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  #1   ^
Old Sat, Jul-30-11, 19:14
Lianne0825's Avatar
Lianne0825 Lianne0825 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 119
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 308/233.8/154 Female 66
BF:
Progress: 48%
Location: New Jersey
Default Maintenance folks questions

I have this idea of wat I'll be eating when I am on maintenance. I wonder how realistic my ideas are, though i know everyone is different. I was wondering what you fine maintenance level folks can eat in your regular diet.

How many carbs can you eat?
What rung can you eat?
Do you count calories?
If you eat fruit or other carby foods, do you aim to make low GI choices?


When I reach maintenance I picture myself enjoying carbs such as: strawberries, cantaloupe, pears (maybe?), yogurt (plain or fruit with sugar free sweetener), kefir (I've never tried it but an fascinated!), sprouted grain bread (check out this lower carb one:http://www.alvaradostreetbakery.com/product_detail.php?id=26)...I'm not sure what else!

Whats maintenance look like for you? And congrats on reaching your goal!
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  #2   ^
Old Sat, Jul-30-11, 20:21
cnmLisa's Avatar
cnmLisa cnmLisa is offline
Every day is day one
Posts: 7,776
 
Plan: AtkinsMaintenance/IF
Stats: 185/145/155 Female 5'5
BF:
Progress: 133%
Location: Oregon Coast
Default

Foodwise, maintenance looks like this:

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=429011


How many carbs can you eat?
I range from 40-60 on any given day for maintenance. During active weight loss mode 30-40.

What rung can you eat?
I stick mainly up to rung 5 Occassionally I will eat a corn tortilla or some refried beans. I eat occassionally 1/2 an apple with some cheese, but stay away from the sweeter fruits such as cherries and melons--they induce cravings. I rarely if ever eat wheat products.

Do you count calories?
I don't "count" calories, but I do keep track. It keeps me from overeating. With that said I have hungry days which can be 2200 cals and not so hungry days that could be 1300. Average about 1600-1800.

If you eat fruit or other carby foods, do you aim to make low GI choices?
I always try to choose the item that is going to have the least carb impact. If it's a question of quality, I ask myself is this <blank> really worth it and something I want to spend my carb bank on.

My maintenance looks very much like my OWL.

HTH

Progress not perfection.

Lisa

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  #3   ^
Old Sun, Jul-31-11, 04:22
Demi's Avatar
Demi Demi is offline
Posts: 26,664
 
Plan: Muscle Centric
Stats: 238/153/160 Female 5'10"
BF:
Progress: 109%
Location: UK
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lianne0825
I have this idea of wat I'll be eating when I am on maintenance. I wonder how realistic my ideas are, though i know everyone is different. I was wondering what you fine maintenance level folks can eat in your regular diet.
Well, you're right, everyone is different, so you will need to work out for yourself what the right level is for you. However, for what it's worth, if you follow the link Lisa has given, you will see what I eat for maintenance on a daily basis.

How many carbs can you eat?
I suppose I average around 50-60g a day. Though, there are days that might be higher, but also days when it's much lower.

What rung can you eat?
I suppose you could say that I eat from all the rungs (as per Atkins). However, I don't eat whole grains and the only legumes I do eat would be chickpeas in the form of hummus and peanuts in the form of peanut butter. As far as starchy vegetables are concerned, I eat new potatoes, sweet potatoes and carrots, but not on a daily basis.

Do you count calories?
No

If you eat fruit or other carby foods, do you aim to make low GI choices?With regard to fruit, I eat berries on a regular basis, as well as nectarines and peaches, and I also love apple slices smeared with peanut butter.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lianne0825
When I reach maintenance I picture myself enjoying carbs such as: strawberries, cantaloupe, pears (maybe?), yogurt (plain or fruit with sugar free sweetener), kefir (I've never tried it but an fascinated!), sprouted grain bread (check out this lower carb one:http://www.alvaradostreetbakery.com/product_detail.php?id=26)...I'm not sure what else!
IMO all the fruits, yoghurt and kefir you mention are fine and I do eat them myself, but I would never eat anything containing wheat. However, that's my choice and if you feel you can handle it, then it's entirely up to you.

One thing I would say is to make sure you eat real food, and to steer clear of any low carb frankenfoods on offer.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lianne0825
Whats maintenance look like for you?
Hopefully my answers to your previous questions will have given you a good idea as to what maintenance looks like for me.
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  #4   ^
Old Sun, Jul-31-11, 09:18
cnmLisa's Avatar
cnmLisa cnmLisa is offline
Every day is day one
Posts: 7,776
 
Plan: AtkinsMaintenance/IF
Stats: 185/145/155 Female 5'5
BF:
Progress: 133%
Location: Oregon Coast
Default

Oh I forgot, peanut butter is a legume so yes I eat peanut butter, but not daily.
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  #5   ^
Old Sun, Jul-31-11, 13:22
Lianne0825's Avatar
Lianne0825 Lianne0825 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 119
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 308/233.8/154 Female 66
BF:
Progress: 48%
Location: New Jersey
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cnmLisa
Oh I forgot, peanut butter is a legume so yes I eat peanut butter, but not daily.


Does peanut butter affect you the way other legumes affect you? I have tended to think peanut butter was more tame than other legumes because of the carb count.

I picutre myself grinding my own peanuts with salt and a touch of splenda...yumm.

I've not eaten it though, as I'm staying pretty close to induction. I do eat some chia seeds and walnuts though!

Thanks for youe feedback ladies, I'm reading through your logs!
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  #6   ^
Old Sun, Jul-31-11, 18:34
cnmLisa's Avatar
cnmLisa cnmLisa is offline
Every day is day one
Posts: 7,776
 
Plan: AtkinsMaintenance/IF
Stats: 185/145/155 Female 5'5
BF:
Progress: 133%
Location: Oregon Coast
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lianne0825
Does peanut butter affect you the way other legumes affect you? I have tended to think peanut butter was more tame than other legumes because of the carb count.

I picutre myself grinding my own peanuts with salt and a touch of splenda...yumm.

I've not eaten it though, as I'm staying pretty close to induction. I do eat some chia seeds and walnuts though!

Thanks for youe feedback ladies, I'm reading through your logs!


Peanut butter does not seem to be a trigger for me. I can take it or leave it.

Personally I wouldn't waste my time grinding my own when Adams peanut butter is just ground peanuts. I find it plenty "sweet" Your tastes change the longer you've been on this WOE. To add splenda to the peanut butter
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  #7   ^
Old Sun, Jul-31-11, 20:57
Jonahsafta Jonahsafta is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,304
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 248/149.2/148 Female 69 inches
BF:
Progress: 99%
Location: Las Vegas
Default

How many carbs can you eat? 50-60...some weeks 30 depending on hunger
What rung can you eat? all but rarely grains, I just dont choose them...fruit, very occasionally..berries..cantaloupe..green apple w/pb..legumes? maybe once in 3 months
Do you count calories? nope
If you eat fruit or other carby foods, do you aim to make low GI choices? yes because I actually prefer them,,,,I still dont like rice, pasta or potatoes so I dont eat them...I can only tolerate 2 bites of sweet potatoes.
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  #8   ^
Old Wed, Aug-03-11, 10:32
krystalr's Avatar
krystalr krystalr is offline
Induction ≠ Atkins
Posts: 5,886
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 270/164/180 Female 69 inches
BF:28%
Progress: 118%
Location: Frisco, TX
Default

How many carbs can you eat?
Well, I can eat as many as I want. How many Do I eat? Usually, under 40g net. Most days are closer to 30. I have an occasional higher carb day, but not frequently.

What rung can you eat?
I usually keep my food pretty basic - 4 and lower with the exception of beans, apples, and peanuts. I don't have issues with higher rungs outside of self control. I always want more, and I don't need to mentally deal with that on a regular basis, so I just stay away all together.

Do you count calories?
I track them. I don't know if that's what you mean by "count". For me, my calories need to be in check more so than my carbs. I can have a higher carb day and be at normal calorie levels and not gain. If I have higher calories, even if all LC foods, I can gain. My threshold is about 1500 calories if I'm not exercising.

If you eat fruit or other carby foods, do you aim to make low GI choices?
I eat fruit...I'd say daily. I eat mostly berries (raspberries in particular). I love having my daily serving of Greek Yogurt with unsweetened frozen berries mixed in (I use frozen because they're eaiser to mix in once thawed). I also enjoy a Granny Smith apple with peanut butter every now and then. Same with an occasional stone fruit - peach or something. I stay away from bananas, pineapple, and other really sugary fruits. I love honeydew melon, but I can WAY over-eat it.

For me, what I've found is that it isn't about rungs or numbers - it's about very specific foods. I worked really slowly through OWL, and I know full and well what my reaction is to anything that I would consider eating. If I have certain "trigger" foods, it has to be in VERY small servings - so small, to me, they aren't even really worth having at all. It's about knowing what works well for me, and sticking with that. I can go through phases where I just want to eat the same thing over and over and over and over, and that's fine. I don't need crazy variation in my diet to stay on plan. If there is something that I really want that I know is a trigger for me, I go into eating knowing what the outcome is going to be. 90% of the time, that's enough to keep me from it. The other 10%, I deal with in the days following - cravings, feeling hungry, etc. It's back to basics those days, and nothing but clean eating until I'm 100% back in control.
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  #9   ^
Old Sat, Aug-06-11, 12:22
Judynyc's Avatar
Judynyc Judynyc is offline
Attitude is a Choice
Posts: 30,111
 
Plan: No sugar, flour, wheat
Stats: 228.4/209.0/170 Female 5'6"
BF:stl/too/mch
Progress: 33%
Location: NYC
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lianne0825
I have this idea of wat I'll be eating when I am on maintenance. I wonder how realistic my ideas are, though i know everyone is different. I was wondering what you fine maintenance level folks can eat in your regular diet.

How many carbs can you eat?
What rung can you eat?
Do you count calories?
If you eat fruit or other carby foods, do you aim to make low GI choices?


When I reach maintenance I picture myself enjoying carbs such as: strawberries, cantaloupe, pears (maybe?), yogurt (plain or fruit with sugar free sweetener), kefir (I've never tried it but an fascinated!), sprouted grain bread (check out this lower carb one:http://www.alvaradostreetbakery.com/product_detail.php?id=26)...I'm not sure what else!

Whats maintenance look like for you? And congrats on reaching your goal!

I haven't responded to your questions mainly because they were asked in a way(Atkins) that left me unable to respond due to the fact that I follow South Beach. But I will attempt to answer now anway.

How many carbs can you eat?
While I have never counted daily, I did do a few days on fitday just to see where I was/am. My carb count can range anywhere from 50-60 up to 100-125 a day. This is for weight loss and maintenance.
What rung can you eat?
All rungs.
Do you count calories?
Not calorie count per se but I do pay attention to portions on calorie dense foods like nuts and cheese.
If you eat fruit or other carby foods, do you aim to make low GI choices?
Yes, I eat about 2-3 fruit servings daily....I always chose from the lower GI choices as that is a focus of the SBD. That is true of other starchy carbs. I can eat 2-3 servings of starchy carbs daily also.

In my experience, eating all these "carbier" foods while still losing my weight is what has enabled me to not see gain when I eat them while in maintenance. I pay close attention to the servings that I allow myself to have each day....and 6 yrs later, still count them in my head as the day goes along.

Hope this helps!
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  #10   ^
Old Sat, Aug-06-11, 14:55
Lianne0825's Avatar
Lianne0825 Lianne0825 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 119
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 308/233.8/154 Female 66
BF:
Progress: 48%
Location: New Jersey
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Judynyc
I haven't responded to your questions mainly because they were asked in a way(Atkins) that left me unable to respond due to the fact that I follow South Beach. But I will attempt to answer now anway.

How many carbs can you eat?
While I have never counted daily, I did do a few days on fitday just to see where I was/am. My carb count can range anywhere from 50-60 up to 100-125 a day. This is for weight loss and maintenance.
What rung can you eat?
All rungs.
Do you count calories?
Not calorie count per se but I do pay attention to portions on calorie dense foods like nuts and cheese.
If you eat fruit or other carby foods, do you aim to make low GI choices?
Yes, I eat about 2-3 fruit servings daily....I always chose from the lower GI choices as that is a focus of the SBD. That is true of other starchy carbs. I can eat 2-3 servings of starchy carbs daily also.

In my experience, eating all these "carbier" foods while still losing my weight is what has enabled me to not see gain when I eat them while in maintenance. I pay close attention to the servings that I allow myself to have each day....and 6 yrs later, still count them in my head as the day goes along.

Hope this helps!


Interesting Thanks for your reply. Sounds great!
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  #11   ^
Old Sat, Aug-06-11, 15:29
cnmLisa's Avatar
cnmLisa cnmLisa is offline
Every day is day one
Posts: 7,776
 
Plan: AtkinsMaintenance/IF
Stats: 185/145/155 Female 5'5
BF:
Progress: 133%
Location: Oregon Coast
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Judynyc

In my experience, eating all these "carbier" foods while still losing my weight is what has enabled me to not see gain when I eat them while in maintenance. I pay close attention to the servings that I allow myself to have each day....and 6 yrs later, still count them in my head as the day goes along.
Hope this helps!


THIS is where moving thru the appropriate rungs or phases is the important concept that many people fail to work thru while in their weight loss mode. Then they try and add these things in after having lost all the weight and much to their chagrin, the gain.

Can I also preface Judy's post that she walks 5-6 hours/day. YES! 5-6 hours.
That amount of activity allows her the generous carb allowance that works for her.

(Sorry to speak for you Judy)
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  #12   ^
Old Sat, Aug-06-11, 16:13
Judynyc's Avatar
Judynyc Judynyc is offline
Attitude is a Choice
Posts: 30,111
 
Plan: No sugar, flour, wheat
Stats: 228.4/209.0/170 Female 5'6"
BF:stl/too/mch
Progress: 33%
Location: NYC
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cnmLisa
THIS is where moving thru the appropriate rungs or phases is the important concept that many people fail to work thru while in their weight loss mode. Then they try and add these things in after having lost all the weight and much to their chagrin, the gain.

Can I also preface Judy's post that she walks 5-6 hours/day. YES! 5-6 hours.
That amount of activity allows her the generous carb allowance that works for her.

(Sorry to speak for you Judy)

Its OK Lisa ....I should always tell the amount of walking I do for my work as it is part of what has enabled me to maintain.
I sometimes wear a pedometer that counts my steps. The goal is to get to at least 10,000 steps a day and I easily make that when working...actually upwards of 14000-16000 a day.
I do rest on the weekends and still count about 8000 to 10000 steps when not working.
Also, 2 x 1 hour classes of Pilates per week is helping me tone!
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  #13   ^
Old Mon, Aug-08-11, 07:45
Enomarb Enomarb is offline
MAINTAINING ON CALP
Posts: 4,838
 
Plan: CALP/CAHHP
Stats: 180/125/150 Female 65 in
BF:
Progress: 183%
Location: usa
Default

hi-
I also didn't reply to this originally as it was in Atkins format (lol)- but since Judy did....

I do a plan called CALP- Carb Addicts Lifestyle Program. I eat everything- there are no forbidden foods. I strictly limit AS- only have it in diet sodas, which I drink 0-3/week. I eat the carbs I like with one meal a day in a balanced format. I do limit alcoholic beverages and full sugar desserts to 2xweek or less.
I don't measure calories or carbs. I also work out 4xweek doing walking and weights.
I choose my carbs based on what I want to eat, not GI values. I also don't eat any lowfat foods, and choose nice high fat cheeses and such. No low carb type frankenfoods, bars, shakes either. Real food- I cook lots.
For me, maintaining is just a continuation of my plan. It is not as exciting as losing, but has its own quiet satisfaction of just doing this for me- and the way I feel.

Congrats on your work so far and on your planning for maintaining. There is soooooo much on losing and sooo little on maintaining.

E
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  #14   ^
Old Mon, Aug-08-11, 15:35
Lianne0825's Avatar
Lianne0825 Lianne0825 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 119
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 308/233.8/154 Female 66
BF:
Progress: 48%
Location: New Jersey
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Enomarb
hi-
I also didn't reply to this originally as it was in Atkins format (lol)- but since Judy did....

I do a plan called CALP- Carb Addicts Lifestyle Program. I eat everything- there are no forbidden foods. I strictly limit AS- only have it in diet sodas, which I drink 0-3/week. I eat the carbs I like with one meal a day in a balanced format. I do limit alcoholic beverages and full sugar desserts to 2xweek or less.
I don't measure calories or carbs. I also work out 4xweek doing walking and weights.
I choose my carbs based on what I want to eat, not GI values. I also don't eat any lowfat foods, and choose nice high fat cheeses and such. No low carb type frankenfoods, bars, shakes either. Real food- I cook lots.
For me, maintaining is just a continuation of my plan. It is not as exciting as losing, but has its own quiet satisfaction of just doing this for me- and the way I feel.

Congrats on your work so far and on your planning for maintaining. There is soooooo much on losing and sooo little on maintaining.

E


Hi Eno Thanks for the reply! I was trying CAD, and posting in the thread for that plan. I'm glad it's working for you.

I gave CAD my best shot but decided Atkin's was a better fit for me. Wish me luck!
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