Low Carb for life (BY Wonderful Patty!)

May 13, 2010

Thursday morning LC'ers!
I hope your day is going well...

The last few days I've gone over three of the four phases of a low carb lifestyle.

Phase One: Induction...under 20 carb grams.
Phase Two: Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL)... under 25 carb grams.
Phase Three: Pre Maintenance: under 35 carb grams.

These are basic guidelines.. individuals may find they have different levels of carb tolerance..some can lose weight with more carbs, and some may need to cut back.

Today I'm going to address where we all want to be one day:
Maintenance!
This is the very best Phase!..it means we have reached our goal weight..we have succesfully added additional carbs and food choices and now we're ready to adapt low carb as a lifestyle in every sense of the word.

Phase Four:  Lifetime Maintenance

In Phase 4, Lifetime Maintenance, you’ll come to understand why the Atkins Diet is also called the Atkins Nutritional Approach. This is where you’ll commit to remaining at your goal weight from now on. It's also where you continue to celebrate the sensible eating plan you've mastered—and enjoy sustained energy, improved health, a sense of well-being and self confidence—and perhaps best of all—the way you look in the mirror.

The objectives of this phase are simple—but profound. Specifically, you want to:

Take Charge of Your Weight—for a Lifetime

Now that you've done it—lost weight and kept it off for a month in Pre-Maintenance—it's time to prove you can stick with it. Lifetime Maintenance enables you to do just that. Maintain your new healthy habits—both in what you’re eating and physical activity—and your new body and new mindset will be yours, not just for today or tomorrow—but for good.

Comply with Your ACE

You found your Atkins Carbohydrate Equilibrium (ACE) in Pre-Maintenance. In Lifetime Maintenance—meaning the rest of your life—you'll learn to stick to that special number as if it were second nature. Do that and you’ll find it easy to stay within 5 pounds of your new weight.

Make Adjustments as Needed

As your weight-loss diet morphs into your lifestyle, your eating habits will become easier and easier to internalize. But “life happens,” and you may need to adjust your ACE or otherwise tailor your program to accommodate changes in your activity level, work, health or simply the passage of years. You already have all the tools you need to make adjustments so you can stay in control. And even if you have an occasional lapse and fall off the wagon, those same tools will let you get right back on—where you belong.

Take Charge of Your Health

Now that you know how great you feel on the Atkins and how your health has improved, you have another reason to maintain your new lifestyle based on healthful whole foods and physical activity. When you see how various healthy indicators have improved or remain in the healthy range, you’ll feel assured that doing Atkins is as safe as it is effective.

HOW A WEIGHT-LOSS PROGRAM BECOMES A LIFESTYLE

Your trusted friends—foods that are rich in protein and good fats—helped you reach your goal weight. Now these same foods will be your allies when it comes to maintaining your weight loss. And just as you avoided refined carbs and junk foods in earlier phases, we caution you to do the same in Lifetime Maintenance. Remember, achieving your goal weight meant reaching a destination. Maintaining that healthy new weight is an ongoing journey. To make that diet into a lifestyle, follow this advice:

1. Continue to Rely on Protein and Fat . . .

Protein and fats quickly satiate your appetite and protein foods are fundamentally self-limiting, allowing you to stay in control. Almost everyone has eaten 30 cookies at one sitting at some time in his life, and many carb “addicts” have done it many times, but how many people have eaten 10 hard-boiled eggs at one sitting? (Nuts, (particularly salted nuts) are another story!)
Plus, unlike high-carb foods, protein foods don't unleash a metabolic tidal wave in your body.

2. And Whole Food Carbohydrates

You explored a variety of foundation vegetables as you moved through the first three Atkins phases. Continue to explore more vegetables, enjoy your favorite veggies and find new ways to prepare them. Likewise, continue to rely on berries, and nuts and seeds to satisfy your desire for something sweet or a crunchy treat. Your blood-glucose level doesn't rise and fall sharply when you sit down to eat a Cobb salad or have a side of asparagus or cauliflower topped with butter or olive oil. Keep experimenting with foods on the acceptable food list for Phase 1, the acceptable food list for Phase 2 and the acceptable food list for Phase 3. The more varied your meals, the less likely you are to get bored and fall back on foods you’re better off avoiding.

3. Make Exceptions a Rare Event

Does this mean you can never eat another piece of Grandma's pumpkin pie or another starchy or sugary food? If you’re successfully maintaining your weight and keeping cravings under control in Lifetime Maintenance, then you may be able to occasionally indulge in a slice of ****a or a scoop of pistachio ice cream without causing noticeable aftereffects. The operative word is occasionally.
*If any food causes carb cravings or unreasonable hunger, back off fast*

4. Avoid Trigger Foods Altogether

There’s one category of food you should avoid at any cost—trigger foods. That describes any food that you can't stop eating. It might be peanuts, chocolate, potato chips, ice cream or something else. If you find you are always planning when you can next have that food or can’t stop with a small portion, cut it out altogether. After you've been off certain trigger foods like ice cream or ****a for a while, may notice a temporary return of some familiar and unpleasant old symptoms after eating them. That distress may cure you of these urges once and for all.

5. Continue to Enjoy Low-Carb Foods

Another alternative is to find a low-carb version of the food such as sugarless, full-fat ice cream or soy chips.

6. Never Gain More Than 5 Pounds

It’s unrealistic to assume that you’ll never stray, but be vigilant about not ever getting more than 5 pounds above your goal weight. Instead, take yourself in hand and get back on plan—fast. A firm resolution to deal with weight regain immediately will serve you well.

7. Don’t Let Travel Throw You

Whether you’re traveling by plane, train or car, travel is inherently unsettling. Suddenly you're without your familiar routines and resources. Not only are you confronted with temptations that you’d never allow in your house, you're exposed to them precisely when you're most vulnerable. (Just think about those cinnamon buns that perfume every airport.) As if such factors weren't hazardous enough, traveling in and of itself can bring on stress, which in turn may cause cravings for unhealthy foods. The key to remaining disciplined while traveling is a combination of mental and physical preparation.

The foods allowable in Phases One, Two and Three are your foods for Lifetime Maintenance.

Phase One Foods:

All fish including:

• Flounder
• Herring
• Salmon
• Sardines
• Sole
• Tuna
• Trout

All fowl including:

• Cornish hen
• Chicken
• Duck
• Goose
• Pheasant
• Quail
• Turkey

All shellfish including:

• Clams
• Crabmeat
• Mussels*
• Oysters*
• Shrimp
• Squid

*Oysters and mussels are higher in carbs so limit to about 4 ounces per day.

All meat including:

• Bacon*
• Beef
• Ham*
• Lamb
• Pork
• Veal
• Venison

Some processed meat, bacon, and ham is cured with sugar, which will add to the carb count. Also steer clear of cold cuts and other meats with added nitrates.

Eggs are one of nature's most nutritious creations. That’s why eggs are a staple breakfast in the Atkins Nutritional Approach.

Feel free to get creative with your eggs: Add mushrooms and onions, or even green pepper. Top the dish off with feta cheese or add basil, oregano and other herbs.

Eggs in any style, including:

• Deviled
• Fried
• Hard-boiled
• Omelets
• Poached
• Scrambled
• Soft-boiled

Keep in mind that cheese does contain carbs, about 1 gram per ounce. You may have about 3 to 4 ounces of cheese per day. An ounce is about the size of an individually wrapped slice of American cheese or a 1" cube.

Cheese including:

Type	Serving Size	Grams of net carbs
Blue cheeses	1 oz	0.7
Cheddar	½ cup	0.0
Cow, sheep and goat	1 oz	0.3
Cream cheese	1 oz	0.8
Feta	1 oz	1.2
Gouda	1 oz	0.6
Mozzarella	1 oz	0.6
Parmesan	1 tbs	0.2
Swiss	1 oz	1.0

Vegetables:

You should be eating approximately 12 to 15 grams of net carbs per day in the form of vegetables, which is equivalent to several cups depending on the actual carb content of the veggies you select.

1 cup is roughly the size of a baseball. Measure the following salad vegetables raw.

Vegetable	Serving Size/Prep	grams of net carbs
Alfalfa sprouts	1 cup/raw	0.4
Argula	½ cup/raw	0.2
Bok choy	1 cup/raw	0.8
Celery	1 stalk	0.8
Chicory greens	½ cup/raw	0.6
Chives	1 tablespoon	0.1
Cucumber	½ cup	1.0
Daikon	½ cup	1.0
Endive	½ cup	0.0
Escarole	½ cup	0.0
Fennel	1 cup	3.6
Jicama	½ cup	2.5
Iceberg lettuce	½ cup	0.1
Mushrooms	½ cup	1.2
Parsley	1 tablespoon	0.1
Peppers	½ cup/raw	2.3
Radicchio	½ cup/raw	0.7
Radishes	10/raw	0.9
Romaine lettuce	½ cup	0.2

 

The following vegetables are slightly higher in carbs than the salad vegetables listed above. They also provide important nutrients and add variety to your daily foods. Make sure you stay within the 12-15 grams of net carbs. Unless otherwise noted, measure these veggies after you cook them.

Vegetable	Serving Size/ Prep	Net Carbs
Artichoke	¼ of medium	4.0
Asparagus	6 spears	2.4
Artichoke hearts	1 canned	1.0
Avocadoes	1 whole (raw)	3.5
Bamboo shoots	1 cup canned	1.1
Broccoli	½ cup	1.6
Broccoli raw	½ cup	1.0
Broccoli rabe	½ cup	1.3
Broccoflower	½ cup	1.4
Brussels sprouts	¼ cup	2.4
Cabbage	½ cup (raw)	2.0
Cauliflower	½ cup (raw)	1.0
Swiss chard	½ cup	1.8
Collard greens	½ cup	4.2
Eggplant	½ cup	1.8
Hearts of palm	1 heart	0.7
Kale	½ cup	2.4
Kohlrabi	½ cup	4.6
Leeks	¼ cup	1.7
Okra	½ cup	2.4
Olives green	5	2.5
Olives black	5	0.7
Onion	¼ cup (raw)	2.8
Pumpkin	¼ cup	2.4
Rhubarb	½ cup (unsweetened)	1.7
Sauerkraut	½ cup (drained)	1.2
Peas	½ cup with pods	3.4
Spaghetti squash	½ cup	2.0
Spinach	½ cup (raw)	0.2
Summer squash	½ cup	2.0
Tomato	1 (raw)	4.3
Turnips	½ cup	2.2
Water chestnuts	½ cup (canned)	6.9
Zucchini	½ cup	2.0

Salad Garnishes
Crumbled bacon	3 slices	0.0
Hard-boiled egg	1 egg	0.0
Grated cheeses	(see above carb counts)
Sautéed mushrooms	½ cup	1.0
Sour cream	2 tbs	1.2
Herbs and Spices (make sure they contain no added sugar)
Basil	1 tbs	0.0
Cayenne pepper	1 tbs	0.0
Cilantro	1 tbs	0.0
Dill	1 tbs	0.0
Garlic	1 clove	0.9
Ginger	1 tbs sliced root	0.8
Oregano	1 tbs	0.0
Pepper	1 tbs	0.0
Rosemary	1 tbs	0.0
Sage	1 tbs	0.0
Tarragon	1 tbs	0.0
Salad Dressings - Any prepared salad dressing with no added sugar and no more then 2 grams of net carbs per serving (1-2 tablespoons) is acceptable. Or make your own.
Blue cheese	2 tbs	2.3
Caesar	2 tbs	0.5
Italian	2 tbs	3.0
Lemon juice	2 tbs	2.8
Oil and vinegar	2 tbs	1.0
Ranch	2 tbs	1.4

 

Fats and Oils 

There are no carbs here, but keep in mind that the serving size is approximately 1 tablespoon.

1. Butter
2. Mayonnaise – make sure it has no added sugar
3. Olive oil
4. Vegetable oils – Those labeled “cold pressed” or “expeller pressed” are especially good and olive oil is one of the best.
   • Canola*
   • Walnut
   • Soybean*
   • Grape seed*
   • Sesame
   • Sunflower*
   • Safflower*

*Do not allow any oils to reach overly high temperatures when cooking. Use olive oil for sautéing only. Use walnut or sesame oil to dress cooked veggies or salad, but not for cooking.

Artificial Sweeteners

• Splenda – one packet equals 1 gram of net carbs

Beverages

• Clear broth/ bouillon (make sure it has no sugars added
• Cream, heavy or light.
• Decaffeinated or regular coffee and tea
• Herb tea (without added barley or fruit sugar added)
• Water – at least eight 8-ounce glasses per day including...
  • Filtered water
  • Mineral water
  • Spring water
  • Tap water

* You may have 1 to 2 cups of caffeinated tea or coffee if you can tolerate caffeine without experiencing cravings or symptoms of hypoglycemia.
If you are truly addicted to caffeine, it's best to break the habit during the Induction.

Alcohol:

Alcohol is not allowed during the first two weeks of Induction. If you remain on this phase longer,
you can have a glass of wine, a low-carb beer, or a small amount of spirits mixed with water or club soda, but be sure to avoid mixers that contain carbs, including fruit juices and tonic water. Understand that consuming alcohol may slow your weight loss.

Phase Two Foods

Dairy	Serving Size	Net Carbs
Cottage cheese 1%	¾ cup	4.7
Heavy cream	¾ cup	4.8
Mozzarella cheese	5 ounces	3.0
Ricotta cheese	¾ cup	5.7

Nuts and Seeds	Serving Size	Net Carbs
Almonds	30 nuts	5.2
Brazil nuts	10 nuts	4.0
Cashews	9 nuts	4.4
Hulled sunflower seeds	6 tablespoons	5.0
Macadamias	12 nuts	4.0
Pecans	10 halves	3.0
Pistachios	50 nuts	5.0
Walnuts	14 nuts	5.0

Fruits	Serving Size	Net Carbs
Blueberries (fresh)	¼ cup	5.1
Cantaloupe or honeydew	¼ cup	3.5
Raspberries (fresh)	¼ cup	3.6
Strawberries (fresh)	¼ cup	2.6

Juices	Serving Size	Net Carbs
Lemon juice	¼ cup	5.2
Lime juice	¼ cup	5.6
Tomato juice	¼ cup	4.9

Phase Three and Four Foods:

Starchy Vegetables*	Serving Size	Net Carbs
Acorn Squash	½ cup	10.0
Carrots	¾ cup	10.2
Yams	½ cooked	9.6

Legumes*	Serving Size	Net Carbs
Black Beans	½ cup	12.9
Chickpeas	½ cup	16.2
Great Northern Beans	½ cup	12.5
Kidney Beans	½ cup	11.6
Lentils	½ cup	12.1
Lima Beans	½ cup	14.2
Navy Beans	½ cup	18.1
Pinto Beans	½ cup	11.0

Fruit	Serving Size	Net Carbs
Apple	½ of whole	8.7
Cherries	¼ cup	4.2
Grapefruit	½ of whole	7.9
Grapes	¼ cup	7.1
Guava	1 medium	5.8
Kiwi	1	8.7
Mango	¼ cup	6.3
Peach	1 whole	8.9
Plum	1 whole	7.6
Watermelon	½ cup	5.2

Grains*	Serving Size	Net Carbs
Oatmeal	½ cup	10.6
Pasta (whole wheat)	¼ cup	8.3
Rice (brown)	¼ cup	10.3

 

Well there you have it......The low carb lifestyle from Induction to Lifetime Maintenance.
I hope this thread has been helpful!
It may answer questions you had regarding how low carb works as a lifestyle long term.. in addition to how it helps us to lose our excess weight most efficiently.
It does not as some people like to say, cut out nutritious food choices like whole grains and fruit forever!
Remember, low carb is a way of eating for life..not a diet..
It is a way of eating that if adapted, guarantees that we'll maintain a healthy weight for life.

Have a good day.

0 Comments