Maintenance Guidelines

[hexi2]

I am thinking the new maintenance guidelines are making much more sense!!! There are a number of guidelines but these are the critical ones that we need to live life by to maintain our new bodies

3 meals a day and should only be increased to total protein and veg last day refeed amounts

1. First Choice foods
Original eating plan foods
New veg
Good fruits

2. Less often (and definately not more than 2 times per day)
Bad fruit
New protein
Carbs (50gms)

Avoid all man made foods of course alcohol, pasta, cakes etc...

Stay on low fat products

This is way clearer and just reminds me that I will be weighing my foods into maintenance for a while yet

[hexi2]

These guidelines are VERY different from the first lot i got 2 years ago...which were very open and out there - you will be fine sorta thing.

Now it has really tightened up and more 'rule' based which is critical in people understanding really how much we need to limit food, types of foods we eat.

In a nutshell...stick to refeed size portions for life, eat cohens food for life and leave very little of the 'treats', carbs etc out. I like the new rules as they are realistic and basically spell out how we keep the weight off...

Accepting that is another thing!

[Belnatjas]

Originally Posted by hexi2

In a nutshell...stick to refeed size portions for life, eat cohens food for life and leave very little of the 'treats', carbs etc out. I like the new rules as they are realistic and basically spell out how we keep the weight off...

Hexi,
This is where I am at. I spoke to my clinic yesterday, and this is exactly what they said to me
I haven't posted for ages as I was AWOL on my maintenance program, and it was doing my head in. Cohen's worked for me when so many other diets failed because there was CLEAR structure, and this really works for me, so I will continue to weigh my food, as it keeps me sane and on track.

I had put on 3.7kg, and am now back down to 1kg off the weight I finished refeed on. I am day 2 on the original program. I will resume the quantities and types of food I finished refeed on once I get to 64.1kg.

I have been reading lots of posts in the maintenance category, and I was able to reassure myself that the inability to manage moderation affects alot of Cohen graduates!

Thanks for sharing your journey,
Bel

[carrieanne_c]

wow, that is new! and I just did refeed in August.

[littlemiss]

i am feeling guilty because today, I had three bananas (small), two strawberries (small), one weird local fruit (not so small), and another weird local fruit (medium-sized - there were just seeds)... ahhhh bad fruits are my down-fall!!

and oh yes, i had chocolate too Ugh, I need to weigh myself tomorrow morning...

[Hayley23]

Hmmm they are different to what I received. Good though. Short, sharp and concise - no room to second guess anything.

[hexi2]

Yeh when I rang the clinic I asked the consultant about the new guidelines and asked where they had come from. She said that the Australian clinics had come together to recommend the guidelines (before they all had different ones) and that is what they agreed to. I think it is a good thing

[sundaymorningstaple]

So again, there is the chance for differences between the guidelines for the US, Singapore, Australia and Europe! Not because of Dr. C but because of local interpretations of what Dr. C meant. I wonder, did the clinics, after concocting these guidelines, send them to Dr. C for the ultimate stamp of approval, or is it just a unilateral decision by Australian Clinics?

[hexi2]

No idea SMS

I feel that Dr Cohen only wants to give the refeed and eating plan to 'precision' but as for maintenance - he keeps it open and its the clinics that devise the guidelines but I wish Dr C would give the orders for maintenance...

[carrieanne_c]

hmm, Is that why they call it a life style some times. belnat, i did great for months doing cohens refeed and original size portions and having non cohen on weekend, of course every once and a while I had a midweek off cohen day/meal.

[Kohinoor]

Hi Bel,

I am day 2 on the original program. I will resume the quantities and types of food I finished refeed on once I get to 64.1kg.

If you are hungry with that (wouldn't surprise me) try early-ish refeed days (Day 3, 4) to just cruise down to goal without "hanging out" for food. Or Day 5, 6 if they are "not quite enough".

The advantage you have on Maintenance is that "Whatever you try is valid!" - so try different things that SUIT you. You should still lose weight on those early days, but without the stress that hunger can cause. Yeah, it'll be a bit slower.... but likely more comfortable.

But hey, if Plan amounts ARE enough, then woohoo !! Doesn't work that well for most.... In the end, Bel, it is all about finding "what works for you" (along with "what DOESN'T work for you").

Luck, darl

Koh