Hello to all

I have about 4 pounds or so until I reach my goal. I had been following Atkins strickly for the first 3 months or so, then I started adding foods on the carb ladder, but I did not exactly add them in 5 carb increments. I have added new vegatables, nuts( just a few and peanut butter) and have also had blueberries a few times. Twice I had a low carb tortilla.

Okay- my question-- since I am so close to goal should I try and change the way I have been doing things? If I keep eating this way will I eventually hit a weight that I will stay at? Does that make any sense? I am so happy with the way things are going and the way I look and feel. I guess I am wondering if I keep eating the way I have been will the weight loss just slow down and them stop?

Also I should say that I don't strickly count my carbs every day. I do not "cheat" I only drink water. I do moderate excercise 3-4 week. I do have an active lifestlye.

Anyone have any advice?
Thanks for listening, I sure do love this board!


Donna

Howdy, and congrats on your success.

My opinion? NO! Not as long as you're happy with your energy levels for your workouts, you feel good overall, and your menu is varied with lots of decent whole foods. The most I would change is increasing quatities a bit, and keep adding those carb ladder foods in moderation. Induction foods can still be your "core" foods. Your weight loss should slow down and stop on its own.

IMO, the biggest change that occurs in maintenance is simply that you declare yourself at goal. Minimal change in eating habits. It's a slippery slope to that "hooray, I can eat whatever I want now!" mentality.

Good luck and enjoy!

My opinion is that if there are foods missing from your diet RIGHT NOW that you'd like to eat on maintenance, then now is the time to start trying them out. At first I would try them as part of the carb number you're already eating (in other words, don't add total carbs just yet), substituting the new food for something old. Then you can see how the food itself affects you, b/c you already know that your carb level is ok. If you add the food as extra carbs and it doesn't agree with you, you won't know whether it's the food or simply the number of carbs. If you're happy with the diet as it is now (food-choices, that is) then you could begin to experiement with adding more of those foods either now or when you actually reach your goal.

The point is, it's really up to you. It's your diet. You telling us that you're happy with the way things are going in the way you look and feel is good. Now you just need to assess your lifetime satisfaction quotient based on the foods you're currently eating and if you think you'll want to eat some foods that you're not currently eating later on.

Congrats on your progress!