This week marks three years of following low carb. I am back within my goal weight, but was 5 pounds over my goal weight this summer. My body fat climbed from 12% to 16%. Although I continued to eat healthy whole foods this summer, I lowered my activity level and took a break from the 2 to 3 gym visits per week.

I believe less activity along with increased use of Carbquik (waffles or biscuits on weekends) led to the gain.

Worst of all, my body likes to gain in my neck and face. On a positive note, my blood pressure and cholesterol levels have remained excellent.

Returning to the gym and eating a Carbquik waffle only once per month seems to be the ticket. I estimate I eat about 50 - 75 carbs per day (lots of veggies). It's unfortunate, I thought maintaining with a low carb intake like this would be almost effortless.

Any other long term low carbers having a similar experience?

If you mean that pesky fact that you have to keep exercising and eating LC to keep the weight off... yes.

Congrats on three years of success so far.

Yeah, reality BITES!

I find that I must go to the gym and stay very active. And I work in a profession that keeps me up on my feet the majority of the day, too. In addition, I still have to keep carbs VERY low...like, less than 45-50 on a daily basis. I'm normally in the 30's.

I am very muscular, so even though I'm at the top-end of the healthy BMI range, I think I'm okay. That said, I'm not satisfied with my belly...saggy, loose, etc. But I was very fat when I had all three of my babies - all within 4 years, no less. So I think my reality is that my belly is never going to look the way I'd like, short of major surgery and I'm just not going to do that.

I am able to have some "goodies" on a weekly basis, though, and I'm thankful for that. I can have "real" pizza once a week as long as I control my portion. I ate loads of cookies, but confined it only to Christmas DAY, not the two weeks prior and the two weeks afterward! I think that's key...realizing that not every day is a special event and worthy of special-occasion foods.

Way to go on your 3 years at goal!!

I think that its great that you figured out it was the Carbquik effecting your weight. I've found that I can have Dreamfields pasta only once in a while for the very same reason. Even though these are low carb products, they are still flour!! I know that for my body, I need to be very careful with any flour, even low carb flour.

I see so many on this site getting involved with making and eating foods with Carbquik or other low carb flours and stall out and even gain...and can't figure it out due to the fact that their total carb counts are low. Flour is flour in my mind and IMO needs to be avoided or eaten rarely, until you are near goal. Even in maintenance, I remain very strict in my consumption of flour.

Once again...BIG Congrats on maintaining for 3 years!!

Congrats on making it 3 years!

I too have to limit the processed food. I love carbquik and dreamfield pasta, but I can't have it every day or I will gain weight quick. The good news is I can still eat it, but not as often (ie every day). That's good enough for me

Thanks so much everyone! I too enjoy Dreamfields as an occasional treat. A good pizza with lots of toppings and leaving most or all of the crust behind is another favorite treat. JudyNYC, you are so right about flour products -- even Carbquik. I almost always read the nutrition labels but Carbquik's is rather cryptic. A serving size is 17 grams. That measurement is not very intuitive (after some calculation, I have learned it is just a bit over 2 flat tablespoons)!

It's good to stay active so perhaps it's good my body requires it. Thanks!

Congratulations on 3 years.
E

Do you think there is any way that we can alert all the people who use these products, just how bad it is for weight loss?

I'm tired of saying it over and over only to have people tell me to mind my own business!!

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking, too. I haven't been able to lose the couple of pounds I picked up at Christmas - not too bad, but I'm back up to my goal weight and I really don't like that. So I'm thinking I'll need to cut out all wheat (I usually just have 2 or 3 things/weekly, say, a piece of very high-fiber toast or a couple of triscuit crackers) and see how that goes. I'm not so sure about cheese, though, since that is one of my 4 main food groups! My husband will be disappointed because he's been so happy since I've been eating at our favorite pizza joint with him once a week!

As for the Carbquik, I think it depends on where one is. When I still had loads of weight to lose, I could have 1 serving of Carbquik (which I measured as 1/4 cup) 3-4 times/week. No problem. I'm not sure my tolerance would be the same these days, though. Seems to dwindle as one's waistline does and then one must be more careful. Diligent, really, more than careful.

I've been diligent to get here and I don't plan to slack off and gain any weight back!

Just have to put my $.2 in - first congrats GeoUSA! Three years is an awesome milestone!!

Judy, you know that you and I are on the same page with this. For me (and Judy) flour/wheat/gluten is not a good thing for our bodies. I just recently found Dreamfields pasta and I think it's been a contributor to my overeating, cravings, etc. In discussing this with Judy, I've come to the conclusion that I just have to keep my consumption of these items at a minimum, even while just maintaining my weight. Just as a side note - I never ate those things while I was in weight loss mode. I think it was because I was afraid of them.

Now, why my body reacts this way to those foods? I've no idea- but I have to watch all those low-carb flour/wheat products such as the pastas, the tortillias, LC bread, etc. I do not think consumption of these types of products, on a regular basis, is a good idea for anyone trying to lose weight - regardless as to the low-carb plan they are on. But hey, what do I know?

Congrats again, GeoUSA!

Hi, GeoUSA. Just catching up with this thread, and wanted to add my congrats to your maintenance success.

Continued low-carb vigilance, and especially sustained activity levels, are key. It's easy to slip into little habits that add up to Weight Creep over time.

I allow a few days during the year when I'll choose to relax my plan for a while, but I take seriously Dr. Atkins' "five pound warning." It is way easier to drop 5 than 25, as I've learned the hard way more than once.

Best wishes.