Good Morning everyone!

This week let's try a weekly thread and see if that works better for everyone.

Jamian: Thanks for all the information. So happy you have joined us. It's nice to have someone around who understands the chemistry of all this. I will take your advice and check out my minimum protein req.

Amestyst1 (sp?): When I started gaining on carb down I switched to carb up, thinking that my metabolism had slowed down too much to lose on carb down. That happens every so often for me. Also, it could be what nepeta said, are you recording/calculating your carbs/cals to be sure you aren't creeping higher than you think you are?

Well, today I weighed in at 146.6!!! Ahhhhhhhh!!! I was away over the weekend, but thought I had done really well. I'm thinking it was the extra salt in everything, if so it should fall off quickly. I'm just under three pounds above my lowest which was 143.8.

Today, OBVIOUSLY, I'm starting carb down. I am going to incorporate some of the BANTA principles, i.e., lower protein and higher fat and see how that works, otherwise I think my basic up/down cycles will continue. I do enjoy the relief of the UP's. Also, I haven't been posting to fitday, so I am going to start that again today (as per nepeta's wise advice).

Well, I'm off to Curves, then I'll be back and see who's checked in.

Have a great day cyclers!

Good Morning Everyone~

Anita: Thanks for the welcome. I think you have started something here that may help alot of people. Looks like you may have your own book in the works....lol. Hey, I'll buy it.

Today I weighed in at 167. That is 2 pounds up from yesterday but last night was also the start of TOM. So, I am hoping that the gain is due to water retention.

Ok, so here is my question: I started carb up on Saturday at 167. Sunday Iweighed in at 165 and continued carb up. Today I am up 2 pounds, but TOM is here so should I continue with carb-up or switch to carb-down? I'm holding breakfast off until I hear from someone....lol.

I know htis is a very individualized plan but I'm hoping that someone can give me some first hand experience where TOM is concerned since this is my first carb-up cycle. Would it be better to continue carb up for another couple of days to give my body time to recognize that it is getting more cal's and carbs or should I switch now since I have the 2 pound gain?

Ok, gotta grab the paper and some coffee for this chilly morning in So. Florida. It's 65 degrees outside......burrrrrrrrr.

Have a wonderful Monday!

All I can tell you is carb up + TOM = enormous water weight gain for me. I went up 4 pounds from carb up and TOM coinciding. So be prepared for that to happen. It'll probably take me a week or more to shed that. *sigh*

I rather wish I'd stayed "down" for TOM, but the TOM munchies got to me and the low carb cereal and bagels were calling my name.



Woot! Glad to hear it appeared a second day in a row! Hot damn!

I lean towards carbing up during tom. I find if I carb down during this time it's hard to lose (because of what's happening hormonally) Also, carbing up seems a bit gentler on the body during tom. Seems like it's already going through a lot & I don't want to get myself more run down by restricting cals at this time.
It's a very individual decision, and it may take a few cycles before you can get into a groove of what works best for you. good luck

Hi Christy.

Hopefully someone else will come on soon to help. I THINK I would stay carb up a little longer. I have virtually no weight gain with TOM, so I really have no experience with your question. But, if you normally gain a couple of pounds with TOM, and you are comfortable that TOM is the reason for the weight gain, stick with Carb Up a little longer. Make it a day to day decision.

Can someone else help Christy with this? Maybe there is another opinion out there?

No Weight Gain With TOM??? Well, now I am just out right jealous, Anita!
My body holds onto water like a greedy child with a piece of fudge during TOM. I'm usually good for 3-5 pounds.

Enjoy Curves. I've heard of it but don't really know what it is. Wanna explain? Is it strictly exercise or is there a program that goes with it?

Good morning, all!

Anita, those extra few pounds will melt off you in a few days--you obviously recognize them as water gain, but I think you're wise to begin a carb down anyway--and going higher in fat usually helps with the hunger from a drop in calories, no? Remember how excited you got that first day your weight dropped to major virgin territory? I still feel your jubilation over that day! One pound at a time, you've been my inspiration over this long haul....

Christy, I can't help you much either with TOM questions, but Nancy LC surely can--she has great weight fluctuations before and after. Just an opinion, but if you know that you usually get bloated and maybe retain water at this point in time, you might try continuing carb up--provided you keep really good track of cals/carbs and don't give in to cravings, etc.--with an eagle eye on the scale. If you gain more than you already have, and begin to worry that you might have trouble getting the pounds off with just 2-3 days of carb down, perhaps then might be a good time to switch. This is just my personal intake after reading everyone else's posts about this devilish monkey wrench we call TOM!

As for me, yesterday was a major hunger day for me, always an indication that my body is burning itself. I tried very hard to keep to my day's meals, but I ended up eating 2 more tablespoons of soy-nut butter (a soothing, low-carb fave). Everything I ate yesterday got inhaled, practically! I feel better today. I weighed in between 113.5 and 113, but I'm still suspicious. I have my regular carb down schedule for today (still trying to keep at about 73% fat), so we'll see what happens tomorrow. I can tell you this: There's a flax roll-up and about 25 extra grams (4.5 oz) of boneless chicken breast with my name on them when I segue to carb up!

Later, guys~

Christy: Curves is a circuit weight training/cardio program for women. There are (at my Curves) twenty stations, ten are flat boards where you jump, jog, walk, etc., and ten are hydraulic weight machines. Every other station is a weight machine, the rest are the boards. Three times around the circuit takes about 30 minutes, then I stretch for 5-10 minutes, and I'm outta there! I don't like to exercise, but I do truly enjoy this. It is a weight training and cardio program at the same time.

We play games, earn "Curves" bucks to buy t-shirts and other stuff, and have a lot of mutual support and talk. I think that some Curves also incorporate the Curves diet plan, but ours has not done that as yet.

I was this weight MANY years ago (probably more than 20) and I was DEFINITELY NOT this small. Curves (and probably the Atkins style diet, too) has made a BIG difference.

About TOM: I've never had a weight gain problem with TOM, and now I'm perimenapausal (skipping periods), so TOM effects my life even less.

I'm sure there are some other cyclers who can discuss this issue much better than Sona and I, but I do agree with what Sona said. (I almost ALWAYS do! )

Wow, thanks Anita! I think I will look into Curves and see if there is one in my area.

I decided I will stay with semi-carb-up one more day. My calories are around 2000, my carbs about 33g, and my fat percentage is 73. Tomorrow I will carb-down again until I have steady weight or no loss for 3 days.

I will shoot for 70+ fat percentage when I carb-down and try to keep calories below 1200 and carbs around 15-20. That should be interesting.

Thanks for all the help and encouragement. You guys are the best!

Morning all. Anita I did Curves for a year and loved it. I thought it was good stepping stone to joining a gym and doing weight lifting. I think Curves helped make me stronger whereas when I did start lifting I wasn't as weak and frail as my friend/trainer thought I would be.

Today I weighed in at 173.5 ..not sure what is going on with my weight. Last Tues I weighed in at 175 and Friday I was 172.5. I haven't been 100% on my carb down but I am today. I will also be doing the Banta during carb down. I actually use coconut oil to keep my fat level high...I actually gulp down 2-3 tbls/day...I'm used to it now. And I'm gonna keep my calories under 1250. I also am adding 30 mins of cardio/day to my excerise routine. I usually lift 3-4 times/wk but didnt have time to stay at the gym for cardio (I have to pay for babysitting!!)
So I will walk at my lunch time or on my treadmill once I get the girls to bed at night.

Have a great week all!!

Hi all - great info here. I too am struggling with when to carb up/down. I am starting my second cycle today with a carb up. I lost 2 pounds into virgin territory with my first cycle but gave back a 1/2 pound this am. I think I need to rev metabolism again. Sounds like everyone is doing really well. Keep the faith ladies.

Hi, I'm pretty new to this as well. But on carb down I try to stick with meats, eggs, veggies a serving of cottage cheese, and a serving of nuts. I do have one cup of full cafinated folgers with half a packet of splenda and a little half and half.
On carb up I add root veggies like a baked potato or carrotts, low carb tortilla with either fajitas or taco meat, Often I will enjoy an half an apple. Very occasionaly I will have some low carb ice cream (usually during TOM). So far things have been great. Have done a few cycles and lost in the neighborhood of 5 pounds.
I have trouble keeping my fat content up though. Usually hovers around 60%. Am trying to up that though. Going to see how the others with the higher fat percentage fare this week. If well then I will eat some extra EVOO next time.
Best of luck to you. Let us know how you are doing and what works for you. It really can be a big help to all of us.

SONA: Way to go!!!!! I'm hoping for another good scale showing in the morning for you! You are so diligent, I know it will stay!

As for me this is day 2 of carb down and still a little up from the last carb up. Will try to drink more water today and make sure all the water weight is gone. Already did my walking today as well. My son is a little under the weather so have been up several times a night with him the last couple of nights. I think my weight will get back in line when I can sleep through the night again too. I think rest is really important because the low weights come in the morning.... At least I am hoping.

This is my first day of Banta-like carb down and I have to say... Ow, I'm hungry! My rather large piece of cheesecake didn't really fill me up. I think it's hunger from the 2 carb-up days though, so I'm just trying to ignore it.

NancyLC: This is my first date of Banta-like carb down also, but not having any hunger problems so far.

BF: 1/16 deep dish ham quiche with pat butter melted over
1 T cream in coffee

L: 1 large chicken thigh

It remains to be seen if I can get the protein/fat ratios right, particularly this first day. I'm off to the grocery store now to lay in supplies...

Hi, Apk! It's a juggling act on carb down to get enough food, eat enough fat, and maintain low carbs--that's for sure.

I'm currently trying for about 73% fat on 1200 cals/10-15 ish net carbs for carb down. For fat: I love macamadia nuts (1 oz or less), Brie cheese (60% fat content), gruyere cheese (yum), smoked sable (a fish, fatty and delicious, good fish oils, too), avocado (natch), low-carb soy-nut butter, egg yolks or whole eggs, and all the other foods everyone has cited. On cal/carb ups (1400 to 1600 cals/25-40ish net carbs), I'll add more lean protein, yogurt, strawberries, flax roll-ups (1/2), plenty of high-fiber veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, squash or pumpkin, garbanzo beans).

Good luck, and welcome!

Best, sona