Getting your carbs in during OWL....how?

[skinnymom!]

I am on the nuts and seeds rung (can't find the icon so that is why it still says dairy in my siggie ) and the highest I've gotten so far is 26 carbs per day. I'm eating my veggies and gradually incorporating the extra dairy and nuts in, while dropping some of the extra butter and hard cheese. I am satisfied. I had a REAL problem overeating before, that is how I gained weight, by eating just for fun and not out of hunger. So understandably I do NOT want to make myself eat just to get to 35 carbs per day. How do you find the balance? I am happy with my new "eating only when hungry and then only till full" WOL

[not2late]

Re: Getting your carbs in during OWL....how?

have you found your CCLL yet?

[sallyseachange]

Re: Getting your carbs in during OWL....how?

You're right... you don't want to eat just to get your carbs up. You want to eat because you're hungry. If you haven't found your CCLL though, you do need to test out higher carb levels, gradually. You can do this by not necessarily eating more, but by choosing veggies and things that have a bit of a higher carb count... artichokes rather than zucchini etc.
OWL is a balancing act while you're still finding your levels, but you get practiced at it pretty soon.

[skinnymom!]

Re: Getting your carbs in during OWL....how?

No I am still losing and of course, still want to lol.....it's hard adding higher carb stuff in. It makes me nervous! Can you give me some examples of what you added in? I have tried cottage cheese (like it) and of course nuts, I prefer walnuts because they are unsalted and so good for you, but will have mixed salted nuts at times too. I am nervous about getting my calories way up there though...it's too much math LOL!!

[Tired of Chub]

Re: Getting your carbs in during OWL....how?

Sunflower seeds are a great addition to your standard salads. sprinkle a little on top and it provides a nice different crunch. (and adds some carbs. Also, theres a product out called "almond munchies" or soemthing like that, its basically blanched almonds and they are AWESOME on salads)

eat a larger serving of the higher carb veggies. Instead of 2 cups of lettuce in your salad, have a cup of lettuce, and then portions off the higher carb list veggies like peppers

Instead of cheese (or a veggie) for a snack, a tablespoon of peanut butter (if it doesnt cause problems for you. be careful to watch that!) mixed with cream cheese.

Soups with milk added (in place of heavy cream).

[not2late]

Re: Getting your carbs in during OWL....how?

As Tired suggested combine your foods. As you go further up the carb ladder, the 5 net carb amounts of food get smaller. For example, 5 net carbs of some legumes is 1 tablespoon. But that one tablespoon is enough to add to a serving of stew or chili.

I don't eat nuts plain as snacks. I eat them as an ingredient in a dish. For example, use finely chopped nuts as part of a stuffing mix for vegetables or meats. Foods on the Dairy rung can also be used for stuffings or fillings. For example, ricotta cheese can be mixed with egg and used to stuff eggplant rolls, for a sort of vegetable manicotti.

Non-berry fruits, like mangoes and pineapple, can be chopped and included into tomato salsas or vegetables salads.

Again, as you go up the carb ladder, 5 net carbs of food can be very small amounts. So, volume-wise, you won't be eating "more" food, just more carbs.

[sallyseachange]

Re: Getting your carbs in during OWL....how?

Ditto everything Tired and Megs said.

[skinnymom!]

Re: Getting your carbs in during OWL....how?

Thank you guys!! I am thinking I would LOVE a 5 carb amount of pineapple in cottage cheese....I'm excited to move up so I can have more fresh fruits in my diet. Thanks for the help! I'm still nervous to add those higher count things but I know it's what I need to do in order to maintain properly once I reach my goal

[thirteenlbs]

Re: Getting your carbs in during OWL....how?

I am having this exact same issue! I started to PM one of the mods, but it seemed as if the question had technically been answered already...but I had a heck of a time during the nut rung trying to reach 30 grams. I'm on berries now, and have never, never been able to hit 35g. Never. Not with pasta sauce, added tomoatoes, pumpkin, brussels sprouts, and the like. I just wondered if others might have a larger appetite than I, which can't be right, lol! I've been downright stuffed.

I've been settling for a happy medium of about 25 net grams, which seems to be more natural. I have no idea if I'm losing weight or not, as I've had an odd 2- week TOM (TMI, sorry). Because of this, I know that I can eat 30 grams without a gain, but am not sure about more than that. If I add more berries or some melon, it might be possible, but that'll mean adding more than 5g of the fruit.

I am still searching for my CCLL, so this is really, really tough. What are your thoughts on this: Sunday I'll begin the alcohol rung, but I'm not really that interested in alcohol. Could I skip up to the legumes rung and see if I can hit 35 grams with that addition?

Sorry to threadjack, but last week I "ate more naturally" and when I did my fitday averages, I was eating only about 20 net carbs!

Again, sorry to be redundant, but I'm really uncertain over here...

[lbiessen]

Re: Getting your carbs in during OWL....how?

I'm going to the store this afternoon and buy the small cans of V8 juice, (5 net carbs per can). And will drink one every day. that is how i will attempt to up my carbs. Next I'll check in to yogart and berries.

[sallyseachange]

Re: Getting your carbs in during OWL....how?

I can't get V8 juice over here, so am not sure what's in it, or what rung it would be good for...but I do know that if you "drink" veggies rather than eating them, you will raise the carbs, yes, but you'll also miss out on all the fibre that you need and get from eaten veggies. If you eat plenty of other veggies though, this wouldn't be a prob.

Thirteenlbs, yes you can skip the alcohol rung if you don't really drink (alcohol).
I'm amazed that so many people have trouble reaching their carb limits, with so many foods to choose from... I guess that must make me a piggie!

[not2late]

Re: Getting your carbs in during OWL....how?

Thirteenlbs, does your number include all the other "carb" foods like eggs, cream, hard cheese (1 carb per ounce is what Dr. Atkins told us to count it), etc. or is that only the vegetable carbs?

I'm only asking this because I'm seeing a trend on the boards where people tend to count only the vegetable carbs as part of their daily carb intake and ignore the other carb-containing foods, like cream, eggs, cheese, some processed foods (bacon, etc.), salad dressings, etc.

[thirteenlbs]

Re: Getting your carbs in during OWL....how?

Nope, I fitday every bite. The fitday average includes all carbs. I'll admit, I was feeling kind of stuffed during the veggie challenge (don't smack me!) but have been shooting for those numbers ever since and failing miserably! I guess I needed the challenge, lol!

I enjoy tomotoes, but absolutely abhor tomato juice (V and tomato soup. Other than beets, I'm game for every veggie. Anyhow...I suppose I'll keep trying.

[skinnymom!]

Re: Getting your carbs in during OWL....how?

I wish I liked raw tomatoes. I LOVE tomato sauce and have found a wonderful naturally low carb sauce but it's not the same over just chicken LOL. My challenge is def the veggies. I get my 2 cups of salad veggies and 1 cup of other in daily but there isn't much variety as I am not a veggie fan.