Supersmileyme
Gold Member
That sounds really interesting ml. I will watch with interest.
Moonlights' (temporary) Maintenance
- Thread starter moonlights
- Start date
coffeelover
Gold Member
Sounds a really good and solid plan ML. Planning is key with these things. I'll be watching with interest. x
moonlights
Gold Member
Well I'm really just trying to see if I can balance out water weight gains so it won't be very interesting to watch I shouldn't think but I'll update along the way.
I know (having done it twice just since Xmas!) that I can lose the big gains pretty quickly with very low carb, but with a view to maintenance - I want to eat low carb most of the time but be able to have days off without dealing with tons of water weight. Essentially I'm just trying to see if I get less of an issue if I'm eating low carb but am not in ketosis.
That said, it's tough to eat many carbs when you're not eating grains or potatoes! I'm going to be at about 45g today. Not sure if that will take me out of K or not.
Food today:
Bacon, eggs and mushrooms
Beef brisket, spring onion, 200g butternut squash wedges
Chunk of Brie
50g strawberries and a bit of dark chocolate
I won't be posting cal and carb counts daily - or even menus I think - but for today all that puts me at 1600 cals and 43g carbs - and that's including a soya milk and green and blacks hot choc.
Carbs will get higher when I add some of my old quorn/veggie favorites back in, I should think. And tomorrow I'm having a banana! Oh the excitement.
I think I can do this. It's still going to require willpower - telling myself I can't have a sandwich even though it would still fit into an under 100g carb count will be trickier than telling myself I just plain can't have it, I think. My brain is very sneaky about making excuses like that unless I'm on a very strict plan. But it's what I need to do when I'm maintaining so its worth a shot now.
I suspect in mid - late April ill go back to >30g carbs but we'll see.
I know (having done it twice just since Xmas!) that I can lose the big gains pretty quickly with very low carb, but with a view to maintenance - I want to eat low carb most of the time but be able to have days off without dealing with tons of water weight. Essentially I'm just trying to see if I get less of an issue if I'm eating low carb but am not in ketosis.
That said, it's tough to eat many carbs when you're not eating grains or potatoes! I'm going to be at about 45g today. Not sure if that will take me out of K or not.
Food today:
Bacon, eggs and mushrooms
Beef brisket, spring onion, 200g butternut squash wedges
Chunk of Brie
50g strawberries and a bit of dark chocolate
I won't be posting cal and carb counts daily - or even menus I think - but for today all that puts me at 1600 cals and 43g carbs - and that's including a soya milk and green and blacks hot choc.
Carbs will get higher when I add some of my old quorn/veggie favorites back in, I should think. And tomorrow I'm having a banana! Oh the excitement.
I think I can do this. It's still going to require willpower - telling myself I can't have a sandwich even though it would still fit into an under 100g carb count will be trickier than telling myself I just plain can't have it, I think. My brain is very sneaky about making excuses like that unless I'm on a very strict plan. But it's what I need to do when I'm maintaining so its worth a shot now.
I suspect in mid - late April ill go back to >30g carbs but we'll see.
moonlights
Gold Member
Brisket and butternut:
Scrumbles
Dancing Queen
Looks like an excellent plan to me, ML. It's quite similar to where I'm at, though I do allow myself oats and rice, and probably have more potato than you're intending to. But definitely no wheat, so no bread or pasta, and after all this time I really don't find I miss them - I never reintroduced them during my diet breaks, which probably helps.
I'd say it's a good call to stick with soy milk if you like it - fewer cals and carbs than cow's milk, which is good if you drink tea by the bucketload like I do! I'm so used to it now I just think of it as normal milk.
As for yoghurt, have you tried the Alpro vanilla soy yoghurt alternative? I find I can't take cow's milk yoghurt, but the Alpro stuff is fine for me and not unpleasant. Been having it with a banana for breakfast some days recently (yes, a real banana - thrilling, eh?!
).
Btw, I absolutely understand the sneaky brain issue. Mine has managed to convince me of one or two questionable things lately (mainly relating to Easter and chocolate) so it's definitely something to be aware of. I don't believe I'm in danger of bingeing or going completely haywire or anything, but "creep" could certainly be an issue if I stopped tracking (which is why I'm not going to!).
Anyway, good luck with this. I think it's an excellent next step and I hope it yields the results you're looking for - those dramatic ups and downs must be a right royal pain to deal with, so if you can minimise them that would be excellent.
Onwards and...er...stay the same!
I'd say it's a good call to stick with soy milk if you like it - fewer cals and carbs than cow's milk, which is good if you drink tea by the bucketload like I do! I'm so used to it now I just think of it as normal milk.
As for yoghurt, have you tried the Alpro vanilla soy yoghurt alternative? I find I can't take cow's milk yoghurt, but the Alpro stuff is fine for me and not unpleasant. Been having it with a banana for breakfast some days recently (yes, a real banana - thrilling, eh?!
).Btw, I absolutely understand the sneaky brain issue. Mine has managed to convince me of one or two questionable things lately (mainly relating to Easter and chocolate
) so it's definitely something to be aware of. I don't believe I'm in danger of bingeing or going completely haywire or anything, but "creep" could certainly be an issue if I stopped tracking (which is why I'm not going to!).Anyway, good luck with this. I think it's an excellent next step and I hope it yields the results you're looking for - those dramatic ups and downs must be a right royal pain to deal with, so if you can minimise them that would be excellent.
Onwards and...er...stay the same!
moonlights
Gold Member
I used to have the alpro chocolate puddings so I might well try their vanilla yogurt - good idea! Wheat really has to stay cut out for me other than in exceptional circumstances as it just causes such awful side effects - painful bloating, running to the loo etc. I think I must be gluten intolerant if not celiac - last time I was tested for celiac I'd been on Atkins for a few months so it wouldn't have shown on the test, d'oops.
moonlights
Gold Member
Breakfast today (and tomorrow): paleo banana bread!
I made this with two small bananas (70g each), two large eggs, 50g almond butter, some vanilla and banana essence, sweetener, baking powder and cinnamon.
Next time I might try it using almond flour just because the butter is a bit of a pain to mix in. But it tastes very nice and just like the real thing with no icky gluten!
I made this with two small bananas (70g each), two large eggs, 50g almond butter, some vanilla and banana essence, sweetener, baking powder and cinnamon.
Next time I might try it using almond flour just because the butter is a bit of a pain to mix in. But it tastes very nice and just like the real thing with no icky gluten!
ladyfelsham
Back to SW again
Wow that looks lovely! Bet it tastes good too
Did you just mash the banana up, then mix everything together?
Did you just mash the banana up, then mix everything together?
moonlights
Gold Member
Yup, exactly that. It's best cold - really does taste like the gluten version.
ladyfelsham
Back to SW again
Re your thoughts on yogurt, look what I just found - COYO coconut milk vegan yogurt UK coconut milk ice cream
Coconut milk yogurt! Expensive - but I bet it tastes delish as an occasional treat
Oooh just found a stockist about 2 minutes' walk from work, will get some on Monday and try it
Coconut milk yogurt! Expensive - but I bet it tastes delish as an occasional treat
Oooh just found a stockist about 2 minutes' walk from work, will get some on Monday and try it
moonlights
Gold Member
I haaate coconut though, it's only tolerable in things when I can't taste it, otherwise pleh pleh pleh!
ladyfelsham
Back to SW again
Oh dear sorry about that
Best stick to the Alpro then - it's nice, like custard.
Best stick to the Alpro then - it's nice, like custard.
moonlights
Gold Member
Well I DO love custard
moonlights
Gold Member
Today:
Banana bread
Venison, mushrooms, spring onion
2 sainsburys meat free burgers, cheese, spring onion, 1 carb ketchup, butternut wedges, cucumber
Strawberries
Nomnomnomnom
Banana bread
Venison, mushrooms, spring onion
2 sainsburys meat free burgers, cheese, spring onion, 1 carb ketchup, butternut wedges, cucumber
Strawberries
Nomnomnomnom
moonlights
Gold Member
Well, I'm very much out of ketosis and I haven't gained anything so so far, so good. I'm also on TOTM so it's doubly positive. And I've increased carbs without experiencing bloating, stomach ache or bathroom issues - which I'm sure I can put down to keeping wheat out of the equation.
Only two days so far but it seems a comfy way of eating. I think I'll definitely give it a while after Easter to see if I can lose on it too - this month won't be representative as there will be days off (and Easter chocs!!) involved.
But so far it certainly seems to have settled the carb monster, who has been nibbling at my toes since Jan.
Only two days so far but it seems a comfy way of eating. I think I'll definitely give it a while after Easter to see if I can lose on it too - this month won't be representative as there will be days off (and Easter chocs!!) involved.
But so far it certainly seems to have settled the carb monster, who has been nibbling at my toes since Jan.
ladyfelsham
Back to SW again
That all sounds like it might be the right plan for you hun, and today's menu sounds fab
Easter gosh that has come round quickly - mmmm chocolate mmm
Easter gosh that has come round quickly - mmmm chocolate mmm
moonlights
Gold Member
Yesterday's food was:
Banana bread
Roast chicken and lots of veggies inc 1 roast potato
Omelette
Today is a >30g carb day so my usual sesame chicken, steak and scallops and something yummy with eggs.
Banana bread
Roast chicken and lots of veggies inc 1 roast potato
Omelette
Today is a >30g carb day so my usual sesame chicken, steak and scallops and something yummy with eggs.
Scrumbles
Dancing Queen
Sounds like a very positive start, ML.
Steering clear of wheat seems to have been key for me in negotiating maintenance. That, and being careful to avoid binge triggers like chips and crisps - I'm safer not eating fried potato because it's just a little too moreish! Chocolate doesn't seem so problematic, unless that's just my sneaky brain kidding me, lol.
Your plan looks totally doable and sensible to me...and I look forward to nicking your higher carb meal ideas! (butternut squash, for example - never had that; what's it like and what's the best way to have it?)
Steering clear of wheat seems to have been key for me in negotiating maintenance. That, and being careful to avoid binge triggers like chips and crisps - I'm safer not eating fried potato because it's just a little too moreish! Chocolate doesn't seem so problematic, unless that's just my sneaky brain kidding me, lol.
Your plan looks totally doable and sensible to me...and I look forward to nicking your higher carb meal ideas!
(butternut squash, for example - never had that; what's it like and what's the best way to have it?)
