April Challenge: Maintainers Back on Track Thread

swim777 wrote: »

zeejane4 wrote: »

[Week Two]

Name: zeejane
How long in maintenance: 6 years
Goal maintenance range: 130lbs-135lbs
Current weight: 132.8lbs
Current goal: continuing to research and experiment with a lower carb woe (transitioning from a high carb, mostly plant based diet)

Saw a number on the scale I haven't seen in over a year, now in the 132lb range. I set my maintenance range 130-135 but for the last year it's really been 135-143. It's nice to see numbers on the scale closer to what my original goal weight range was, from the earlier days in my maintenance phase.

Still doing the lower carb thing right now, with a loose goal of 50-75g net carbs a day. Finding that a higher fat, increased protein way of eating is making me feel full, for longer. Before this experiment I swore up and down that a higher carb ratio did this for me, but thinking it through I realized I was snacking a lot, with the higher carb intake, which was letting in extra calories that I wasn't really paying attention to. I'm learning a lot about myself through this experiment right now.

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I'm noticing that every time I want to overeat, I’ve changed something..and it may simply be having carbs instead of protein...kind of an epiphany for me!

It really has been eye opening-I was eating a lot of 'healthy' carbs-lots of whole grains, beans, fruit etc. But, my calorie intake was getting pretty loose with this-I was labeling Wheat Thins as a whole grain (hey, the box says it is ), and I was going through two boxes a week. I do struggle with savory/salty type things-crackers, chips etc. I now realize it doesn't matter if it's a 'healthier' option, I just cannot eat those kinds of foods in moderation. And the sprouted whole grain 'super healthy' bread I was eating every day. The larger and larger amounts of fruit, (that I started mixing into things like whipped cream and pudding) etc etc.

Instead of the crackers my go-to now is cottage cheese or bell peppers with dressing. Totally different taste/texture and macros makeup. Totally different response-I just cannot over eat cottage cheese lol. I'm still eating fruit every day, but I'm sticking to berries and avocado in green smoothies and no fruit outside of this (I can only fit so much into my mixer cup so it's forced portion control). This also removes the temptation to mix the fruit into other calorie dense ingredients. I still have several loaves of bread in the freezer but I don't know if I'll eat it-I may just avoid it for now since it just leads to wanting more of it.

zeejane4 wrote: »

I'd love to join in

Name: zeejane
How long in maintenance: 6 years
Goal maintenance range: 130lbs-135lbs
Current weight: 134.4lbs
Current goal: continuing to research and experiment with a lower carb woe (transitioning from a high carb, mostly plant based diet)
Recent success: lost the winter weight gain I was struggling with. Some of it was water weight from the reduction of carbs, but I'm also tracking my calorie intake and some of it is actual loss as well. Either way my jeans fit nicely again so yay

Hey @zeejane4 curious about the transition from plants to low carb? Are you adding animal products back? Generally, how do you feel?

nowine4me wrote: »

zeejane4 wrote: »

I'd love to join in

Name: zeejane
How long in maintenance: 6 years
Goal maintenance range: 130lbs-135lbs
Current weight: 134.4lbs
Current goal: continuing to research and experiment with a lower carb woe (transitioning from a high carb, mostly plant based diet)
Recent success: lost the winter weight gain I was struggling with. Some of it was water weight from the reduction of carbs, but I'm also tracking my calorie intake and some of it is actual loss as well. Either way my jeans fit nicely again so yay

Hey @zeejane4 curious about the transition from plants to low carb? Are you adding animal products back? Generally, how do you feel?

I feel really good, actually better than what I was feeling before on the mostly plant based diet. The bloating I was dealing with is completely gone, (as well as being gassy every night, TMI lol), I've lost a few pounds and am now back into my maintenance range comfortably, and I've had a significant decrease in appetite. The only downside so far is that I had a couple restless nights of sleep the first week.

Yes, adding quite a bit of animal products back in. Eating meat/seafood 1-2 times a day now, as well as 1-2 eggs almost every day. Also have switched from low fat dairy to full fat, (with the exception of my Greek yogurt for my green smoothies-the 0% fat kind I use has fiber in it and brings the net carbs down quite a bit). I've completely cut out beans, from a serving a day, have cut whole grains down to 0-1 serving a day vs 4-6 servings a day before, (and have completely cut out 'white' grains all together). I've reduced my fruit intake as well, to berries and avocado for the most part. Veggie intake has stayed about the same, I still eat a lot of them I've also started using real butter and full fat condiments (dressing etc). I've also pretty much eliminated added sugar, except for trace amounts in condiments etc.

Lots of changes but I'm tolerating them really well and I'm enjoying this way of eating right now, so I plan on keeping at it for the time being. I still have enough wiggle room with my carb intake to eat whatever I want, if I start to crave something or we go out to eat etc. but I actually haven't really wanted to stray away from my plan, with has been surprising to me. I genuinely just don't want the higher carb stuff right now. I was at a baby shower this past weekend and it was a brunch style meal-bagels, muffins, cake etc. I didn't even want those foods though (which I've always liked in the past), and instead chose the crust-less quiche and berries dipped in cream cheese, with ice water instead of the fruit juices offered. Left the event feeling satisfied and having no urges for the foods I did not eat!

Will we have a May thread? This thread has been helpful. I, for one, would like to see it continue.