Walk A Mile In Maintenance Shoes - These Shoes Are Tight!

I'm always struggling, trying to find an easier way, where I can have my cake and eat it, too.   Okay, I'm like an alcoholic - carboholic.    I'm seriously getting to the point where I realize eating what I want, when I want is just not reality.

Again, feeling at my whit's end, I went to my old standby "The Stress Eating Cure" by Drs. Hellers, and again, I'm comforted.   Her emotions and struggles are identical to mine.   Really, so very uncanny.

So, I decided to go back to that.   Almost immediately whenever I come back, I start to feel great, in control.   Somewhere along the line I veer,  fueled by the 3 year old toddler wanting my own way, to be able to eat what I want, when I want.   It's been 6 days, and I feel so much better.  This is the method that makes me feel the best.   I did drop the ADF for now, to see if I could get my inner emotions over all this, which does consume me, calmed.   And it works as far as my mind, gut are concerned, not necessarily for weight loss.  I need to go back to ADF in some shape or form, as it helps keep my metabolism at its highest potential.   But for today and maybe another week, I'm going to stay with SEC.   Calorie counting, keeping at 100 g protein daily, under the umbrella of SEC.

I spend far too much time feeling jittery, unsatisfied.   Almost trembling to control myself, to keep from falling over the cliff into mountains of carbohydrates.   Much of what brought Dr. Heller to the SEC plan I could've written.   I am not succinct.  I just know I feel "icky";  science is not my forte.  Anyway, I believe this is me.  I just need to stay near to this plan, in order to keep my sanity.  I am like an alcoholic.  I will never be normal.  So what?   If that's true, and so far my gut tells me nothing's going to be normal about my brain/gut EVER, I should just settle down and do it.  (I play a lot of mind games.  I never have a "normal" day, whether I am being "good" or overeating.)

I often switch things, but none calms me like SEC or the BBD ("Big Breakfast Diet", PCOS doctor Daniela Jakubowicz).

One thing that BBD tells you is to eat lunch whether you're hungry or not.   I've never taken that to heart, until now.   Always, in my head is "don't eat unless you're hungry", but I believe she may be right.   She says, eat now, to prevent wanting to eat carbs later.  Another prime example of media fueled expertise that is false to someone like me.

Going back to the morning carb eating is rather like a duck in water.  It just feels calming.   Please remind me of this when I struggle again?   So thankful for Rachael Heller who invented a wheel I don't need to reinvent.

Dr. Heller mentioned in the book that she, too, felt as though just doing CAD is a matter of self control.   By the time she wrote SEC, she finally realized that's not just it.  There's more to this struggle than simple math.   Maintenance does not get easier with time.

But for the grace of God, go I.  

Retired JUDDD Apologist

(Taken 2/19)     

At this stage of my journey, I finally have long term confidence that I will be able to sustain my weight loss.  I have done all that I could do in sharing my story.   I continued in diet forums as long as I had because encouraging others kept my mind alert and aware of my own need to keep on track.

I have tried all of the IF variations, and in the end, it's been the calorie balance that has kept my weight stable.  Eating ALL foods in moderation has been the key to the long sustainability of this lifestyle, as well as my health and metabolism.  I cannot thank Dr. Johnson enough for his book "The Alternate Day Diet", which changed my life beginning 7 years ago, at age 50.

I have retired from being a JUDDD apologist.  I have grown weary of the ever present food police, pushing their agendas.  My journey continues, just not in public.  :)

JUDDD info and calculator:   https://web.archive.org/web/20170929054642/http://www.johnsonupdaydowndaydiet.com/html/how-to-do-the-diet.html

This is my story, and I'm sticking to it!  God has been good to me!

 

   

No More Down Day Drudgeries - Glucomannan

Over the years, I've bought two big bottles of glucomannan capsules.  The first one I bought after hearing the hype.  Used it up, with an "oh-hum".  Heard it hyped again, so bought another big bottle of capsules.  The last time, sometimes taking more than a handful at a shot:  hoping.  I noticed nothing!  Chalked it up to another media pumped diet tool.  Lots of them out there. Surely glucomannan's no different.   

Amazon glucomannan

I now beg to differ.  Why?  My mom and sister are constantly trying the latest and greatest diet cures.  I get their castoffs.  This last "latest and greatest" was the "Gastric Bypass Alternative".

Neither of my loved ones could stomach the pink goo, and gladly offered me their leftovers.  I thought, "Maybe this would be a good DD tool", optimistic.  Assuming this would be yet another disappointment, I took it anyway.  My eyes were opened!  WoW!

When buying their whole program, GBA is very expensive.  Plus, I learned right away that the only tool in the kit that works is their pink goo.  See this link to see how they recommend it be ingested.  It tastes even worse than it looks.

Frugal ol' me, I glanced at the ingredients.  Glucomannan.  It is my opinion that this pink goo is a mix of Crystal Light and glucomannan.  Which is fine, but I wanted varied flavoring options, not to mention the price.

I bought plain glucomannan on Amazon, and have now been adding it to a lot of different things.  Key is to not use capsules.  Powdered is cheaper, and can be sprinkled on food, barely noticeable.  Will take some experimentation to see how much you will need.  Some achieve fullness with only 1/2 teaspoon, while others who have a difficult time achieving satiety, will need 1 tablespoon added to something.  One T in a large bowl of soup gives a tremendous amount of satiety, no matter what type of soup.

Another example of how unnoticeable gluc is, yesterday, I added it to coleslaw.  It wasn't textually noticeable at all, as long as I ate it within a couple of hours. (It does not need to be "activated" as that will occur in your gut.  Just be sure to drink a couple of cups of water.)  Next time, I will add the gluc just before consuming the coleslaw, because it got a bit slimy after several hours in the fridge.  This makes me very happy, as I love coleslaw, never dreaming that it could ever become part of a DD.

One thing about using glucomannan that is so beneficial is that I don't have to have just one meal on a DD anymore.  Now I can have 2 meals (and get full both times!) as long as I include gluc in both times.

Glucomannan Powder needs to be mixed in either liquid or mixed into wet food.  Or, keep some in a shaker and sprinkle liberally directly onto your food just before you eat it.  Glucomannan is tasteless.  Experiment.  You will be glad you joined the gluccie club.

You need to be aware that you must drink a lot of water when taking this.  I'm not a fan of Dr Oz, but he has a good explanation here on things to be aware of.

Perfect DD crutch:  1/2 tablespoon in cup broth, whisk, drink, then follow with a glass of water = 17 calories!  Glucomannan is a remarkable tool.  No more "hangry" days for me.

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NOTE: I do not coach, but I do interact in these groups:

Basic alternate day fasting support https://www.facebook.com/groups/alternatedayfasting

Advanced Support for obese & formerly obese (in maintenance) women
https://www.facebook.com/groups/480540602310396

Keep Calm and Eat a Donut

I'm still 5 lbs up from my goal weight, hitting my "goal" every few months. Ya know, I've been struggling with these same 5 lbs for 3 years.  I feel like a bit of a fraud.  I think too much and wonder if some think I should instead say I've lost "125" rather than "130", but I didn't weigh myself until I'd been on my journey for a month. Only God knows how much I weighed to begin with.  That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.  😁  

For maintenance, I can't seem to let go of are the 2200 calorie UDs. I try to shoot for 2000, and then just get frustrated. Something about that beautiful 2200 number, which is closer to 125% my TDEE.  Yes, it's all about the food. 

I now usually do 1000 calorie DDs.  I do MDs (1300-1600) regularly, too, with my calories bobbing up and down, keeping an overall average at 1750-1800.  

I still say that "Clean" fasting, eating windows, keto, demonizing food groups, etc. are only tools to aid in controlling appetite. Creating calorie deficits is what gets the weight off and keeps it off. Insulin will never ever supersede calorie intake.  Once you accept this, it'll make this journey much more pleasant.  All of these rules frustrate the old me, as I know that there is a better way!  Ultimately, statistically, weight loss in the long term is uncharted territory, so we need to carve out our own path and quit listening to the latest diet guru, no matter how many followers they may have.

Almost every day I wake up with renewed determination. And every day I wake up with thankfulness for this lifestyle.  I'm a better shoulder to cry on, for sure, than a diet coach. I know how hard this journey is. In my mind, I'm still a 600 lb woman in the making. One day at a time, one DD at a time. 👍

I'm nearing my 5th year in maintenance (March 21, 2019), which has been my ultimate goal.  Statistically, those who maintain for 5 years will keep their lost weight off.  Ya know, I believe I'm going to make it.   God has been soooo good to me.  

How I Lost 130 lbs

ADF support

Advanced IF support

It is Better to be Thin and Eat "Bad" Food Than it is to be Overweight and Eat "Good" Food

Excerpt from my diet bible "Alternate Day Diet", by Dr. Johnson, author of JUDDD...

Walter Willett states, "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."

In two major studies of the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and major chronic heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes, the incidence of heart disease was 25 lower among those people who ate five or more servings compared with those who ate fewer than 1.5 servings.  There was no significant overall reduction in cancer risk.  In contrast, for women, having a BMI of 30 (the definition of obesity, 180 pounds for a 5'5" woman) is associated with a nearly 50 percent higher likelihood of dying and three times the incidence of heart disease than having a BMI of 21.

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.  Following the Alternate Day Diet will minimize the impact of bad food for two reasons:  First, because you will weigh less, and second, because it will activate a critical stress response (discussed in the book).

+++++++++++++++++

I've shared the following video in the past.  This man (OMAD Revolution Guy) speaks so much sense, has so much wisdom, primarily because he's lost 100+ pounds and maintained his loss for many years.   (Note: I don't advocate a solid diet of OMAD long term [it lowered my metabolism], OMAD does not challenge my metabolism enough. It's fine every other day, but OMAD on a daily basis allows me less food overall.   If you know anything about me, you know that my goal is ALWAYS striving to be able to eat more, to be able to eat as much as possible and still maintain my losses.) 

If you see the reviews on this video it is really very sad to see the comments. Where will all of the diet gurus' lemmings be down the road, in a year, in 2 years? Their tools are tools that should be thought of as "tools".  In the real world, they're not long term sustainable for the masses, especially for those of us who've been obese.

"Clean" fasting, eating windows, keto, demonizing food groups, etc. = These are only tools to aid in controlling appetite. Creating calorie deficits is what gets the weight off. Insulin does not supersede calorie intake. Calories put into your mouth far outweigh the insulin you release with an occasional diet pop or stick of sugar free gum. 

That is not to say that we shouldn't be eating more healthy. That's a no brainer, but who will be able to forever give up foods that they've been attached to for years, forever, let alone for weeks or months at a time? Not many.   Set the bar so high, it'll end up making more and more casualties. What's wrong with the mantra of basically eating in moderation, which is basically the lifestyle I preach?

Other than migraines (since age 8), which are few and far between since I entered menopause, at 56, I am never EVER sick. I mean NEVER! I attribute it to the fasting itself. If it's the fasting, why make things harder than they need to be?

Intermittent Fasting Advanced Support:  
https://www.facebook.com/groups/480540602310396

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

ADF support

ADF advanced support for obese women

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.

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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.