Well entrenched in Maintenace
Well, it's been a little while since posting. I've been busy - trying to adjust to Maintenance.
I must admit, I've been creating my own mini-maintenance plan. It's a little mix of Bernstein, the Alkaline/Acid diet, portion control (1200 to 1400 calories) and a little of me (which is more like the deviant naughty side...)
So far over the last two weeks I'm maintaining 141 lbs (give or take.)
What I keep having to remind myself is to maintain some of the Bernstein principles - protein every 4 hours to maintain blood sugar levels, and load up on vegetables. However, I'm testing the Maintenance theory with a blend of my own food "allowables."
Here's the skinny, as it were....
Protein
I'm starting to explore some of the other protein options that I didn't use much during the strict diet, but probably could have. I'm making protein smoothies (using Bernstein Vanilla protein shakes and fresh or frozen strawberries, etc.) but also adding some healthy supplements such as Vega's Whole Food Smoothie Infusion, Nature's Plus Spiru-tein, Salba and Udo's Omega 3,6,9 Oil for added nutritional oomf.
While I'm still apportioning my meat into 2.5 or 3 oz portions, I find I can only eat meat twice a day (lunch and supper) so I use protein options like the shakes or egg whites for my bran muffins in the morning. It's a nice new change, which makes me feel like I'm branching out.
I'm probably only barely reaching the 8 oz minimum that Maintenance requires, but I'm not going to load up on huge pieces of meat - it would be too much and would definitely make me constipated. I'm mixing a good blend of meat, egg whites (or 4 whole eggs per week) and whey protein from supplements or bars. I picked up a box of Bernstein's chocolate/peanut butter bars, so when I feel like a sweet-infusion, I'll grab one of those.
Breads
I'm into the second week so I can start to switch up one of my two allowable breads for cereal. Since I'm trying to follow the Alkaline/Acid approach and keep my fibre high, I've opted for All-Bran Original which I'm quite liking! the taste is good, and with a small bowl in the morning, I'm more than filled for the morning. Add some fruit and I'm all set!
I've also strayed from Betty Lite bread
and trying Essene bread (otherwise known as Ezekial bread) found in freezers in health food stores. It's the healthiest bread you can get, like a hearty seed bread, and is great toasted with your favourite topping. I still use my Becel spray, but have pushed the envelope a few times to use peanut butter (1 tbsp) or even almond butter (fattening!) just for some good healthy fats. My family is liking essene bread too (sprouted grain bread/gluten free) so this is a nice switch for all of us!
I still have my Ancient Grains crackers, melba toast and old Strict diet standbys for lunches, but I'm trying to integrate my own choices for maintenance. Like popcorn. Oh yeah...and almonds. Just don't tell the clinic....!
Vegetables
I must say, that while we have unlimited quantity allowance under Maintenance for vegetables, I think the Strict diet just "veggied" me out. And I love veggies! However, I've been neglecting my intake. What I've opted to do instead of my Ziploc 8 oz pre-cut selections is I've taken a cue from the health blogs and created my homegrown "green drinks." The magic en
ergy cure-all drinks. Don't know what that is? It's easy.
Take every living green thing that lives in your fridge (no, not the bacteria - just the leafy veggies...) such as that big box of organic salad that you'll never finish; celery; parsley; broccoli - anything really, and stuff them in a blender. Add a good 4 cups of water and "liquify." Et voila! Your green drink.
People swear by the concoction, and I must say, if you're feeling peckish or want a different vegetable substitute, make yourself a batch of this vitamin cocktail and you're set!
Just don't add leeks...gives it a really onion-y flavour. A little off-putting for colleagues at work.
Fruit
I'm more daring with fruits now than I was on the Strict diet. I stayed pretty close to apples and applesauce during weight loss, or grapefruit. I'm still using applesauce and making my fruit muffins most mornings, but now I'm using more frozen fruits for smoothies. But not mangoes - woo there Nelly - not so fast! You still have to hold back on the sugars.
For the first week you have to drop down to only 1 fruit, so it's not really a big deal for me.
I could substitute my lonely little fruit for 6 oz of unsweetened fruit juice, but....naw...I like the fibre.
Dairy
We can now start introducing 2 oz of hard cheese per day, or fat free yogurt and a little bit of butter. I've had a couple of slices of cheese, and bought some yogurt for my smoothie fest, but I've been pretty careful on the dairy. I have, though, used 6 oz of skim milk (outside the 1 teaspoon allowed in Week 1 of maintenance) for a smoothie. Sue me.
Other "Stuff"
(Forgive me Father Bernstein for I have sinned....)
Okay - now the really sexy juicy story begins. During my two-week romp with Mr. Maintenance, I've put on my little devil horns, still rocked my new lingerie, but flirted with danger. So far, I haven't gone to weight-gain hell, so I thinking I'm holding my own in this tango with the little chocolate devil.
While I'm trying to take notes from the alkaline/acid diet whereby all refined sugar is "poison", I do find myself sneaking quick indulgences of the sweet kind. One biscotti here - one cookie there. A fundraising 360 calorie chocolate/almond bar... What was I thinking! The whole bar. I'm definitely going to hell....
While I kick myself soundly in the a$ for that blunder (which was precipitated by literally falling asleep at my desk while enduring a two hour teleconference for work and required a quick energy blast) I do reconcile these lapses of nutritional judgment by the fact that the rest of my daily intake was an "A" in nutritional value. With Caloriecount.com as my witness and daily confessional, I do try my best.
Little Rules
While I'm not sticking to the Maintenance diet as strictly as the Bernstein bible dictates, I am following the basic tenets.
1) Portion control and food choices in moderation. If I have chocolate one day, I'll stay away for a few days and having something else, like some popcorn or some other treat.
2) I haven't pushed the ultimate boundary of wine. Alcohol is still a no-no, so while the Alkaline/Acid diet allows for 4 oz max. of high quality red wine per day, I'm not going there just yet. I want to give myself a month testing my own food intake (since it changes daily right now) before introducing that little indulgence.
3) I'm still taking the vitamins and potassium daily, though when you're no longer in ketosis, you drop down to 1 potassium total per day. No numbness, headaches or tingling, so I must be okay. I only go in once a week (Tuesdays) for my Vitamin B shot, so that's nice.
4) I haven't been tracking my food (except my real diet on Caloriecount.com) so I will rot in hell for the falsified diet sheet I submit at the clinic. Well, it's not REALLY as bad as I make it out to be. I just neglect to add that one indulgent slip I seem to make on a daily basis. I'm just expediting the inevitable reintroduction of foods that we get to at week 12... just a few months earlier! I always was a bit of an overachiever. Plus, I sleep with a clear conscious knowing that I do track my real intake, for all the salt and sugar blunders, to keep me grounded.
5) Never let it slip. I know I will always be putting my fork down when I feel full; push away the remainder on my plate; and make the healthier choices 85% of the time.
That's me - and I have to be real. And I'm confident that 140 lbs is me and that I can maintain it.
Here's to Maintenance!
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