Well..it sounds as if come hell or high water, you end up where you want to get back to, and are then able to just put on the cruise control. I suspect then, for you, that this time will be no different. Like I said before, there's no one size fits all method, so you gotta do what works best for you.

krystalr....

Thanks! Yeah, I guess it's a "Go with what you know works" for me...

I'm just going to take the one I know leads to a smaller butt

No-one has mentioned that it sounds like your regular diet is pretty similar to Atkins maintenance anyway, so I would think that adding 5 or 10 grams in the form of veggies, and perhaps cutting calories a bit by switching back to half 'n half and decreasing portion sizes would be exactly the right thing to do.

I'm also having a hard time picturing a woman 5'7" and weighing 128 as carrying extra fat! I'm 5'6", very small boned, and haven't any spare fat on me at 126.

Hi Rising Dezyn
I agree totally that you are on the wrong programme for you because you are fighting against it. This causes stress which also, in my opinion, prevents weight loss. I too could never do Atkins because it is far too strict for me, but I appreciate it is wonderful for many people. All I know is that low carb suits me best. I have wanted to eat whatever I want and be thin and time and time again I been driven back to just listening to my body. However, I think I really listen to whatever it is I want to eat because I would much rather have a slice of toast than eggs and bacon. However toast gives me heartburn, makes me fat plus other things. So, I have had to give up my dream to just listen to my body and eat whatever I want. I have been round and round in circles trying to do this for years. I lost a lot of weight leaving bread out of my diet a few years ago, but joined in with others and ate whatever and gained all my weight back again. Believe me, I have never been a junk person as in cakes, biscuits, fast food chains etc. I just could not understand that a bit of bread could cause so much trouble. I expect my body was directing me by giving me heartburn. I eat more the Paleo way, but not exactly. I follow my own direction, but I have decided that looking at the results of my body is my best guide. That definitely does not include many carbs. I think you should do what suits you and get rid of the stress you are building up within you trying to do something you clearly don't want to do. I truly wish I was you weight. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Am I missing something here?. ... there are many thing here I don't understand, but gaining weight when " ill " is not one of them. Apart from water retention and liver failure....?
May I say, also, that I live in one of the highest "Noted" longevity status in the world. As I live in a small medieval village it is one of the purest in authenticity and we do have quite a few that are in their 90, as well as the ones who make the 100. None of this will make a difference to me as I was born and lived for 48 years in Wales. But I do know what they eat, and have eaten for years and years. And believe me, they ate well, fat was their main stable diet, grains, beans, fruit, its all there, alcohol, nuts, sheep cheese and the meat. When they make cakes and biscuits, you realise that the item missing is cow.. struto ( lard ) rendered at home is the favourite fat. This with olive oil is the garnish of most of the food. Children were brought up to eat a brodo made of meat and salad vegetables and fruits were a must. Bread always, but remember, this was bread made from grain, milled, locally, pure, without anything added to the soil apart from animal manure , nothing taken away, nothing!. Sugar is the basis of most sweets and deserts mixed with nuts and dried fruits. They die here from many illnesses, but mostly from old age or accidents.. and their lies the problem... do you give up everything , or give up only a few things, live your life in a contented state, try to live within your bodies healthy ranges and then just die naturally as nature intended.
I know that stress has a huge, huge impact in peoples lives, but so does family. Do the best you can to ease the stress from the ones you love by just showing them you are there for them. By law in Italy, you are obliged to look after your family, gratis, in your home for however long it takes if they are destitute, without or not able to support themselves. Maybe, that's why people always think of Italians having large families..... From what I understand, it runs all the way to second cousins, great aunts, and in-laws.