When you reach your goal weight, you will officially be in phase four: Lifetime Maintenance. Congratulations! As you move into this next phase of Atkins, you must remember to ease into your Maintenance regimen very slowly. Always keep in mind that even though you may eat a wider variety of foods than you did during the other phases of the diet, you cannot fall back into your old eating habits. Don’t make the mistake of losing the weight only to gain it back by eating the way you used to.

Lifetime maintenance is simply a matter of following your Critical Carbohydrate Level for Maintenance. You learned how many and what type of carbohydrates your metabolism can handle during Pre-Maintenance. You may now add more foods to your plan with the exception of sugar. Follow your CCLM and you will maintain your new weight within 2 or 3 pounds. There is a natural fluctuation of around 3 pounds due to hormonal fluctuations in your body. Most people will be able to eat around 90 grams of carbs per day and maintain their weight.

You also must overcome your previous bad habits and learn how to deal with stress. Maintaining your weight loss is as much a mental challenge as a physical one. It’s important to eat right even when you’re stressed. By realizing that you tend to reach for sugary or starchy foods for comfort and then making the correct food choices can actually lessen the impact of stress on your body. Similarly, you'll need to learn coping strategies for holidays, as well as knowing how to order what you need at restaurants. By making weight control a constant priority in your life, you can continue your success.