How did you get there?

glasnost · 06-13-2004, 10:34 PM

I'm pretty much at goal, and am surprised to find how high many of your ACE's are. I have been eating close to induction levels for most of the course. I think I am afraid of adding carbs, based on experience where I had one too many veggies or some added fruit and it tipped the scale over.

How did you guys do it? I need some courage!

I hate to think I'll be stuck at 20-25 grams forever while you guys are eating in the 60's to 90's! Do you think my height (5'1") would cause me to be more sensitive to added carbs and put weight on more easily?

LoveMontana · 06-13-2004, 11:00 PM

Congrats on reaching your goal.

Each and everyone of us has to find our own way on maintenance. I'm 5'1" and OLD but manage just fine on 50-70 carbs per day. Start slowly and see what happens. You can always drop back.

Just stay away from any processed products and you should do just fine.

shawneesioux · 06-13-2004, 11:03 PM

Hi

Doubt that your height is the problem; more likely low metabolism or not enough exercize?
(lots of the Maintainers are your height)
Are you drinking enough water?
What do your carbs consist of, ie...basic foods or processed junk?
Are you hypothyroid?

Too many posibilities without knowing your facts to form an opinion.

Please tell us about yourself and your foods, habits...maybe then someone could give helpful hints.

Best wishes

Shawnee

glasnost · 06-14-2004, 09:02 AM

Thanks for the replies

.

I drink the 64 oz of water each day and rarely eat processed foods (sometimes an Atkins shake and even more rarely a low carb bar). Whole foods are my thing: meats (especially fatty ones like beef), natural fats and oils, low-starch vegetables, cheese, and nuts on occassion. I eat about 4 small meals a day; breakfast, a small meal around 11:00, another around 3:00, and then dinner between 6-7.

I'm a coffee drinker, and have tested the impact that it's had on me by going some periods without it.... but no difference. Time permitting, I exercise 3-4 times a week, walking on a treadmill and doing weight lifting.

I feel like I'm sticking pretty stringently to the plan, so I think slow metabolism is probably the culprit

. What did you guys choose to increase your carbs with when you were adding more for the first time?

shawneesioux · 06-14-2004, 07:15 PM

Com'on, Y'all...help this Gal out

I'm a poor one to comment since I didn't do Atkins.

However, that's never stopped me from being opinionated

Sounds like you are towing the line very well.

Since we are all individuals with different ways that actually works, you will have to experiment to see what you can personally handle.
Some folk lower fats, maybe proteins, or calories while upping carbs. Its such an individual thing, no one size (answer) fits all.

Berries and nuts seem to be the popular add- in carbs to start...then an occasional slightly higher fruit or veggie...and whole grains....all slowly, to see if any mess ya up.

Numerous times, I've seen hot debates, pro and con, regarding the value (or detriment) of extended Induction. Some swear it will "set" ya at a low carb allowance; others say it causes no such problems...

Oh, ya...one last thing...age, menopause, hormones, medications...these things can make a difference...so I'll be blunt and ask: Is your Goal weight realistic (or too low) to maintain without stress?

Most of the maintainers on our Vintage Thread have worked out a personal WOE, be it cutting calories, fats, upping water, whatever.

Hope someone else will have some suggestions

Best wishes

Shawnee

EDITED: If you suspect slow metabolism, I'll look for a List of Fat Burning foods I posted a few days back

Here's some fat burners for LCers:

cayenne pepper

hot peppers

mustard

ice water

green tea

apple cider

cabbage

brussel sprouts

broccoli and cauliflour

lemon

vinaigrette dressing

berries

fatty fish

cinnamon

garlic

parsley

http://members.shaw.ca/myatkins/thermogenic.htm

glasnost · 06-14-2004, 09:07 PM

Thank you Shawnee!

I knew about ice water and green tea, but had no clue about those other things. How interesting! I will try some of them.

I don't *think* my goal weight is too unrealistic. I'm 5'1" and 18 years old. I've seen maintainers older than I with much lower goal weights for their height, which is interesting because being younger I should have a faster metabolism. I'd like to weight even less than 110, maybe 105, but at this point I'm more concerned with being at a weight I can maintain comfortably.

I have read some posts in the main forum warning against extended induction, and that's one reason I've been interested in trying to shake up my carb levels a bit. I know also though that Dr. Atkins wote that induction is safe for up to six months, so I'm not really panicky either. I just don't want limit myself on this WOE... I figure the more options I have, the more likely I will be to stick to this forever. I don't like the anxiety of worrying about eating too many carbs in one day, even if I'm eating mostly induction type foods.

::sigh::

Thanks for all your help!

shawneesioux · 06-14-2004, 09:50 PM

Hi again

I must say, for one so young, you sure have a mature, realistic outlook re this WOE

Yes, I certainly agree about having many options, avoiding anxiety, and having a goal that is comfortably maintained.
(If a WOE caused me stress, I'd never stick with it...)

Good luck with your "shaking up those carbs." Hopefully you will hit that right combination that works easily for you.

Shawnee

OrchidCactus · 06-15-2004, 09:38 AM

Hey! And welcome to maintenance!

You've worked really hard, your stats show it

Here's my .02: it seems for me, once I was at goal weight and started adding in carbs I did it more in the morning (or morning for me as I was a 3rd shifter at that time) so that I would have all day to burn it off. Add in good, healthy carbs, maybe just more of the veggies you eat, or maybe try something new, but add in just a little for a few days and see how you react. Also, try to up your water intake a bit.

I did find that it will take your body a little time to adjust to your new weight. Once it adjusts, then you will have more flexibility as to how many carbs you can eat without tipping the scale the wrong way. Also, you will find what kind of carbs (starchy stuff like bread, corn, taters OR sugary stuff like fruits) will be ok for you to eat. So now it is time to experiment and see what your individual body chemistry can handle.

Luckily for me, I have a pretty good tolerance and can generally eat up to 90 grams per day, but it depends what kind of carbs they are! If I eat lots of green veggies, there's no problem, but if I eat something that is 'sugary', then 90 is way too much. Starches aren't as much of a problem for me, kind of middle ground.

Just start trying one thing for a few days and see which types of food groups you can add in safely. Your body will tell you.

One more thing, be aware of where you are in your hormonal cycle. PMS and ovulation can mess with you a bit, so when you start adding things in, just be aware of what extenuating factors are going on!

Join us anytime, and happy maintaining!

glasnost · 06-15-2004, 09:38 AM

Thank you for the feedback!

I am currently trying to add more things in ... for the past few days I've had more veggies, and also a little walnuts. My weight on the scale is tipping up a pound, but I think TOM may be approaching. I will continue and see how it goes! Hopefully it's just water weight (being a girl sucks

).

Thanks again to everyone, congrats on being maintainers!

zip2play · 06-15-2004, 05:33 PM

glasnost,

A good approach is to increase carbs (low glycemic mostly) and at the same time make an isocaloric (same calorie) decrease in the amount of fats.
So basically it's close to cut out one gram of fat for every 2 grams of carbs you add while keeping your total calories constant.
If you just add EXTRA carbs to your total and wind up eating more as a result, your weight will creep up.

I know this is more counting...but it's worth it.

06-13-2004, 10:34 PM	#1
glasnost Senior LCF Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: CA Posts: 419 Gallery: glasnost Stats: 155/100/105 WOE: Atkins - Maintenance Start Date: September 2003	How did you get there? I'm pretty much at goal, and am surprised to find how high many of your ACE's are. I have been eating close to induction levels for most of the course. I think I am afraid of adding carbs, based on experience where I had one too many veggies or some added fruit and it tipped the scale over. How did you guys do it? I need some courage! I hate to think I'll be stuck at 20-25 grams forever while you guys are eating in the 60's to 90's! Do you think my height (5'1") would cause me to be more sensitive to added carbs and put weight on more easily?

06-14-2004, 07:15 PM	#5
shawneesioux Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Pacific NW Posts: 3,927 Gallery: shawneesioux Stats: 170/128 Maintaining since Aug. 2001. Young 62 Y.O WOE: just Low Carb my own style Start Date: 01/30/01	Com'on, Y'all...help this Gal out I'm a poor one to comment since I didn't do Atkins. However, that's never stopped me from being opinionated Sounds like you are towing the line very well. Since we are all individuals with different ways that actually works, you will have to experiment to see what you can personally handle. Some folk lower fats, maybe proteins, or calories while upping carbs. Its such an individual thing, no one size (answer) fits all. Berries and nuts seem to be the popular add- in carbs to start...then an occasional slightly higher fruit or veggie...and whole grains....all slowly, to see if any mess ya up. Numerous times, I've seen hot debates, pro and con, regarding the value (or detriment) of extended Induction. Some swear it will "set" ya at a low carb allowance; others say it causes no such problems... Oh, ya...one last thing...age, menopause, hormones, medications...these things can make a difference...so I'll be blunt and ask: Is your Goal weight realistic (or too low) to maintain without stress? Most of the maintainers on our Vintage Thread have worked out a personal WOE, be it cutting calories, fats, upping water, whatever. Hope someone else will have some suggestions Best wishes Shawnee EDITED: If you suspect slow metabolism, I'll look for a List of Fat Burning foods I posted a few days back Here's some fat burners for LCers: cayenne pepper hot peppers mustard ice water green tea apple cider cabbage brussel sprouts broccoli and cauliflour lemon vinaigrette dressing berries fatty fish cinnamon garlic parsley http://members.shaw.ca/myatkins/thermogenic.htm Last edited by shawneesioux : 06-14-2004 at 07:21 PM.

06-15-2004, 09:38 AM	#8
OrchidCactus Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Middle Tennessee Posts: 3,453 Gallery: OrchidCactus WOE: Modified Atkins Start Date: Sept. 1997	Hey! And welcome to maintenance! You've worked really hard, your stats show it Here's my .02: it seems for me, once I was at goal weight and started adding in carbs I did it more in the morning (or morning for me as I was a 3rd shifter at that time) so that I would have all day to burn it off. Add in good, healthy carbs, maybe just more of the veggies you eat, or maybe try something new, but add in just a little for a few days and see how you react. Also, try to up your water intake a bit. I did find that it will take your body a little time to adjust to your new weight. Once it adjusts, then you will have more flexibility as to how many carbs you can eat without tipping the scale the wrong way. Also, you will find what kind of carbs (starchy stuff like bread, corn, taters OR sugary stuff like fruits) will be ok for you to eat. So now it is time to experiment and see what your individual body chemistry can handle. Luckily for me, I have a pretty good tolerance and can generally eat up to 90 grams per day, but it depends what kind of carbs they are! If I eat lots of green veggies, there's no problem, but if I eat something that is 'sugary', then 90 is way too much. Starches aren't as much of a problem for me, kind of middle ground. Just start trying one thing for a few days and see which types of food groups you can add in safely. Your body will tell you. One more thing, be aware of where you are in your hormonal cycle. PMS and ovulation can mess with you a bit, so when you start adding things in, just be aware of what extenuating factors are going on! Join us anytime, and happy maintaining! __________________ Ginny Maintaining for 9 1/2 years--yes, it can be done!

06-15-2004, 09:38 AM	#9
glasnost Senior LCF Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: CA Posts: 419 Gallery: glasnost Stats: 155/100/105 WOE: Atkins - Maintenance Start Date: September 2003	Thank you for the feedback! I am currently trying to add more things in ... for the past few days I've had more veggies, and also a little walnuts. My weight on the scale is tipping up a pound, but I think TOM may be approaching. I will continue and see how it goes! Hopefully it's just water weight (being a girl sucks ). Thanks again to everyone, congrats on being maintainers! Last edited by glasnost : 06-15-2004 at 09:42 AM.

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06-13-2004, 11:00 PM	#2
LoveMontana Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: NY/PA border Posts: 26,334 Gallery: LoveMontana Stats: 5'1" 155/100/110 WOE: Atkins Start Date: Dec.1997	Congrats on reaching your goal. Each and everyone of us has to find our own way on maintenance. I'm 5'1" and OLD but manage just fine on 50-70 carbs per day. Start slowly and see what happens. You can always drop back. Just stay away from any processed products and you should do just fine.

06-13-2004, 11:03 PM	#3
shawneesioux Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Pacific NW Posts: 3,927 Gallery: shawneesioux Stats: 170/128 Maintaining since Aug. 2001. Young 62 Y.O WOE: just Low Carb my own style Start Date: 01/30/01	Hi Doubt that your height is the problem; more likely low metabolism or not enough exercize? (lots of the Maintainers are your height) Are you drinking enough water? What do your carbs consist of, ie...basic foods or processed junk? Are you hypothyroid? Too many posibilities without knowing your facts to form an opinion. Please tell us about yourself and your foods, habits...maybe then someone could give helpful hints. Best wishes Shawnee

06-14-2004, 09:02 AM	#4
glasnost Senior LCF Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: CA Posts: 419 Gallery: glasnost Stats: 155/100/105 WOE: Atkins - Maintenance Start Date: September 2003	Thanks for the replies . I drink the 64 oz of water each day and rarely eat processed foods (sometimes an Atkins shake and even more rarely a low carb bar). Whole foods are my thing: meats (especially fatty ones like beef), natural fats and oils, low-starch vegetables, cheese, and nuts on occassion. I eat about 4 small meals a day; breakfast, a small meal around 11:00, another around 3:00, and then dinner between 6-7. I'm a coffee drinker, and have tested the impact that it's had on me by going some periods without it.... but no difference. Time permitting, I exercise 3-4 times a week, walking on a treadmill and doing weight lifting. I feel like I'm sticking pretty stringently to the plan, so I think slow metabolism is probably the culprit . What did you guys choose to increase your carbs with when you were adding more for the first time?

06-14-2004, 09:07 PM	#6
glasnost Senior LCF Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: CA Posts: 419 Gallery: glasnost Stats: 155/100/105 WOE: Atkins - Maintenance Start Date: September 2003	Thank you Shawnee! I knew about ice water and green tea, but had no clue about those other things. How interesting! I will try some of them. I don't think my goal weight is too unrealistic. I'm 5'1" and 18 years old. I've seen maintainers older than I with much lower goal weights for their height, which is interesting because being younger I should have a faster metabolism. I'd like to weight even less than 110, maybe 105, but at this point I'm more concerned with being at a weight I can maintain comfortably. I have read some posts in the main forum warning against extended induction, and that's one reason I've been interested in trying to shake up my carb levels a bit. I know also though that Dr. Atkins wote that induction is safe for up to six months, so I'm not really panicky either. I just don't want limit myself on this WOE... I figure the more options I have, the more likely I will be to stick to this forever. I don't like the anxiety of worrying about eating too many carbs in one day, even if I'm eating mostly induction type foods. ::sigh:: Thanks for all your help!

06-14-2004, 09:50 PM	#7
shawneesioux Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Pacific NW Posts: 3,927 Gallery: shawneesioux Stats: 170/128 Maintaining since Aug. 2001. Young 62 Y.O WOE: just Low Carb my own style Start Date: 01/30/01	Hi again I must say, for one so young, you sure have a mature, realistic outlook re this WOE Yes, I certainly agree about having many options, avoiding anxiety, and having a goal that is comfortably maintained. (If a WOE caused me stress, I'd never stick with it...) Good luck with your "shaking up those carbs." Hopefully you will hit that right combination that works easily for you. Shawnee

06-15-2004, 05:33 PM	#10
zip2play MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Jersey City, NJ Posts: 2,676 Gallery: zip2play Stats: 232/197/209/205 WOE: Calorie Counting Start Date: 1973 :D	glasnost, A good approach is to increase carbs (low glycemic mostly) and at the same time make an isocaloric (same calorie) decrease in the amount of fats. So basically it's close to cut out one gram of fat for every 2 grams of carbs you add while keeping your total calories constant. If you just add EXTRA carbs to your total and wind up eating more as a result, your weight will creep up. I know this is more counting...but it's worth it.