A bit confused

[Erin80]

So I'm just starting OWL now....and I have some questions:

Once I get to the grains rung (I know, LONG time)...how do you make a menu including ALL the rungs without eating TONNES of carbs? Like do we still eat the 3 servings of veggies from induction, and then add the other foods in until we hit our carb limit? Or, do we need to eat one food from each rung each day? I'm really confused with this!

Also, since I'm just ending induction and starting OWL, do I add a new veggie only 3 times this week? So really then it would be like 4 out of the 7 days of the week I'd still be on induction? Or do I add the new veggie (equalling 5 carbs) each day?

If I wanted to stay on the first OWL rung for 3 weeks, do I just stay at 25 carbs for the whole 3 weeks, or do I add a new veggie each week? So then it would go up to 30 or 35 carbs on veggies.....and then when I go to rung 2 I substitute one of the veggie servings for something from the dairy list?

Sorry this is confusing! Thanks!

[ValidRouge]

Re: A bit confused

So I'm just starting OWL now....and I have some questions:

Once I get to the grains rung (I know, LONG time)...how do you make a menu including ALL the rungs without eating TONNES of carbs? Like do we still eat the 3 servings of veggies from induction, and then add the other foods in until we hit our carb limit? Or, do we need to eat one food from each rung each day? I'm really confused with this!

Congrats on moving on to OWL. This is fantastic. You actually will switch foods out. You won't eat 5 grams of every rung, though you always need to eat a minimum of 3 cups of veggies every day. One day you might eat from legumes and the next from grains. Unless you're like Julirama and can eat 1341730 carbs and still lose.

Also, since I'm just ending induction and starting OWL, do I add a new veggie only 3 times this week? So really then it would be like 4 out of the 7 days of the week I'd still be on induction? Or do I add the new veggie (equalling 5 carbs) each day?

Yes, you add a new to you veggie only 3 times and on the other days you continue to eat like you did on induction. But, if its not a new to you veggie, you could have it every day if you want.

If I wanted to stay on the first OWL rung for 3 weeks, do I just stay at 25 carbs for the whole 3 weeks, or do I add a new veggie each week? So then it would go up to 30 or 35 carbs on veggies.....and then when I go to rung 2 I substitute one of the veggie servings for something from the dairy list?

Sorry this is confusing! Thanks!

If you are still losing, go ahead and move up to 30 or 35 net carbs (or higher) on veggies. You want to find out how many carbs you can eat and still lose weight. That's the point of OWL. Once you find out how many you can eat, then you back it back down a bit so that you continue to lose. Yes, you can substitute dairy for a veggie serving...but only if you have a low CCLL. Otherwise, keep going higher and higher until you stop losing. Then back it down to where you lose again.

[mitzimarie]

Re: A bit confused

Unless you're like Julirama and can eat 1341730 carbs and still lose.

ROTFLMAO!!!

[kisstuck]

Re: A bit confused

Good advice, Joy! Erin, just take things slowly. Start with rung 1, add a new veggie worth 5 carbs 3 times that week. Check your weight and measurements at the end of the week and make sure you are still losing.

The next week do it again with a different veggie. You can take as much time as you need in each of the rungs. It may actually go smoother for you if you spend a little more time in each of the rungs and it will allow you to find your CCLL. Just make sure you are keeping a food journal or tracking your food on fitday.com. Keep your percentages fats/protein/carbs at the right levels.

[not2late]

Re: A bit confused

The 3 cups of veggies you were eating on Induction become part of your Atkins daily menu. There are 54 veggies on those Induction lists, so have fun trying them out.

As you go up the carb ladder, you'll see that 5 net carbs of foods vary in volume. For example, 5 net carbs of lettuce is 15 cups, but 5 net carbs of most legumes is 1-2 tablespoons. And since you are only adding the carbs back as 5 net carb increments, it's not you'll be eating a boatload of food daily.

[Uk Girl]

Re: A bit confused

oops - well don't know how I got that so wrong - I thought a cup of lettuce was 5 net carbs - no wonder I felt like I was being deprived of my salads - but lucky in a way as well as I added the extra 5 carbs every day instead of just 3.Must pay attention!

[julirama723]

Re: A bit confused

Unless you're like Julirama and can eat 1341730 carbs and still lose.

Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy...

I'm trying to find my CCLL! Believe me, there are some days I'd rather not plan all my food out and stop at 40g, but I'm trying to be as scientific/methodical as possible. So I try to eat the same level daily. I'm up to 80g, by the way, not 1341730.

Oh my gosh I'd feel like a Christmas goose if I ate something from every single rung every single day! Generally this is what I eat in a day:

(A serving=5g carb)

Induction menu (3 cups veggies, 3 oz. cheese, proteins, fats)
Rung 1--1 serving
Rung 2--1 serving
Rung 3--2 servings
Rung 4--2 servings
Rung 7--2 servings
Rung 9--2 servings

I do have a drink occasionally, maybe every couple of weeks, but generally I drink very little. I don't eat many legumes, though I do get on a kick where I'll have beans every couple of days and then I won't eat them again for a couple of weeks. I don't eat many starchy veggies. The only ones I really like are lima beans and squashes. Potatoes make me sick, and corn is not in season yet. Carrots are just not something I love so I choose not to eat them. As far as whole grains, I found some AWESOME whole grain bread with flax and sunflower seeds and this week I had a couple of REAL sandwiches made from that! I also eat oats for breakfast sometimes, and I also use LC tortillas.

So it can be done! I'm a fruit lover, and I spend a good portion of my carbs on fruit. I usually eat berries everyday and/or an apple. I also eat cantaloupe quite a bit. I figure these are great ways to spend my carbs, as fruits contain lots of vitamins and antioxidants and fiber!