Maintenance Diet

[Losebig 508]

Wondering what other folks maintenance diets are like? How many calories, what types of foods, number of meals / Snacks etc? I'm meeting with my nutritionist to tweak mine, I think I probably need to vary my diet a little bit and figure out how to maintain for the long term. Right now my diet consists of Protein centered meals (eggs and sausage for Breakfast, ground turkey with sour cream and taco shells for lunch, some kind of lean meat for dinner (4-5 oz) and usually 3 or so snacks throughout the day, which range from pure carbs (pretzels and hummus or chips) to more protein heavy (Greek yogurt). There's certain things I'd like to eat that I really still struggle with due to restriction (vegetables, more than a small amount of fruit and any kind of hard core starch like potatoes, rice or Pasta are painful after more than maybe 1 oz). To get enough calories my goto is Peanut Butter toast, nuts or sometimes a Protein Shake smoothie. Daily calories for me are around 2,000 and probably vary from 1500 - 2500 depending on what I'm doing. At that level I'm slowly losing weight

What's your program like? can/could you eat stuff like potatoes in any quantity 10 months out?

Edited October 19, 2018 by Losebig

[Healthy_life 1,437]

1 hour ago, Losebig said:

Wondering what other folks maintenance diets are like? How many calories, what types of foods, number of meals / Snacks etc? I'm meeting with my nutritionist to tweak mine, I think I probably need to vary my diet a little bit and figure out how to maintain for the long term. Right now my diet consists of Protein centered meals (eggs and sausage for Breakfast, ground turkey with sour cream and taco shells for lunch, some kind of lean meat for dinner (4-5 oz) and usually 3 or so Snacks throughout the day, which range from pure carbs (pretzels and hummus or chips) to more Protein heavy (Greek yogurt). There's certain things I'd like to eat that I really still struggle with due to restriction (vegetables, more than a small amount of fruit and any kind of hard core starch like potatoes, rice or Pasta are painful after more than maybe 1 oz). To get enough calories my goto is Peanut Butter toast, nuts or sometimes a Protein Shake smoothie. Daily calories for me are around 2,000 and probably vary from 1500 - 2500 depending on what I'm doing. At that level I'm slowly losing weight

What's your program like? can/could you eat stuff like potatoes in any quantity 10 months out?

Dietician instruction are just as different for maintaining as they are for weight loss phase. Glad you have a consult to dial your diet.

My instructions.

I was encourage to add low glycemic carbohydrates to slow/stop weight loss to maintain. Whole grains, Whole wheat pasta/breads, brown rice, sweet potato. ( nothing white or processed)(I don't tolerate brown rice well. I feel bloated and lethargic). She gave me a carb range to stay within.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/a-good-guide-to-good-carbs-the-glycemic-index

I have always spaced out my meals to four to six smaller meals a day. My restriction with the sleeve was noticeably less after a year. Maintaining in year four, I eat protein fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, Beans, dairy and low glycemic carbs. I still stay away from sugar and processed stuff. I indulge once in a while.

My maintaining diet changes to three programs.

I am female 5'5" and 130 pounds.

Maintenance :1300 to 1600+ calories give or take.

When I gain I am back to basics: 1000 to 1200 calories. I am carb sensitive I gain in a heartbeat. The weight comes off slowly. It's knowing your body physiology.

Distance running: my calories and carb ratios increase to a range that I'm surprised I can get in.

I got to goal doing elliptical and a bit of weight lifting. My goal was a 5K in memory of my mother. Checked that off my bucket list my first year. Each year I have increase distance. I used a sports medicine dietitian to learn how to fuel my body for long runs with a sleeved stomach.

I'm curious to see what your maintaining plan looks like. If you don't mind, please post back and share it.

Edited October 19, 2018 by skinnylife