Sun, Feb-08-04, 16:55
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Senior Member
Posts: 1,512
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Plan: Atkins - Maintenance
Stats: 185/150/150
BF:
Progress: 100%
Location: Northern California
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Hi Kelly,
Congratulations on not only reaching goal, but also maintaining it the past several months.
I’ve been on Maintenance for about 6 months now. For me, this is certainly the most difficult aspect of the diet compared to OWL, which I thought was quite simple and easy. The past 6 months of maintenance has been interesting. What I mean by that is my constantly being tempted by the foods I had restrained from indulging in during OWL. I appreciate that while many here have no issues with foreswearing off these decadent foods for eternity, I wasn’t up to the task.
After a taste of ice cream, chocolate, real pizza, and a burger with actual buns the cherished memories of how good these foods tasted came flooding back. Just my personal opinion, but I think chocolates were never meant to be sugar-free, that pizzas were meant to be on a floured crust, and burgers/sandwiches are meant to be served on bread. The most precarious stage for me during Maintenance was incorporating these foods into my diet after having abstained from them for such a long time. Dealing with the fear of gaining back added pounds can be disconcerting, but when I compared it to the other possibility of never eating them again—it appeared a necessary, even, essential risk.
Now, 6 months later, my weight has stabilized from 145 – 150, fluctuating within normal parameters, as it should. Once you figure out what sort of foods you can eat that is commensurate with your goal weight and lifestyle, then Maintenance becomes a breeze. In my view, you should take some time and find out what that ideal “eating level” is for you.
With kindest regards,
Frederick
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