Wow, today is exactly 11 months since I seriously started this WOE and had a complete life-style change. Granted, I tried and failed to really commit from 24 May to 4 July 2013 when I weighed in at 265. I’d do really well for 4 or 5 days eating to plan and then reward myself with really bad food (those toxic, poisonous, insidious killer crappy carbs). Then I’d feel guilty and go back to eating clean. And the cycle repeated like it’s always done my entire adult life. That worked like a charm -- NOT.

But I did manage to lose 15 lbs yo-yoing for 6 weeks before 5 July --my personal Independence Day from being morbidly obese. On that day, I was determined not to continue to be morbidly obese anymore. I really wanted to start the school year healthier and a somewhat thinner me. And I knew in my heart of hearts that by continuing to yo-yo I would not accomplish that ever.

Sometime after 5 July, 2014, something fired in the old brain cells, something really “clicked” about what my true goal was and how eating carbs would never ever allow me to stay at my personal weight goal when I reached it. I wish I knew when that occurred and why I was finally figuring this out after so many years of weight loss, 100s of pounds lost and regained. I am not going to dwell on that because I finally got it! I have to take ownership for the fact that I am a recovering morbidly obese carb-addict. There’s no other way to describe me.

Holy Hannah -- a total of 11 months without cheating except for the Thanksgiving Fiasco of 2013. I have never been this completely committed to this WOE before. Actually before it was a means to an end -- truly only a diet. That once I met my weight goal, I’d go back to eating those crappy carbs and the weight would come back on with a vengeance plus some. Why did I think I could eat crappy carbs and stay within my personal weight goal? On what planet does that make any logical sense?

But this time it’s totally different -- I have made a 180 mind shift to what I need to do to continue being successful in keeping off the weight. This has been an interesting 11 month journey so far. I’ve learned a lot about myself: my portion control issues, how I like to feel really full when I eat, how many kcals and carbs I can safely eat without gaining or losing weight (<1400 kcals & <14 carbs daily).

I also learned that those toxic, poisonous, insidious killer crappy carbs are so NOT worth eating. A few nanoseconds of pleasure eating some crappy carb and I’d be so disappointed in myself for letting “Fat Jo” take over. Actually, thinking about purposefully eating some crappy carb makes me ill. I don’t ever intend to eat those especially dangerous carbs (flour, sugar, sugar in a skin veggies etc.) Remember I have the power to decide what I eat and don’t eat. No one puts a gun to my head and says “Eat those CARBS or you die!” Eating those carbs will however, kill me.

It has always been my decision to make good or poor food choices and I shall continue to make the proper food choices as I continue on my A ’72 LC WOE journey. This journey is far from over. Actually this is chapter 2 because it has only now truly began since this part of the journey is the most difficult -- maintaining the weight loss. I have never ever successfully accomplished this part of the journey. But I shall this time and I will be successful -- I take full responsibility for all my actions especially those that concern my WOE.

Twenty-five days without a gain or a loss. Weeeeeehooooo!

I think I have truly found my maintenance threshold for daily kcals and carbs: <1400 kcals & <14 carbs. Actually my carbs never exceed 12 daily.

I also found out the other day that since I eat only one meal a day that I am doing something called "Intermittent Fasting" it's cool to be able to put a name to it. So I am not only doing A '72 but I am also doing IF!!

This was posted on the thread called Refuse to Regain:

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthre...0&page=22&pp=15



Here's the part of the article that really spoke to me:

In short, if you've had a reasonable weight loss and you find yourself stuck on a plateau for a month or more, consider rewarding yourself for having nailed a month of maintenance.

Hallelujah!!! That's exactly what I have accomplished!

I am on day 27 without a gain or loss -- so I am now in maintenance!! It's really freeing to know that. So my maintenance threshold for daily kcals is <1400 and 10-12 carbs.

Congratulations! Where you are is a nice place to be and you are right to enjoy it!
Thanks for the link.

Thank you for the kind words Skimo. This is the hardest part, staying on track and maintaining the weight loss, but I am up for the challenge because I feel so amazing -- better than I did in my 30s and 40s.

Your stats say you are in France? I was born about 50k outside of Paris. My mother was French, my father an American military member. I spent 38 years of my 55 years all over Europe.

Yes I am, I live in Burgundy right now but I have been moving around the East of France and worked in Paris during two years.

I had two military grand fathers and a german grand mother, it seems like moving around is in my genes...

Moving was in my genes too -- I loved it when we did it, but I love being in one place now. Probably has to do with age.

Today is day 29 without a gain or loss. So I guess I really have found my threshold for maintenance with <1400 kcals and 10-12 carbs daily.

I know it sounds awfully low, but the numbers don't lie. I am super excited that I am in maintenance without worrying about what my maintenance numbers are. I have not really had to tweak anything or play around by adding more carbs. I kinda just stopped losing the weight.

Okay this really wasn't supposed to happen, but I lost another pound!

Of course I'm excited. It had been 31 days since my last loss.

Maybe it's a good thing since I am going to Florida on our "Girls Get Away" with eldest DD to meet up with youngest DD who lives in Tampa (as well as my dad and twin bro who live in Central FL). They haven't seen me in 3-4 years, so this is going to be exciting... can't wait to see the looks on their faces...

You're doing so well in your maintenance, Jo.

Have you noticed that you are using your 'success story' as a journal to chronicle your maintenance journey? I use my journal to do that and have been for many years. Journals are the place for this kind of thing.

Thanks Judy! Im confused, am I not suppose to post here as a journal? so I should start a journal? Thanks in advance for answering my questions!!

I think that your ongoing posts regarding your maintenance are better placed in a journal.

I've always viewed our success stories as that, a success story. You can see the others that are there and or see mine.
Each time you post to your own success story, it comes up in posts again and again...sort of like you are continuously trumpeting your success. Not that that's a bad thing, but it'd be a good idea for you to have a journal here anyway as that is where we all keep track of many different aspects of our journey.

Thanks Judy!! I see what you mean now... So basically, once I had lost the weight I was "done" with the success story? So all along I should have been keeping a journal and that's where I do the entries?

You know I didn't originally have this under "success" -- admin moved it from another section of the website... maybe I should contact them and have them move the entire thing over to journal and continue there?

That's really up to you. But the way I see it is that your original post is your success story. You can start your journal and then ask them (very nicely) if they'd move designated posts from this thread into your journal. Its extra work for them to do that.

I know that it wasn't started as a success story and that they moved it. They do work hard to keep things in order here so that all aspects of this community have consistency.

Thanks Judy! Your explanation makes perfect sense.
I won't post anymore about maintenance on this thread and I'll start a journal.