Questions and Answers about Atkins OWL Pre Maintenance Phase

After experiencing the Induction and OWL phases of the Atkins diet plan, your next step is to go in the pre-maintenance phase. This phase will set you up for a lifetime of healthy and balanced eating and living. You should begin this phase as you come within 5 to 10 pounds of your target weight goal. Your weight loss will be slowed down even further but it is for a purpose. You want to learn the practices and habits that will determine your long-term success.

In the OWL phase, you will be adding carbohydrate grams to your day to day count in the increment of 5 grams per week. During pre-maintenance you will increase that to 10 grams per week. As long since you are continuing to shed weight ( no matter how slowly it is coming off) you will carry on add grams. Ideally, toward the end of the pre-maintenance phase you will be losing less than one pound per week.

As reported by the Atkins book, you should preserve this phase until you get a to your purpose weight and can maintain it for a month. This process may take any place from 1 to 3 months. Your purpose is to grasp a state called "carbohydrate equilibrium." This is your ideal carbohydrate intake and it will make you maintain your weight perfectly.

During pre-maintenance you'll get to try a wider assortment of foods. Ensure to introduce new foods slowly and grow your carbohydrate intake at a measured pace. Don't add 20 or 30 carb grams a week. Measuring out the increases in increments of 10 will present you with a better idea of your personal carbohydrate count. Knowing this number will help set you up for long term weight management.

Make certain to seek advice from a carbohydrate counter resource book or a dependable web site before you add a new food to your diet program. Some examples of 10 carbohydrate gram foods include 1/3 of a cup of legumes, ½ an apple, ¼ cup of potatoes and ½ cup of plain oatmeal. These foods can be included on a daily basis, and then increased the next week.

Pre-maintenance is not a good process. It takes a delicate balance of carbohydrate counting and exercise to slow weight reduction yet still move it forward. You'll want to pay even closer attention than you have before to make sure that your carb gram increase is not resulting in an increase in weight. There is a fine line between gaining, maintaining and losing, and during pre-maintenance you are trying to find out just exactly where that line is.

If you aren't able to add carbohydrates without stalling your weight reduction, you may have a superior metabolic resistance. You will profit from increasing your exercise regimen to get your metabolism burning at a higher level. For you, the pre-maintenance phase will resemble OWL more closely.

Some people do a variation on pre-maintenance that allows them to possess a treat once every week. Rather than adding 10 grams a day, they allow themselves a 20 to 30-carbohydrate gram treat a few times a week. Instances of the treat could be a piece of a fruit or a serving of sweet white potatoes. A glass of white wine or beer also qualifies for this treat. This is a fun way to reward yourself and still be on the program.
Yet another way to do pre-maintenance is to average out your carbohydrate intake for the seven days. Since life is often unpredictable, it can be of assistance to have a bit of flexibility in your eating plan. As an example, if your current carbohydrate level is at 70 grams, you can limit yourself to 50 grams one day. Then the following day, you can splurge a bit on a meal and have 90 grams for that day. All the same, only follow this method if it doesn't create carbohydrate cravings. Occasionally excess carb grams on one day can make you lust them even more the next day.

The pre-maintenance phase will present you with the equipment for long-term success. By learning to slowly improve your carbohydrate grams, you will have a better hold on the volume of carbohydrates that is right for you.

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