ROFL...Im considered weird.....but in a good way. ...Im a carboholic


...recovering....on the main board I cringe when the thread turns to"how much can I cheat and still lose weight".....

"Some, a few, a little, a slice - these are not your friends". This was said by somebody on the main board (wish I could remember who) and it's my mantra now. I say it to myself at least once a day when faced with somebody's carbage that they are trying to feed to me. These nibbles are the gateway to a giant, gaping, pit of failure that can derail an otherwise focused maintainer just the same as they can stop a loser. (I mean loser in a positive sense of course).

I rarely miss any of the carb intense foods...I don't feel "deprived"....that could change quickly if I started a carbfest"cheat" If you've been on here awhile you watch the progression from cheat to slide to disappear....later to re-emerge battered bruised and weight regained...some never return to the boards....I prefer most of my advice to be from long time maintainers..

I am one of those that fall again and again because I think I can eat a little and be fine or I simply say "screw it" and everything that makes me want more. Carb addiction anyone? I have been 6 weeks low carb bine free (DID EVERYONE READ THAT 6 WEEKS) and I truly believe what all the maintainers here say. We can not ever eat the sweets and grains again, we are not made to eat like "everyone else." I feel like I finally got that. . . now on to loose the weight and keep it off.

Good insight Jackie!

I'm still maintaining. I've had some hormone issues the past 9 months and have regained 10. I'm having a hell of a time trying to lose it. It may be that I won't, but I still keep the faith and keep at it. Right now my main concern is getting my hormones in order, stay the course, and keep on swimming.

I'm bumping this thread up.

There are conversations on the board about maintaining and getting to goal. Losing the weight is all of our first step. Keeping it off is a whole other aspect of our journey.
There are those who drink copious amounts of diet soda each day as part of their maintenance strategy. I'm not one of those people. There are those of us ( me)who eat 80-100 grams of carbs a day to keep variety and satiety in our food.
I've eaten that level (80-100)of carbs all through my weight loss and now in my maintenance. Now its my total intake that is more important. I have to watch my calories.

My advice is to not wait to reach your goal to find your carb level (CCL). Do it while you are still losing weight.

Im still working with what carb level/activity level keeps me at a stable weight..I like what I eat now....Ive added a few more things... I don't count calories..I tried for a couple of weeks....it became more of an obsession..so I am done with that...I can do the carb count stuff easily ...in my head without a lot of hassle ....what seems essential for me is...weekly weigh-ins and regular exercise..if I do that I have a good protective wall against denial...my old confounding acquaintance who longs to be my new best friend...sigh

I have been thinking about this for about a week, CCL and maintenance is going to be something new and difficult for me, but something that MUST be done so I can like yourself go the "full circle" I'm not quite halfway to my goal, when would those of you who are maintaining recommend switching from "induction levels" to CCL? My next stalls/plateau (usually lasting about a month) will be about now 210ish 198 186 and 177. Funny how I will never forget those numbers. The next one would be 168, however, not thinking that far ahead .... yet. Would love to hear your input.

ps still giggling about the weird maintainers....Im already weird, is it going to get worse :LOL:

I ate at induction levels for the first 6 weeks then experimented with food until I found a variety that I knew I'd be happy to stick with forever. I kept losing weight on those foods for a long time and when the weight loss eventually stopped, that was my maintenance weight. I was happy with where I'd landed and with my health. So it didn't matter anymore that I was a few lbs heavier than the unreasonable goal weight I had originally planned.

If you feel deprived, maintenance will be impossible. My advice would be find your own individual way of eating that you enjoy, that provides weight loss, and that you know you'll be happy with forever. When the weight loss naturally stops, you'll already be in maintenance. Of course, if you hate where you've landed and want to lose more, then you'll have to experiment to determine how much and what food you're able to give up, yet still be happy and satiated forever.

I really like the way you worded all of this, Whofan!

I recall going into this 10 yrs ago thinking that this had to be the last time I had to lose it. Knowing what I know about myself, I knew that I had to learn a new way to eat that would not allow me to feel deprived simply because I knew I was giving up so much already...for good. So yes, not feeling deprived with what you eat is a huge component to successful long term maintenance. For me, Induction/phase I levels were never going to cut it. I couldn't wait for my 2 weeks to be over so that I could have some berries.

OWL is the 2nd phase of Atkins. Use it to find your own way to eat that will keep you satisfied long term and not just for weight loss.

Love this!

Just re-read chapter on OWL and CCL....one thing stuck out "Am I willing to trade slower weight loss for more food choices?" I think I will forego at this time and stick with what I am doing, I have far too much more to lose and if I slow down now it may discourage me. This time around I have been using more recipes for different variety, so I am very satisfied with what I am eating at this time. Figuring out my CCL can wait until, as the book suggests, until I have 10-15 pounds left to my first goal. Thank you for your input.

That is what I did after researching what I would weigh if I ate the number of calories I knew I could be happy at. It was 150. I reached 160 and started adding just a bit. Since then, I hit goal and started experimenting with some good an dsome really bad results, but now I am where I know my body and mind wants to be. I can do this forever, now. And I am healthy again.

bumping this up