How did you do OWL? (It got long...)

[Elsie150]

Re: How did you do OWL? (It got long...)

Yippee! don't forget to check in on the New Year's Eve challenge!!

[rybread]

Re: How did you do OWL? (It got long...)

I will! But not till Monday - nothing counts until my official weigh-in day!

[kkat55]

Re: How did you do OWL? (It got long...)

Hey Rybread!

I saved this thread because it was so informative and thought I'd ask and see how you were doing now on OWL?

Just checking in...

[rybread]

Re: How did you do OWL? (It got long...)

Hey Rybread!

I saved this thread because it was so informative and thought I'd ask and see how you were doing now on OWL?

Just checking in...

Hey kkat! I'm doing alright on OWL. The method I ended up employing was sticking to 30 net carbs throughout all of the rungs of OWL, and then finding my CCLL afterwards, which is about 35 - 40, depending on what foods make up those carbs.

While I am trying to introduce more grains into my diet (ie. low carb bread, wild rice, etc), as I gear up for pre-maintenance, and try to get over my carb-phobia, I still make sure that I restrict it to one serving per day when I do have them. Most of my calories/carbs per day are still made up of vegetables - I eat more of them now than ever. I still restrict dairy to induction levels on the majority of my days, though after experimenting with yogurt, I have found like many others on this board and on LCBB, that yogurt keeps me feeling full for a very very long time, and doesn't affect my blood sugar nearly as much as the label would have you believe. [In other words, I believe the 4 net carbs per cup rule to be true! YMMV.]

I'm also very conscious of the glycemic index/load of various foods, and ensure that when I eat something with a higher index value, that I pair it with protein or fat to slow the absorption of the carbs. Basically, I'm trying to form the habits that will make me successful in maintenance. I'm finding this to be a **** of a lot harder than any of the earlier phases of Atkins -- I wish there were as hard-fast and steady rules now as there were then, but I do appreciate how unique to each person the program becomes at this phase, too.

I'm sticking out in OWL for the next 5 lbs, and then I'll officially move onto pre-maintenance/maintenance. Which scares me beyond belief. But that's another thread entirely.

[Elsie150]

Re: How did you do OWL? (It got long...)

That is wonderful news Rybread!!! Glad to hear you are doing so well.

[Starmaker]

Re: How did you do OWL? (It got long...)

Yeah this thread is going to help me so much when I get to that point. Thanks for that.

[kkat55]

Re: How did you do OWL? (It got long...)

Hey kkat! I'm doing alright on OWL. The method I ended up employing was sticking to 30 net carbs throughout all of the rungs of OWL, and then finding my CCLL afterwards, which is about 35 - 40, depending on what foods make up those carbs.

While I am trying to introduce more grains into my diet (ie. low carb bread, wild rice, etc), as I gear up for pre-maintenance, and try to get over my carb-phobia, I still make sure that I restrict it to one serving per day when I do have them. Most of my calories/carbs per day are still made up of vegetables - I eat more of them now than ever. I still restrict dairy to induction levels on the majority of my days, though after experimenting with yogurt, I have found like many others on this board and on LCBB, that yogurt keeps me feeling full for a very very long time, and doesn't affect my blood sugar nearly as much as the label would have you believe. [In other words, I believe the 4 net carbs per cup rule to be true! YMMV.]

I'm also very conscious of the glycemic index/load of various foods, and ensure that when I eat something with a higher index value, that I pair it with protein or fat to slow the absorption of the carbs. Basically, I'm trying to form the habits that will make me successful in maintenance. I'm finding this to be a **** of a lot harder than any of the earlier phases of Atkins -- I wish there were as hard-fast and steady rules now as there were then, but I do appreciate how unique to each person the program becomes at this phase, too.

I'm sticking out in OWL for the next 5 lbs, and then I'll officially move onto pre-maintenance/maintenance. Which scares me beyond belief. But that's another thread entirely.

Hey Rybread!

I was just re-reading through this post and wanted to check back with you to see how you are doing on pre-maintenance?

[RachelnLa]

Re: How did you do OWL? (It got long...)

YES! Someone else with all my confusion

I'm 5.5 weeks in and moving up the rungs too. Then comes the questions. Some days I struggle to get all my carbs in.. some days it's easy. I'm working on spreading my carbs during the day with meals and snacks. I loved Induction - you eat these in this amounts. NOW?? I'm afraid to mess up. Trial of 3 days upping and lowering carbs with new foods. It's so hard to remember and get them all in.

Veggies gave me no problems. Dairy gave me none. Now I'm adding seeds and finding they really fill me up if I have them for a snack and I end up not eating supper. I'm supposed to be having 35 carbs and finding it so hard to eat all that. Time for some menu planning.

So much to learn. I wondered too if people mixed and matched carbs on the rungs and how they learned their CCL. As you move up the rungs, does that mean every day you are eating after induction limits - 5 carbs each of each rung? Or some days you have more veggies and less dairy or less nuts and more fruits? Or each day you have something from each rung until you reach the limit you are on?

It guess it helps the weeks roll along faster with all that trying out of foods. Plus, you are still losing weight and learning which foods do what to your body. I printed out a list of the rungs and check off each food as I try it out. So far I've not found any snags.

EDIT:
I just realized this was a very old thread. Even still, it has helped me so much. We can learn so much from those who are steps ahead. Thanks so much guys for helping us newbies. This thread was a lightbulb moment for me Thanks again!

[boonie stomper]

Re: How did you do OWL? (It got long...)

Speaking of confusion...

In my modified OWL as I know it, I'm OK having gone up to rung 6, where I'm staying, with the exception of occasionally having a little carrot slivers or some green peas from rung 9, and some occasional berries, which haven't bothered me.

At the same time, I've been playing with the total carbs and finding at this point my CCLL seems to be between 35 and 65 depending on whether I'm a slug or burning my candle at both ends. I don't wish to tempt the fates with foods that in the past always gave me cravings.

So while I've had the rare excursion to a food on a higher rung, I'm sticking with the tried and true, thru rung 6 for a while yet. If my carbs are too high, it is usually followed by an increase in appetite, which is my cue to cut the next day's carb intake based on my activity level.

I want to loose another 50 lb., and since I can't really distinguish between normal erratic scale reading fluctuations and the gain or loss directly attributable to a new food, (I'm also currently not weighing until 9/1), my OWL experiment is more closely monitoring changes in bloatiness, mood, cravings, energy and general appetite levels.

If on a very low appetite day, I've eaten 4-5 cups veggies, 6-8 g cheese, plus meats & fats, but carbs are still too low, I finish the evening with some Milwaukee Best Light beers; 2 cans = 7g carbs.

Is this OK?

[Elsie150]

Re: How did you do OWL? (It got long...)

Rachel..glad this post helped you. You never know what bit of wisdom you will find in an old post. My understanding is that you can eat your carbs from any of the rungs you are on. They do not have to be 5 from here and 5 from there. As you are mixing and matching do be aware if a combination sets off any cravings.

Susan..be aware that when you have alcohol that your body stops burning the fat and burns the alcohal until it is used up. So potentially you may notice a slow down in your weight lose.

[Adena]

Re: How did you do OWL? (It got long...)

I've been trying to work my way into OWL, but I admit I wasn't nearly as methodical as many of you have been. And that's probably why I haven't been successful.

I was amazed to read how well so many people knew their bodies. I have been following Atkins carefully -- or so I thought -- but I've decided I need to go back to a clean, perfect induction (including measuring my food -- something I typically don't do) for a few days, and then really pay attention to new foods as I add them. And, clearly I even need to be mindful of some induction allowable ones, and how they might affect me. I'm still in ketosis, but clearly something is putting me off track as I'm still early in Atkins (about 3 weeks), and my weight hasn't moved much in the past week or longer. I need to figure out why...

So, starting today, I'm going back to a pure induction, resuming using fitday daily, weighing and measuring everything (I do a lot of estimating... perhaps not always accurately), and going 100% by the book.

Thanks all, for posting such detailed comments. It helps alot!

[Adena]

Re: How did you do OWL? (It got long...)

Lol... well, darnit!! Tomorrow is my birthday, and the people here at work know I'm on Atkins. I had been talking to our assistant about it the other day, and she asked me what I'm allowed to eat, specifically asking about fruit. So, I used strawberries as an example.

So, this morning, just as soon as I finished my earlier post, for my little birthday celebration in the office, they surprised me with a "fruit" boquet -- they are pretty bouquets made out of fruit rather than flowers. She went to so much trouble to accomodate me, I felt like I had to be gracious. So, I had 7 strawberries, which I understand is 5 carbs, plus 2 hard boiled eggs when I got back to my desk, which hopefully will help regulate the sugar.

So, so much for starting my clean induction today!

[Elsie150]

Re: How did you do OWL? (It got long...)

Happy Birthday! And what great support you have a work!!