my health improvements. Seasonal allergies, eczema, arthritis, etc all cured..why would I go back to eating wheat and sugar which obviously (now! In my 60s, slow learner!) caused these things?

I noticed we are the same height, age??, Bone structure?? (I have a heavy one) but maintaining 147 would be a constant struggle for me. We all have to find that healthy weight for our stage in life, amount of muscle and exercise, and maintain that...not a number we were in college. Just wondered if that is part of your question?

I lost the weight in six months. The almost-eleven-years since have been maintaining!

I am 59.....small boned.....I maintained 142 for years.....BUT that was in my early 40's to early 50's......149 for 2-3 yrs at a time after that..Im trying to let my body settle on a weight....I love how Im eating but I know exercise is my key to maintenance...Im not struggling at all....refined carbs are my kryptonite....my slippage has been when I thought I could occasionally eat junk...I cant...Im hoping Ive learned..this time..

My goal is to really glean from long term maintainers....their wisdom has resulted in LONG term lifestyle changes...I know how to lose weight...where Ive stumbled is in maintenance.....

please share your wisdom!!

What are the keys to your success?

I'm still maintaining! I still eat low carb, I exercise, my health is excellent, and I love my lifestyle. Why the heck would I change anything?

I don't know about others, but the key for me to having success for 5 years is that I keep a daily food log where I count carbs. Every day, except maybe on vacation. That is the only way to know that I'm really maintaining my carb intake where it needs to be for me in maintenance. I think the carb level that each maintainer has to have will vary by the individual, based on their metabolism, hormones, activity level, age, and so forth. Personally I stay between 40-60 grams per day and I do a ton of athletics.

I have been maintaining for two years now, so I cannot claim to be an assured success yet. Keeping a food journal has surely helped me. I think the biggest help has been experimenting with all the foods I want to eat, so that I know how much of them I can eat and be satisfied by. By finding out which foods satisfy me, I was able to devise a maintenance diet that does not feel like a slimming diet. I never feel hungry, despite eating vastly less than I did before I lost my weight. So, to my surprise, there have been no crises.

I remember reading an article about long-term maintainers, which said that they are rare and tend also to be weird. I do not get the impression the maintainers on this forum are weird. But I do think we share a ruthless streak. You have to be really hard-nosed about maintainance to make it stick.

Thanks for putting this into words. I too, think its true.

Well said! We have to be ruthless with ourselves and with those around us who would sabotage us. I also keep a daily food diary, just jotting down the actual food consumed, not the carbs or calories. It keeps me honest with myself.

This is something that struck me as very true..

According to my friends and work colleagues I'm weird! I have a weird diet and never eat cakes! I dont think I have a ruthless streak, I'm no different to anyone who has conquered an addiction. But thats how I maintain, I have overcome an addiction and I'm a recovering carbolholic

Jo xxx