Do the upper rungs replace some of the lower rungs?

[jennytg3]

Hi - I've searched this forum but can't seem to find an answer for this one:

I'm starting OWL tomorrow with 5 additional net carbs of acceptable veggies. After a couple of weeks, I'll go to the next rung, adding foods like dairy, nuts, fruits, and maybe even legumes eventually. My question is this: are we always supposed to eat 5 net carbs of veggies plus 2 salad plus 1 induction veggie forever? Or do we replace some of it w/fruits, nuts, etc? Otherwise wouldn't we just be adding more calories each rung we climb?

Or are we supposed to lower the amount of meat and fat we eat to compensate for the new food groups? If so, by how much?

Thank you!

Jenny

[kate58]

Re: Do the upper rungs replace some of the lower rungs?

I don't think there is a simple answer. The main point of OWL is to see how you respond to different foods and to find out the particular carb level that will allow you to lose, so it's a different experience for everyone.

So not only are you gradually adding more carbs, but you are gradually adding different foods, to find out whether they stall you, induce cravings or are just fine for you. I would say most people keep eating at least the same level of veg as they ate at rung one, and then gradually add carbs from the other rungs over and above that.

For me, I try to keep veg at at least 50% of my carbs everyday, and it's often a good bit more, though I am on the legumes rung. I eat from various rungs each day but would not eat from them all in any given day, and as I moved up did the same - as soon as I had established I could eat a food, it became a regular part of my diet, but I don't necessarily eat from each rung each day. For example I know I can't eat nuts as a snack (I just eat too many), but can incorporate them in recipes, so it would often be less than 5 carbs from nuts, but I'd make it up from other places. I'd only have nuts a couple of times a week, legumes (of which I really only eat Puy Lentils, since they are the only thing that tempt me there) even less.

I now keep my carbs at 35-40 daily, which keeps me losing. About 25g is generally from veg, but that varies. For me I have found out if I lower the veg proportion I don't lose. But it will be an individual thing for everyone.

On the changes to protein and fat:

On induction the approximate proportions of where calories come from are 65% fat, 5% carbs, 30% protein. Though I often hit over 70% fat while on induction and the early rungs of OWL. As you go up the rungs and increase carbs, it's fat that will reduce, protein stays the same throughout. At this point I am still getting the 30% protein, or at least between 25-35% depending on the day, and my carbs vary from 8-10%, so that is something over 60% fat every day.

I have to emphasise though that this happens kind of naturally - as you eat more carbs your fat kind of naturally reduces, it just happens as you climb the rungs outlined for OWL. I only know the proportions because they come up in FitDay, but I just eat according to the plan, not to hit certain percentages in FitDay.