Major Veggie Confusion...

[jmphillips]

Hi All...

I have 1 week down on induction now...seems to be going well...have been in Ketosis everyday I checked...not hungry...etc...

I am using FitDay to keep track of everything I eat and have entered custom foods with the exact food labels...and for veggies...the exact nutrition information from the Atkins carb counter website (Atkins Carb Counter ) and I have been staying under 20 net carbs a day based on this information.

The confusion I am having is that it says during induction that you should have either 3 cups of salad veggies or 2 cups of salad veggies and 1 cup other veggies per day but this, by the numbers, does not even come close to 20 grams of net carbs per day as I have been limiting my vegetables by cups.

Example Daily Veggies:

1 cup mushrooms, raw, 2.4 net carbs.
1 cup boiled broccoli, 3.2 net carbs.
1 cup of cucumber, 1 net carb.

THIS ONLY TOTALS 6.6 NET CARBS FOR THE DAY! and even with salad dressing and cheese, etc...everything else I eat does not make up the difference to equal 20 net carbs per day. I know I don't have to be exactly at 20 net carbs but I should be close right...and MOST of the carbs are suppose to come from veggies so...

MY QUESTION IS: Can I have more than 3 cups of vegetables as long as I don't go over 20 net carbs total per day? Or is this not a good idea???

Any helpful insights would be appreciated...Thanks in advance...

[ValidRouge]

Re: Major Veggie Confusion...

Hi, there! Welcome to ADBB.

During induction, which is just the first two weeks, veggies are limited to 3 cups per day. Either 3 cups of salad, or 2 cups of salad and 1 cup of "other" veggies. You're right, that doesn't come close to 20 net carbs unless you eat things like 2 cups of jicama for your "salad" veggie with a full cup of say, pumpkin. That would get your carb count up pretty close to 20 net.

It's a good thing, though, that induction only lasts two weeks. On your third week, moving into the Ongoing Weight Loss phase (OWL) you get to add 5 net carbs of more veggies to the level you were eating on induction. So, let's say you were eating 15 net carbs on induction, during the third week you'd add another 5 net carb serving of yummy veggies to be at 20 net carbs. You can continue to add carbs in the form of veggies as high as you like, or until you stop losing. But, for a man, that's a LOT of veggies most likely.

I'm very vocal in my advocating moving into OWL and eating more veggies.

[LUV4_7TH]

Re: Major Veggie Confusion...

I am glad that you posted this, I was gong by the old Atkins book (1999) until my new book comes this week! This really explains things a lot!

[jmphillips]

Re: Major Veggie Confusion...

Hi, there! Welcome to ADBB.

During induction, which is just the first two weeks, veggies are limited to 3 cups per day. Either 3 cups of salad, or 2 cups of salad and 1 cup of "other" veggies. You're right, that doesn't come close to 20 net carbs unless you eat things like 2 cups of jicama for your "salad" veggie with a full cup of say, pumpkin. That would get your carb count up pretty close to 20 net.

Ok, but the confusion still remains for me actually...because, as I understood it, the whole idea of induction is to break addiction to carbohydrates and stabilize blood sugar/insulin levels is it not? So, why then would it matter if you had 4 cups of vegetables but did not have the extra dressing or something else with carbs but still came in daily under 20 net carbs????? Would this not be OK? Would you not lose weight like this and still stabilize your blood sugar/insulin levels and break your sugar/carbohydrate addictions as well???

I really just don't understand this...

[Elizellen]

Re: Major Veggie Confusion...

I feel that maybe Dr Atkins suggested this small amount of veg for the first 2 weeks to ensure that most people would find themselves losing weight and thus be encouraged to keep at it!! And after the first 2 weeks you can add more veggies.

You would be surprised as to how many people post that they need help in managing to eat a whole 3 cups of veg as before Atkins they never ate any (unless you count potato crisps and chips as vegetables!!)

[Creek]

Re: Major Veggie Confusion...

Hmmmm, there is some confusion with your broccoli number. I went to calorieking to check the cup of boiled broccoli, and they give one cup of boiled broccoli 11.2 grams of carbs, with 5.1 fiber, for a net carb level of 6.1. You have 3.2 listed.


Did you perhaps look up a cup of broccoli raw? Vegetables shrink when you cook them, so it's important to measure them correctly.

[Elizellen]

Re: Major Veggie Confusion...

Creek is right - we need to measure our cups of veg raw on induction.

[jmphillips]

Re: Major Veggie Confusion...

Hmmm...I got the information straight from the ATKINS CARB COUNTER on their website. It says "Broccoli, Boiled" 0.5 CUP = 1.6 Net Carbs. You can check it here: Atkins Carb Counter

They both can't be right can they?...so which one should we use?...I thought the info on ATKINS would probably be accurate seeing as how it's thier diet...lol...but maybe not???

I was just worried because I have never been one to measure out my food or weigh it, didn't even cook much before now, and so when I started induction I wanted to do it right...but I have been eating a few more vegetables than I think I was suppose to...needless to say it's hard to measure salad greens in a cup...lol...do you pack it tightly or loosly, it makes a difference I would imagine...I think I might switch to weighing the veggies if it is really that important to keep it to three cups only.

I have been keeping my "total net carbs" to 20 or below per day though and I lost 8 Lbs the first week on induction...which, considering that I did not start exercising yet, (wanted to give myself a week to get adjusted) I think I did OK...if it keeps coming off...I'll be happy...it's better than where I was...that's for sure...

Thanks for all the ideas...this place is great...

[Creek]

Re: Major Veggie Confusion...

Well, I went to Fitday to break the tie on the broccoli numbers, and they agree with the Atkins site.

Fitday says that 1 cup of boiled broccoli is 7.89 total carbs and 4.52 fiber for a net carb value of 3.37. So, if I was you, jm, I'd stick with Atkins website.

You're doing a fantastic job, so don't get discouraged by the variations in the carb counters.

[Elizellen]

Re: Major Veggie Confusion...

You could always weigh your veg instead.

Soliwit compiled a great list of how many grams one cup and half a cup etc of the induction veggies weigh which is at the top of this forum - called something like 'Weight of veg per cup'

[jmphillips]

Re: Major Veggie Confusion...

You could always weigh your veg instead.

Soliwit compiled a great list of how many grams one cup and half a cup etc of the induction veggies weigh which is at the top of this forum - called something like 'Weight of veg per cup'

I saw that...and it is GREAT...and that is exactly what I am going to do from now on...just weigh things...lol...I even got myself a nifty new kitchen scale.

Thanks again for all the input everybody...

[Elizellen]

Re: Major Veggie Confusion...

Ooh what a super looking scale - I want one too just like that

[losetocruise]

Re: Major Veggie Confusion...

Hi,
I just recently restarted Atkins after several years away. But had a lot of past exprience with this woe. I have always had "trouble" with the limited veg. allowed during induction since the fiber is really a necessity. I found the Minute Mufin recipe on this site and have been using those actually 2-3 a day. I am keeping below the 20 net carbs as well as keeping my veg. in line with the book and losing really well. I am in my 6th induction day and have already lost 9 pounds. Also the Carb, protein, fat rations are staying pretty much right in line. But my fiber is staying at around 25 grams a day.
G.F.

[jmphillips]

Re: Major Veggie Confusion...

Ooh what a super looking scale - I want one too just like that

Ya, it's nifty ain't it...and only $20...that is like two of my old way of eating fast-food meals...lol...

You're off to a great start losetocruise...keep it up...this Sunday will be two weeks for me...I can't wait to see how I am doing...