Question on fat servings for maintainers.

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  • Quote: When I first did this exchange plan, back in 1996, I was on the 1800 meal plan. I lost 27 pounds the first month (got to 330 pounds) but the plan itself was pretty high carb (8 servings daily) and I was doing a Richard Simmons workout tape daily as well as walking my son to school twice a day and just generally living life. I walked everywhere because I do not drive. Since then I regained over 150 pounds and can barely walk to the bathroom much less around the block.

    To make a long story short a few days ago I tweaked the plan to give me 1700 calories. I thought it was 1400 but I just recounted them and it is 1700. My addition was off.

    I gave myself 10 protein exchanges, all coming from whole eggs, fish, seafood, scallops, shrimp or beans. I rarely eat beef and chicken and never eat pork.

    Since I am pretty sedentary (due to my size) I am worried about my calories being too high. That is why I picked 1400 originally (but since learned I goofed up my math). I am worried about not losing and I sure as heck to not want to maintain this weight (450 pounds on a 5'3" woman)

    My tweaked plan is:

    10 protein servings (1 ounce, 1 egg or 1/3 cup beans)

    6 non-starchy veggie servings

    4 fat servings (from butter, olive oil, nuts or avocado...sometimes mayonnaise but not often)

    2 dairy servings (if I choose a high fat serving I have to count in the appropriate number of fat servings)

    4 starch servings (rice, oatmeal or starchy veg. I do not eat bread)

    2 fruit servings

    Does it look ok? Anything I can do better? My foods are all non-processed and I try to eat high quality high-nutrient foods. I want to do the best for poor abused body and get it healthier.


    Your plan looks almost identical to mine, except that I have a couple more fats, and my starches are a little more variable (I use 2 to 4 starches).

    I've lost really slowly, but that's mostly because I had a hard time sticking to plan at first, and when I started, I wasn't just sedentary, I was virtually immobile and sleeping up to 20 hours per day (not just lying in bed - I was actually unconscious for 20 hours). I'm still on disability for fibromyalgia and an autoimmune disease attacking the connective tissue of my joints and respiratory system, but it's gotten much better. I also had COPD and asthma which went into remission after I learned that I was allergic to NSAID pain relievers and stopped taking them).

    I'm now going to they gym 3 times a week for 45 to 60 minutes of exercise (2/3 of it in the water, and the rest on the treadmill, elliptical, and recumbent elliptical).

    I'm still pretty sedentary, but my progress has been miraculous.
  • Quote: my progress has been miraculous.
    It certainly has.

    Thanks everyone. I am happy to know that at least I am on the right track. I feel better now.