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How well are you maintaining your ideal weight?

peacetrain

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,405
Location
Lancashire
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
As I'm nearing the time when I will need to think about maintaining rather than losing weight , I thought I'd begin a thread for people to record their approaches/experiences.

I haven't exercised as much over the last 2 weeks, since returning to work. My weight loss has been 1lb in those 2 weeks and calorie intake about 1500. I need to up the exercise again, as of today. I've done a 25 minute walk earlier and will do the same this evening. Just got to get back into the walking groove!
 
So ... If anyone has any success stories on maintaining weight whilst eating healthily and maintaining good HbA1c and cholesterol results ...

On the other hand, if you're struggling and need advice on how to maintain, ask here ... I'll benefit too! ;-)
 
Excellent idea for a thread.

I am struggling to maintain my goal weight. I left myself some leeway because I knew how hard it might be to stop losing, and I'm glad I did because I have continued to lose even on increased calories. If you don't want to increase carbs, don't like the idea of increasing the fat any more than you already have, and are eating the right amount of protein, how on earth do you increase your calories even more?

All and any ideas welcome!
 
Not there yet myself but it is something that needs thinking about for all of us...
So a few thoughts-
Nuts are high in calories but very good for you so a handful of them a day would increase cals without bumping animal based fat intake up. Brazils are particularly good for selenium which our old pasture mineral specialist said was sadly lacking in our diets and at root of all sorts of ailments so good for health and good for weight maintenance.
Playing about with carb tolerance to see if weight loss has increased it. I'm not advocating a return to a carb fest but suggesting that you might be able to have another few chips with your tea( aimed particularly @Bluetit1802 as I know you are already eating some spuds) , or adding a spoonful of chickpeas or other pulses to a dish. Play around with fruit as you might be able to manage more of it so could have that as a snack.
Have a starter - small bowl of homemade soup or some olives and salami , or a bit of homemade hummus if you can eat chickpeas ok with some veg sticks, garlic mushrooms, sliced smoked turkey ( Booths did a lovely one and I'm sure there's one in Clitheroe) with some crispy iceberg and bit of homemade french dressing, asparagus with butter or a soft boiled egg.
Or a dessert - or other low carb treat with a cuppa. Low carb cheesecake, crumbles, fruit and yogurt with some grated dark chocolate.
Bigger portions of low carb foods like broccoli and cabbage - not going to add too many extra carbs or cals but a few extra calories here and there might be just enough to keep you maintaining rather than losing. Try adding a small amount of butter to your veg if you don't mind the extra fat. Make a lovely olive oil dressing for your salads or homemade mayo.

I know from my Mum's experience that you don't need to go overboard and that eventually the body does find a status quo so that the losses stop. She probably eats more or less what she ate to lose weight most days but has a glass of wine a couple of nights a week and they always have a fancy Sunday evening meal with starter and pud, and that is enough to keep her in her range.
 
Thanks @cold ethyl Lots of suggestions there, but as I hate nuts (they make me sick) and olives, I can't add those. I was brought up never to eat between meals and have never felt the need to do so, so snacks are out as I would just be eating for the sake of it rather than because I was hungry. Similarly bigger portions. I love the extra chips suggestion (you know me so well Lol) and have already put this in place, plus the batter off a chippy fish, which does nothing at all to my levels. I already have butter or a small amount of gravy on my veg and I eat mayo like it was going out of existence. Not a sweet person, much more of a savoury girl, chocolate and desserts rarely passed my lips before so not going to start now, although funnily enough when I start wishjing I could eat the same as everyone else the only things that come to mind are rice puddings and vanilla slices. My plan of action is more fruit I think, and I have added a garlic mushroom starter with a slice of garlic bread and mayo to my Saturday evening meal.
 
Mmm garlic bread. I am much more a savoury person too. Never bothered with desserts much before so I haven't really rushed to experiment there. I like cheese so guess I'll just eat more of that when I reach target or have a starter. I did like to snack, though mainly on fruit so that will be something I'll be hoping can go back on menu a bit more. I can manage a nectarine so fingers crossed I can have a bit of apple too.
 
Some good ideas there. Thanks. I'm already a nutter and I also use coconut oil. I'm also able to eat up to 100g carbs a day but it depends on how it's made up. I'm wondering if grazing might be an idea? I eat a lot of fish too. I don't drink alcohol so wine isn't an option for me. I've started to eat porridge again ... About 25g dry weight. It takes me into the 6s but that's not too bad. I make it with water but I think I may add some ground almonds because it makes it creamier. I thought I may have a small amount of porridge as well as my morning cheese omelette, when the time comes.
 
I tried half a sliced up large apple in my yogurt instead of strawberries the other day. There was no difference in my readings, so I will try one without yogurt and see what happens.
 
I do think it is a question of playing about within and around the carb levels we have set. I cut out the likes of bread and spuds not just for BS reasons but to lose weight more easily as I always found it too easy to overeat them but I have found that a few chips or a small roastie don't have anywhere near the impact a slice of bread which has less carbs in does. Having two breakfasts sounds good- it works for hobbits.
 
Potato is something I cut out completely. I might buy some new potatoes and test them. I was always a bread and cheese addict. I like butter but haven't got it in my diet because I have cheese. But the garlic mushrooms sound like a reason to buy some butter in the future. I haven't eaten an apple for a long time. A quarter was my limit.
I suppose it also depends on how high you're prepared to allow bg to spike. I try to keep the max to 6.5 but even that doesn't make me feel comfortable. I'm not a pudding person but I have been eating berries and jelly.
 
I find 2 or 3 small new potatoes are fine, but I do put butter on them. They wouldn't be the same without, and the butter helps with the potential spike. Similarly, we cook our roasts in duck fat, so that helps with the couple of roasties I have on a Sunday, and the chips I have are homemade and deep fried twice in rapeseed oil, so probably better for BS than oven baked, and I only have 6 or 7. (at the moment!)

I am on between 60 and 65g of carbs and really want to keep to that level until I am totally satisfied with my BS levels. It's my HbA1c this week and I'm getting nervous!
 
I'm a bit like that about spikes too @peacetrain Hate to see over 6 really on the monitor screen if I'm honest, which is daft as the recommendations for non-diabetics are 7.8 at 2 hrs. I tend to let my meal settle a bit then do 10 -15 mins on exercise bike if I think I've been a bit carb heavy with a meal. I try to stay under 75g a day, most days will be much less than that.

Good luck with the HbA1c test @Bluetit1802
 
Good luck! I have to wait until November, being the anniversary of diagnosis. Had one in feb then may then she said November and annually. I think your carb intake is ok. I'm going to have a go with potatoes at some point. Like you, I don't want to experiment too much in case it affects my HbA1c.
 
Yes there's a Booth's in Clitheroe. I'll take a look. Thanks.
 
I will be very interested in seeing the replies to this question.

Beginning of June I was 15 stone, yesterday reached 12st 5lbs. Am 5'10" tall.

As i understand it am now JUST within normal BMI range.
Normal BMI being between 9st 13 to 12st 6 for my weight and age.

I have restricted my self to max of 1200 calories per day, since beginning of June, max 60g of carbs.

Had already decided that once I get to 12st, would try to stabilise. I will not start this process until I make the 12st just
My own goal. I appreciate I may continue to lose weight for a while even with increasing calories, but according to BMI
I would still have some weight to play with.

Await with interest other people's thoughts and information as always.
 
last time i was weighed i hadn,t lost any weight but i tried a size 22 trousers on and they fitted though a little tight around my thighs
at the moment i,m wearing size 24 trousers and they are baggy on me
 
ally1 said:
last time i was weighed i hadn,t lost any weight but i tried a size 22 trousers on and they fitted though a little tight around my thighs
at the moment i,m wearing size 24 trousers and they are baggy on me
Click to expand...

Well done Ally, you are losing inches, and that is good.
 
I'm within 3 kg of my initial target weight of 70 kg (10 1/2 stone) having journeyed from 90 kg. With LCHF weight loss has been steady, almost linear, since the end of March. Whilst I used to weigh less than 10 stone I don't want to go that low now as Mrs Sanguine says I will look too haggard (!).

So soon, even now, I will have to experiment with stabilisation. Increasing carbs is out, and reducing exercise is something I'd prefer to leave to a time when I have less choice in the matter. So I will probably eat more avocados, cream and cheese and see what that does. Isn't red wine high in calories?
 
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