I'm 23, am getting married in a few months, and I'm looking for a good plan I can move to so I can more easily eat with my soon-to-be wife. Even now, I hate having to make two separate meals as often as not.

I've been happily on Atkins for the last 9-10 years or so. I've gone from 5'10", 230lbs, 38-40" waist to 6', 170lbs, 32" waist and am content with my current weight.

I don't exercise much and really probably should to tone up some, but I'm much more likely to stick with something I find easy and passive (like Atkins) and try to work in more exercise as a separate thing -- ie, I don't want "go running every day!" to be the necessary counterbalance for eating higher carbs.

I would say I currently eat sort of like I'm in Atkins' OWL .. I've found it difficult to make the mental adjustment to allowing myself to eat the higher carbs of maintenance. I basically allow myself unlimited lettuce/salad, broccoli, or green beans (often as much as a whole can) at each meal. I'll add onions/peppers/mushrooms to anything they'd be good with without thinking twice about it -- but that's about the extent of the variety of veggies I eat, aside from occasional spaghetti squash or eggplant. Very occasionally I'll eat some strawberries or cantelope.


Things I like about my way of eating:
* No calorie counting or having to worry about portion sizes of essentially anything.
* Very few "cravings" (except chocolate, which is easily satisfied with some 85% Lindt Dark or one of those almond flour microwave "brownies")
* Not having to worry about fat content for myself -- or even intentionally increasing fat content for satiety.
* Cheese


Things I can deal with if needed:
* Not eating bread (though something that allowed certain breads could be nice)


Things I don't like:
* High fat isn't good for her -- she has no interest in trying to maintain lower carb, and her metabolism deals fine with how she eats.
* Eating this much meat gets EXPENSIVE!
* We often either have to make separate / significantly altered meals, or meals end up being less than ideal
* Having to worry about what restaurant to pick, because "oh, there's nothing for me to eat there..."
* I like yogurt a lot, but have to buy special yogurt in expensive, individual packs if I want to eat it (rather than making my own from normal milk).


Things that appeal to me:
* Replacing some meat protein with something cheaper like beans.
* Eating whole grains.
* Eating more fruit.
* "Low GI" / "Low GL" sorts of plans(?)
* Eating a wider variety of veggies (more varieties of squash, maybe sweet potatoes, etc...)


However, I'm a bit concerned that too big an increase in carbs would trigger cravings, and make this feel more like a "diet" where I have to deprive/restrict myself. The way I eat now is practically second-nature and I hardly think twice about it. I can accept that even things like more than tiny quantities of brown rice and whole wheat pasta are likely forever out of reach. Regardless, I think I need something relatively structured or I'm likely to have trouble with swinging too far into carb-land.

I'm not really looking to lose any more weight -- I just don't want to gain any, want to be able to eat more freely, and want to continue feeling "good" (ie, none of that lousy carb-induced-lethargy). I realize I'm sort of asking for the best of both world, but I could probably compromise in certain areas. Anyone have any specific suggestions?

Thanks a bunch!