In March of 1998 I reached my maintenance range of 182-188. I wasn't quite sure where to go from there. I was desperately afraid that if I gave myself too much leeway I would go back to eating too many carbs which would bring back the cravings which would start the weight gain cycle all over again. Because of that, I didn't change my diet all that much for the first few months. As a result, I continued to lose weight slowly until I was at the bottom of my range. This was not a bad thing at all. I still felt good and looked good.
We went on a two-week family vacation in early July and I held to the plan very well for the first 10 days. The last 4 days were a different story. However, I didn't go full-tilt bozo on the carbs and came home only 5 pounds heavier than when we left. I took Atkins advice and went straight back to induction and within 2 weeks I was back to the low end of my range. This was encouraging. I had another "lapse" during a week-long business trip in September but, once again, went back to induction and immediately took the weight off. The key is NOT to "never stray" but to get right back on track if I DO stray. This is how I know I have made the transition from low carb being a diet to it being a lifestyle.
The other thing I do if I am going to eat more carbs than I know I should is to stay away from foods laden with sugar. (I know my history with sugar and it is UGLY). For example, on Thanksgiving day I had some stuffing and some baked sweet potatoes but made a no-sugar pumpkin pie to have for dessert. For special holidays I also keep the "mini-binge" to a single meal - like a CAD reward meal. That makes it easier mentally to get right back on track.
One problem I have always had eating low-carb is with constipation. In the fall of 1998 I was determined to find a permanent solution to this problem. I was already supplementing with psyllium and adding wheat bran to some of my recipes, but it wasn't working well enough. One day I stumbled upon Dr. Jack Goldberg's HiMoLoCarb diet web page. Within there was a discussion of yogurt and how it was a good idea to have 1/2 to 1 cup of it every day while on a low carb diet. My first thought was "There are an awful lot of carbs in yogurt." According to the Dannon label, even plain yogurt has 17 grams per cup. However, Dr. Goldberg (a PhD in biochemistry) claims that plain yogurt actually has about HALF the carbs that are stated on the label. He says he has measured this in his own lab and the difference is due to how the USDA determines the amount of carbohydrate in food. The USDA does it "by difference" which means they figure out how much water, protein, fat, etc. are in a food then assume the rest is carbohydrate. According to Dr. Goldberg, this works well for the vast majority of foods, but not yogurt. The beneficial bacteria consume almost all of the lactose in the milk used to make yogurt and converts it to lactic acid leaving the actual carb count at less than 1/2 of what it says on the label. (To read his full explanation, go to Dr. Goldberg's web page).
Based on this, I decided to add about 1/2 cup of yogurt (about 2g worth by Dr. Goldberg's count) at breakfast every morning. Within 3 days I started to notice a positive difference. Also, the yogurt did NOT induce any cravings. This is wonderful. I soon made sure that my fiber intake was more balanced and regular (no pun intended). On a typical day, I now get 10g of soluble fiber from psyllium and 5g of insoluble fiber from wheat bran. In addition, I get insoluble fiber from my daily intake of nuts and fibrous vegetables. Not only am I regular for the first time since eating low-carb, but I am more regular than I was when I wasn't eating low carb. Plain yogurt (sweetened with 1/8 tsp of stevia liquid per 1/2 cup) is now a daily staple of my diet. I even make my own.
I'm asked quite often by other low-carbers what I eat in a day. What follows is what has worked FOR ME on maintenance. Remember, Dr. Atkins emphasizes that everyone must individualize the diet to fit their individual tastes and needs and I wholeheartedly agree with him. For me, I can eat 50-70 grams of carbohydrate a day (with about 15-20g of that fiber) and maintain quite nicely. (For those of you familiar with the Protein Power plan, this is similar to the Eades' Phase II). You may not be able to follow what I do for a variety of reasons including differing tastes, CCLMs, or food intolerances. I also take a wide spectrum of supplements. I do not disclose exactly what I take because what is appropriate for me (which I have learned by trial and error and research over the past 20 years) is almost certainly not appropriate for many others. If you want a good book on supplementation, I highly recommend Dr. Atkins' Vita-Nutrient Solution book.
Breakfast
1/2 cup of yogurt, 2 tsp psyllium and 2 tsp lecithin in 16oz of water
and one of the following:
A 2-egg salsa and cheese omelet cooked
in olive oil
A protein shake made with soy protein
isolate powder and olive oil and a sausage patty
1/3 batch of Jeff's
Low-Carb Pancakes
Morning Snack
1-2 oz of nuts (usually walnuts, pecans or almonds)
Lunch
Usually one of the following:
Jeff's
Salsa Meat Loaf
Jeff's
Low-Carb Chili
Tuna or chicken salad made with
1-2 tbl of wheat bran, celery and mayonaisse.
Afternoon Snack
2 oz of cheddar cheese
Dinner
Dinner usually has 8-12 oz of meat plus a cup or so of low-carb vegetables
plus a low carb dessert (Atkins cheesecake, Atkins fudge and one of my
low-carb ice cream variants are our favorites). I also have the same psyllium/lecithin
combination that I have with breakfast. Typical meals include:
Steak with a generous salad topped
with a low-carb dressing
Pot roast with onions and mushrooms
Stir-fried chicken with vegetables
Pork roast with broccoli
Spare ribs with green beans
Jeffs
Low-Carb "Breaded" Pork Chops with mashed cauliflower
Low-Carb
Lasagna
When we want to go out to dinner, the perfect place for us is Outback! We just ignore the bread. A salad, steak and the steamed veggies make a great low-carb meal. It is one of the few places that don't try to force potatoes on you.
I have now been below 200 pounds since October of 1997 - the longest stretch for me in almost 20 years. I weigh the same now as I weighed in March of 1998. The fact that I am still in my maintenance range is amazing to me. This is my lifestyle. I will never turn back. Low-carb eating works and works well. All we need to do is tune out the pressures from the mainstream and eat as we know we need to.
Remember, persistence pays off - I am living proof.