Low carb - maintaining

[duende]

I have reached my goal weight (only wanted to lose a stone) by low carbing (inspired by Biwi/ Dr briffa/ idiot proof diet/ atkins/ paleo :) ) and would now like to maintain this weight. I don't want to lose any more and woud like to be able to have some carbs (rye bread maybe? Maybe an ocassional naughty treat, like pizza?? -faints) whilst following the low carb way of eating most of the time.

Does anyone have experience of successfully maintaining long term and would like to share?
I have never been really overweight, but i love food and have a big appetite, which paired with underactive thyroid is not good news.

I reached my target weight about 2 months ago - BMI of 20. I have stayed with low carbing, eat more nuts and 85% choc, been on a few holidays, ate a few carby, meals, a few delicious puddings, lots of lovely wine, despite this poor behaviour starch and sugar have not crept back into my diet. I don't sleep well when I eat sugar - so it needs to be a very infrequent treat. My weight has fluctuated but I think this is mostly due to water bloating after eating carbs. I'm back on boot camp again as I'm in between holidays and wish to drop a few lbs in prep for potentially gaining a few while away. Dh reached his target 3 months ago and has maintained easily, he sometimes eats carbs at lunch - a spoonful of rice but not much....he drinks beer but only one or two and then moves to wine.

I think it's easier to maintain if your partner does it with you because then it really does just become the way you eat. Good luck.

Duende and SpringGoddess, I just wanted to bump this up and ask how you were both doing with LC maintaining? Any more tips? Thanks

I have asked this question before on here and got very little response. The forum on pig2twig.com has lots of info and posts on maintaining, it's very reassuring.

Hi springgoddess and shimbo.
Thanks for posting.
Well, i have been sort of maintaining my weight and sticking to low carb. I allow mysel more nuts, dark chocolate, natural yoghurt more often, more veggies and berries. I haven't yet added any grains (although i bought myself some rye bread but scared to eat it!) or had any really "naughty" stuff, but i will be eating pizza tomorrow :) to be honest, eating like i have been i would still expect to be losing a bit, but it's not the case. So either i've hit a bit of a plateau, or i'm eating more carbs than I think, or my body has decided I shouldn't lose any more ;)
According to MFP i have been eating between 20 and 40g carbs a day.

I've been able to get away with the odd carby thing but carbs affect my sleep and the insomnia drives me mad, so i can't see me introducing a large amount of starch or sugar.

I've been maintaining for about 10 months and while my weight stays pretty stable around the target I set. I don't panic if I'm a kilo up or down one day to the next. Three eggs and two thin slices of toast for breakfast every day (Morrisons sourdough seems to do the least damage). Poached one day, boiled the next, scrambled if I can be bothered... Sometimes just bacon and eggs (no toast), sometimes proper all guns blazing fry up. I don't often eat lunch (never really feel the need) and I'm quite sinful with supper. Mcdonalds once a fortnight (ask them to put two burgers in your Quarter Pounder with cheese then just don't eat the bun - balance the whole thing on the big tomato slice - good and messy). Pizza once a fortnight with no restrictions, Chicken Caeser salad (obviously - haven't we all become experts at that), nicoise (which I love), chicken-garlic-sag balti once in a while (no rice... but you CAN have the onion bhajis), haddock from the chippy (don't eat the batter) and NO CHIPS !!

Snacks are salami and chorizo, pork pie (don't eat the pastry), those posh glass jars of anchovies, any cheese I fancy on water biscuits and dark chocolate (one square after dinner). Don't forget to keep your metabolism up with a small coffee after food... But apart from the chocolate I never (like NEVER) eat sugar unless it's very well hidden. I never eat any pasta, any other bread other than toast at breakfast, rice, potatoes or things like crumpets or muffins. From day one I found the low carb thing really easy but I'm someone who honestly enjoys a savoury rather than sweet diet. The hardest thing for me is if (for work or social) I have to go to an Italian restaurant.

Oh (and here's the mad one) I drink two bottles of 12% Italian red wine every night and have ever since I can remember !

I walk about a mile every day with the dog and have the average life of a single parent with three school age kids (10/13/17) but no gym, no weights, no swimming - no nothing.

Honestly I think the protein from three eggs in the morning is the key - I never get hungry at lunchtime and although I break a few rules I only eat fairly small meals in the evening (but I have NO science or diary/record keeping to back this up).

I've LOVED losing a lot of weight really quickly this way and then keeping it off for about a year so far with a diet I honestly enjoy. I also really like finding new ways and new recipes to get good flavours and good food into my life without the carbs.

Good luck maintaining :)