Maintenance Frustration

[knicknack]

Re: Maintenance Frustration

Yay silly, that's great!

As for me, it turns out I got TOM today, NINE days early. So thats probably why I gained the 2 pounds I bet. So, I'm less upset about it. :P But, we'll see how it goes.

[dotsamantha]

Re: Maintenance Frustration

Jen, this thread is the thread I would have posted if I hadn't read down first. I'm fighting 5 pounds over the past few months. Up and down. I feel good in the morning most of the time, but fluffy by the evening. My food has been good/bad, good/bad. I lose 4 or 5 and by the next week it's back. So annoying. I do induction for a week or so and go back to pre maint/maint. I think I need to take another look at what I'm doing (not doing). I need to be here more for sure.

[sillygirl]

Re: Maintenance Frustration

Hey Samantha! What are you doing (or not) that's different? Are you eating a bit too much legal foods, or too many carbs? I think we all pretty much decided not to go all the way back to induction. Perhaps if you just drop the carbs by 5 per day you will lose those 5 again!

[Condor]

Re: Maintenance Frustration

Out of interest, I have also gone up two or three lbs in the last week or two. However I am convinced it is because of the results of my pilates. I am determined to stick with using my clothes as a gauge not the scale. I also find taking measurements as frustrating as using the scale as they can be all over the place but I put it down to water and perhaps not always measuring in the exact same places. Maintenance can be awfully difficult sometimes and because I am not working at the moment I find I obsess about food, however I love this thread as the support here is great and everyone has such interesting stuff to say. Let's keep it going as it keeps me focused and it's nice to know one's not alone.

[ValidRouge]

Re: Maintenance Frustration

Condor, I notice the measurements being all over the place as well as the scale, too.

[Fatalblue]

Re: Maintenance Frustration

I have not hit goal yet but after reading this thread I really feel like I'm having similar problems. My weight has been fluctuating between 129 and 125 for a LOOOOONG time. Sometimes I think it might be muscle gain and other times I think I retain water (like after long hikes or exercise). Regardless, I have not been lower than 125 since about September 06. There is one other possibility that I have thought of... stress. I was losing weight at a normal rate and hit 123 in September. Late September I started grad school and since then I have been struggling between 129 and 125. Occasionally I've been bumped up to the low 130's! My measurements are relatively stable and don't seem to change too much with the pounds going either up or down. It's frustrating but it's good to know that there are others with this issue.

I'm curious to know if any of you have been stressed out and unable to lose weight because of the stress? I can't think of any other reason for my mysterious 5lb fluctuation. Maybe my body just really likes that range?

[sillygirl]

Re: Maintenance Frustration

Stress probably does have something to do with it, but on the other hand you look very slim. Keep in mind a goal is just a number. Maybe 125-129 is your natural weight and that's they way your body likes it! Sometimes we just have to resolve ourselves to the fact that our bodies kinda know what they're doing!

[Fatalblue]

Re: Maintenance Frustration

That's very true, and I've thought about it a lot. I guess I'm going to see what happens, if I get to my goal, that'd be great. If not, I'm okay with that too! I'm pretty happy where I am.

[sillygirl]

Re: Maintenance Frustration

That's very true, and I've thought about it a lot. I guess I'm going to see what happens, if I get to my goal, that'd be great. If not, I'm okay with that too! I'm pretty happy where I am.

That's the greatest thing of all, you're happy where you're at!

[Maerow]

Re: Maintenance Frustration

I was freaking out, I weighed myself yesterday and today and was at 133 lbs, up from 130-131...couldn't figure it out, I was sure it was water weight, but I wasn't bad...then my alarm went off for my birth control pills, and then I realized I am only two days away from TOM. Dear patron saint of low carb cheesecake, that awful thing can really sneak up on you!

So I feel better now. A week from now things should be looking better scale-side.

[Condor]

Re: Maintenance Frustration

Well it's been a few days since my last post on maintenance and I thought I'd bring you guys up to date on my progress.
I started to put on a few pounds going back to maintenance and after great success with my fat experiment I did begin to get alarmed.
Anyway those lbs came and went. I am definately experiencing a new thing since the experiment. Along with my pilates and exercise I seem to cycle with gaining a couple lbs here and there and then loosing them but all the time feeling leaner. My "skinny" clothes feel great and as long as I don't get hung up by the scale all is OK. Even with measuring nothing changes much but zips zip up easier and I just feel great.
BTW I still keep my protein amounts quite low but am definately upping my carbs and enjoying them. The main thing with the high fat - which I think is the most valuable - is that there are never any cravings. I am going very much with my appetite feelings at the moment and because I am packing my house up to leave I don't spend much time thinking about food. Overall I feel better with the higher fat, moderate carb. but lower protein and I will continue with this, upping my carbs gently as I don't need to loose any more.
I won't have my usual exercise routines over the next three months but I have found that a change in environment usually brings weight loss for me anyway, so I might just really really enjoy by veggies to compensate. Hope you are all doing well out there and that you find this useful.
Claire

[mitzimarie]

Re: Maintenance Frustration

Claire,

I find your information quite useful. I really do appreciate you taking the time to keep us updated.

[sallyseachange]

Re: Maintenance Frustration

Well it's been a few days since my last post on maintenance and I thought I'd bring you guys up to date on my progress.
I started to put on a few pounds going back to maintenance and after great success with my fat experiment I did begin to get alarmed.
Anyway those lbs came and went. I am definately experiencing a new thing since the experiment. Along with my pilates and exercise I seem to cycle with gaining a couple lbs here and there and then loosing them but all the time feeling leaner. My "skinny" clothes feel great and as long as I don't get hung up by the scale all is OK. Even with measuring nothing changes much but zips zip up easier and I just feel great.
BTW I still keep my protein amounts quite low but am definately upping my carbs and enjoying them. The main thing with the high fat - which I think is the most valuable - is that there are never any cravings. I am going very much with my appetite feelings at the moment and because I am packing my house up to leave I don't spend much time thinking about food. Overall I feel better with the higher fat, moderate carb. but lower protein and I will continue with this, upping my carbs gently as I don't need to loose any more.
I won't have my usual exercise routines over the next three months but I have found that a change in environment usually brings weight loss for me anyway, so I might just really really enjoy by veggies to compensate. Hope you are all doing well out there and that you find this useful.
Claire

Definitely useful. Thanks for the updates.
I too have just had a small weight loss after a change of environment (vacation)... in spite of eating more carbs (nuts and fruits); but I put that down to very long walks... often ten miles. Didn't need or want to lose the weight particularly, but it's nice to have a wider buffer zone.

[Condor]

Re: Maintenance Frustration

Hi everyone. I am leaving home in Bermuda and DH and I are off to Europe for a year maybe two. We have rented our house here as we were getting bored and decided to shake things up and have a change. We'll be in the UK and then making a base in Malta but travelling a lot through France and Italy. Internet will be rare for me for a while but when I get the chance I will let you know how maintenance is going. I have a few issues to deal with for a while ie; no home, so no fridge, no treadmill, no pilates teacher so we'll see how I do. Thanks for all your interest everybody, keep the thread going and good luck and happy atkineering!
Claire

[sallyseachange]

Re: Maintenance Frustration

Bon Voyage Claire! Your long trip sounds quite wonderful!
When, in your wanderings, you find the odd internet caffè it would be great to get the odd quickie update of your travels and how you're doing at maintaining... though I'm positive you'll be ultra successful at that.

Have fun!