WHAT IS A GOOD, HEALTHY, MAINTENANCE-FOR LIFE DIET?

[kaylem]

What do you guys think?

Here's a P3 into P4 question....Simeon says very little about what to do AFTER P3--Just that we are to gradually add starches and sugars back into our diet after three weeks w/o those items. But I guess I feel perplexed and a bit nervous about just WHAT to eat once I stabilize. I realize that the "high fat" low carb thing is perfect for P3 b/c of its purpose. But what is an ideal nutritional balance for P4? I just can't wrap my head around the idea that eating THIS much fat--skin from chicken, full fat (20g per serving!) Greek Yogurt, full fat dressings--is actually GOOD for you long term. There should be more balance, right?

I mean, ideally, if we are at our ideal weight, AND we have re-set our metabolism, then if we eat minimally processed foods, LOTS of fruits and veggies, and lean protein, that would be just fine, right? Whole grains? "Organic" crackers and pasta? Are those ok? I also get that every person is different and will have to find what works for them--but I would love a great "guideline", and not necessarily what the FDA says is ok. There is just so much conflicting information out there.

What do YOU GUYS think? How will you feed your new body?

WHAT IS A GOOD, HEALTHY, MAINTENANCE FOR LIFE DIET?

[catkin]

Atkins Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL)
Have you read the book?

ETA: Every morning, let the scale decide what you will eat for the day. (stolen and paraphrased)

[kaylem]

No, not yet. I'll fess up and say that I have never tried Atkins. :blush: I had a roommate that did it and it seemed so extreme....I DID do South Beach, and had success with that--for a while.

I think maybe it's time I read it... Thanks, Catkin!

Any other opinions, ya'll?

[C'Marie]

What I am planning to do is the Carbohydrate Addicts Life Plan diet - which is for maintenance - basically let the scale determine what you eat, but low carb for 2 meals a day and one meal, eaten in just less than 60 minutes, as a "balanced" meal, including carbs and even a dessert. I sort of did this on my 2nd P4 and it worked like a charm. There is something to that timing of the insulin surge that has to do with maintenance. Years ago I used the Carbohydrate Addicts Diet and it did work, but I ate too much junk overall as my one balanced meal.... now that I'm more under control and weight way down that is the lifestyle for me! There is a CAD support group here on LCF. And you can find the books-they're cheap on amazon. Interesting reading.

I know I can't do truly low carb forever. I like my fruit and yogurt on occasion. But I won't go back to eating junk. NOPE.

[catkin]

Originally Posted by kaylem

No, not yet. I'll fess up and say that I have never tried Atkins. :blush: I had a roommate that did it and it seemed so extreme....I DID do South Beach, and had success with that--for a while.

I think maybe it's time I read it... Thanks, Catkin!

Any other opinions, ya'll?

You're welcome Kay--I have an extra copy Check out the other forums here for a good idea of what Atkins looks like. But be careful in The Main Lobby
My doc recommends South Beach. Everyone needs to come to this decision on their own, of course. One thing we know for sure--what we were doing wasn't working!

[catkin]

Originally Posted by C'Marie

What I am planning to do is the Carbohydrate Addicts Life Plan diet - which is for maintenance - basically let the scale determine what you eat, but low carb for 2 meals a day and one meal, eaten in just less than 60 minutes, as a "balanced" meal, including carbs and even a dessert. I sort of did this on my 2nd P4 and it worked like a charm. There is something to that timing of the insulin surge that has to do with maintenance. Years ago I used the Carbohydrate Addicts Diet and it did work, but I ate too much junk overall as my one balanced meal.... now that I'm more under control and weight way down that is the lifestyle for me! There is a CAD support group here on LCF. And you can find the books-they're cheap on amazon. Interesting reading.

I know I can't do truly low carb forever. I like my fruit and yogurt on occasion. But I won't go back to eating truly junk. NOPE.

I have this book--for a long time now! Thing is, my tastes have changed but it really would be a good way to work it! I may have to dig it out and read it again. I bet there's a forum for it, too.

Kay, it's great that you're searching. Like the rest of us, you just want this dieting crap to be over with, right? Just promise us you won't go too low fat

[C'Marie]

Originally Posted by catkin

I have this book--for a long time now! Thing is, my tastes have changed but it really would be a good way to work it! I may have to dig it out and read it again. I bet there's a forum for it, too.

Kay, it's great that you're searching. Like the rest of us, you just want this dieting crap to be over with, right? Just promise us you won't go too low fat

YES, there is, and I'm on it.... it's in the "other" section.

[catkin]

Originally Posted by C'Marie

YES, there is, and I'm on it.... it's in the "other" section.

I new it! Good old Low Carb Friends

[nurseypoo5]

i'm gonna have to wait and see what works. Low carb for life sounds like a plan i could live with, but i think you'd have to watch some of the fat too, where as in atkins you dont, but im like most i cant do that. I want bread, i want a real hamburger, enchiladas, queso, margaritas (ok make me stop lol)

I'm never going to be able not to go out to eat, we eat out a lot, we both work 12 hours shifts opposite of each other so on our days off we want to spend them out...so if i did do this, it might give me the option for a cocktail, dinner, maybe another cocktail..without all the worries.

i wonder if its possible to watch what you eat like A NORMAL person with the occassional splurges? But what is normal? I've never been normal!

[nurseypoo5]

Originally Posted by catkin

I new it! Good old Low Carb Friends

[C'Marie]

Originally Posted by nurseypoo5

i'm gonna have to wait and see what works. Low carb for life sounds like a plan i could live with, but i think you'd have to watch some of the fat too, where as in atkins you dont, but im like most i cant do that. I want bread, i want a real hamburger, enchiladas, queso, margaritas (ok make me stop lol)

I'm never going to be able not to go out to eat, we eat out a lot, we both work 12 hours shifts opposite of each other so on our days off we want to spend them out...so if i did do this, it might give me the option for a cocktail, dinner, maybe another cocktail..without all the worries.

i wonder if its possible to watch what you eat like A NORMAL person with the occassional splurges? But what is normal? I've never been normal!

Eating out is completely possible on the CAD plan. Including drinks and desserts

[catkin]

Kay, here is a thread from here @LCF from the Maintainers Lane Forum. It is people posting their basic menus now that they're in maintenance. It's a great read!

Maintainers' Menus: daily food intake

[kaylem]

oooooh! Thanks, Catkin! That's awesome! (And sometime you will have to tell me what is so scary about the "main lobby" now that my curiosity is peaked! )

[emel]

I don't think I'll go with a bona fide plan. I'll just wing it.

I plan on limiting starches and relying on whole grains/good veg for most of my starches.
Sweet potatoes, legumes, brown and wild rice, and dense whole grain bread if I can get away with it.

I'll plan my meals by starting with good quality protein and veggies, and then I'll add a starch some days but not all the time. Lunches will usually be salad with protein. Snacks will be fruit or veg or a good grain. I'm not a breakfast eater, so I'll go with V8 or tomato juice or fruit with yogurt or cottage cheese. I like oatmeal, oat bran, and whole grain cereal as a snack, not as a breakfast.

Another program taught me to bracket any 'iffy' days with good clean on-plan days. So if I'm going out to dinner on Saturday, I'll choose to limit carbs and treats on Friday and Sunday.

So for me, a routine day would be:
-cottage cheese and V8 if I want it
-salad with eggs or chicken, lots of veggies, some walnuts, and real dressing
-fruit or oat bran or devilled egg or hummus, guacamole, or salsa with veggie strips
-chicken, beef, or seafood with broccoli or zucchini. Maybe some cheese or oil or pine nuts or butter for the recipe, 1/2 cup brown rice or a half a sweet potato some days, salad other days.

If something comes up such as a birthday party or a cocktail gathering, I'll eat a few bites of the cake, but I'll skip my starches the day before and the day after.

That's the plan, anyway. There's also some merit in doing stricter on the carbs/treats during the week and allowing a couple of optional treats on the weekends. But I'd need to remind myself that I don't get to go wild on the treat days.

[C'Marie]

Sounds like a great plan, Emel! AMEN to the reminding self not to go wild

[kaylem]

It DOES sound like a good plan, emel! Thanks for contributing.

I have the Carbohydrate Addict's Plan book, too. I read it/bought it probably 17 years ago. That was the first time I ever heard about the idea of processed carbs being bad for you. It was eye-opening. Maybe I'll re-visit their plan. I think I kind of naturally eat like that anyway--low carb for the whole day until dinner. (Then only whole, natural starches.)

The one thing I miss, oddly, is sandwiches. We eat sandwiches a lot in the summer when we go hiking, camping, etc.. I hope that I get to the point where I am able to eat those again!

[catkin]

Originally Posted by catkin

I new it! Good old Low Carb Friends

Ahem....make that I knew it!

[C'Marie]

Originally Posted by kaylem

It DOES sound like a good plan, emel! Thanks for contributing.

I have the Carbohydrate Addict's Plan book, too. I read it/bought it probably 17 years ago. That was the first time I ever heard about the idea of processed carbs being bad for you. It was eye-opening. Maybe I'll re-visit their plan. I think I kind of naturally eat like that anyway--low carb for the whole day until dinner. (Then only whole, natural starches.)

The one thing I miss, oddly, is sandwiches. We eat sandwiches a lot in the summer when we go hiking, camping, etc.. I hope that I get to the point where I am able to eat those again!

Try Julian bread for sandwiches. Google them - LOW carb, real bread, expensive, but for when I really want TOAST or a sandwich, very worth it to me. You could also use oopsies or some kinds of bread made with coconut or almond flour for sandwiches.

[Ravenj9]

I think I will follow the EFGT (Eat Fat Get Thin) program. There's a thread for this as well on LCF. I noticed, by tracking my meals on ******, that my body does better with 65-70% fat, 20-25% protein, and 5-15% carbs. Whenever I increased my protein too much I would gain weight. I did this program last weekend on my interruption and I lost .8 lbs of weight I gained due to what I know now was deactivated injections toward the end of my P2.

[C'Marie]

Originally Posted by Ravenj9

I think I will follow the EFGT (Eat Fat Get Thin) program. There's a thread for this as well on LCF. I noticed, by tracking my meals on ******, that my body does better with 65-70% fat, 20-25% protein, and 5-15% carbs. Whenever I increased my protein too much I would gain weight. I did this program last weekend on my interruption and I lost .8 lbs of weight I gained due to what I know now was deactivated injections toward the end of my P2.

What did your carbs consist of? Any starches at all? or just carbs from dairy and veggies?

[BigBenny]

I'd say Atkins induction is a good, healthy, maintenance way of life. It may sound like a short or sarcastic answer, but I truly believe it.

[Ravenj9]

Originally Posted by C'Marie

What did your carbs consist of? Any starches at all? or just carbs from dairy and veggies?

My carbs were from dairy, veggies and fruit. No sugars or starches. I will try some sugars and starches on occasion but for the most part I think this plan will work for me.

[catr31]

Originally Posted by BigBenny

I'd say Atkins induction is a good, healthy, maintenance way of life. It may sound like a short or sarcastic answer, but I truly believe it.

I would never be able to live on Atkins induction for the rest of my life. Way too restrictive. I will probably do a lower carb diet, but with healthy whole grains and occasional treats and correction days.

[shelbyla]

I truly enjoy eating low carb so, like many here, I will probably continue that for the most part with additions of legumes (garbanzo beans, peanuts, cashews) frequently, rice or potatoes maybe once a week, and sugar or wheat only rarely (if I want to treat myself to a pizza or a really nice dessert out or something). Bread I can do without. I miss pasta a little but I'm looking forward to experimenting a little more with miracle noodles and some of the new pastas with quinoa and rice.

ETA: And I TOTALLY do NOT buy into the "saturated fat is bad/whole grains are good" BS that the FDA has shoved down our throats since the 1950's. It has been PROVEN that there is NO link between saturated fat, cholesterol/lipid levels, and heart disease or any other health problem, for that matter. When I am not in P2, I eat a diet of 60-65% fat, most of it saturated in the form of butter, other meat fats, and coconut oil. My last triglycerides were 65 and my last LDL cholesterol was 82. By contrast, when I was eating wheat and other processed grains daily (not overdoing but just in an attempt to be "normal"), my TGs were 300+ and my cholesterol was 250+. Just TRY and tell ME that saturated fat is bad for you! Humph!

[julieboolie]

This is very interesting.

Kay- I think the problem w/ the "fat is bad" mentality is that it's really NOT bad. It's bad when combined w. refined sugar (which, let's be honest, is when it tastes best ). I agree, I'm not going to pursue fat (like on the P3 phase where we up the cals and really push it). But, I'm not gonna' skip it either. I can't stand low fat foods, they don't taste good and aren't all that healthy either. too much processed junk added to make it "lowfat". That's my only problem w. South Beach. Overall it's a good maintenance plan.

I'm likely to do a low GI plan. but not follow anything specifically. I generally live LC, and like it. But Low carb maintenance isn't Atkins induction - to me . I have yogurt, chocolate, nuts, cheese and sometimes LC bread when I feel the need. On special occasions I will have something higher in carbs. I'll just deal w/ any gains as they come - either low carb it strictly afterwards or do a CD.

I think the key to maintenance long term (and I've been doing basically this for 8 years now) is to stay aware of it and don't let 1 indulgence turn into a lifetime of regret.

[firststep]

Since I maintained in P3 and started fluctuating in P4 I have been checking out the plans mentioned. The Carbohydrate Addict's Life Plan seemed to make sense because of the issues since I stared to add starches and sugar. The Eat Fat Get Thin program also is intriguing and makes sense. So I'm anxious to try both and see which works better for me, since I'm not sure yet whether its the carbs or not enough fat that is my problem.

[sherrymyra]

I'm not sure what I am going to be doing yet either. I know it will have something to do with low carbs though.

[Sunny7]

Originally Posted by sherrymyra

I'm not sure what I am going to be doing yet either. I know it will have something to do with low carbs though.

i'm in the same boat, it will have to be lower carb--- once i get to that point anyways----i can maintain very well on it----but not losing like i did

[RunForYourLife]

My plan is to do WW. I am a lifetime member, and I am afraid that if I don't have some sort of "food budget" I will overindulge again. I tend to "forget" I was overweight, and go back to the eating habits that got me there in the first place.

My level of immaturity when it comes to eating/drinking is truly astounding. I am a food brat.

K

[CherylB]

Originally Posted by kaylem

What do you guys think?

Here's a P3 into P4 question....Simeon says very little about what to do AFTER P3--Just that we are to gradually add starches and sugars back into our diet after three weeks w/o those items. But I guess I feel perplexed and a bit nervous about just WHAT to eat once I stabilize. I realize that the "high fat" low carb thing is perfect for P3 b/c of its purpose. But what is an ideal nutritional balance for P4? I just can't wrap my head around the idea that eating THIS much fat--skin from chicken, full fat (20g per serving!) Greek Yogurt, full fat dressings--is actually GOOD for you long term. There should be more balance, right?

I mean, ideally, if we are at our ideal weight, AND we have re-set our metabolism, then if we eat minimally processed foods, LOTS of fruits and veggies, and lean protein, that would be just fine, right? Whole grains? "Organic" crackers and pasta? Are those ok? I also get that every person is different and will have to find what works for them--but I would love a great "guideline", and not necessarily what the FDA says is ok. There is just so much conflicting information out there.

What do YOU GUYS think? How will you feed your new body?

WHAT IS A GOOD, HEALTHY, MAINTENANCE FOR LIFE DIET?

I thought the whole purpose of P4 was to see what we can eat without gaining weight. So, we come up with our own maintanence diets as a result of what we discover in P4. Right? Why would you want to ditch what you learned, and what got you to where you wanted to be, only to look for something different?

I've done Atkins and I'm an old pro at it, but if I can learn to stabilize by eating things on occasion that would normally be tabboo on Atkins, why wouldn't I? I'm going to try to live on this plan. Not by taking pellets for the rest of my life, but by eating healthfully and keeping my weight as stable as possible.