September 2nd, 2017
If you've been on Keto for over a year then 2 out of every 3 people in the ketogenic community will know what about the term “maintenance.” When I was first asked about the word I thought it was a typo and hadn’t a clue what it meant. At that point I had been on Keto for over a year so naturally it was assumed I'd know what the term meant. Unfortunately I was stumped, so I decided to do a little more digging on the matter.
Maintenance is defined in the English dictionary as "the process of maintaining or preserving someone or something, or the state of being maintained." In Ketogenic terms, it means you've reached the peak of your weight loss and have transitioned into the process of monitoring your body more closely. While some people tend to make the transition after being on keto for roughly a year it’s not uncommon to see people in maintenance at the 6 month mark.
When I first started Keto I was strict with my diet and monitored everything I consumed. Although I was very rigid with my diet I never counted carbs, did weekly weigh ins or took my glucose numbers. My ultimate gauge for success was geared more towards how I felt each and every day. For me it was the eye test that utilized because I knew that if I was paying close enough attention I’d see the subtle changes.
There's no "one size fits all" when it comes to how you manage your diet after that first year because it has to be curtailed to your lifestyle. Some might be a little more lax with what they eat and still primarily stay away from the fried foods or savory sweets.
Others might continue strictly monitoring their carbohydrate intake and weight gain/loss. If you're a busy mom with a job and a family of 4 to take care of then naturally your maintenance will be drastically different from a moderately active 26-year-old male.
At the end of the day it's all about what works best for you and your lifestyle above all else.
If you eat foods that are guaranteed fuel and your body responds well to them then take that plan and run with it. But if you know you’re going to feel groggy and slow after eating french fries then do your best to stray away from them. Nobody knows your body better than you, so feed it the necessary fuel that it so desires.
Maintenance is defined in the English dictionary as "the process of maintaining or preserving someone or something, or the state of being maintained." In Ketogenic terms, it means you've reached the peak of your weight loss and have transitioned into the process of monitoring your body more closely. While some people tend to make the transition after being on keto for roughly a year it’s not uncommon to see people in maintenance at the 6 month mark.
When I first started Keto I was strict with my diet and monitored everything I consumed. Although I was very rigid with my diet I never counted carbs, did weekly weigh ins or took my glucose numbers. My ultimate gauge for success was geared more towards how I felt each and every day. For me it was the eye test that utilized because I knew that if I was paying close enough attention I’d see the subtle changes.
There's no "one size fits all" when it comes to how you manage your diet after that first year because it has to be curtailed to your lifestyle. Some might be a little more lax with what they eat and still primarily stay away from the fried foods or savory sweets.
Others might continue strictly monitoring their carbohydrate intake and weight gain/loss. If you're a busy mom with a job and a family of 4 to take care of then naturally your maintenance will be drastically different from a moderately active 26-year-old male.
At the end of the day it's all about what works best for you and your lifestyle above all else.
If you eat foods that are guaranteed fuel and your body responds well to them then take that plan and run with it. But if you know you’re going to feel groggy and slow after eating french fries then do your best to stray away from them. Nobody knows your body better than you, so feed it the necessary fuel that it so desires.