Vegetables such as winter squash, sweet potatoes, and root vegetables such as carrots, beets, and parsnips have their virtues. All root vegetables are rich in minerals, and brightly colored ones are full of antioxidants. But the flip side is that these same vegetables are significantly higher in carbs than foundation vegetables are. You'll want to keep your portions of these starchy vegetables small unless you have a very high tolerance for carbs. Even within this grouping, carb counts vary greatly. Carrots and beets, for example, come in well below corn on the cob and potatoes. And a single serving of ca.s.sava exceeds the total carb intake for a day in Induction, with taro a close runner-up.

Vegetable Serving Size Grams of Net Garbs Beets cup 6.8.

Burdock cup 12.1.

Calabaza (spanish pumpkin), mashed cup 5.9.

Carrot 1 medium 5.6.

Ca.s.sava (yuca), mashed cup 25.1.

Corn cup 12.6.

Corn on the cob 1 ear 17.2.

Jerusalem artichoke*

cup 11.9.

Parsnips, cooked cup 10.5.

Potato, baked potato 10.5.

Rutabaga cup 5.9.

squash, acorn, baked cup 7.8.

squash, acorn, steamed cup 7.6.

squash, b.u.t.ternut, baked cup 7.9.

sweet potato, baked potato 12.1.

Taro cup 19.5.

Yautia (arracache), sliced cup 29.9.

Yam, sliced cup 16.1.

*All vegetables are measured after cooking except for Jerusalem artichoke.

WHOLE GRAINS.

This is usually the last food group to reintroduce (if at all), and with good reason. Ounce for ounce, grains are generally the highest in carb content of any whole food. You'll note that we refer to this category as whole whole grains, not simply grains. Oats, buckwheat, brown rice, and other whole grains are good sources of fiber, B vitamins, vitamin E, and minerals such as zinc and magnesium. But they and products made with them-whole grain bread, for one-come with a high-carb price tag. Even for people with a relatively high ACE, these foods could bait the metabolic bully. Introduce them with care and, if tolerated, consume them in moderation. grains, not simply grains. Oats, buckwheat, brown rice, and other whole grains are good sources of fiber, B vitamins, vitamin E, and minerals such as zinc and magnesium. But they and products made with them-whole grain bread, for one-come with a high-carb price tag. Even for people with a relatively high ACE, these foods could bait the metabolic bully. Introduce them with care and, if tolerated, consume them in moderation.

Whole Grain Serving Size Grams of Net Carbs Barley, hulled cup

13.0.

Barley, pearled cup

19.0.

Bulgur wheat cup 12.8.

Cornmeal*

2 tablespoons 10.6.

Couscous, whole wheat cup 17.1.

Cracked wheat cup

15.0.

Hominy cup 9.7.

Kasha (buckwheat groats) cup

14.0.

Millet cup 19.5.

Oat bran*

2 tablespoons

6.0.

Oatmeal, rolled*

1/3 cup cup

19.0.

Oatmeal, steel cut*

cup

19.0.

Quinoa cup

27.0.

Rice, brown cup 20.5.

Rice, wild cup

16.0.

Wheat berries cup

14.0.

*With these exceptions, all measurements are for cooked grains.

PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

Refined grains and processed foods made with them are a very different story. Their high carb count is accompanied by scant nutritional value. As much as possible, continue to stay away from refined grains such as white flour and bread and crackers made from them. Refined grains, including white rice, have been stripped of their valuable bran and germ (the seed embryo, which is rich in antioxidants, fatty acids, and other micro-nutrients).

You'll note that the list of Acceptable Foods for Pre-Maintenance doesn't list processed foods such as bread, pasta, pita breads, tortillas, crackers, breakfast cereals, and the like, as carb counts vary significantly from one manufacturer to another. While you should continue to check the Nutritional Facts panel on all processed products, foods that incorporate grains particularly qualify as minefields. In addition to avoiding foods with trans fats and added sugar, watch out for white or "enriched" flour. Baked goods made with whole wheat or other whole grains-look for 100 percent whole grain-tend to be higher in fiber and thus lower in carbs, as well as higher in micronutrients. If white flour is the first item on the ingredients list, followed by whole grain flour, forget about it.

SMALL CHANGES, BIG IMPACT.

Even if you're able to incorporate most or all carb foods into your diet, here are some tips to avoid sparking weight regain and the return of symptoms indicating sensitivity to carbs.

- Instead of rice or pasta as a base for sauces, curries, and other dishes, use shredded lettuce or cabbage, mung bean sprouts, grated raw zucchini or daikon radish, spaghetti squash, or s.h.i.+rataki noodles (made from soybeans and a nonstarchy yam).- Eat carrots raw instead of cooked, which pushes up the carb count.- Certain fruits are lower in carbs before they're fully ripe. A few slices of a green pear make a tart addition to a tossed salad without adding too many carbs. Grated green papaya makes a great slaw dressed with unsweetened rice vinegar and sesame oil.- Wrap sandwich fixings in nori, the sheet seaweed used for sus.h.i.+, instead of wraps or tortillas. Avocado and either salmon or sliced chicken are a natural combo, as are tuna salad and shredded lettuce.- Regard half a baked potato as a portion. Slice the potato lengthwise before baking, and when it's done, mash the pulp with blue cheese, pesto, or herb b.u.t.ter.- Some whole grain flat breads are high in fiber and relatively low in Net Carbs, making them a good choice for open-faced sandwiches. Scandinavian bran crisps are even lower in carbs.- Make your own muesli or granola with rolled oats, chopped nuts and seeds, and ground flaxseed. Serve a half cup portion with plain whole milk yogurt, some berries or half a chopped-up apple, and some sweetener, if you wish.- Sprinkle small portions of barley, bulgur, buckwheat, wheat berries, or wild rice onto salads or soups for a texture treat without much carb impact.

WHAT DOES PRE-MAINTENANCE LOOK LIKE?.

As before, you'll add the acceptable new foods gradually, one group at a time as long as you can handle them, and one food at a time within each group. It's important to continue to record in your journal how you respond to each new food because you're now entering territory full of foods that may have triggered cravings and possibly binges in the past. So let's look at three scenarios of how your first several weeks of Pre-Maintenance might go.

SCENARIO 1.

Say that you've left OWL with a CLL of 50.

- Week 1 : You move up to 60 grams of Net Carbs a day, sampling a few different kinds of legumes over the week, during which you lose another pound.- Week 2 : You move to 70 grams of Net Carbs and reintroduce small portions of new fruits. You lose no weight and struggle with cravings for more fruit.- Week 3 : You drop back down to 60 grams of Net Carbs and continue with small portions of fruit, being sure to have them with cream, yogurt, or cheese. The cravings diminish, and you lose half a pound over the week.- Week 4 : You remain at 60 grams of Net Carbs and reintroduce small portions of carrots, sweet potatoes, and green peas on alternate days. You lose another pound by week's end.- Week 5: You move to 70 grams of Net Carbs and cautiously introduce tiny portions of whole grains every other day, shedding a half pound by week's end.- Week 6 : You move to 80 grams of Net Carbs and continue to carefully try different fruits, legumes, starchy vegetables, and occasionally whole grains. By the end of the week, you've lost another half pound.

SCENARIO 2.

Again a.s.sume you had a CLL of 50 upon leaving OWL.

- Week 1 : You move up to 60 grams of Net Carbs a day. You couldn't care less if you ever eat another legume again, but you sample a few different kinds of fruit over the week. Your weight is unchanged at week's end.- Week 2: You remain at 60 grams of Net Carbs and find yourself craving more fruit, so you make sure to always combine it with cheese, cream, or yogurt, and you manage to lose a half pound.- Week 3 : You move to 65 grams of Net Carbs and reintroduce small portions of carrots, sweet potatoes, and sweet peas on alternate days. By week's end, you've regained a pound.- Week 4 : You drop back to 55 grams of Net Carbs and continue to cautiously consume both fruit and some starchy vegetables. Although you don't regain weight, you don't lose any either.- Week 5: You move up to 60 grams of Net Carbs but back off the starchy vegetables. By the end of the week, you've lost half a pound and wonder whether you're getting pretty close to your ACE.- Week 6: You continue at this carb level and hold off on the starchy vegetables, losing half a pound that week.