less than 20 carbs?

[Loriblue]

Hello! I am new here, and I just started Atkins today. I am still tweaking my menu a bit; I just read here that the Atkins products should not be used in induction, so I am going to remove those. Now I am trying to keep the same amount of carbs...

I have two questions. My first question is can I eat a little less than 20 carbs? Say 19? Or 19.8?

Also, can I have ranch dressing more than once a day? (ex: 4 tbs/day instead of 2)

Thank you so much!

[Georgiana]

Re: less than 20 carbs?

Hello! I am new here, and I just started Atkins today. I am still tweaking my menu a bit; I just read here that the Atkins products should not be used in induction, so I am going to remove those.

Good for you! Atkins products stall or slow down weight loss for a lot of people.

I have two questions. My first question is can I eat a little less than 20 carbs? Say 19? Or 19.8?

The rule that says you should aim for 20 carbs per day was introduced by Atkins Nutritionals in the years after Dr. Atkins' death, but it does not appear in Dr. Atkins' books. We are going by DANDR 2002 here, which is the last edition of DANDR published by Dr. Atkins. According to it, you need to eat not more than 20 net carbs daily (so it can be 15, for example).

Another difference from the "new" rules introduced by Atkins Nutritionals, is that according to DANDR 2002 you only need to eat 3 cups of vegetables per day (3 cups of salad veggies or 2 cups of salad veggies and 1 cup of "other" veggies), not 12-15 net carbs of them.

Also, over half of your net carbs should come from vegetables.

Also, can I have ranch dressing more than once a day? (ex: 4 tbs/day instead of 2)

As long as the dressing has no sugar added and less than 2 carbs per serving (tablespoon), you can eat as much of it as you wish as long as over half of your net carbs are veggie net carbs.

Check this thread for info from DANDR 2002: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...tion-faqs.html
And the best thing you can do for yourself is buy and read DANDR 2002.

[Loriblue]

Re: less than 20 carbs?

Thank you for your response!

I looked on the back of the Ranch bottle, and the third ingredient is sugar. Hmm...I wonder if the fat free versions have less sugar? It would be hard to cut it out. I love Ranch! Any suggestions for something comperable? Thanks!

[imagood1]

Re: less than 20 carbs?

Thank you for your response!

I looked on the back of the Ranch bottle, and the third ingredient is sugar. Hmm...I wonder if the fat free versions have less sugar? It would be hard to cut it out. I love Ranch! Any suggestions for something comperable? Thanks!

Fat Free has more carbs than regular (according to The Daily Plate it has 6 carbs per serving Calories in Hidden Valley Fat Free Ranch Dressing - Nutrition Facts, and Healthy Alternatives - The Daily Plate Calorie Counter-- I use regular ranch on a daily basis and don't have any trouble with it -- it is 2 carbs per serving.

[SunnySmile501]

Re: less than 20 carbs?

Thank you for your response!

I looked on the back of the Ranch bottle, and the third ingredient is sugar. Hmm...I wonder if the fat free versions have less sugar? It would be hard to cut it out. I love Ranch! Any suggestions for something comperable? Thanks!

I make my own with Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing mix--it has no sugar. I mix it with mayo, sour cream and cream--then water until it's the consistancy I like.

[goin2befit]

Re: less than 20 carbs?

I make my own with Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing mix--it has no sugar. I mix it with mayo, sour cream and cream--then water until it's the consistancy I like.

Just curious how you store it and how long does it stay fresh? I had never thought about that but loved the hidden valley ranch packets (it is to make a veggie dip?) at least that is what I used to dip my potato chips in ... is this the same thing? About how much mayo, sour cream, and cream, water do you use for a packet?

Thanks,

[SunnySmile501]

Re: less than 20 carbs?

Just curious how you store it and how long does it stay fresh? I had never thought about that but loved the hidden valley ranch packets (it is to make a veggie dip?) at least that is what I used to dip my potato chips in ... is this the same thing? About how much mayo, sour cream, and cream, water do you use for a packet?

Thanks,

There are three kinds--the original salad dressing mix (the one I use) original buttermilk recipe salad dressing (don't like) and the one to make dips. The one to make dip with all sour cream is too strong for my tastes and I think it has illegal ingredients. I always buy the original salad dressing mix and if I want to use it for veggie dip, I make it thicker.

I never make a lot at a time, so it doesn't go bad. The package states that it will stay fresh for 3 to 4 weeks. I don't want to leave that long.

I make it up in a wide mouth canning jar (glass) and put on a jar lid to keep it fresh. I just use part of a package at a time and save the rest for later. Sorry, I don't measure, so I don't know exact measurements. I dip up a big spoon each of mayo and sour cream, probably 1/4 cup total. I probably dump in 1/4 of the package of the mix and stir. Then I put in about 2 tablespoons heavy cream and a tablespoon of water and mix well. Cover and put in fridge for a while. It gets thicker upon sitting. After it has thickened, add water a bit at a time and stir until it is as thick as you like.

If you want to make up a whole pack, you could follow the directions on the package (only calls for 1 cup milk and 1 cup mayo) and substitute 1/2 cup cream and 1/2 cup water for the milk. I like half and half mayo and sour cream, but you could do it with all mayo if you like.