Question about weight gain on maintenance

[sadie147]

I'm curious for anyone that has been maintaining for a while and has experienced weight gain: when you gain that 3 or 5 lbs, have you dropped back down to induction for a few days to deal with it, and if so, did this work for you.

If not, what do you do for small weight gains?

I tried this myself for a recent weight gain and I actually went UP 2 lbs. managed to get rid of it..by doing a modified OWL instead, keeping carbs at induction level but eating lower far OWL foods.

That still has not remedied my 7 lbs...though i've started exercising again/more which I know plays a big part in it.

I'm just curious though, since Dr. A recommends dropping back down to induction for a few days for small maintenance weight gains..has anyone done this and had success?

[Brook]

I did for quite some time, Jen. When 5-7lbs crept back on, I inducted to get rid of it and then kept on my merry way. It did work for me.....well, until March when the ship hit the sand in many other areas and my weight wasn't such a focus for me for awhile (thus the whopping 15+lbs!).

Upping your exercise is going to be huge, but looking at your calorie intake is probably going to be a smart move. 90% of weight loss is in what you eat, and the old saying "great abs are made in the kitchen" definitely applies here. The exercise can only help and improve your physical condition/looks/BMR, and it's the first thing I usually increase/change too. I despise induction and would rather sweat, myself. LOL Truthfully I find a combination of exercise, induction for a few days to clean everything up, and tweaking/monitering my calorie intake to be the best solution for small gains.

Just my $.02

~Brook

[BikerGoddess]

I've creeped back a few pounds a few times, and done both Induction and modified OWL to remedy it. I find Induction harder and harder to do right, though, so I'm trying to cut down on portion size and really watch what I'm eating at the higher rungs.

The challenges I seem to have are boredom with food (I can't cook), waiting too long to eat, and thinking 'this once won't hurt.' I've also really slacked off with my exercise.

I'd like to keep a steady weight, instead of yo-yo'ing, so I need to find a better way.

Laura

[sadie147]

Thanks Brook, that's exactly my thinking.. I would bet money that starting up my weight routine and running again (I wasn't a huge runner, just 15 -20 mins a day), i haven't run regularily in 2 months, will start me losing again. I'm quite sure that lack of exercise is what caused the gain in the first place (though i'm stunned I gained so much so fast ). And I am now watching the calories and fats more than anything now..I too believe this is what's going to work for me this time round.

I'm really more curious than anything if dropping back to induction does fact worked for anyone in maintanence. Or maybe it's the reasons for the gains. ie: if you gained from carb creep or cheats, it would work. since this was not the case for me that's why it didnt?

Once I did the rungs and I got to maint and my carbs went up, the fat went down, and naturally so did the calories. Which makes me wonder...when I tried to go back to induction, my calories jumped up with the fats, I wasn't exercising... and I'm thinking that's why it never worked for me and actually caused a gain. A calorie is a calorie.

Is dropping back to induction really the answer for most, just curious too see...

[sadie147]

Originally Posted by BikerGoddess

I'd like to keep a steady weight, instead of yo-yo'ing, so I need to find a better way.

Laura

This is my quest as well..i hated having to do induction after having had my OWL foods.

I'm glad I've realized it was the exercise, but like you I'd also like to find a balance where i won't have to spend all this time 'tweaking' things when there is a small gain.

[Mindykins]

Originally Posted by sadie147

if you gained from carb creep.....

I'm thinking we've gained from fat creep, not carb creep!

[BikerGoddess]

The term 'carb creep' comes from the idea that as you switch from actively watching what you eat to coasting along, extra carbs start to 'creep' back into your diet. Some people don't watch portion sizes as well, or allow extra sauces and stuff, or by going higher up the carb ladder than their body really wants.

Of course, carb creep does lead to fat creep....

[Perry]

I would not recommend re-Induction for a 5 lb. weight gain. In maintenance, I've found that calories 'do' count. I've also found that once I hit goal weight my body needed to build up its water supply and a re-gain of 3 lbs was necessary. That is why I advise folks to drop 2-3 lbs below their target weight (during the weight loss phases) and then let their body gradually balance itself out at target.

[BikerGoddess]

That's interesting. I did rebound right after I hit goal, but I thought it was from the Chinese food

Laura

[ttdriver]

I have yet to fluctuate more than a pound .. but then I am not the type to take chances by eating things I shouldn't.


Betty