A question for the Maintainers

[*dreamchaser*]

Hi

With only 2 days left of refeed I am feeling a little scared I was wondering if any of you might like to share what a typical day is like for you - food wise.

Also when you added in exercise did your hunger increase? What kind of exercise and how much do you do?

I am planning to start back at the gym on Monday probably 4-5 times a week (2 or 3 Pump Classes and the other days Treadmill and free weights)

I had more questions but can't think what they were now, so feel free to add any handy little tips you may have.

Thanks
DC

[shell]

Hi DC,

Breakfast- 4 egg whites, ham, tomato, caps, onion, silverbeet, mozza cheese-some or a mixture of them.

Snack- 1-2 egg whites, celery @100g sometimes also 2 vitaweets

Lunch-pork/chicken/ham/roast lamb/chops-huge salad (lettuce,cucumber, tomato,onion,celery,carrot-mix of them) sometimes cheese-kraft/tasty/mozz @20-30g.

Snack egg white/ham-celery, sometimes 2vitaweets with either and or tomato/ham/cheese. sometimes the protein and a piece of fruit-apple/peach/nectarine

Tea usually chicken or sometimes other protein & huge plate of salad as for lunch

Within 1 hour of tea- fruit, yogurt/no fat jelly either or a mixture.

I always start off a meal or snack with the protein first.
My lunch is 99% of the time my biggest meal of the day, followed by breakfast and then tea.
I still wait the 2 hours after tea before I go to bed.
I have 1 meal (not day!) once a week with whatever I want-usually a decent feed of lamb chops
I drink at least 3-4 litres of water a day-sometimes up to 6!
NEVER have carbs on the day you are drinking alcohol or the day after!
I still keep a food diary, at first it was just to keep me accountable, if you have to write it down you will think twice about eating something!

Carbs I have just started having once a week on my hardest workout day-at lunch.

Exercise varies- I have really cut back on my walking as I have an injured foot, was going at least 4 times a week before breakfast for 25-35 minutes.
Now I am doing more on the mini trampoline and boxing bag.
Skipping I poke in every now and again.

Weights at the moment I do full body once a week -20-30 minutes legs in the morning and 30-50 minutes upper body in the arvo (carb day)

I always leave 1 day of rest after weights-helps muscles build and recover.

So after full body day will either do another full body (depends on how I feel & what day it is) otherwise I will do upper body, wait a day and then do lower body.

Hope that helps, I am sure others will have different routines, that is just what is working for me.

The main piece of advice I will give you is- do not panic and stress if you put weight on!!
It is all fixable, if you stress it will make you hold the weight more.

Also keep in mind that it can take up to 2 days for the weight to show.

It will all seem very overwhelming to start with, but it does get easier.

Shell

[*dreamchaser*]

WOW - Thanks for that Shell.

I have to ask......... Do you have chooks? Do you use the yolks for anything or just ditch them.

So Ham is okay once we are on Maintenance?

If I use those mountain Bread wraps is that classed as a Carb meal?

[louise41]

Thats a lot of egg whites Shell, is that something they recommend or your own personal choice?

[shell]

Personal choice for the egg whites- great for protein, and I get a bigger omelet without the calories!!
I tried an omelet the other week with a whole egg, much prefer the whites.

Yolks down the sink and no I don't have chickens.

Wraps are considered carbs.

Yes ham is ok on maintenance.
Shell

[thenewvee]

How do you eat the egg whites for snacks, Shell? Are they boild egg whites or poached? Or do you get creative with them? If so, how?

Thanks for sharing

Vee

[Annabelle Joy]

I haven't worked out a typical maintenance day yet, still eating mostly diet food, some refeed foods and trying to lose the 2 kgs I put on last weekend without actually dieting.

I think I've worked out why I put so much on. It was a stressful weekend in may ways, and out of routine which is always stressful for me, although not in the sense that I actually feel stressed, and really didn't last weekend, but busy all the time my body finds stressful. Stress releases fat retaining hormones, and also I hit my body with a number of foods that it hasn't had for months (alcohol, desserts, etc.) I suspect I added rather more fat than I normally would eating the same food.

So, my message here is that stress (of any kind), plus extra food is likely to cause weight increases above what you might expect. I agree with shell, don't stress about sudden gains, but follow the maintenance guidelines and eat moderately for a couple of days and it should come off again.

AJ

[shell]

Hi Vee.
I boil them & throw out the yolk, I always have them in my fridge.

[louise41]

Thank you Shell, its nice to see what is ahead of us. You are a shining light

[shell]

Would love a shining light myself sometimes staggering home in the early hours!

[louise41]

I know the feeling after just missing standing on a death adder in the dark on my recent holiday - and I was sober

[ConnieK..]

I am pretty similar to Shell really ( probably cause she helped me get into the groove LOL)

Breakfast-Chicken or beef, 2 egg whites, tomato, capsicum, onion, cheese - sometimes extra egg, sometimes a serve of yoghurt.

Snack- 1-2 egg whites, celery sometimes cheese instead of eggs if I didn't have it at breakfast, sometimes a couple of hans 97% fat free ham sticks.

Lunch- chicken or ham or roast or salmon or tuna - lettuce,tomato,onion,celery,carrot, spinach leaves sometimes cheese

Snack - Yogurt with cinnamon - sometimes a piece of fruit - sometimes cheese and apple slices.

Tea usually chicken or sometimes other protein and vegies or salad. I love chicken Cacciatore with celery, tomatoes, onion, garlic and diced zucchini or a nice chow mein with heaps of cabbage. If I am going to add carb vegies they are usually here as some beans or snow peas or such.

If I am not on a carb free day I may have a slice of country grain bread with dinner or some crackers at lunch.

I don't usually do dessert - if I do it may be jelly and yoghurt or fruit and yoghurt.

Connie

[catienana]

Hi .. I am about 16 months post re feed.. and still doing pretty well.....!!!!!! insert smiley face!

I do not eat pasta, rice , bread, pumpkin, peas or potatoes. ..........and I don't miss them one bit...!!!!!

I still watch my portion sizes religiously.. that was a huge lesson I learned from the programme that being .......we just eat too much when we commit a portion size to our minds eye....I still weigh .. just got so used to it on the programme it is second nature to me now not a big deal for me.

I drink 2-3 litres of water everyday.

I walk a lot. I don't own a car so I am able to use it as a form of transport.. I try to walk for 45-60 minutes per day.

I am very happy and healthy and have kept the lions share of the 30 kgs I lost...off !!!!!

It is the first time in my 52 years that I have been slim...was overweight from the age of 10 ..this has changed my life forever ......no question

[cmc]

Hi All..

Just had a question spring to mind.
What is the total amount of weights you guys eating per meal roughtly?

Are you just sticking to the last day of your re-feed weights for meat and veg? eg xxx_g total meat and yyy_g total for veg for dinner etc. per meal or have you guys settled on an amount your happy with - say less meat and more veg for eg.?

Just wondered coz they do say to use last day of re-feed as a guide to how much you should continue to eat. just wondering if thats what you all are doing?

Cheers Carla.

[Nat]

Hi Everyone,

My maintenence is a little different but I have worked out what reacts well with my body and what doesnt.

My typical day.....

Breakfast options -
2 eggs with some veg - tomato/cucumber/celery, etc
or
Approx 125g low fat creamed cottage cheese (not weighed but it comes in 500g packs and a pack lasts me 4 days) with veg
or
Moz cheese - probably again about 120g with veg

Plus I also have 1/2 cup good organic unsweetened museli (with dried fruit) which I mix with a couple of tablespoons of fat free natural yogurt
And
A piece of fruit
If I dont have the museli - then I will include half a slice of good grain bread and a piece of fruit

Lunch options
Now that its been cold, I have been making up some really thick soups with Cohens and refeed type meat and veg. For example, the last one I made up had beef, lean bacon, cauli, zucci, celery, onion, garlic, spinach, tomato, carrot and broccoli. It was seasoned with a little curry powder, mustard powder, salt, pepper, paprika and to really make a special sauch I added about 1/2 a cup of cream for a pretty big pot. I make a whole pot at once and then freeze it in portions. If I want I can add some pasta or rice to it or just have it with a slice of good grain bread which is what I usually do. Also have a piece of fruit for dessert.

Otherwise its just ham/cold charcoal chicken and salad with a slice of good bread and a fruit.

On weekends, it could be a selection of cheeses and ham/roast beef/chicken or turkey breast with salad and either crispbreads or a slice of bread.

Dinner options
Sometimes grilled meat with steamed veg or salad, with a slice of bread and fruit for dessert or if I'm having chocolate for dessert, then I leave out the bread and enjoy the dark chocolate!

Other times its a home made meat and veg pasta sauce with a little pasta or hubby grows spaghetti squash for me which I have instead of the pasta - then again fruit for dinner with maybe a little dark chocolate - about 30 - 40g or so.

Again at other times, I'll have something similar to what I had a lunch - a seafood stew/soup or something like that.

I have found that I can't eat like that every day though as I need a break out. If I do eat like that every day, then I actually find myself losing weight and can lose up to about 3-4kgs in a week and start feeling sick.

Hubby and I still go out to dinner but I just make better choices these days. Favourite dessert is cheesecake which agrees with me.

I still drink about 2 - 2.5ltrs of water a day.

I know what my weight gain triggers are (potato, corn, pumpkin, white bread, milk chocolate, ice cream (also gives me extreme headaches!!), store bought biscuits/cakes, etc,).

I have found a brand of dark chocolate that I love - Cote d'Or 86% cocoa which is nice but intense (has 19g of carb per 100g). Also their 70% with raspberries is awesome (33g of carb per 100g).

So thats pretty much a normal day for me. If I break out over the weekend - especially if we go to see my inlaws whose whole diet is focused around carbs - then the next day or two, I'll go back to being "strict" again where I will eat as above but maybe cut back on the bread or the chocolate.

Nat

[gab1969]

Hi Nat,

I am on my 4th Day of maintenance - so far so good. Have been experimenting with what I can and can't eat. You noted that you have museli with yoghurt. Is this a snack or breakfast? How much museli do you allow yourself and is it natural or toasted? Do you count that as part of your carbs? I was a big museli fan before Cohens and miss it. Would like to allow myself it at least once a week? Has anyone increased their milk from 50ml and what effect did it have? I am concerned that we don't get enough calcium in our Cohens programs.
Also for those asking about exercise - I worked out with a PT from start to now. Initially it was 3 x 1hr sessions but found my energy was low. Developed dizzy spells and very low blood pressure so do 2 sessions a week now and trainer has modified my program to suit. My Cohens Consultant advised that exercising during program could be a factor in slower weight loss but I continued. Now eating more - more energy.

[Nat]

Hi Gab1969,

I don't actually count carbs anymore and have stopped doing it after the first week on maintenence. I know the carbs that trigger off my weight gain so I avoid them but othewise I eat other carbs - within reason of course.

If I find that I put on weight, then I have a couple of carb free days then - just go back to refeed type foods and carb amounts and it goes again.

Museli - I love almost any type of museli but prefer the toasted one with lots of fruit and nuts. I probably have about 1/3 - 1/2 cup (not entirely sure as I dont measure it) of museli every day with either natural yogurt and a piece of fruit or with low fat milk. I never measure the milk anymore and have as much as I like. I always have the museli with breakfast and always after a decent portion of protein first - like 2 eggs or cottage cheese, etc.

I have been told that I eat alot since finishing Cohens - I have 3 really decent sized meals and don't bother with snacks. I find that if I eat any less or have less carbs than I do, I actually lose weight and start feeling quite sick.

Maintenence is not hard so don't stress too much about it - just introduce different foods slowly like in refeed and see how you go. You will soon discover what triggers off your weight gain and can avoid those foods on a day to day basis. That doesnt' mean you can never have them - you can still have them but just be aware of what they do and have a lower carb day the next meal/day. Just remember that everyone is different and while I can get away with a diet relatively high in carbs (compared to some other maintainers), it may not work for you so you need to see how your body reacts.

I can't really answer the question on exercise though as I really don't have any exercise program or regime and dont' find a huge amount of time for exercise.

Hope this helps.

Nat

[gab1969]

Thanks Nat.

Sounds like things are almost normal (within reason) for you. I am experimenting like you suggested and have had some interesting results with certain foods. I guess it is trial and error.
In my management guidelines they recommend to avoid foods that are not able to be grown or caught, ie: processed foods. However, in my snacks I am allowed 40g processed cheese. I am so confused. Was that the same for you? I have noticed you eat ham.
Are your meat / vegie serves similar to your last day on Refeed? I found that the quantities were larger than I could eat so eat less (depending on hunger).

[Nat]

Hi Gab,

It is best to stay away from processed foods but sometimes it is just not practical. Don't worry too much about having processed cheese as we were allowed to have this on the original eating plan as well. At least with cheese, usually it is a little more natural than a lot of other foods out there and is high in calcium. Yogurt is also great.

If you are exercising, then you should be having at least approx 160 - 180g protein and about 200g of veg - that would be a normal maintenence portion. Of course if you are having snacks in between meals, then you will be having smaller portions but a bit more often. You should be having a ratio of 40% protein and 60% veg per meal - but it is better to go over with the protein than under. (I actually swap this ratio around but only because of me being pregnant and I find that I need the extra protein for energy).

Don't worry about the portions you are eating - you should eat enough so that you are not hungry but not stuffed either. You will notice that most people on maintenence do eat a fair amount. But it is all about what they eat and not how much. All the food we eat is good food and we still stick to cohens principals of protein and veg, etc.

My mother in law is amazed with how much I eat and is sitting there waiting for me to stack all my lost weight (75kgs) back on again. She (as a lot of other people) does not understand that it is all about what you eat - not so much the portions (within reason of course!). But eating the good foods that we eat then you will not be able to eat to a huge excess as it is very filling food. My MIL cannot understand why she stacks on her weight while eating such small portions (but she lives on packaged cereal and toast and fruit for breakfast, sandwiches on white bread for lunch, and a little bit of meat with carb laden veg for dinner, supper is a pack of either chips or a whole pack of lollies before going to bed) while I eat like I do and do not put weight on excess weight.

Hope this helps.

Nat

[Hayley23]

This is such a great thread I would love to read from more successful maintainers and hear about what they eat on a typical day.

Nat, I have to admit I am a little surprised with how much you are eating on maintenance! Pleasantly surprised! Your body obviously agrees with what you are feeding it. The one thing that shocks me is the museli and dried fruit. I too love museli but kind of gave up on the idea that I would be able to get away with it. I also noticed you too have suffered from PCOS? I kind of expected that I would still have to be pretty rigid on maintenance because of that four letter word. I hope I fall into maintenance as well as you have! I'm almost at the stage for refeed so its a little way off yet.