Hi-- This is a question for those of you who are in maintenance mode. I was wondering if you guys eat higher carb items that are still good for you (not pizza and white bread!) When I was on other diets (which were successful to a point) I ate fruit and cottage cheese and oatmeal and other whole foods that are good for you, but high/higher in carbohydrates. I was just wondering that WHEN (not if!) I reach my goal weight can I eat starchy fruits and oatmeal? I know that Dr. Atkins said that some of us would be able to eat the occasional grapefruit etc, but do you find this to be true? I used to enjoy brown bread, so I want to know if I will still be able to have a slice here and there without messing things up. Also, do you still count carbs or do you just know to eat items that are lower in carbs? Lots of premature questions (I still have a long way to go on OWL) but I would really like to know how you lifers are doing! Thanks, PB Girl

I'm not on maintenance, but I have oats sometimes. The cracked oats, not rolled, the kind that take a half hour to cook. Oatmeal does make my blood sugar go up a bit, but I think the benefits are worth it. And I also seem to lose weight better when I eat it from time to time.

I eat the higher carb fruits now and then--ie grapefruit, watermelon, grapes (very occasionally), apples with cheese, pears, and the like. . .I eat whole wheat bread nearly every week at some point--I am on OWL and seem to do best at between 40a nd 60 carbs a day. I do skip the refind things and the white things,b ut I eat some of just about everything else--carrots, corn, peas, squashes, you name it--now and then. The base of my diet is still veggies, proteina nd fats in probably that order but I do eat the other things too. . .I would go crazy if I couldn't ahve some of my favorite foods even now when I am still losing!

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Lori

232/190/130
My other journal http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1130

im doing my own kinda version of owl and noticed when i have some fruit, i dont have cravings for high carbs at all. so every day, breakfast or lunch, i have a little fruit of some kind. its odd really cuz it seems that since i have added the fruit, im losing weight easier and faster! amazing how the body works!

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~~funkynut

started: 1/8/04
263/223/150 (5'6)
223/223/210 ~ halloween challenge
223/223/205 ~ thanksgiving challenge

Some, yes.

I think of grapefruit (about 1 gm per section) as being low ... since I eat only a few sections at a time. I like various fruits in quantities (all different) that don't jerk my blood sugar around - berries, melons, peaches, etc.. I use wheat bran in my cereal and have no problem with half an ear of corn with a BBQ. It all depends on how much and how often. That's an individual thing.

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Yes, same as Maggie. I enjoy a variety of fruits and starchier veggies, but in limited quantities.

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BC
LC Since 1998
Highest Weight 172
Current 104-108

I have an occasional serving of brown rice and on days when I know I am going to be more active than usual (long hike or bike trip) I will eat a whole apple. I have not had a problem with these causing cravings. As I am sure others have said down the road you will have to try things and see if they cause cravings.

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Libby

2004 174/142/138

Begin Again 2009

184/162.7/145

With 17 lbs left to go, I have come to find out that my body just cannot tolerate a lot of higher carb foods - even though they're the good carbs.

As much as I love fruit (and I could literally overdose on it!), eating it just sends me into these ravenous sugar cravings. But to counteract that, I just started eating 1/2 a slice of cheese before and after I eat the fruit. And I keep my fruit intake very, very limited and just opt to eat lots and lots and lots of green leafy vegetables.

However, when I eat the Carb Countdown fruit-flavored yogurt, I have just one and I'm satisfied, and there's no cravings for sugar. I think it's weird but that's how my body has been working lately. And eating one of those a day hasn't made the scale go up any.

The only thing that I do eat that is a little higher in carbs is the 2 slices of lc bread (2 slices = 12 g) , and of course, I limit that to two daily. And that hasn't affected my weight loss efforts any, either. The scale may not be moving a lot but, hey, it's moving...(again, finally!)

I think this is also a YMMV type of thing, and every individual is different. And everyone's ACE is different as well. Some people can maintain their weight eating 90 carbs a day. Some have to limit themselves to 35 g a day to maintain.

Sheyla