Pre-Maintenance

Start the Pre-Maintenance phase when you are 5-10 pounds from your goal weight. In this phase the goal is to learn how to maintain the weight you have lost. In Pre-Maintenance you purposely lose the last few pounds very slowly while learning how your body reacts to adding more carbohydrates and a wider variety of food into your diet. This phase of the diet should last from 1 to 3 months. Dr. Atkins stresses that Pre-Maintenance "is mandatory if permanent weight loss is to be achieved."

Start Pre-Maintenance by re-measuring your Critical Carbohydrate Level for Losing (CCLL). You measured this once in the beginning of the Ongoing Weight Loss Phase, now at the end, Atkins suggests it may have increased slightly. This time, increase your daily carbohydrate by 10 grams a week until you find you stop loosing weight. Then back off 10 grams this is your new CCLL.

Continue losing your last few pounds with your new (hopefully higher) CCLL. And then determine your determine your Critical Carbohydrate Level for Maintenance (CCLM). The CCLM is the maximum daily carbohydrate intake that can be consumed before you begin to gain weight.

CCLM is determined by increasing your daily carbohydrate intake from your CCLL levels,  by 10 grams each week until you begin to gain weight. Then drop it back 10 grams. This is your CCLM. For your Lifetime Maintenance, keep your daily carbohydrate intake at or below your CCLM.