Mastering the 4 phases of the Low-Carb plan
Dear team,
I began the Low-Carb Plan a few weeks ago and I am now wondering when I should move from Carb Reduction into the second phase of the plan. Can you fill me in on the different stages? Thanks!
You are ready to leave Carb Reduction (Phase 1) and move on to Advancement (Phase 2), if you are close to your goal weight, or you want more variety in your meals and menus. You may be bored with the options available on the Carb Reduction phase and willing to trade a slow-down in the progress of your weight loss in return for eating a wider variety of foods.
The next phase is called Advancement. On Advancement, you slowly increase the amount of nutrient-dense carbohydrate. Each week, you add another 5 grams of Carbs per day in the form of nutrient-dense foods, such as more vegetables, seeds, nuts and low-glycaemic fruits such as berries.
So, the first week on Advancement, you go from 20 to 25 grams per day; the following week you move to 30 grams per day and so on. Change the increments on a weekly basis until your weight loss slows to one to two pounds each week. Slowly increasing your carb intake allows your body to continue to burn body fat for fuel so you keep losing weight.
When you are within five to 10 pounds of your goal weight, it is time to move to Phase 3, known as Weight Maintenance. You will broaden your choices of foods while learning what you can eat without regaining weight, adding 10 grams of Carbs per day in weekly increments. So, you might go from 40 grams of Carbs one week to 50 the next. So long as you continue to lose weight at a slow, almost imperceptible rate, you can begin to add small portions of starchy vegetables, whole grains, such as brown rice or whole wheat bread, and higher glycaemic fruits. You should add new food groups one at a time. If the addition of a new food results in cravings or makes you gain weight, you should stop eating it immediately.
After you have maintained your goal weight for on Weight Maintenance for a minimum of four weeks, you will have transitioned to the phase called Lifetime Maintenance, where you are eating a whole-food diet. The number of grams of Carbs that allows you to maintain is called your Carbohydrate Balance. This is the number of grams of Carbs you can eat to maintain your weight. Continue to count your daily grams of Carbs for ongoing success. Also continue to avoid products full of sugar, white flour and trans fats.