Rung 1, here I come

[Effie]

Hello all,
I've been ramping up all week to start OWL on Monday (just finishing up 3 weeks of induction). I think I have most of the info I need, but I do have one or two questions.

1. I know I'm supposed to add 5 net carbs of veggies each day (unless it's new, then only 3 days in the week). I should be adding this 5g to my average carb intake while I was on induction, correct? According to fitday.com, my average net carbs for the past 3 weeks were 12, so would I now start eating 17g? My main reason for asking is that I had quite a few high days (18-20), and some really low days (5-6), so I don't know if that matters.

2. Do I increase my veggies based on net carbs only, or also by volume amount? If I want spinach, can I have all 49 cups, or do I have to limit myself to 1 cup even though it's not nearly 5 carbs? (Settle down, I won't be eating 49 cups of spinach!) Seems like I could easily be tripling the amount of veggies I eat, even though it's only 5 carbs. This is the part that scares me (although I'd love to stop worrying so much about going over my limit!)

Thanks all. Sorry if these are redundant questions.

[sallyseachange]

Yeah... I wondered about the spinach thing too... and in the end settled for adding one cup fresh to my salads if I felt like it, but allowing myself the amount cooked that makes up five carbs (I think it was two thirds of a cup, or something). Tossed in oil and garlic....deeeeelish!

:yes

Sal

[sallyseachange]

Ooops! Sorry...forgot to say: Welcome! You'll love OWL. Once you get into the swing of things, it's not as complicated as it might seem, and the extra food choices are really good news!

:wave Sal

[punkin50]

ha Effie: My 14 day induction just ended and I started on OWL today. I planned on cabbage for my veggie. I too understood we added the 5 carbs to the average number of carbs we had been taking in during induction which for me was 15. Now, we just eat the cabbage 3 days a week? I guess I missed that. :wave

[Effie]

If the cabbage is new to you, just 3 days a week. But, if you know you can eat it without it causing cravings or stalls, then you can add it every day. Hopefully this is correct. I've been on OWL for one day and I'm already giving advice!!!

For my first week on OWL, I'm adding in veggies that I already eat, just more of them. Cucumber salad, broccoli & butter, and spinach quiche will remain my mainstays (and salad, of course).

[not2late]

Re: Rung 1, here I come

Hello all,
I've been ramping up all week to start OWL on Monday (just finishing up 3 weeks of induction). I think I have most of the info I need, but I do have one or two questions.

1. I know I'm supposed to add 5 net carbs of veggies each day (unless it's new, then only 3 days in the week). I should be adding this 5g to my average carb intake while I was on induction, correct? According to fitday.com, my average net carbs for the past 3 weeks were 12, so would I now start eating 17g? My main reason for asking is that I had quite a few high days (18-20), and some really low days (5-6), so I don't know if that matters.

2. Do I increase my veggies based on net carbs only, or also by volume amount? If I want spinach, can I have all 49 cups, or do I have to limit myself to 1 cup even though it's not nearly 5 carbs? (Settle down, I won't be eating 49 cups of spinach!) Seems like I could easily be tripling the amount of veggies I eat, even though it's only 5 carbs. This is the part that scares me (although I'd love to stop worrying so much about going over my limit!)

Thanks all. Sorry if these are redundant questions.

It's 5 net carbs of any rung food every other day for the first week. Then re-evaluate. IF you are still losing, then eat the 5 net carbs daily for the second week.

If you had been eating 12 net carbs during Induction, you'll be increasing it to 17.

All foods, except for nuts and seeds, are increased by net carb amounts. Nuts and seeds are added in 1 ounce increments.

For spinach, during OWL, I eat it cooked. 1 cup of cooked spinach has about 5 net carbs. That's why it's on the 1 cup list in Induction---bad book editing. In the 1972 and 1992 versions of the diet, the "other vegetables" were measured cooked.

[sillygirl]

Hey Effie How's the OWL going for you? I bumped myself (reluctently) to 24 yesterday and I lost 1.5 overnight! Hadn't lost since LAST Thurs. I'm going to drop back down to 18-20 today and then up again over the weekend!

[Effie]

Well... I'm not supposed to be weighing everyday, but since you asked:

I've lost 3 pounds since Monday! :joy I lost 4.5-5 pounds on induction, then didn't lose anything the 3rd week, and since I've started OWL, I've dropped 3 pounds. It's amazing. I can't wait until Monday so I can call it official (that's my real weigh-in day, nothing else counts).

My carbs with the added veggies are about 18-20. My calories are still about the same as they were on induction. Yesterday I ate a LOT of food, including almost 6 ounces of cheese. :no But then this morning I was down another pound. I feel like I can do no wrong, but I know that it'll all even out, so I don't want to get carried away.

[sillygirl]

Yeah, don't get carried away! It's very exciting!

[Effie]

Well, I just reviewed my last few days menus in fitday. It appears that even though I feel like I'm adding a lot of veggies, my carb count is still only around 15 on average (just for this week). I was originally planning to stay on rung 1 until I found my CCLL and then move through the other rungs, but I don't know if that's possible now. I've been eating veggies with every meal, and sometimes as a snack, so I don't know how much more I can do on the veggie rung! I guess my biggest revelation is that it takes more than one serving of veggies to equal 5 carbs (a concern I expressed in my first post last week).

Anyway, I guess I'll be experimenting on the other rungs come Monday.