I had to come up with a plan I could live with. I'm at goal, have been and want to continue maintenance in a healthy way.

Of my total daily calories (I use calories and gms)

45% protein (lean proteins in my world)
40% fat (healthy fats in my world - limited sat/trans/hydrog)
15% carbs (great low carb veggies/fruits/low gi grains in my world)

This plan would not suit everyone. It is a far cry from eggs and bacon and butter for breakfast, chicken with skin on and cheese for lunch and steak with salad and lots of butter.

My diet is more like
Eggwhite omellete with lc veggies and smartbalance butter and some berries.

Salad/veggies, canola mayonnaise-no sugar/no sat fat and lean chicken/no skin and a great protein shake with flax oil.

Veggies (dark green leafy) with olive oil, some lean turkey and
some dark rye unprocessed german bread (1/2 piece) 5c/no sugar.

-----We all have to find our CCL (mine is about 50) and work from there. I limit fat to 40% because I just don't need more than that to be satisfied - so why eat more if I'm not trying to lose? It's a wonderful plan...for me.

I stick to healthier fats because they have been proven to be slightly anti-inflammatory over saturated/trans/hydrog fats and monounsaturated fats have also been proven to satisfy a person for a longer period of time.

I hear that Atkins' next book will be on lifetime maintenance.

Looks like you have given this lots of thought. I just started maintanence and have been thinking about the same issues. Throughout my time on Atkins (almost 6 months), I have emphasized lower fat meats and healthier fats (e.g. olive oil). and lots of green veggies (which I love!). I tried some fake-food (bars and shakes) but totally eliminated them due to expense and what I considered bad taste. Fortunately, I don't have a sweet tooth so haven't needed the sugar-free "legal" foods either. I do eat eggs frequently and high quality cheddar once in awhile. I keep a few macadamea nuts and venison jerky in the car for road food (I'm on the road a lot for work). I'm hoping I don't have to get more formal about this than just continue eating reasonable portions of the foods listed above. My problem may end up being staying with reasonable portions.

This is such a quiet forum that I was really happy to see another determined maintainer posting. Guess maybe folks drop out once the meet goal.

Cindy

Yes, there doesn't seem to be alot of continuing support for those who have achieved goal (despite a forum exists for it).
I think when you reach maintenance you not only want to maintain, but continue to increase the overall quality and health of your diet. I stayed on induction levels for get this - 2 years- and finally gave myself permission to move on!
What I do on fitday is just record my foods in the journal and then at the end of the day add it all up and see how I did. It's very helpful and I find I tend to stick to this pattern of healthy eating naturally now.
I do have some medical conditions that include quite a bit of inflammation and I do find that the healthier fats/unsat,nonhydrog,nontrans - lower the PG2 prostaglandins (inflammatory) in my body (much like an nsaid would) and I feel better with this "healthier fat" but enough fat focus.
What's wrong with eating lean meats, healthier fats on Atkins? Why is this so shunned by the hard core Atkins folks. If I do not feel deprived/in fact I feel BETTER eating this way - why is there no forum for US - just because we choose to adhere to a few more "traditional" so called "heart healthier" rules for ourselves.
I still continue to post here. I enjoy the feedback and the "do what works for you" comments. Still I find others feel I am not truly doing Aktins - but do I care? No, I am low carbing and anything else is just opinion if you ask me. I'm not in ketosis, but I'm fed, satisfied and maintaining. I think this is the true goal...learning to EAT real food and to enjoy healthy food.

N

I too prefer a healthier version of Atkins. I prefer to use extra virgin olive oil or flax seed oil. I am yet to try coconut oil but love coconut cream. Dairy generally does not agree with me and sets up cravings for more of the same or worse. I have given up decaf this year and now prefer to stick to herbal teas and water.

I even have to watch nuts and fruit as they can both create digestive problems and bloating. My body prefers lean meats even though I tried eating the fat there for a while. I love lean organic meats, fish, organic and free range eggs, tofu and tempeh. I would like to try the micro filtered whey protein one day.

I have no problems with asthma nor allergies when I listen to my body (well unless I pat or get licked by a furry creature eg cats, dogs, rabbits, kangaroos).

Do kangaroos go in for much licking? Don't have to many of those here on the plains of Kansas. Can't imagine how they'd fit in with my dogs, cats, and donkeys....

Sound like you have really made this low-carb woe work for you. Tomorrow is my 6 month anniversary. I'm down 33 pounds and have been in maintenance for about 2 months. It is just my natural way of eating now -- there are whole sections of the grocery store I don't even walk past. YEA!

Cindy

Hi Cindy,

Congratulations on your 6th month anniversary. Missing those aisles must make shopping much easier and quicker for you. My partner has taken over the shopping and evening meal cooking so I have been let off the hook in that regards. I hate buying what I consider junk for my family (mindyou my partner and children eat much healthier than any other families we know of around these parts).

I live in a rural farming community. We only have a small farm but I at least have the space for raising joeys. I currently have a two year old kangaroo at home and my other the same age being a boy has gone off seeking adventures with all the wild ones from the creek at the back of our place. He comes home to visit from time to time and is still very sookey. Both roos are very lickey and cuddley. There fur is so soft to stroke.

It is sad that this part of the forum is so quiet. I initially reached my first goal (54kg OR 119 lbs)which is where I have been up and down from for the last 7 months and popped in to look at maintenance and also posted a bit, but not much has been happening since then.

The joeys sound great. Do lots of folks have them for pets? Being a confirmed animal-nut I know I would love them. We live out in the country, too, on 2 1/2 acres surrounded by hard-working wheat farmers.

I guess once you reach your goal on this eating plan there just isn't much new to say. Although I may have someone to mentor a little - she came into my office the other day and said she was on her 3rd day of induction. Remember those days???? Just wished her well and gave her a few tips.

Hi there,
Interesting thread. There is a need for maintnance members to hang around the forum to encourage, mentor and give perspective to those who are starting out. However you are right in that there also has to be a way of getting some encouragement, as you/we undertake a lifetime plan. I'm looking forward to reading Dr Atkins' new book, and am glad that he has realized the need for it.

There are challenges as we settle in to a new "way of life". You started out by saying that you have found a ratio of nutrients that work for you and wonder why Atkins plan followers tend to be antagonistic about it. I think that the reason is in the plan itself. But this is NOT a bad thing. Just think of it as a process of maturity.

There is a lot going on in the beginning of the low carb experience. There is a genuine grieving process happening for a lot of people. The great thing about Atkins is that he gives them something to overcome that period, in a licence to indulge in all the previously forbidden foods. Challenging people during this period is like trying to grab a bone from a dog. And just being there can be a passive challenge at times.

The unfortunate thing is that a lot, if not most people, on "atkins" have never read the book from start to finish, or have not read the latest editions. Doing so helps the reader to see that the Atkins plan is very much a behavior modification program. A person at maintenance level is a very different creature than the inductee! That is why Dr Atkins is so vehement about going through each stage consciously.

Well, I'm sounding like quite the apologist here! Perhaps I should be on staff. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the "Maintenance Person" is a vital part of this community. You are needed and appreciated and support is due you. But the way of the world is that the sage is often scorned, so all we can do is smile when someone laments about "hating eggs" and wondering why they are in a stall after only having a pint of ice-cream the night before, and gently point the way back to the road to better health.

Thanks again

Colin

ps I've got more thoughts on fats but one essay a day is all I should inflict on people.

Colin, a great reply on the subject of maintenance. I have not got there yet but I agree it would be great if more maintainers hung around to share their successes and advice. Lots more would learn from their experience.

Hi Colin. I didn't see your post sooner; it's quiet here! I don't have much to say that belongs particularly to this forum: it's usually more pertanant to the General LC area.

My copy of "Atkins for Life" is waiting for me at the post office. Can't wait to get it into my hot li'l hands!

Hey Collin -- I'm waiting to hear your rant on fats.
Kristine -- I've been thinking about the Atkins for Life book but haven't had a chance to look at it yet. Hope it isn't mainly receipes made with Atkins products. I know that sounds harsh - I really appreciate what this WOE has done for me and have no problem with the good doctor making $$ but his products simply are not within my budget. If there truly is new info in the book I will gladly purchase it.

Cindy

Hey folks, as someone who is approaching maintenance, I'm glad I found this thread. My question is this, during the on going weight loss phase, I've been weighing myself every day, this way I can tell the foods that are good and the ones that are bad. I've pretty much got down a regular diet of egg's, cheese, veggies, salads, lean meats (plenty of those), occasional 'good' fruits (berries etc,..), SF Jello and the occasional Malitol laced sweet item. I'm still loosing but with daily weigh-in's I find my weight is on a gradual downward slope towards my goal but, for example, this morning I was 194 lbs, but yesterday I was 198 with no significant change in diet.

I think when I reach goal I'm going to change my weigh-in's to maybe 1-2 times per week, but I was just wondering how those already on Maintenance monitor their weight. Have you set upper and lower limits on when to change your diet? I was think +/- 5 lbs i.e. if I get to 5 lbs above my goal I'll be a little stricter an reduce the carbs, and if I get too low then I'll eat more carbs. Thoughts?

Duncan

Hey, Duncan! Hope you haven't given up on this thread. It isn't very active so I don't check in very often. I have set a range for my goal rather than an actual weight - it's a five pound range. I weigh myself one time per week. I never did weigh everyday because the fluctuations would have driven me crazy. I'm within a couple of pounds of the range I want to be in. When I reach it, I may go to one time per month weigh-in and just watch the clothes in the meantime.

Hope this helps,
Cindy

Wow, I thought this thread was dead (excuse the poetry). I usually search for threads with my username and it turns up those long forgotten threads like this one that I've participated in.

I don't think I could go a week withouth weighing myself, I'm still in the early stages of maintenance so I'm still expanding my diet and seeing how this effects my weight. For example, this weekend I had a little (and I mean LITTLE) bit of rice with a chinese meal, and also had one more low carb bar than usually. I was in Home depot and could feel the energy draining, reminding me of my high carb days.....the headache, irritability, nausea, etc,.....I needed a boost. So instead having a diet soda, I sucked it up, drank plenty of water and today am eating induction levels of carbs. I could also tell in my wieght though, I'd been pretty constant at 193-194 but today was 195. I guess I knew I'd been bad just by the way I felt, but it was good that the scales confirmed my suspicions. Over time, I'm sure I'll recognise the signs better and take the appropriate action, until then, the scale is still my reality check...

Since I'm so close to goal, I'm thinking of using your idea of the goal range, rather than a single goal. I like the idea of the range to take into account those fluctuations and it gives you a bit of leaway. I think I may actually gan weight aswell if I exercise more and my muscle mass builds, so I'll have to use BF% as another measure. I'm not doing weights, but jogging and yard work have brought my BF% down considerably.

Thanks for giving this thread CPR, I think Maintenance is just as important as the induction phase of the diet (if not more so).

Duncan

"Recalled to life...."

I think maintanence is important, too. And there just doesn't seem to be much help for it. I'm thinking about the Atkins for Life book, but at least half of it is menu plans and receipes - & I'm not interested in that.

Do you think it is possibe that your energy drain in Home Depot was due to the rice and carb bar? Or could it have been just a shopping-allergy attack?

I ate some pizza with crust Sunday and my reaction was a belly ache. I'm happy about that because it really didn't taste all that good and the after effects will make it easier to resist next time.

If there is one thing I've learned about the WOE, it's: Take Food and Water with You Always.

Cindy