My Daily Menus

**2big4mysize** · January 22, 2006, 05:36 PM

Re: First Menu Posting & some questions

make your fitday public and post a link to it here.

first item to discuss about your foods is the lack of the 3 cups of veggies? onions and tomotoes okay, but where are the rest of the 2 cups of salad veggies? Veggies are a very very important part of our Atkins so much so that those 3 cups of veggies stay with you for life along with all the other veggies you will be adding back as you climb the OWL ladder. ( yep the secret is out, Atkins is a high veggie diet!) DId you spread the tomato and onions out so you had some veggie carbs at all meals? we need to be spreading them out so we have some fat some protein and some veggies at every meal.

the rest of your day looks close with the proteins a bit low and the fats a bit high in your %s. But that is a matter of your food choices. How did you put them together? bacon cheese burgers? or spereately?

How much water you drinking?

**Elizellen** · January 23, 2006, 03:15 PM

Re: First Menu Posting & some questions

I have fitday PC and so far it seems to me the screenshot idea is the best option to let people view your menus.

Was that a whole day's food?

When I started out I needed more than that to feel no longer hungry!!

Do add your extra veggies to make the 3 cups, or you might get problems in the 'bathroom' department!!

Using this forum each day till you are confident in your choices is a good idea, so you get more feedback from people with different experience - sort of a brainstorming session!!

**Moochiecat** · January 23, 2006, 05:15 PM

Re: First Menu Posting & some questions

I had trouble reading that page, sorry.
Also, I find it more helpful when people post the percentages Fitday gave them plus write out what they ate and at what time of day so I can get a realistic view of what their day is like. It's easier to see where they may be coming up short or overdoing when you see what they ate and when.
I know that's time consuming, but that's just how my brain works.
If you want to start a thread of your daily menu's that'd be just fine!

**LookingForward** · January 23, 2006, 05:23 PM

Re: First Menu Posting & some questions

Thanks 2big & Elizellen for the feedback, I appreciate it very much!

I'm surprised that the one day I decided to post for review is a day I failed to eat my veggies. My favorite thing about Atkins is the quantity and variety of VEGGIES I get to eat, so it's been very easy for me to get my veggies in each day, and looking over my menus since 1/3/06 I see only 2 days I didn't get my salad in.

Your point is well-taken 2big about spreading the carbs throughout the day, that's something I had heard and knew, but have been very bad about practicing. I'm going to make that a mini-goal for myself for this week. And no, I hadn't spread them out during this menu, I had everything with my burger. Actually that was one of my absolute WORST days, because I didn't eat all day and then ate everything for dinner (see the revised menu here, broken out by meal: link).

I can't make my Fitday public and share it, because I use Fitday for the PC, which for some reason even though it costs $ and has more functionality, doesn't allow syncing with the web site, nor creating a text copy, which surprises me very much.

I'm drinking a good bit of water, though I'm not sure of the exact quantity. I would estimate 64 oz. minimum each day, sometimes more.

Oh, and Elizellen, yes that was a whole day's food, but it was a fluke because I was busy and skipped breakfast and lunch. On the 18th (the day of this menu), I had been on Atkins since 1/3, and in ketosis for most of it, and didn't feel hunger and didn't have any cravings, and I had noticed my food intake had decreased a good bit. Since then, unfortunately, I gave in and tried maltitol-sweetened "sugar free" chocolate 2 days in a row before I did the smart thing and read the experiences on this board! SO today I'm starving, despite eating plenty, and my cravings have been STRONG. Thankfully I'm still in moderate ketosis, according to the ketostix, so I hope this will pass soon.

Thanks again. I'd like to start posting daily, until I get into the swing of things.

**LookingForward** · January 23, 2006, 05:27 PM

Re: First Menu Posting & some questions

Hi Moochiecat! You must've replied while I was writing, because I didn't see your post until I'd already submitted my thanks to 2big & Elizellen. I did'nt mean to leave you out!

Does this revised link work better for you? (see the revised menu here, broken out by meal: link) It has the foods broken out by meal, and the percentages of everything are at the bottom.

Thanks for taking the time to reply!

**LookingForward** · January 23, 2006, 08:33 PM

My Menu

Here's a screenshot of today's full menu. What do you think?

LINK

I'm really curious why turnip greens aren't specifically listed on acceptable foods (even though collards, etc., are). Also, I'm VERY surprised it isn't listed as a "salad vegetable" since it's SO very low in carbs (and calories). Does anyone know why this might be the case? Do you think I had enough veggies for the day?

Thanks!

**Moochiecat** · January 23, 2006, 09:22 PM

Re: My Menu

Duh...I just figured out how to look at your screen shot properly...lol..now I can read it!
Wow..that's almost perfect...and it tells me everything I need to know.
The only thing it's lacking is a spot to put in what time you ate at.

That looks really good..and I think the turnip greens are just fine and were just overlooked when they made the list. Another thing that is generally looked at as a typo is that spinach should be on the 2 cup list and not the 1, as it's low in carbs and it's so nutritious.
As always, measure your veggies raw and be aware that greens cook down a lot.

You've got cured ham, dill pickles and deli meat on there...be mindful that they contain a lot of sodium, so drink a little extra water to combat that.

Did you feel that was enough food to satisfy you?

**Moochiecat** · January 23, 2006, 09:26 PM

Re: First Menu Posting & some questions

My problem was that I didn't see the icon that expands the graphic to the full size, but I saw that this time, and it's all so perfectly laid out with foods, amounts and what was eaten when. You just keep doing what you're doing.

Perhaps keep it all in one continuous thread though, ok?

**2big4mysize** · January 24, 2006, 06:36 PM

Re: First Menu Posting & some questions

saw your other topic about turnip greens and they have the same GI ranking as lettuce and spinach. who is to say if those turnips are the whole thing or just the root part in the 1 cup area.

**kpoll19** · January 24, 2006, 07:40 PM

Re: First Menu Posting & some questions

Hi. I noticed others already mentioned the lack of veggies, but I did not notice if they mentioned your percentages. If so, sorry for the repeat. You should also be keeping your percenteges at Fat 65% Protein 30% Carb 5%. Your fat counts are a little high. Most of your carbs should come from the veggies.

Your doing great though. It is good to post and hear feedback. Then you know you are on the right track. Good luck to you!

**LookingForward** · January 25, 2006, 05:24 AM

Re: My Daily Menus

Thanks everybody for the great feedback!

Menu for 1/24: LINK

I know I didn't do PERFECTLY, but it's still passable, isn't it? I made the mistake of getting caught out and about running a huge list of errands, with no food, and no plan, and wound up having to eat fast food. I got the Arby's Turkey Ranch & Bacon wrap, but only ate half because of the wrap and the carb count on it. I was still hungry so I downed 2 BK Double Cheeseburgers, plain, no bun. I had to estimate the calories/fat/etc. from their other menu items (many show the no bun option, just not the double cheeseburger). I think it's reasonably close, what do you think? Oh, and one of the 2 pieces of cheese stayed stuck to the bun for both sandwiches, so I only counted 1 on each.

I definitely didn't measure my turnip greens raw on 1/23 as you mentioned, Moochiecat! So I probably had 3 or 4 times more than I should've? Do you guys think this will have a negative impact? Do you STRICTLY limit your salad veggies to the maximum 3 cups even if you have extra wiggle room in your carbs? I'm just thrilled turnip greens are embraced, and accepted, that makes Atkins even more pleasurable for me!

One thing I definitely need to work on is spreading my meals out, especially forcing myself to have breakfast each day. I've NEVER been a breakfast eater, so this is an adjustment. I also want to make sure to monitor my water intake and make sure I'm getting enough each day. I know it's a key to success. I do tend to lose track of how many times I fill up the cup though... how do you guys tend to keep track?

Thanks again for everything, the feedback is VERY helpful, both the corrections and the affirmations alike!

OH, one more thing I forgot to answer, Moochiecat you asked if the food seemed like enough to fill me up. Honestly no, it didn't on 1/22 and 1/23 at all, BUT I had made the mistake of eating maltitol sweetened chocolate on 1/21 before doing the smart thing and reading up on it here. I've contributed my hunger (and strong cravings) on 1/22 & 1/23 to its effect. On 1/24 I felt more satisfied, and hopefully today 1/25 I'll feel back to normal, and the suppressed appetite that I'd had from 1/3-1/21 will fully return.

One more question, is there a rule of thumb for estimating how much oil is absorbed when frying something? I had really not much idea how to estimate that for my chicken tenders.

**Moochiecat** · January 25, 2006, 10:12 AM

Re: My Daily Menus

oh you naughty girl, you skipped your breakfast! *picture of Moochie shaking her finger*

Even if all you manage is a bite or two, eat yer breakfast!!
What happens is you don't eat, you get a low blood sugar episode in the making, then you're running around eating on the fly and you don't have the best judgement so you put yourself in the position of grabbing anything (like the wrap) because you are starving. It's a wicked little roller coaster and you sound like you realize that's not the way to go, so it's a good learning experience.

Did you eat the wrap on the wrap? The bacon turkey ranch part sounds fine (with the exception of not knowing the carb count on the ranch dressing) so if you ate the insides, that would have been pretty much legal. Don't stress out about it, chalk it up to experience and plan better next time. It's all about learning and taking it day by day.
Spread those veggies out through the day as well.

The turnip greens....the way I figure it, the first rung in OWL is 5 carbs more veggies....so if you go over, it's just as if you've slipped into OWL. Honestly, have you ever heard of a turnip green causing someone to gain weight? I haven't. The idea of Induction is to start teaching us portion control, so while it's important we learn how to do that (and it's extremely important), it's not going to ruin everything if you ate too many turnip greens one day in the week.
I remember freaking out because I went 2 carbs over because of mushrooms. MUSHROOMS!! This coming from the girl who would eat 3 danish with a pot of coffee for an afternoon snack!
It's good to be concerned and vigilant about these things, but remember, veggies are our friends.

Water: Get yourself a water bottle...like a Nalgene one that holds 32 ounces. Then you know you need to drink at LEAST two of those a day for the bare minimum. That's what works for me. You can either swig out of the bottle (like I do...I'm such a delicate little thing) or you can pour glass fulls and tuck the bottle away.

Getting enough food: Again, it's all a learning experience. We've had it drummed into our heads so long that diet=deprivation so we think that eating goes against the idea of losing weight. It'll all come together in time. Just plan plan plan and prepare things ahead so you have them ready to go.

If you are sauteing chicken breast, which is low in fat, then you know it won't be releasing any, so just eyeball what's in the pan when you're done and subtract that from the amount of oil you used.

**LookingForward** · January 25, 2006, 10:10 PM

Re: My Daily Menus

Thanks again for the input!

Here is today's menu (it's NOT as bad as it lokss at first glance!)
LINK

Yes, I know I should eat breakfast (and I did today, woohoo!) I've just never eaten breakfast my entire life and it's SO hard to get in the habit. The morning slips away and by the time I NATURALLY feel hungry, it's lunch time.

Yes, I did eat the wrap on the wrap. I had it in my head that it was "OK", just because I remembered that when I was doing Atkins the first time around 2 or 3 years ago, that's when they came out with the wraps and they promoted them aggressively as low carb. I'm smacking my head about it even now! I'm still in ketosis today, that's a good sign, isn't it? How quickly would I be knocked out of ketosis after making a mistake that would end it? How soon would that show up on the stix?

I did better on the water today, and hope to keep that up from here on out. I noticed I had to pee almost CONSTANTLY today... will that slow down once my body is used to this much water?

You're right about the turnip greens/portion control, for sure. What a hard lesson that is to learn, I was certainly one of those 3 (or 4 or 5) danish type people. Actually it was more like a dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts without batting an eye! So I try not to beat myself up when I'm not PERFECT, especially like you said, if it's TURNIP GREENS putting me over.

Or mushrooms. Or like today, my spices unexpectedly put me over.

By the way, I use herbs and spices a lot. Do you cooks out there tend to trust fitday's herb/spice nutritional information or is there another herb/spice bible out there somewhere? I noticed ground cumin wasn't in fitday at all, so I had to choose cumin seed for my menu... any chance I got lucky and the ground would have less carbs?

Another thing... and this truly baffles me... why on earth does the Atkins diet instruct us to eat "CUPS" of packable things like lettuce, spinach, etc., or "cups" of broccoli/ green beans, etc.?? I can pack a LOT of stuff into a cup if I am inclined! Why wouldn't he have gone by ounces or grams or something definable? How many ounces do you guys usually equate to a "cup" for purposes of Atkins for these type things?

Thanks again for all the great insight, it is much appreciated.

**erinonatkins** · January 25, 2006, 10:27 PM

Re: My Daily Menus

the cup thing counfounds me too. i usually grab a handful of veggies or lettuce or whatever and call that a "cup." the few times i've checked up on this method it's been quite accurrate. i think it's less about a perfect cup and more about a reasonable portion size.

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