oh goodness....

This maintenance thing is going to extremely difficult. .

What are ideas of things I can add in that can raise my calories but yet not unbalance my protein? ? I have great restriction so I cant eat a bigger meal... and if I traded out protein for calories or carbs I wont get enough protein. .

If if I were to start using normal sugar/ creamer instead of low fat/ sugarfree and stevia would that be enough?? I am soo confused. I don't know if y'all just added "normal" snacks or if there is a magic food list somewhere... I am going to make an appointment with my nut but I thought I'd ask here too

I still have great restriction 2 and a half years out.  I drink a lot of "Pea Soup Anderson's split-pea soup with Bacon."  It still has a ton of protein, yet enough carbs to help me keep from losing.  You can also add in some nuts like cashews and almonds.  I prefer cashews as they are easier for me to chew/digest. 

Good luck!

I've been munching on peanut butter, I was told to cut back on the gym... but I so don't want to... I would like to stay toned

I do like cashews I will get some of them

for some, upping the carbs helps, so maybe a slider carb like fruit juice?

Nuts are a great idea as well; as is adding advacado, coconut oils, healthy fats.

I would advise against the sugar, artificial creamer (but whole cream would be a great thing) because "old foods" for me triggers "old habits" and that is not a good combo.

You may also consider one of the high protein drinks that body builders use--as it would support your gym and provide the extra calories you'll need.

Peanut butter, when complemented with some whole grain bread or crackers to complete the protein, is a good way to boost the calorie count while getting in the protein. The complex carb from the whole grain makes it a good meal/snack an hour or two before the gym. Most (if not all) vegetable sources of protein are incomplete by themselves and need a complement - rice and beans are another good example of that.

I find that if I cut the solid protein back a bit, I have room for a lot more slippery veg/fruit in the meal - while 3 oz of meat is my normal limit, if I cut that back to 2 oz, I have room for about 4 more oz of fruit/veg in a salad. I limit avocado in there now due to their calorie count, but they will be boosted some in maintenance mode. Likewise, I normally limit myself to half a cup of greek yogurt (along with a few berries, granola and almonds for crunch and added nutrients) because that fits my calorie goals and is satisfying, but I can easily bump that up to 6oz if I need more for the day, and probably 8oz would slide thru without much problem. I don't mind the so-called "sliders" if they're helping me get in essential nutrition and are light calorically; when I get to maintenance and need to boost things, then I can be less fussy about the lower calorie count.

RhondaRoo's suggestion of the protein drink is a good one, particularly one of the non-low-carb varieties, or just plain old chocolate milk or non-SF instant breakfast is useful after a workout - the body's insulin response to the sugar aids in transport of the protein to the muscle cells. 2% low fat milk instead of skim milk can add about 60 calories per cup along with close to 2g of protein, so that's a trade off that can be played with. Bananas are currently off my menu because of their calorie count despite their good nutrition, but will no doubt be back on in maintenance mode (and we could all probably use the potassium in them.) Likewise, some potato can be added to the diet if they don't cause a "scarf 'em all up" reaction in you, and are likewise a good source of potassium, and they tend to be on the "slider" side for me - I can throw a little bit in with some meat without unduly impacting the amount of meat in a meal.

Good luck - isn't it nice to have the problem of not being able to get in enough calories? (at least until that gets overdone - something to watch...)