Back to Maintenance - For Good - Yay!

     

     My highest viewed blog page is the one where I admitted I had some regain.  So I thought I'd share that I'm now back into full blown maintenance for good (hopefully).  After taking my measurements I realized I'm smaller than ever, or at least since age 11 or thereabouts. I gave myself permission to slip back into maintenance about a week ago, after struggling for almost 2 years, spinning my wheels. Oddly, this week lost 1 lb, which I didn't deserve (mathematically), but could be because of my Inmotion elliptical machine, which I absolutely love.

     I'm 6 lbs up from my lowest weight, 7 lbs up from my dream weight.  I will continue with my original maintenance 1000 / 2200 plan, with an occasional Controlled Cheating day.


     My rear is still quite fluffy and could use some shrinkage.  Everywhere else I'm bony. I joke about being lopsided, but I suspect I have a touch of body dysmorphia, as a result of having had 65+ inch hips.  I see myself looking similar to this:

though in reality, my hips are only 2" bigger than my bust.  Good enough.  The rest of my journey will be done through exercise.

     The JUDDD calculator has me at 1730 for my UD, but that low number makes me feel quite whiny, to be honest.  And who couldn't be excited about eating 2200 calories every other day?

     

     This week I'm ordering a fitness watch and see where the exercise will take me. I'm rather excited because i'm finally to the point where I feel an actual desire to do more physically. It only took me 5 yrs to get there.   

     So very thankful for my Lord Jesus Christ Who guided me to this way of eating.

     Have you lost 50+ pounds with ADF?   The road of maintenance is a daily challenge.  Join us here, for support and understanding. 

Stop the Insanity! Calories DO Matter!

     Calories don't matter? Quit listening to the "diet experts" and listen to someone who's proven himself with a huge weight loss. This guy speaks so much sense! Quit drinking the Kool-Aid! If you don't, you'll continue to scramble and not achieve your goals.

     Realistically, only 1-2 % keep their weight off in the end. Shouldn't this be reason enough to listen to long term maintainers, rather than diet gurus? I'm all ears when i hear of someone who's lost 100 lbs (without WLS), my ears perk up. Someone who's lost 20 lbs just does not have a clue on the true struggles of obesity.

My Take On JUDDD - How I lost 130 lbs

Before: 293+ lbs; After: 163 lbs with JUDDD & CAD combined (maintenance since March, 2014).  I HIGHLY recommend getting Dr. Johnson's book if you're serious about this journey.  The book is jammed packed with information.

JUDDD will work if you follow the protocol outlined in the book and therefore creating deficits.  JUDDD, in basic terms, is an alternating up / down pattern of eating.  There's a bit of magic (namely, the SIRT1 gene), but mostly it's math.  If it doesn't work for you, you are eating too much or not enough protein.  This lifestyle works because it keeps your metabolism primed with the UDs, while the DDs knock the weight off.   Follow the JUDDD formula outlined in the book, which will give you the UD amount appropriate for your size and age.


How I did it:
  
     1.  On DDs, 500 calories, eating them all within 1 meal, I ate to live, keeping carbs low for satiety's sake.   I did drink 1 or 2 diet pops and/or Crystal Light almost every DD, chewing a lot of sugar free gum to keep from eating.
     2.   UDs, I ate 100 g protein, letting carbs fall where they may.  I indulged in whatever dessert I was craving at the time.  
     3.   I do not recommend cutting out any food group.  Cutting out carbs is something I can't do long term, so to expect that wasn't reasonable.  
     4.  I followed "carb concentration" in weight loss mode, which helps curb cravings.
  
There are an unlimited number of ways you can do JUDDD; however, eating a lower level of protein will lessen any diet's effectiveness.   Calorie and carb cycling is the pattern that worked for me, but I do not believe that there is a better formula for weight loss.  (For maintenance, the only thing I've changed is to increase my DD calories to 1000+.)
  
     Protein go-to's are:

• Cottage cheese
• Beef gelatin
• Poultry
• Fish
• Whey protein
• Jennie O turkey burger
• Oscar Mayer turkey sausage
• Oscar Mayer turkey lunchmeat
• Eggs
• Mozzarella

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Overthinking: Making JUDDD Work for ME

     In my initial JUDDD forum, I was often accused of overthinking the process.  As-is, it's a totally calorie counting regimen, but I needed more structure.   From the get go, I was also paranoid of regain.   Maintenance is something I've voraciously studied, and at the same time, worked at fine tuning exactly what my mind/body need for this lifelong journey.
     "Just tell me what to eat!"  I often hear people say.  They want a diet plan they can follow and go on autopilot.  Isn't it better to eat the healthy foods that you're currently craving, fitting them into a bare bones outline, making it fit us individually?

     JUDDD the Jeneric way was quite simple:  500 calories (almost no carb); 2200 (100 g protein, filling the rest in healthy choices, including an "unhealthy" dessert if you so choose).

     Diet programs all have one thing in common:  they curtail calories.  If they curtail carbs, they're basically really sneakily curtailing calories.   Yes, curtailing carbs helps with satiety, protein helps keep the metabolism stoked, but the bottom line is calories, whether we want to admit it or not.  There have been studies proven to show that eating within a specific window does burn more calories, BUT... the percentage is too minimal for me to concern myself with adding another "rule".  What's 1-3%?  Forget it.  I don't need another restriction.  Keeping my calories low and protein up, is enough of a restraint, and it's worked for me.
     I established my pattern of very low carb on down days, with 100 g protein on up days through trial and error.  My rules are that simple.  However, I have taken a day, here and there, and eaten nothing but junk on an up day.  It's not something I do weekly, because the aftermath of a higher carb up day makes the following down day harder.  Carb overloading revs my cravings, which is something I'm always trying to prevent.  Carb restriction is a tool I use to control cravings.  It doesn't control the scale one iota.
     Enjoying holidays, even going overboard with calories/carbs, in the large scheme of things, it doesn't make things worse if it's compensated for afterward.  The afterglow of a bigger-than-average eating day spills over into the next day or two, paving the way for easier down days.
     I believe it is important to overthink this process, to make JUDDD work for you, in order to learn how your minds/bodies work.  To go on autopilot may work for awhile.  I often express to DH that I can't understand why so many balk at counting calories.  We balance our checking accounts, so what's the difference?  He is quick to point out that most probably don't.  Ahhh... there in lies the difference in personalities, perhaps.
     We often think of our diet in terms of our daily calories.  However, I plot out my menu and calories like a checking account:  If we overeat today and the scale doesn't reflect that tomorrow, I assure you, the scale will play catch-up in time.  By the same token, undereating may not show up on the scale tomorrow, but it will eventually reflect the work we've put into it.  It really is mostly math.
   

The Elephant in Every Diet Forum: Weight Regain

     My hobby horse is the elephant in the room in every diet forum: post diet regain. Why do I keep bringing it up?  From age 15-22, I lost 60 pounds, and I don't want to have to lose it again for a third time! No one wants to hear me say that statistically 98% regain their lost weight by year five. If we keep our heads in the sand, good luck with that.

     Staggeringly, 90% begin regaining almost as soon as they arrive at goal, gaining it all by year's end, usually with a bit more in tow. If that's the case, it stands to reason that once you get to goal, you MUST be more alert than ever. Get your head out of the sand and plan ahead. Fail to plan or you may as well plan to fail.

     My plan is to continue maintaining... one carb at a time. I refuse to go the keto or LCHF route. They don't have any better stats than I do, so why suffer?

     This is a good video about how to help prevent regain.  Lots of wise information:

https://youtu.be/A3gTGLulLnI

1000 Calorie Down Days

   

There's more than one way to skin a cat.

     Okay, bad analogy coming from a gal that owns a Siberian Forest cat cattery, but you get the picture.  😀   JUDDD can be done in an almost limitless fashion.   In most people, one higher day per week may be sufficient.  My body lowers its metabolic rate within a few days of starting a typical diet.  So in order for weight loss to not stagnate, I need at least 2 higher days per week.  This has been key for me, having done a lot of experimentation, including 2-3 down day stretches to offset days to fit in a lovely up day holiday.
     At 293+ lbs, I used 2200 / 500 until calling "goal".  (I ought to have started out with 2400, but my scale was defective.)   However, is it necessary to stick with this type of two day set only for this to work?
     Take these figures and stretch them out over three days, to arrive at the same calorie average, creating calorie deficits.  This is how a three day stretch would look, giving you the same deficit:

• Up day - 2100
• Dn day - 1000
• Dn day - 1000

     Your figures will be different depending upon the JUDDD calculator.  Having a decently high up day is crucial for this pattern to work both physically and mentally.  I'd shoot for at LEAST your TDEE, to reap the best benefit.  Of course, if your metabolism isn't compromised, this may not even matter, in which case, about any diet would work for you.

Food Police - Go Home!

     

It is Better to be Thin and Eat "Bad" Food Than it is to be Overweight and Eat "Good" Food... While I'm not advocating bad eating - in fact, it's just the opposite - it is important to understand that body weight supersedes other risk factors.

Dr. James Johnson, author of "The Alternate Day Diet", pg. 10

Your body weight is more important than the precise balance of healthy and unhealthy fats or whole grains versus refined carbohydrates or the number of servings of vegetables you eat.

Dr. Walter Willett, Harvard Medical School

     Food policing is putting the cart before the horse.  We are all a work in progress, and almost all of us work better when we take baby steps.

     We all know that we should be eating more healthfully.  We don't need to necessarily be told that organically grown vegetables are better for you than the moldy ones Walmart puts out.  We all know that drinking water's better for us than drinking diet pop, but if diet pop is keeping me from eating a donut, it is a better choice... at that moment.  Baby steps are what got me on board with weight loss, and baby steps are still how I make sustainable life changes.
   
     Dr. Johnson encourages us to eat what we normally would.  This is partially what intrigued me about this lifestyle.  He tells in his book that in time, our taste buds change, and we begin to crave healthier foods.  That has most definitely been the case for me.

     This will be a short addition to my blog because I'm craving Brussels sprouts, so I must run.  😀

Diary of a Binge

Diary of a Binge... 

I follow JUDDD, an up / dn pattern of eating, dovetailing it with CAD. Today was a planned 2200 calorie day. Spent the day out with a friend, I followed the "rules" of the basic CAD, ending my meal with dessert at around 4 pm, calories spot on. It was a good day, with a pat on the back.

At 7 pm, I showed DH a package of Dreamsicle flavored licorice I found at Walmart today, offered him one, and he said it was "close" to the real thing, telling me, "Come on, try one." I told him no, because if I did, an hour later I'd be sniffing out the kitchen looking for more, "Please don't push it."

"Come on, it's an up day. So what. It's only 55 calories. Come on." So I had one. It WAS good.

An hour later, I found myself in the kitchen eating a big bowl of Lucky Charms. Then I saw the bag of tortilla chips, calling my name. Haven't had those in ages. Probably going to be outdated soon. Those would be so good with refried beans and cheese, dab of sour cream. Mmmmm Made up a plate, figuring, I've already blown it.

It's just one piece of licorice, right? I'm like an alcoholic. As long as I stick with the CAD prescribed hour, I have more control. Outside of that hour, especially still early in the evening, it's just asking for trouble.

Tomorrow's another day.

UPDATE:  Next day, ended with 900 low carb calories, stuck to my plan.  😀

I Sure Make this Way of Eating Look Easy, Don't I?

I had a Facebook friend write to me today, struggling, so I thought I'd post the message I sent her, to give you a glimpse of how I work my eating plan.  Three years into maintenance, I still plot out my eating strategy like a chess player.  To do otherwise, would be a recipe for regain.

-----------

this will be long...

The heavier you are, the easier it is to lose weight.  My first 47 lbs came off like "normal" people (2 lbs / wk).  After that it became very difficult, but with the up dn pattern, I continued to lose.  I had a 3 month plateau, but during that time, my hips were shrinking.  I cried a lot.  Now I look back, I know that was silly because of my hips.

I bought a food scale almost from the beginning. I use that religiously.  I have even brought measuring cups and spoons when I've gone out to eat. I must be as accurate as possible, so that there's no deceiving myself.

I'm 55, 5'6.5", goal weight hit was 164.  I quit because my face just got too gaunt.  Meanwhile, my hips are 42", size 12s are snug, 14s too big.   I'm smaller than I was at age 11.  Good enough!

If your goal's to get very small, I am not a good one to give advice. I stopped trying to go lower in weight because I don't want to look haggard, but I certainly could afford to lose more weight in my hips (only!).  At the same time, I am enjoying eating, averaging 1700 calories, though I must keep doing the up / dn pattern, 100 g protein, walk religiously 6 days a week, work on being NEAT.  My metabolism would be much lower if it weren't for these things.

NEAT:  https://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy-living-article/60/3757/the-n-e-a-t-way-to-exercise/

The main thing I do is to keep track of my calories (as accurately as humanly possible) like a checking account, keeping to the average of 1700 calories.  If I eat a lot one day, I don't weigh, often putting off weighing until I have "saved" up enough calories to make my balance zero.  Even in maintenance my calories vary a lot (i.e. 700 / 1700 / 1000 / 1700 / 500 / 3000 (planned cheat) / 500 / 1500 / 700, etc.) keeping track of the calories, balancing the account.  Mark it down, if my calorie account balance is up, the scale is up.  I don't even have to get on the scale to know when the scale is up or down with this method.

Some would think this ridiculous, but it works for me.  I need something to work for me, right?  And I don't mind it.  If I'm struggling more on a particular day, I eat something as low calorie as possible to alleviate the pressure.  It may be a 40 calorie slice of lunch meat, or a 40 calorie Popsicle fudge bar.  I don't often end up blowing it, but I have.  If I do, I truthfully list the calories in my journal, and then throw in varying degree calorie DDs, interjecting them with my TDEE 1700 calories to ease the diet pressure, followed by a DD.  I never EVER just let 'er rip for a few days, let alone a week.

I have a lot of stress with family, beginning over a year ago, spiraled, gained 19 pounds.  I'm still working on getting off the last 4 lbs. I do not lie to my diet journal.  What I put into this lifestyle, is what I get out of it.  Stress makes this much more difficult, but with CAD, it makes it a bit less stressful.  I NEED carbs.  :)

If none of this opens your eyes, it may be that your TDEE is lower than what you're assuming.  That is very discouraging.  I'd think that the up and dn pattern would help rev your metabolism, BUT I suppose there comes a point where you can't rev it anymore.  If you have an idea of what you've eaten during this stressful time, you may instinctively know your TDEE.  It is hard to admit. It was for me, too.

Not sure if I helped at all.  I am obsessive about all of this.  In the end, it is about calories in calories out, with the understanding that 1000 calories of donuts is burned less efficiently than 1000 calories of meat, for example.  The healthier the food, the better your body burns it, the more you can eat in the end.  So by my consuming 100+ g protein on UDs, with my DDs very low carb, I end up with a moderate level of carbs.  I tend to lean toward a lower fat diet, because I don't believe the media's current fad that "fat is where it's at".  I have plenty of fat in my rear, that additional fat is not necessary, nor does it provide the satiety diet gurus are forever touting.  Protein works for me far better.  Dr. Now of "My 600 lb Life" agrees with me on the fat issue.  In his Book "Last Chance to Live", he states low carb, low fat, high protein.

It has been hard for me, continues to be challenging, but we each have to find out what works best for us.  I do feel as though it couldn't be much harder for anyone than it has been for me, but then I hear your story.  I am a foodie.  I love donuts, I love Lucky Charms. I let myself have them, BUT I always follow those days up with paying the piper.  It seems like a vicious circle, but it works.  The up and dn pattern is easier on my nerves than eating a stable amount every day.  My TDEE is 1700, and sometimes, that is just NOT enough for my brain.  So I interject with a planned cheat.  One of those every week or 2 or 3 gives me the oomph to carry on... until the next cheat.  Afterward, I create deficits to counteract the overage.  I'm whittling at 4 lbs I'm still up (from over a year ago), slowly, because those 500 calorie days are a killer for me anymore.  

Gasp! You Gained Weight?!

Gasp! You've gained weight?! In weight loss forums, I'm often asked this question, "But, aren't you in maintenance?" This stumps me, as anyone who's lost much of any weight can attest, it is more normal to regain weight, than to not regain. I do NOT have a halo in my pocket, when it comes to maintaining. I'm just punting my way through life, just like anyone else. 3 years in maintenance, and counting! Can I give myself 3 thumbs up?! 👍👍👍

I'm rarely EVER at my rock bottom weight, to be honest. I'm up 6 lbs at the moment. It's depressing, but it is reality. It doesn't get easier with time. It can spiral at any given moment. I do NOT take maintenance for granted. If I did, I'd be up to 300 lbs by now.
Only 1-2% keep their weight off before it's all said and done. I am no different. I am subject to regain just as much as the next guy.
All that to say, it is about nearly impossible to find a weight loss support group for those who're formerly obese, let alone formerly MORBIDLY obese, as I am. There are tons of maintenance forums for weight loss surgery, ketogenic types, exercise fiends, etc. But for real life, down to earth people like me who purposefully eat donuts on a weekly basis, there is NO support group that I have found. It is very frustrating! If you know of a group that would fit this criteria, please let me know. (I have a support person, my good friend Amanda Witmer.) Over time, I've found less and less true support in any forum, leaning almost solely upon my own family, but isn't that how it ought to be?
I choose to maintain my weight without strict food guidelines because that is the only way I will be able to keep it off. Going ketogenic, LCHF, or becoming a gym rat is not long term sustainable. I purposefully CHOOSE to maintain my 129 lbs loss doing the same thing that I did in order to get it off: having a weekly calorie deficit, mostly calorie cycling. Yes, I want to eat my cake AND have it, too. 😁

What's Holding YOU Back?

I'm watching a strew of "My 600 lb life" shows. They're cathartic. They're "my" people. I may have not been 600 lbs, but I was 600 lbs in the making.

Believe it or not, at my heaviest, I struggled to keep the calories down. To look at me then, most would just assume I ate what I felt like. I certainly did not. I knew that if I allowed myself free reign, I'd pack on more pounds. My JUDDD UD calories of 2200 was higher than I typically ate pre-JUDDD. (And now, the 2800+ calorie CCs far exceed my wildest dreams, but Spiking with JUDDD is another topic.)
Over the last year, I've often told friends, "I'm not sure how in the world I lost this weight." I amazed even myself. And what was I missing all those earlier years, besides? What gave me such a slow metabolism in the first place? Even now, I look back and don't feel that I truly deserved to be the weight I was most of my childhood and adulthood. No, I did NOT live on celery, but I didn't lose weight like "normal" people do.
I have struggled over the last year after dropping the ball on being more vigilant with my protein intake. A lack of protein was slowing my body down once again. How could I have let that slide?!
Protein revs your metabolism, whether you believe me or not.
Protein can make or break your weight loss efforts, no matter which plan you follow. I challenge you, if you're struggling to find your niche, "How is your protein?" This is a tool you can incorporate, without doing anything else, and you may very well see the scale drop. I got started by making sure to get in 100 g. protein per day.

Carb Concentration - its role in controlling cravings

     CAD aka Carb Concentration is a meal timing method that helps curb cravings, thus giving you more control of your appetite.  Dr. Rachael Heller wrote "The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet", with the basic premise being what Carb Concentration suggests.  Click on the banner, and it will take you to a video that will describe it in more than the few words I will use here.

     Basically, take all of the food you plan on eating in the day and place each item appropriately, at a set time.  No nibbling is best.  The main challenging thing is to eat all of your carb foods, including carb dense vegetables, within 1 meal only.  You may eat snacks and meals outside of this carb meal, but these other meals need to be low carb.

     A typical Carb Concentrated day would look like this:

• Breakfast - eggs; bacon
• Lunch - Hamburger patty, with cheese; brussels sprouts with butter
• Supper - Pizza, peanut butter pie, tossed salad with dressing

     On the surface, it is not a weight loss plan but more of a way to control cravings / hunger.  Carbs make a person hungrier, than do dense protein and noncarb foods.

     This is a method I use to keep from overeating, to keep my appetite under control.  To graze on even low calorie diet type foods creates a vacuum, where I feel much less control, and I feel more content as a result as well.

     Allowing only protein and non carb foods outside of this main meal controls the urge to over eat, nibble, and plain just eat too many calories.

Weight Loss With PCOS ???

     I'd started dieting at age 8.  I just didn't lose weight like normal people.  I'd tried countless diets, and though I did lose bits here and there, they were more to the tune of 1/2 lb the first week, maybe a pound the next, and nothing the next.  I never experienced the large loss most diets produce, as others did.  I thought that for some weird reason my body was resistant to dieting.  I did struggle for many years with periodic fasting and dieting for short periods of time, getting bits off, eventually losing 60 lbs.  Over time, I could not maintain those losses as my metabolism was at rock bottom.  I finally conceded that I was destined to be fat until my dying day.

     Near age 30, I attempted a stint with Optifast.  At week 3, my doctor chewed me out in his office, accusing me of cheating.  "I expected so much more out of you!"  He literally yelled at me in his office.  

     Shortly after that, it had became obvious that we couldn't conceive.  Didn't take long for my doctor to do an ultrasound and confirm I had PCOS.  I'd had most of the symptoms much of my life, but I didn't have any idea that it was something far more serious.

    Once we found out, my mother, dying to become a grandmother to my babies, began doing research on the subject.  She discovered that one of the side-effects of PCOS is a difficulty to lose weight.  You could've knocked me over with a feather!  WOW!  Made so much sense.  It was NOT all my fault.  Whew!  Of course that didn't really change anything.  It just gave me a little comfort to know that I wasn't going crazy.

     Weight loss was something not even a dream for me anymore.  I gave up.  After all, I had no hope.

     Decades later, at age 50, for my health's sake, I began increasing my protein.  My sister encouraged me, telling me that if I increased it enough, I would lose weight.  She suggested 100 g protein, which is what her weight loss surgeon recommended.  Lo and behold, I started losing weight very very slowly, but I stuck with it not for the weight loss (that was too slow to be my motivation) but because it helped my depression/anxiety issues.

     Encouraged by the scale, my eyes began to open to the possibility of losing some weight.  I began searching out different patterns of eating.  I stumbled upon Lowcarbfriends, where they have a slew of low carb type diet plans on there.  I sifted through each one.  The one that stood out to me like a diamond among the lot was the JUDDD group.  The rest is history.  My life was forever changed.

How Important Is Exercise?

    During my 20's I was obsessed with aerobic exercise.  It backfired on me, and caused my metabolism to go to rock bottom where in order to maintain my weight loss, I was only able to eat approximately 1000 calories per day.  I've since found out that my experience was not unique.   This can, indeed happen.  I was not the only one, but without the internet to search this out, I thought I was alone.
     When I began my journey, I wasn't going to allow that to happen to me again.  Besides, I figured, I was already weight lifting with my excess weight.  I just didn't have the energy for a long while after I began JUDDD.
     Once I'd lost 100 lbs I began walking slowly, gradually increasing to a brisk walk.  Even now, I do not do aerobic exercises.  Occasionally I work harder if doing yard work on our farm, but for the most part, I wear my trusty pedometer, making excuses to move wherever I am, to track my progress.  It encourages me to see the number rie.
     Science is now more saavy, more knowledgeable.  It has been proven scientifically that exercising increases appetite, which can undermine weight loss efforts.
     This is only my opinion.  Others may disagree.  For me, concentrating on the weight loss and then beginning an exercise program only after I began to feel better worked for me.  Above all, this did not turn out to be detrimental to my metabolism.
     For the last couple of years, I walk 5-6 days per week, but also work more and more on NEAT.  My pedometer is my best friend.


   

You Will NOT Maintain Your Losses WithOUT Cheat Days... unless you're sub-human

     

     Okay, I admit it.  You can maintain your weight for awhile continuing to dole out money to Weight Watchers, Zeal, Thrive, Advocare, etc.  Go ahead, give it a shot, but the odds are that you will fail at those in time, with shame for the weight gain.      
     Eventually, you will be faced with an increased level of hunger (cravings) which you will probably attribute to being a lack of self-control and not what it truly is:   a biological response to calorie restriction.  

     In the end, almost all end up to where they just need to eat (or go crazy) no matter what weight loss plan they follow.   
     Most have heard of the "Great Starvation Experiment".  If not, check this out.  Scroll down toward the end.  Fascinating!  As it turns out, these men experienced the back-lash of long term calorie restriction.  Their inner cores would just not be satisfied, no matter how much they ate.  

     Is this a lack of self-control?  No.  It's hormonal.  Of course, I'm speaking as a laywoman.  I am not into the science of it.  I know what I've gone through; I've read what others have gone through.  I've seen the statistics.  They are alarming.
     Forewarned is to be forearmed.  You're going to WANT to overeat.  So just make it part of the plan and quit guilting yourself or allowing the diet gurus out there to convince you that their plan is different.  Save your money.  There is a better way.  The tool is already within your hands and it's free.
     No, you don't have to go to paleo, LCHF either.  You can eat however you want to, but none of us need to be told that we should eat better to be healthier. That is already a well established fact in our heads, like drinking water quenches thirst.  You can use this with any diet plan you choose.  One person's cheat may be donuts (mine) while another's may be popcorn.  In the end, it is about sustainability AND a calorie base.

     Planned cheat days (aka Spike Days), as long as they're figured into the entire equation, will relieve the pressure valve of calorie restriction.    Without them, I'd have gained my weight by now.  Just sayin'.  :D  

     On my journey of weight loss, I always ended up with a cheat day to celebrate a loss.  Don't throw rocks at me.  It worked. :D  Now i realize that what they did was both rev your metabolism AND release leptin.  For me, this was THE recipe for success long term.

JUDDD: Real Food + Real People = Sustainability Long Term

     JUDDD is a calorie counting regimen.  It is about timing and creating deficits.   That is the bottom line.  How you choose to adapt it to your lifestyle can be very individual.
     Starting a new diet with a slew of rules of what you should and shouldn't eat is a recipe for UNsustainablity.  In time, the lifestyle of ADF changes your taste buds anyway.  Don't put the cart before the horse.  As you lose weight, you begin craving healthier foods.  (Dr. Johnson mentions this in his book.)
     It is best to get on the horse, eat how you're already eating (within reason of course), work with that for awhile, and begin to take baby steps toward a healthier lifestyle.  Expecting to change everything overnight is a recipe for failure.  Living this lifestyle opens up your horizon and you begin to become choosier about the desserts you're going to eat.  Now you CAN eat that decadent dessert.  Why settle for a Snackwell cookie?
     In time DDs may become more challenging.  To counteract this, higher protein foods can become your best friend.  (See "Protein - Crucial for Metabolism")

❤ I sure love my diet! ❤

My Thoughts on Fung Fasting

I wrote this awhile ago, regarding Fung Fasting.  This is just my opinion.  36 hour fasts are something that I have done off and on since I was in my early to mid twenties.  

FUNG FASTING - MY OPINION:

     I struggled with my weight by age 8, trying many many diets along the way. I lost bits here and there with periodic extreme dieting, as regular weight loss programs such as Weight Watchers and the like, would result in such slow losses that I'd become discouraged from the get go. (Unlike most, my first week of any diet would help me lose 1/2-1 lb.)

     In my early 20's, out of desperation, I dabbled in fasting 36+ hours at a stretch, so after approximately 8 years of periodic extreme dieting and fasting episodes, my total weight lost was 60 lbs. My metabolism was at a new record low, allowing me only 1000 calories per day for maintenance, which I eventually couldn't hold any longer.

     We are all different, but for those that do not have health issues such as Dr. Fung deals with, complete fasting may do more harm than good on their metabolism.

     I do not have a normal metabolism, never have, never will. For me, complete fasting lowers my metabolic rate. It did when I was in my 20's and again recently when I did a 3 week stint of 42 hour fasts when Dr. Fung's book "The Obesity Code" hit the bookshelves. While I appreciate his wisdom, for me, the fasting aspect did me more harm than good. Complete fasting didn't improve my metabolism in my 20's, so I should have known better than to try it in my 50's. 

     I'm working on improving my metabolism at present, going back to the basics that serve me well.

 JUDDD 

    Note:  One last thing to keep your eyes out for are those who are now in maintenance following Fung Fasting.  What is their metabolism like afterward?  Fung Fasting put me into one of two plateaus.  If we end up with a lesser metabolism, is it worth it, even if we lose weight quickly?  We need to quit looking at weight loss with a microscope. Instead, see it as a telescope and look at the long term harm possible effects.

My Blog is Directed Toward Those at LEAST Obese

       My writings come from the perspective of someone who's been morbidly obese.  If you're barely into the obese category, you will probably not accept much of what I have to say.  If you're a bit overweight and not even well within the obese category, please do not be critical of me and my ramblings.   Yes, you may glean some of what I have to share.  Take what you can use, toss the rest.
     The world of an obese woman is different than the world of normal size people.  It's a different world for those of us totally without hope, totally without even a glimmer of hope.  Until you've walked a mile in my shoes, you cannot fathom where I've come from.  On the flip side, I cannot wrap my mind around the life of a severely morbidly obese woman like those featured on "My 600 lb Life".
     Note:  My husband is the one that wanted me to put this page in here.  He went on and on about how normal sized people just cannot get what it's like to be totally helpless.  He's never had a weight problem in his life, and he's been my biggest supporter... all of our time together.  ❤  He's the one that's gotten after me telling me there's more to this weight loss thing than calories!  If CICO was 100% true, he'd be an excellent candidate for "My 600 lb life" at this stage in his life.  I should know.  I'm the one that makes him his desserts.  😁

There is a BETTER Way Than Weight Loss Surgery!!

     I've often pined for weight loss surgery, truth be told.  My sister had the gastric sleeve (8 years ago or so), and she still struggles.  It's merely a tool.  In the end, it is about what you choose to put in your mouth.  You may not be able to eat as much, but with a smaller pouch, there are issues that we non-WLS people cannot fathom.  I've visited a lot of WLS forums.  Listening to their struggles breaks my heart.  One thing that stood out recently was when I read some women chatting back and forth about their frustrations in not being able to drink a full glass of water (without pain).  Ice water is something I truly love.  One of life's cheapest pleasures in life!  They do have other problems, but this last example shut the door on my regretting of not being "allowed" to have a smaller pouch.
     Next month marks my 3rd year of maintenance.  I'm a work in progress.  It is a struggle, some times feeling like a battle.  I'm finally fully comprehending that I just cannot do a simple CICO formula.  I've been experimenting with levels of protein, fiber, and maybe a bit of fat, with carbohydrates falling where they may.  That's how I started out, and that's where I will go out into eternity.
     So I have been putting thought into the types of food I put into my mouth and found that protein and fiber are key as to how content I am with my calories.
     One thing I've heard WLS doctors state, time after time, "You will not be able to lose weight on your own because of the size of your stomach."  Really?  Okay, yes, I agree that may be for super morbidly obese patients.
     But for Larry Goldberg, the Spike Guy, Dr. Rachael Heller, and me, all of whom were 300+ lbs, we have defied the odds.  Specifically, Larry and the Spike guy (and now me), we've found the magic key is spike days (aka cheat days).  Are our stomach's actually shrinking?  Somehow I do believe they may, in time.  Our bodies do have some elasticity; however, the key may be more in WHAT (and when) we're eating that's causing our leptin levels to be more stable.
     Eating a stable amount, day after day, leaves me so dissatisfied.  Whereas, taking that same amount, average it among 3-7 days to get in the desired total calories for the week (the choice is up to you), figuring in Spike days, it releases the leptin necessary for satiety.  Again, I am not into the science.  I just know that the up and dn pattern work  for Larry and the Spike guy and me!  (The "Spike Guy" can describe it more in specific terms than I can.  He's all into the science behind why it works.)

What is Gluttony?

   

     Over my lifetime, I've heard countless preachers speak against this sin they call gluttony, cringing in my pew in shame as both a child and an adult, not being able to hide my ample hips and double/triple chins.  It's not one of the 10 Commandments, I do know that.  Sure we can pull out verses to fit this agenda.  But at the same time, we can find verses in the Bible where eating and feasting is part of the fellowship with believers.  Of course, there is a difference between gluttony and being fat.  Some gluttons are blessed to be slimmer.  Some obese are blessed with concentration camp type bodies where their bodies are so efficient at keeping the weight on... and yet they don't necessarily binge.  Yes, they may enjoy a holiday feast, but who doesn't?  We live in this world, and food celebrations are all a part of life.  It's an enjoyable part of life.  Admit it.  Quit feeling guilty about enjoying donuts.
     This is a sensitive subject for me, and so I'm coming from a formerly obese childhood experience.  I was fat before it was common (I'm 55).  I gained weight very easily, fat by age 8, obese by age 11, dieted and gained a bit more, starved to lose weight, gained more and more until I was morbidly obese for much of my adulthood.
     If obesity is always as a result of gluttony, then why is it that one of the most celebrated preachers of our time was Charles Spurgeon.  He was obese.  Did he overeat?  I'm not positive, but he certainly didn't live on celery.  That's true, right?
     My friend Nancy told me that she posed this question with her pastor.  He told her that he believes that gluttony is eating, vomiting what you've eaten, then eating again.  This is a valid point of view.
     Dictionaries do not all agree.  If "gluttony" could be found in the dictionary the translators of the King James Authorized Version of the Bible, 1611 had a dictionary, I'd love to see what it would say on this subject.  It's probably available on-line somewhere.

Here's an interesting perspective:  http://kjv1611.com/devotion/the-sin-of-gluttony-saturday-january-23-2016/

     I have a far bigger appetite since I've gone from being morbidly obese down to being within a normal weight.  Dieting creates a vacuum in your gut where your body tries to recup it's lost weight, part of the weight loss plight.  Does this make me a glutton?  I don't believe so.
     I have an interesting perspective since my hubby has the opposite issues.  He was a skinny bullied kid, whereas I was a fat bullied kid.  When my husband is done eating, he has no desire to put one more bite into his mouth.  When I'm done eating, full even, I can always get in one more cookie.  I believe it is a hormonal issue, not usually a self-control issue.  Modern day scientists and/or diet experts don't have all of the answers.  Hopefully, in time, more researching can be directed in this area and relieve the pressure that some self-proclaimed diet experts try to guilt us with.
     There may be a fine line when it comes to this.  Some of this can be determined by having a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and listening to the direction of the Holy Spirit.  Just some thoughts.  Glean what you can with my ramblings, toss the rest.  :)
   
   

CICO = Calories in Calories out?

     I'm a fairly big believer in the CICO (calories in calories out) philosophy.  It has worked for me.  However, I believe that it's more complicated than that.  I am not into science (my worst subject), but I do know what works for me.

     I was explaining this to my friends the other day, while at Apple Bees, enjoying my Spike Day.  Think of it like this...  In simple terms that even a 7 year old can comprehend.

     Compare how your body deals with 2000 calories of pastries vs 2000 calories of lean poultry.    If you were able to somehow calibrate your weight from one day of each, you will lose weight with the poultry, but you could very well gain weight with the pastries.  Of course, with the poultry most of the weight loss will be water, but not all of it.

     The healthier the food, the better your body utilizes the calories.  This is an extreme case, but you get the idea.

     I have done quite a bit of experimentation on macronutrients, comparing the effects of fat, protein, and carbs on my craving levels.  That is my main concern.  Satiety can make or break my plans.  Truth be told, if I could eat only cream filled donuts for my daily calories, I would do it, but that would be neither good for my body NOR for my nerves.

     There are differences of opinions on either side of this debate.  I won't go there.  I really, mainly know how this affects me.  I'm the one that must live in my skin.  This is not my livelihood.  Glean what you can from my ramblings, toss the rest.  We are all so different.

     And then there are are people like my hubby.  He loses weight so easily (24 hour flu) and it takes him a week or two to gain back his weight.  It frustrates him.  

     Science does NOT have this all figured out.  I hope that more diet researchers would delve into this.  Why is that there are so many diets out in the media, while maintenance is sorely, sickeningly, lacking?   Maybe the bottom line is that maintenance does NOT bring in money.  What would Weight Watchers or Zeal zealots do if their plans truly worked?  Good question.

     

My Spike Life - JUDDD on Steroids

   

     I became a big fan of the "Spike Diet" after arriving at goal, well into maintenance.  Until I hit goal, JUDDD was the be-all-to-end-all way to lose weight.   The bottom line is that I'm still doing JUDDD but my UDs are twice my TDEE.  I still have the same average overall BUT having a much more extreme calorie day releases the leptin that I'd been lacking, which is probably the main reason weight losers regain their weight before long.
     One and a half years into maintenance, I had severe family stress.  I eventually gained 16 lbs, even continuing to do the up / dn pattern of JUDDD.  My UDs were just too high, truth be told.  I felt out of control with my appetite, though I did NOT allow myself full reign.  If I had, I'd have regained much more than 16 lbs.
       I struggled for a long time.  I finally came to the conclusion and fully realized that re-losing the same weight does NOT come off half as easily as it did initially.  I've heard others describe this.  I believe that this may be the crux as to WHY most regain their weight.  Usually the regain begins almost directly after achieving goal, but in my case, I was so enamored and excited with my lifestyle and what it had done for me, that my goal "glow" stuck around for a long time.
      When the rubber hit the road (stresses of life caved my resolve), I often felt very frustrated.  I eventually stopped the gaining, and then went into full blown maintenance mode, which was difficult.  I whined a lot in FB forums.  Embarrassing, but hey, I'm human, right?
     Amanda and I vented with each other, determined to get the handle on the situation.  I told my hubby that I'd die rather than regain my weight, which shows my fears and desperation and not necessarily the best situation psychologically.
     She and I began to read up on Spiking days (eating lower calories to get in caloric deficits, pressure valve released with higher calorie days) through the "Spike Diet" and "Controlled Cheating" books.
     In a sense, the Spike / CC (Controlled Cheating) is JUDDD on steroids.  Low days, "earning" calorie deficits", rewarding ourselves with a much higher calorie day (twice my TDEE).  These can be further understood reading the books.  I'm merely giving you my perspective and how they just fit me like a glove.
     Our bodies only burn so many calories in a day.  Keeping the higher days revs our metabolism, while the lower days knock the weight off.  Calorie consideration is key to losing weight, but Spiking is something I've purposefully implemented within my way of eating which provides the necessary leptin levels needed for maintenance, especially.
     The main difference (for me) that I've incorporated into JUDDD is that now I'm eating far more on UDs than I was allowing myself.  The UD allotment just didn't seem enough for me anymore, this side of maintenance.  To offset the "cheat day", I've been having two 500 calorie DDs.   It may sound daunting; however, the first DD is easy breezy after such a feast.  The second DD is a typical DD.  Nothing fun about it, but it is tolerable if my fare is dense protein.  The following day is yet another "Spike" day.  In this case, anticipation is not greater than reality.   😂
     In the end, also, it IS about keeping a calorie deficit, but changing the amounts from day to day (calorie cycling) to keep the metabolism stoked, having a very high day for the leptin release is necessary.  The "Spike Diet" book describes this phenomenon far more than I can in a few words here.

Why Do 98-99% of Dieters Regain Their Lost Weight?

   

     Good question!  Ask almost anyone who's lost weight (I've asked a LOT of them!)... "Why did you regain your weight?"  Every one of them told me "I went back to my old eating habits" or something else self derogatory.
      It is NOT a lack of self-control.  It is a lack of understanding how our bodies work.  Quit blaming yourselves but don't drop it right there.  There IS a way to win this battle.  No, you cannot go back to eating the way you had been eating previously.  You need a plan!
      Who better to listen to than to the two long term formerly morbidly obese men who've both maintained 100+lbs weight for longer than ten years!  The "Spike Guy" and "Fats" Goldberg of "Controlled Cheating".
      Both of these men incorporated Spike days within their lifestyle.   Both gave God credit for showing them "THE" way.  For both of them "THE" way was via Spike days, living the Spike lifestyle.  Both describe  the phenomenon that went on inside their bodies as they were losing weight, something that the vast majority of weight losers, in the end, struggle with.  Both express that there are going to be days that you're just going to lose it food wise, so they've made "cheat days" part of the plan!
     Not just morbidly obese experience this.  Most regain their weight no matter what method they use.   No matter how much one has lost, most begin gaining their lost weight almost as soon as they achieve goal.  90% regain it within 2 years of achieving goal.  98-99% have regain it by year 5.  Only 5% of those with weight loss surgery succeed.
     Okay, admit it.  You are GOING to cave into overeating some day, sooner or later, in the road of maintenance.  It's our bodies' rebellion against deprivation.  Once you get to goal, you will still need to have some sort of restriction.  It's not something that you can just do once and then never think about again.  (Unless you're a pristine eater.  In that case, you will not probably enjoy one word of my blog. I'm very human when it comes to eating.  I love donuts, pizza, and ice cream!)
     Spike days have brought back the smile to my face, working as a pressure release.  The more you've lost, the more of a pressure release you will probably need.  The formula involves figuring your TDEE and organizing the calories allotted within a specific time frame that works for YOU.  For me, a three day cycle makes me content.  If I eat that same amount, eating the same day after day, it is a recipe for an overload on cravings.  The cycling of calories revs my metabolism with the up, while the lower days keep me at the calorie level I have chosen.  The Spike book describes it more scientifically than I can.
   

   

Recommended Reading

      The main issue that I find coming from a formerly morbidly obese perspective, is that people like me struggle much more achieving the "full" feeling with my allotted food, than does the average person who's lost 40 lbs or less.  Sure, if I went paleo or LCHF, Weight Watchers, Zeal, Advocare, etc., I would have more of a handle on this, but as my husband often says, "My God can do better than that!"  And it doesn't cost a penny, beyond the purchase of a book (perhaps) to get you going, knowledgeable and encouraged.  (Paleo and LCHF is not a long term solution unless you have nerves of steel or a great amount of self control.
     It is not a coincidence that only 98-99% of weight losers maintain their lost weight.  Eventually, the vast majority cave into the goodies of their youth or the decadent desserts of their skinny friends.  If you're able to set aside your love for the tastier foods of this world, all power to you!  But for those out there, like me who just love to eat, there is a way to work this out to both eat food you love AND maintain your weight.
      I have struggled to find the key to satiety, fiddling with every diet expert ideas out there and their opinions.  Anymore, I take the opinions of diet experts with a grain of salt unless they have come from a similar background or knowledge base.  Experience means far more to me than opinion.
      These books were written by those who fall into the tried-and-true category, those who deserve my respect.  They all know their stuff and are not just trying to sell a book.  Not in any particular order of preference:

• Controlled Cheating, by Larry Goldberg
• Spike Diet, by Russell Branjord
• Alternate Day Diet, by Dr. James Johnson
• The Cheater's Diet, by Dr. Paul Rivas
• The Every Other Day Diet, by Dr. Krista Varady
• The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet, by Dr. Rachael Heller

The Every Other Day Diet, by Dr. Krista Varady

     This book came out after I'd already lost 100 lbs.  It's much more basic than the Dr. Johnson's JUDDD book.  The basic premise is to eat 500 calories (men 600 calories) every other day, while on opposite days, eat mindfully.
     The author does not address the fact "mindfully" becomes more and more difficult the longer you're on the plan.  It is a great starting point.  However, for me, as-is, this is an excellent maintenance strategy.  Note:  The science cited within the book mirror much of that of that which is already within the JUDDD book, published 5 years previously.
     Dr. Varady has done a better job getting this lifestyle out into the public eye, whereas Dr. Johnson wrote the book and has made himself unavailable to the general public.  Dr. Varady maintains a Facebook page.

Maintenance

     I hit the 100 lb weight loss marker Oct. 2014, officially conceding to "goal" 5 months later, at 110 lbs lost. I struggled, trying to find my niche and ended up losing up to the total of 129 lbs off during the process. Took me about a year to fully realize that JUDDD is not only the BEST diet for for weight loss but also the BEST woe for maintenance.

     How does maintenance look for this JUDDDer? Almost always I use the up / dn pattern (no 5:2 or 4:3 as I can eat more when I stick with ADF). Currently, I'm doing two 500 calorie DDs followed by twice my TDEE (3400 calories) on UDs.  It works nicely.

     I think of my calorie consumption something like a savings account. Save here, save there, so I can spend it on Friday night! Yesssss! I sure do love my diet! Who woulda thought it could happen to me?! If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone. I really believe that. The keys are the same for maintenance as they are for weight loss:

1.  Calorie cycling
2.  100-170 g protein on UDs
3.  Mostly protein on DDs (500-1000 calories)
4.  Spiking (aka Controlled Cheating)

     Is this "Easy"? Put it this way, maintaining is FAR easier than losing. The thing each of us needs to do is to find the EXACT key to unlock maintenance for our OWN body. ADF allows more calories than any other woe does. With each successive tweak, fine tuning the key, I am becoming more comfortable with the fact that I will be able to keep this weight off. It is not easy, takes a lot of time, but if you're going to succeed, it's necessary. 
     I have done a great deal of research into maintenance.  I have a couple of books that describe others who've gotten to maintenance, along with statistics, etc.  (These are of little value to me.)  In the end, each of us need to carve out our own path with this journey.   Some days I feel as though I'm re-inventing the wheel.  No one else can do this for me.  Not enough research has gone into maintenance in general, other than to be told to continue on with what you were already doing when you got to goal.  I want more than that because the basic JUDDD (alone) is not enough for me at this stage!  I also am forever wanting to boost my metabolism.   Because, truth be told, it is all about the food.  😀

Protein - Crucial for Metabolism

     

     June 7, 2012, age 50, my weight loss journey began unintentionally after dramatically increasing my protein intake (for anxiety). My sister, who'd had the gastric sleeve, encouraged me to increase my protein to 100 grams/day, telling me that's what WLS patients are told to eat. She encouraged me that I'd probably lose weight in the process. It worked!  ALLLLL I did at first was to make sure to eat 100 g protein per day, and I began to lose weight.

     Six weeks in, I stumbled upon the idea of every other day eating (aka JUDDD [Dr. Johnson's "Alternate Day Diet" Alternate Day Diet]) while visiting lowcarbfriends.  The protein and JUDDD together paved the way for me to go on and to eventually lose 129 lbs in total.

     Since that time, I've had a greater appreciation for the advice my sister gave me, which changed my life.  Russell Branjord of "Spike Diet", formerly morbidly obese, in maintenance 13 years, has this to say about protein:

"How much protein do you need?  Personally, I got my best results when I ate one gram of protein multiplied by my body weight.  For example, I weigh 215 lbs so I eat about 215 grams of protein a day, which I find to be sufficient for my recovery.  The general rule is the more intense the weight training, the more protein you need.

"Simply multiply your weight in pounds by one of the following:

• Sedentary adult:  0.4 gram per pound
• Active adult:  0.4-0.6 gram per pound
• Athletes and building strength: 0.6-0.9 gram per pound
• Living the Spike Life: 0.6-1 gram per pound

"These are all estimates for healthy adults and may not be appropriate for people with chronic kidney disease, liver disease, or diabetes."

For me, 100-150 is within reason.  If my protein level goes too low, I notice that my metabolism suffers and my ability to stick with the plan becomes more difficult.  I eat normal food, the Mediterranean style diet.  When necessary to supplement to get my protein count up I will use whey protein powder / bars and beef gelatin, my protein staples are:

• Cottage cheese
• Fish
• Poultry
• Eggs
• Milk
• Greek yogurt

For down days I don't get in this much protein, but my food is usually pretty much mostly protein in general.  i.e. Greek yogurt is a common food, which does have a few carbs.