I'm moving to maintenance (PP and Atkins, with the yogurt from the Go Diet thrown in), and am confused about Dr. Atkins' recommendations about the percentages of fat and protein to eat. Let's say that I'm eating 50-55 grams of carbs a day (which I'm not yet; that's just for the sake of example). How much fat should be included? My minimum protein, according to PP, is about 56 grams. But that's just the minimum and can obviously go higher. So how to balance the protein and fat allotment?

Thanks.

Figur eout how many calories a day you're eating now. You can use the 10-12x weight, or adjust it to what you're currently having. Since you weigh so little, you should probably at least have 1200 a day. Then use the formula 1g protien = 4 cals, 1g carb = 4 cals, and 1g fat = 9 cals.

56g protien = 224 cals

55g carb = 220 cals

220 + 224 = 444 cals

1200 - 444 = 756 cals needed from fat

756 / 9 = 84g fat

The days you eat more protien or less carbs the numbers would change, but it gives you something to shoot for. I don't know the percentages really. Atkins made a comment that the Zone's 40/30/30 ratio was much like Atkins maintanance, so you could try following that to make things easier. The zone has quite a few cookbooks out with recipes that hit that percentage, you would have to adjust servings to meet your needs though.

Thanks, Lady Belle. That was exactly what I wanted to know!

Actually Atkins says to keep your protein level the same throughout. As carbs go up we decrease fat. Protein should always be 30% of your calories.