One of the most commonly asked questions I get is, “once I lose the weight I want to lose, how do I keep it off?” Meet Keto Maintenance …
There is no easy answer or one specific way this will happen for every person’s body, but some tips help you make the choices you will need to maintain your weight loss.
I have kept the weight off for years, I have certainly made some poor choices along the way and gained some back, but the overall goal here is to:
- Be easy on yourself and know that it is ok to make mistakes.
- Get right back up, dust yourself off, and move forward with the lesson you learned.
- Have an awareness that extreme ups and downs can be harmful to your body, and if the goal is improved health, this needs to be considered.
So, what are the best maintenance strategies?
They start with your mindset.
What messages are you telling yourself?
Are you telling yourself that you “have to” or “want to”?
Have you considered this a lifestyle or a temporary diet?
Have you committed to being a part of a larger community of people improving their health?
Here is something true to making changes to your health, whether it’s with your diet, the way you think about food, the way you think about fitness, or the way you think about how you look: Changing your core beliefs and habits is hard work.
The maintenance goes into your mindset first, then your habits.
With that being said, the practices that require some thought when it comes to keto maintenance are:
- Discovering ways to be excited about new keto foods/meals. This could be enjoying keto magazines, participating in online communities (like mine!), paying attention to your favorites – and treating yourself to them more!
- Counting macros. Like so many of us, we think we get good at “eyeballing” portions and guessing the macros over time. The truth is, we need to revisit measuring foods and calculating macros once and a while. Even the tiniest change can cause your efforts to derail if you are a small person. Even if you aren’t tiny, small changes lead to significant results when it comes to losing weight AND gaining weight.
- Continue to follow a menu and meal prep when you can. Whether you are keto or not, meal prepping and menu planning are a considerable time and money saver, no matter what your “diet” consists of. Make this a life-long maintenance goal.
- Pay attention to calories. You should be aware of this during the development of a keto lifestyle; just don’t let this fall by the wayside. Keto maintenance includes paying attention to calories, which is a forever thing.
- Give yourself some grace. We all need to be easier on ourselves when we are doing things that are good for us. Remember, this is about the life-long management of our health. Our health includes mental wellness.
Keto maintenance
…. does not need to create stress or want, or deprivation. More than anything, it should be something you are excited about because you matter.
I hope this helps; leave a comment if you think I should add anything to the keto maintenance agenda!
Amy XO
p.s. Make sure you’ve downloaded my Keto Guide to help YOU get started (or restart) on your Keto Journey
Wonderful information.
Maintenance can be a tricky thing. I completely agree with continuing to count macros (once in a while). I’ve stopped at times and then feel my clothes get tighter. I start tracking again and immediately start feeling better. It is fun to let things slide a little here and there after putting in the dedication to getting to your goal. Remembering and reflecting on what it took to get there is so important to keep motivated even in the maintenance stage.
Using my carb manager app is the best for me to use and enter every meal and snack, it keeps me accountable.
Great copy. Need to lose a little more before maintenance for me.
But, I will get there. These are the best tips!
Great copy. Need to lose a little more before maintenance for me.
But, I will get there. These are the best tips!
Thank so much very informative Thank you. 😊
Great informative information. Thank you Amy
This!!!!! “ Have an awareness that extreme ups and downs can be harmful to your body, and if the goal is improved health, this needs to be considered.”🙌🙌🙌
Thank you 😊
Thanks for what you do ..yes I agree with entire blog .sometimes we have to remind ourselves what is important
I am restarting my journey. Thank you for being supported of me!
Very nice. I love the fact that it is à very realistic and not full of pressure. Love this blog
Thank you Amy for all the emails and support you give to everyone. Been lurking around and following you for years. Keep up the great work and help you give out😊🙏❤️
Thank you Amy!! Great advice!!
Amy – I have been following your FB page for a few years now and am so appreciative of everything you do!
You have totally educated me in this WOE, and I have recently surpassed my first goal! So I set another 🙂
Thank you!
Thank you for the tips on maintenance. I have a tendency to beat myself up when I fall off the wagon, but I just need to pick myself up & do my best to get back up.
I have been in maintenance for two years. The key is tracking your macros. Carb creep is real.
I have been on diets since I was ten years old. Being on keto is the first time in my overweight life that I truly feel I will actually reach my goal and be able to transition to maintenance. I appreciate your support and the information you provided in this blog. Thank you!
thank you 😊