Decisions, decisions...

[Carotan]

i've decided that i'm just going to join OWL because i've been craving things lately, and easter is coming up, so if i finish the first step of OWL then during easter i can eat dairy (ice cream) and not feel so left out. i think if i don't do thi then i'll probably cheat, and that's the absolute LAST thing i want to do, so here i am

[not2late]

Welcome.

Read through the book and the stickies at the top of the forum so you know how to do OWL.

[2big4mysize]

yep read your book and our stickies and know that page179 rules of OWL has a typo it should be eat new to you foods not new food group only 3 times during the first week.

Oh and if you check the recipe section you can find Ziplock baggie homemade ice cream and you can make your own flavor and control your carbs without any sugar alcohol mythicalmagicalcountingnoncounting carbs to mess you up.

HAppy OWLing!

[Elleth Faewen]

Congrats on moving to OWL! It sounds like you made the right decision for the time to move. All those extra veggies are really good for you too. I will recommend making home-made ice cream if you can. That way you avoid all those sugar alcohols.

I started OWL for similar reasons. Thanksgiving was coming up, and my birthday was the day after, so I started OWL and was on rung 3 for the holiday, and made it to rung 5 just in time for the new year. It was great having my own desserts to eat, and the others tried my chocolate peanut-butter cheese cake and liked it. So I had home-made ice cream and the cheesecake and actually lost weight over the holiday. That was the first time in ten or more years that I didn't gain weight.

[Carotan]

that's awesome wish i was able to say that. i gained about 10 lbs because of christmas, new years, mardi gras, valentines day and my birthday. whew! all those holidays in about a 2 month period really killed me. now all i have to worry about is easter...i just hope i can get through it in one piece! hey, what about low carb chocolate? if i eat taht and sugar free/carb free candy will that really mess me up (during easter, that is)? i wouldn't make it a habit.

[Elizellen]

hey, what about low carb chocolate? if i eat taht and sugar free/carb free candy will that really mess me up (during easter, that is)? i wouldn't make it a habit.

Only your body can tell you that Carotan - by which time you may have slipped down that slippery slope that Irishirish warns us of :yikes

[loonatika]

I'd try it with a small portion size - buy a 50g bar instead of a 250g bar and eat it at home. If a few hours afterwards you aren't back at the store buying more, or sitting on the toilet in agony, you are probably ok. Moderation really is the key to this sort of thing.

[Elizellen]

Loonatika, I am sure I read somewhere that if the SA's dont send you to the loo your body is using the carbs from the SA's and so you should count them all rather than net them.
Does anyone know if this is true?

[loonatika]

Yeah I'm pretty sure this is right - I just meant they send some people to the loo straight away. I usually count all the carbs anyway for that sort of thing.

[Elleth Faewen]

Loonatika, I am sure I read somewhere that if the SA's dont send you to the loo your body is using the carbs from the SA's and so you should count them all rather than net them.
Does anyone know if this is true?

That is basically true. The amount of carbs you count vary by sugar alcohol. A good rule of thumb is to count 1/2 the full carbs as your net carbs. I do the same as loonatika and count them all.

[Elizellen]

thanks loonatika and elleth.

My dh is suggesting we buy 'diabetic' easter eggs or choc s for next weekend.

I guess if I count all the SA carbs I will have a true picture of what I am eating.

Anyone know whether xylitol is one of the 'better' SA's or one to be avoided? I am sure there was a posting a few months ago where someone listed them in order of preference but cant find it on a searc

I ask because our local 'diabetic' shop sells it and I am half considering usinjg it to make chocolates.

[Elleth Faewen]

This FAQ on sugar alcohols has some basic info on different types.

http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/viewtopic.php?t=68131

[Carotan]

wait, so you guys count all of the sugar alcohol? i always subtracted them.

[loonatika]

It's up to you caro - if sugar alcohols cause you to 'go' pretty quickly then you are probably not digesting them and the net count is safe. I find with me personally they don't have that effect, so they get counted. Plus over here sugar-free chocolate and so on is not widely sold so I only ever have it once in a blue moon.

[Elizellen]

This FAQ on sugar alcohols has some basic info on different types.

Thank you Elleth