For you that have been doing this for a while like me (15 months on 7/6); are you changing your eating habits (less strict) for the summer as I plan on doing?

I have been trying to get into ketosis for a few days now...have not had luck...or should I say willpower to stay under 21 carbs to get into it. I also don't know if I can maintain a stricter LC life thru this summer...partially because I want to eat those beans, fruits, etc...

So I was going to do Maintenance for summer and than resume OWL in September - BUT as long as I don't start seeing the scale creep up. If I see the scale creeping..than I will get back strict LC.

I will however need to exercise daily to maintain my present body weight...I know that...so that is my #1 goal at this moment.

You ask why I am doing this.....aside from wanting some variety into my menu....I rather do this than cheat and go on a roller-coaster WOE which I beleive is worse.

bumping for responses.

I don’t think I will adjust for the summer. I went off the diet for 2 months and found it harder than ever to start up again. During the 2 months I maintained what I thought was a balanced portion control diet. And for the most part it was... I really didn’t gain any weight. Since I need to loose a bunch more, back to low carb for me. Im on my 3rd day back and suffering big time.

Hope this helps a bit.

I have not been doing this long, but I am going home to Texas on Saturday (have not been to the States in over 2 years!). I think it will be very difficult to continue with OWL. I am going on Maintenance in the hope that I just stay at what I am now.


smurf

I'm going home to Montreal for a week, and have already decided to take a week off from low-carbing. No guilt.. completely stress free.

I still love this WOL.. but if I don't vacation from it, as I do from work, I'll start to hate it after a while. Also, I just want to be able to enjoy my holidays.

I have gone to pre-maintenance since I have under 10 lbs to go to my goal. It goes nicely with summer months but isn't because of them.

Especially from all the posts this past winter of people that have issues /w stalling and depression during the winter months. I figure the summer is a better time to lose for most people.

Nothing differenr for me! Staying with Induction (since May 21st) and forging ahead! If anything, I think summer will be EASIER, as with all those wonderful BBQ's and the sort...eating grilled meats with my atkins BBQ sauce (which I bring with me!) and all those wonderful fresh veggies and fresh garden salads...what a wonderful life!

I am passing on the summer staples of baked beans, mac salad and potato salad, and of course, the WATERMELON (which to me IS summer)...all a "pass" this year.

But hey...I WANT results!

Happy summer!
Jake

won,t be changing my total daily carb grams but might substitute something for a few strawberries.

I haven't been doing this for very long but the changes I see for this summer over last is.........barbeques!!!! Before I would always eat lots of salad and baked potatoes with just one or two pieces of chicken, this year I'm looking forward to eating steak and chops (as well as the chicken that I do love).

One other perk of summer is that when the boys break up from school I can grab them and their dog (I look after 2 kids daytimes) and drag them up to the football field and we ALL get excercise!

I am going to add fresh fruit and some watermelon to my diet this summer. I have been on the WOE since Sept 2002 and only have 10 lbs left to go. After summer is over, depending on where my weight is, I will cut back on the friut. I just love fresh fruit and summer is not summer with out watermelon. The one thing that I will not add back in is corn on the cobb. Way to many carbs and I do not miss it that much. Everyone have a happy 4th.

Summer is when I will typically have some fruit because that's when it's in season (just berries and melons, though). The rest of the year I don't eat it much. I also tend to eat a lot more fresh veggies this time of year instead of frozen because they're more available and cheaper this time of year.
Do I plan to change my carb allowance? Nope. I just "spend" it a bit differently in the summer months than I do during the rest of the year.

I'm going to stick with induction. I plan to eat a little lighter during the summer. It's to hot to eat heavy foods. Good Luck.

No change for me, sticking with around 25 grams, July 11 will be one year.

Try adding yogurt to your diet. There is a great thread about how unsweetened yogurt with lots of live cultures is really only 4 ECC per cup. It has also been shown to aid in weight loss. I think it's a wonderful summer treat and try to have a little every day. I want to increase my breakfast calories, so I'm going to start making a shake from the yogurt, some protien shake mix, flax seed oil, lecithin, and ice. Maybe some flavorings like coconut some days too