I am interested if there have been any vegetarian maintainers? My family was mostly vegetarian due to DHs cholesterol issues before I changed our eating plan for me, but would like to get back to it. Is anyone doing this successfully?
LizRR- Thanks for checking...I have gone through most of the posts too. Don't waste time on it!
I'm really interested in what constitutes the P4 Carb rich/Fat Poor-Fat Rich/Carb Poor. Are there specific percentages or grams like in the P3 breakfasts? Does anyone follow this specific meal plan as a maintainer? It seems like a lot of work!
My current plan is to follow Michael Pollan's Eater's Manifesto from In Defense of Food. Eat Food. Mostly Plants. Not Too Much. and I want to stay close to the P4 guidelines if I can figure them out!
Congratulations on almost reaching your goal!!! Yes, I do follow that protocol as best I can. There are no percentages given on the protocol for maintenance, other than we should have half our weight in grams of protein each day. Basically, we each have to find what works best for each of us, as our metabolisms and amounts of exercise differ so much, and some are more sensitive to carbs, which will effect gains/losses.
It is a lot of work, especially in the beginning to get it all figured out, but it works! Others have done different things, similar to what you are planning. Good luck!
evepet/chloe Thanks for the recommendations on the lower back exercises etc...they were very helpful.
greeniris there are something about lululemons that really 'accentuate' your figure. VIP says that a man invented them as they make my bum look great.
mommak8 I'm just light on the oil for the carb meal and light on the carb for the fat meal (a bit of oil to stirfry or bake with the carb meal and accept the carbs in my veggies and cheese for the fat meal)...does that make sense?
Went skiing again this past weekend and will do an excersise video tonight. I'm just so ready to move, even if it's 'gentle'....
Joysh - you can get away without much cooking. I buy the precooked turkey sausage pop it in the microwave, then have greek yogurt, 1/2 cup of blueberries or raspberries, topped w/ 1/4 cup of granola. Takes me about 2 minutes to get it ready.
That sounds tasty and fast!
All,
Here is some interesting info I found on the lowcarbfriends website re yogurt. When I was phase 3, picking out which yogurt to buy took the most time. And lately there seems to be an explosion of choices.
In general around here about yogurt, are due to the fact that people are eating plain or plain greek yogurt and applying something called "the yogurt exception" to the carb count of yogurt, counting only 4 net carbs per cup (8 oz). That is what I do too.
Here is the origin of that idea. This is a blurb promoting a book by Doctors Jack Goldberg, and Karen O'Mara called The GO-Diet
"The problem with the stated carbohydrate content on the packages of fermented food products arises because the government makes manufacturers count the carbohydrates of food "by difference." That means they measure everything else including water and ash and fats and proteins. Then "by difference," they assume everything else is carbohydrate. This works quite well for most foods including milk. However, to make yogurt, buttermilk and kefir, the milk is inoculated with the lactic acid bacteria. These bacteria use up almost all the milk sugar called "lactose" and convert it into lactic acid. It is this lactic acid which curds the milk and gives the taste to the product. Since these bacteria have "eaten" most of the milk sugar by the time you buy it (or make it yourself.) At the time you eat it, how can there be much carbohydrate left? It is the lactic acid which is counted as carbohydrate. Therefore, you can eat up to a half cup of plain yogurt, buttermilk, or kefir and only count 2 grams of carbohydrates (Dr. Goldberg has measured this in his own laboratory.) One cup will contain about 4 grams of carbohydrates. Daily consumption colonizes the intestine with these bacteria to handle small amounts of lactose in yogurt (or even sugar-free ice cream later.)
Don't be afraid of plain, unsweetened varieties. This is how kefir and yogurt have traditionally been used. You may find that "plain" tastes best of all. Or, you can add your own no-calorie sweeteners and flavorings (or berries or nuts and seeds). It may be better if the product is "bovine growth hormone free" although this is still controversial.
Does it matter if it's "nonfat", "low fat" or "original, normal fat"? No. This will affect the texture a bit, but on this diet, you can eat any fat content product. Your preference rules here. We prefer the "mouth feel" of the whole milk varieties. Try them all and decide for yourself..."
What if you asked another parent with a child in the science program & bible study to take turns being the late night parent? You use those nights to exercise and do a little extra meal prep for the week. Double up so you have plenty of leftovers. I think we (women in general) have a hard time asking for help, but it might be a great benefit to the other parent, too.
I agree with Momto2cs. I use a weekly time audit with my clients to help them refocus their time and energy -- mostly to help them be more efficient at work and have more time to pursue personal goals. If you are interested, I can post a template for you to try out.
Petchef, It would be a great idea if I didn't live way outside the school district. No one is going to drive way out here. I'm 23 miles from town. I'm interested in the template. Last night I worked at school until 4:45, then we worked out until 5:45, ate at Subway then my son's band concert before 6:45. (My daughter skipped Science Olypiad because of the concert.) We got home around 9, I went on the internet for probably 30 minutes, then corrected papers for probably 30 minutes, relaxed for 10 minutes then went to bed. Up again at 5:45. Today is better, Tuesdays my daughter has nothing going on and my son can drive himself to his things so I get to come home!!
Sorry to be whining about my schedule, it is just a busy season of life. My friends with older kids tell me that it will fly by and the kids will be gone before I know it.
LoriKay: You remind me of my life with 4 kids and so many activities. That is an honor that your daughter made the Olympiad. Plus your son is busy with band concerts and practice. Good for you squeezing a workout in after work. I like Subway also for a meal on the go.
LoriT: That is good that you kicked in and lost those 5 pounds and are now in your lower range. I agree, losing an up pound is different from 5. Some people can handle sugar and maintain..I just need to stay away from it.
Hgamroth: I am not a runner so my exercise might not be as intense. I lift weights or do the elliptical, tm or walk. I did this the whole time on IP and never had packets before exercise. I defer to Lizr the runner!
Mommak8: In my center people were doing Ip as vegetarians. They ate tofu, endame, and vege burgers or hot dogs. They are maintaining as well.
Chloe: That was fascinating about the yogurt only being 4 carbs. Do you eat kefir? I have always wanted to try it.
Ishbel: glad you got to go skiing again.
My son's girlfriend is currently stuck in Philadelphia. All flights, trains, and busses are cancelled due to ice and the weather. What a mess in the East Coast.
Wow, on the bottom of the second page...sometimes this thread is hopping sometimes it's not.
So I have a question for all of you only because I've never had to over think this. I REALLY REALLY love my night snack as greek yogurt and fruit...I look forward to it and it has been the same snack for almost the entire time I've been on maintenance...I'm not bored at all with it because I use different berries or just even different types of fruit.
VIP mentioned this morning that he didn't want his yogurt and fruit so we started brainstorming different types of snacks, turkey sticks/cheese/cottage cheese with a tad of jam/nuts and cheese etc etc. I like to have a protein snack at night just so that I'm not that hungry in the morning. I suppose he could have a hard boiled egg too....
Anyone else have some really good evening snack ideas? We're ok having either a carb or a fat snack as long as they are rich in protein. Since there is enough 'time' between a carb meal and the snack either one works for us.
...anyone...anyone...anyone (..think wonder years if you don't get the reference! )
Ishbel: I don't have great ideas for an evening snack. Do you like mozarella sticks? I tend to eat nuts for snacks..and am not too imaginative.
Happy Valentine's Day. I am off to wild kids and parties. I am staying away from all of the V day candy surrounding me! I am trying a red cabbage feta cheese new recipe to celebrate!
Ishbel...I have cucumber-lemon sorbet most nights now (blended cucumber & lemon juice cubes with water & sweetener). You could throw in a vanilla RTD instead ofwater for a "milkshake".
I have been MIA lately. Ended up taking Sun-Wed off workout wise due to allergies, but joined up with the group for 6.5-miles this morning. I am feeling good, over 11-weeks along with the pregnancy and I think my morning sickness is FINALLY starting to subside! Which is great because the only "cure" for me was to stuff my face, and my newest food aversions to chicken & veggies didn't leave many healthy options...hence my veggie sorbet sneaking of cukes.
commercial yoghurt has a lot more sugar than they put on that label. home made yoghurt will turn sour after a few days, due to the bacteria. commercial yoghurt has to have a lot of sugar for consumers to never get that sour taste for weeks on end.
i am looking forward to getting my farm fresh milk, non pasteurized, its more yellow than white in color and making my own yoghurt, i used to have it as a treat with ground flax seed. yum.
ishbel, looking forward to idea people post for your nightly snack
I don't very often have an evening snack, but when I do I may have some nuts or sugar free pudding, fruit or some hummus with carrots and celery.
Maile..I too am off to a day of Valentines parties and crazy kids. I have every intention of staying away from the sugar...just hope I succeed!
Happy Valentines Day ladies!
Thanks for all the input on the snackies, these are all ideas I've already passed by him. He's doing well but I don't think he needs the protein like I do.
sonya I agree there is a lot of sugar in yogurt. Doubt I'd ever have the time to make my own...I do eat a lot of plain fat free with a splash of sugar free syrup. I like the texture of greek yogurt and never did like the 'other stuff'. So happy to enjoy the greek stuff.
lizz I should try that one night, what type of sweetener to you use? Just splenda packet or a splash of some sugar free syrup? Maybe a scoop of protein powder would work 'eh'? (in the mixture)
maile My favorite for a while was the marble cheese strings... We went to costco and got a little mesh bag of multiple types of cheese snack packs for lunches. Yummo with all the different types!
Lori I wish I could get away without an evening snack, I'm just that person that needs it so I acknowledge it with my fruit snack (or something else that's a good choice). I have friends who have rules "no eating after 6 pm"...that scares me, they think it's odd that it scares me LOL
greeniris sometimes I have the IP bar for a snack, try to only use packets for emergencies or when I'm trying to cut calories...but if I'm craving chocolate it's an IP caramel bar to the rescue.
SO! Happy lovey day to everyone...posted a few squishy love things on my facebook and then promptly put a picture of cupid with an arrow in his back on my single sister's facebook. Hopefully it makes her day
Very stressed about the wedding dance...and what to do with the father/daughter dance (he passed away almost 6 years ago). So many people with their own ideas on what I should do to acknowledge my dad...when I know if I make it too much about him...then I'll be a blubbering idiot. My sister wants to acknowledge him by all four of us (my sisters and my mom) doing a dance together....omg I won't be able to stop crying!! My idea was for me to dance with my future father in law, VIP to dance with my mom (his mom is gone too) and make it more of a parents dance then a father/daughter dance. I'm so very torn...
While I understand the sentiment behind your sister's idea, I like the idea of the 'parent's dance' as well. It seems very fitting, since both your father and your VIP's mother are gone - it's a nice way to include the surviving parents, and indirectly acknowledge the missing ones.
question re: vegetarian maintenance
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