I'm going for it!!

[penniedo]

I have been very nervous about starting OWL but I know it's time. I have been reading everything out about OWL but it still seems so confusing to me! From what I understand, I can now add 5 more carbs worth of the acceptable veggies to my menu each day. Does this mean I can eat my 2 cups salad, my 1 cup other veggie, than add more veggies not to exceed the additional 5 carbs?? (example-2 carbs of squash, 1 carb of broccoli, 2 carbs of mushrooms). And can I use veggies off of either list?? And what is the best way to figure out what 5 more carbs are?? Sorry, I know I must sound dense but for some reason this isn't clicking in my head!! Thanks for any advise you can give me!

[Elizellen]

Re: I'm going for it!!

One reason for OWL is to see if certain foods affect your body, so I would add up to 5 net carbs of one vegetable up to 3 times a week if you havent eaten them up to now on induction. The other days you can add extra other veggies you have eaten before on induction.

If they are not 'new to you' veggies then as far as I know you can add a mixture to make up the 5 net carbs, as if you find any problems it will be the carb increase rather than the new foods causing them.

There is a sticky called 'the power of five' in this forum that lists lots of foods and their 5 net carb amounts. It is not a definitive list, so may not have all the foods you would be 'allowed' in each rung but it has lots of info.

[2big4mysize]

Re: I'm going for it!!

okay there is a typo in DANDR and we have a stickie up about it.

If the food is one you have not had before in your Atkins then you only have that food 3 times max the first week as you see if your body csn handle it as far as cravings go. if you have had the food before which you should have with many of the induction vegies you can have it every day as long as you don't exceed your 5 net new carbs total.

Those 3 cups from induction stay with us for life ( isn't it strange all the Atkins bashing and inductees are have 6 USDA servings of veggies every day but are eating unhealthy). Now you can add any vegges from either list in a larger amount IF your body can handle them so if you are having new to you veggies it will be easiest for you to know what triggered you if you only add one new to you food a day.

Say you didn't try rhubarb and will now try it. you can have all 5 net carbs as it or you could have say 3 of it and 2 of foods you already had. how you do it and in how much is up to you. One bit of advice don't pick lettuce as your 5 net vegie or you will be having a hugh bowl of salad and will never get the 5 net eatten that day.

Also add the 5 new carbs to your average induction carb level so if you ate at 10 then you do OWL rung one at 15.

HAppy OWLing.

[penniedo]

Re: I'm going for it!!-question #2

Thank's guys. You really helped me out alot and I hope you don't mind but I have another question! So after I finish the veggie rung and I move on to the dairy rung, am I replacing that extra 5 veggie carbs with dairy carbs or am I adding the dairy to the extra 5 veggies giving me a total of 30carbs a day?? (I hope that made sense!!)

[Elizellen]

Re: I'm going for it!!

Perfect sense!!

Add the dairy 5 net carbs to your total carbs, so if you were on 20 net fro induciton you will be eating 30 net on the dairy rung, and increasing by 5 net carbs each rung till you reach the carb level at which you stop losing (CCLL). If you find that at 45 net carbs you are still losing but when you add another 5 net carbs you stop, then drop down 5 net carbs to see if you start again, and when you move up a rung after that substitute carbs, staying below your CCLL while you continue through the Atkins stages.

If you exercise a lot you may be surprised at how many carbs you can eat and still lose.

I remember one mod posting to ask how to STOP losing as she was eating at 100 net carbs a day and still seeing the scales go down! (wouldnt we all love that problem? LOL)

[fluffyman]

Re: I'm going for it!!

Way to go for it! Step on up on that 1st rung.

[not2late]

Re: I'm going for it!!

Yes, once you get the hang of OWL, you'll never want to go back to Induction.