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  #1   ^
Old Fri, Jul-27-18, 06:17
AlexisLow AlexisLow is offline
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Posts: 14
 
Plan: atkins
Stats: 171/138/130 Female 5.7
BF:
Progress:
Default DYSLEXIA Help!! ~ CLL point.......Confused

Dear All, I have had good results from Atkins in the past, and have lost 33 pounds after returning from USA to UK (No more Pecan Pie).
I have trouble relating to learning/remembering especially with calculations so when I hit my goal weight mainly from sticking on induction as that is simplest for me, I then am scared to eat any carbs at all.
I do not eat wheat and sugar and pasta etc anyway, but would like to switch to eating less fat in the form of cream/butter etc and start to introduce sweet potato, cottage cheese and more vegetables really.
It is the understanding of how to do it I am struggling with really. I would like to know how to maintain my weight for life, how to measure my CLL .
I know I have to stay at my goal weight for 4 weeks, but unsure how many carbs to eat for those four weeks, do I increase the carbs during that time, and how often to weigh myself and generally monitor it.
I get very overwhelmed by all the info (I'm an artist...haha)
Please can anybody teach me in succinct bullet points as I would love to know how many carbs And calories I can eat before putting on weight.
I am quite active and walk everywhere and swim 3-4 times a week.
Warm Regards
AlexisLowCarber
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  #2   ^
Old Fri, Jul-27-18, 14:29
SilverEm SilverEm is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,081
 
Plan: LC RPAH/FailSafe
Stats: 137/136/136 Female 67"
BF:
Progress: 100%
Location: Maintenance since 2001
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Hi, Alexis. Welcome!

I don't know if this answers your question, but I'll give it a go:

The Critical Carb Level for each of us is different, at different weights, different ages, different levels of stress, etc.

I can tell you what I do to make food planning easy, in case that helps.

Cooked green vegetables: 1 gram of carbs per ounce.

Egg yolk: each yolk at 1/2 gram.

Here is the link to the list of "hidden" carbs, which is useful:

http://www.lowcarb.ca/tips/tips009.html

I use the following for calculating protein:

One ounce of meat, fowl, fish, or one egg:
6 - 7 grams of protein.

An easy way to start is to write down what I eat, exactly, --- without trying to force myself to eat more or less of anything.

I write down a food, and then have columns for P (protein), F (fat), C (carbs).

Doing that for a few days gets me in the frame of mind to feel responsible and in the get-healthier groove.

If you notice you eat something you want to leave out, just track what you choose to eat.

Little by little, you will develop a food plan you enjoy living with. That is vital, most vital.

We won't keep doing something that is too hard.

Here are some good descriptions of a few of the Low Carb plans, in case they are of help to you:

http://www.lowcarb.ca/atkins-diet-and-low-carb-plans/

I believe in small changes that I can live with for awhile, and then make another.

Check out the sub-forums, or Challenges/Support/Buddies section, and join in wherever you wish.

I thought I had to stay at Atkins Induction levels, too, for years. I was worried that if I strayed, I would not be in control of my weight. I have found out that I can choose. It's nice to have choices.

Best wishes to you.
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  #3   ^
Old Fri, Jul-27-18, 18:04
Ms Arielle's Avatar
Ms Arielle Ms Arielle is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 19,176
 
Plan: atkins, carnivore 2023
Stats: 200/211/163 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: -30%
Location: Massachusetts
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First, if you dont have a DANDR book I highly recommend hunting down a used copy.

In one edition the increase in carbs is by adding another 5 carb serving a few times a week and see how your body deals with the extra. Then add another 5 carb serving and again see what the scale tells you.

ANd continue until you find the carb count where you are not loosing but not gaining either.

One book has a long list of allowable foods in 5 carb increments, but not all. I will see if the one I have has the list.
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  #4   ^
Old Sat, Jul-28-18, 05:04
AlexisLow AlexisLow is offline
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Posts: 14
 
Plan: atkins
Stats: 171/138/130 Female 5.7
BF:
Progress:
Default SCALES, How Often..?

Thank you both, it is incredibly helpful to hear peoples methods.
So I am going to weigh myself on Thursday when I get to my regular scales.
Then, I will add 5 grams of net carbs per week to my daily 20, and weigh myself weekly(after a week has elapsed after introducing the 5 grams. I will continue this until I stop loosing, but if I gain.. I am to cut back on 5 grams net carbs(correct me if I am wrong. So that will give me my CLL...?
Then I remain at that level of net carb intake for 4 weeks
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  #5   ^
Old Sat, Jul-28-18, 06:28
Ms Arielle's Avatar
Ms Arielle Ms Arielle is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 19,176
 
Plan: atkins, carnivore 2023
Stats: 200/211/163 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: -30%
Location: Massachusetts
Default

Looks good.

Weighing is a tricky thing, or atleast it is for me. I do better when I weigh everyday. there is much that changes my weight. So mine fluctuates day to day. During the quest for CCLL , weighing every day might help you "SEE" the changes easier. ( for my purposes I average my weight each week. )

Good luck.
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  #6   ^
Old Sat, Jul-28-18, 07:23
AlexisLow AlexisLow is offline
New Member
Posts: 14
 
Plan: atkins
Stats: 171/138/130 Female 5.7
BF:
Progress:
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so, do you think it is nesessary to cut calories? should I pay more attention to my fat intake or just calories when documenting my CLL and food intake? Its that whole thing when shifting to healthy maintenance where I get confused and stick to induction. As I cannot get my head around eating fat AND carb, I usually follow a fat free Carb diet (rice cakes/banana etc) OR higher fat with no carb.
The reason for this is that I can eat an entire pack of rice cakes as I have always had a large appetite, and I dont like counting, it gives me a headache/literally.
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  #7   ^
Old Sun, Jul-29-18, 07:43
Ms Arielle's Avatar
Ms Arielle Ms Arielle is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 19,176
 
Plan: atkins, carnivore 2023
Stats: 200/211/163 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: -30%
Location: Massachusetts
Default

I think you need to step back and look at which way of eating is healiest for you. You cannot have two masters to serve.

re rice cakes-- that is carb addiction. Bananas can lead you astray , too depending on your reaction to them.

CCLL is based solely on srb counts. ANd fats are part of this appetite control and provides energy ( rather than carbs).

My suggestion is pick one way. My bias is that the evidence is overwhelming that high fat is healthier than carbs on MANY MANY MANY levels: heart health, control appetite, endurance in sports, tastier foods, normalizes blood pressure, normalizes cholesterol, hence my view that low carb, high fat is a better choice.

Maybe you dont have enough low carb choices to fill in for the standard carb foods you like???

I was a star baker at one time--- I have up baking bread cold turkey when I realized it was killing me. And I gave up baking too. Brownies batter from a box is my down fall. Better to never let that enter my house. Then found online recipes here on this forum. THen picked up two used cook books by Dana Carpenter, and got my kids into cooking LC sweets. ANd now have lots of UTUBE videos on cooking and baking. My kids made LC chocolate donuts yesterday and loved them.

Im sorry to keep harping on this but you will do better to follow one way of eating. I think that will help reduce your stress.

ANd honestly I dont count carbs, the scale tells me if what I am doing is a weight gain, a weight loss, or a maintain. What I do is record everything I can remember I ate meal by meal in my journal as a reference. I learned if I eat lots of cheese which I love, that can cause gain; and a handful of nuts leads to a whole bag, better to never ever eat nuts unless part of a green salad, like pecans , or sunflower seeds in a stir fry.

I do know the carb count of everything I eat. I made a point of memorizing all the foods I eat. And eating low carb is easy for carb counting because, meat is zero, fat is zero , and just add your vegetables.

Maybe that would be easiest for you too. Meat about the size of your palm, some fats, to cook the meat, and with your veg. 3 cups leafy greens a day, then add 1 cup of low carb veg from the list. And keep adding another 1/2 - 1 cup of vegies. Do you think this would work for you?

( PS. Sometimes I get tired of leafy greens, and just saute in butter instead, lol)

I know you will find a way that will work for you!
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  #8   ^
Old Sun, Jul-29-18, 08:30
AlexisLow AlexisLow is offline
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Posts: 14
 
Plan: atkins
Stats: 171/138/130 Female 5.7
BF:
Progress:
Default Food addiction, Eating disorder history

I have a history of food addiction and my mother suffered bulimia for 40 yrs. I would always put on weight on my legs from over eating, then I would go from there in cycles of years of under eating to compensate then purging when my appetite resurfaced. I have had long periods of healthy eating but have been grateful to atkins as I would be huge if not for cutting starches over the years, especially when I was on stage in my twenties, my hormones trigger a sweet tooth where I will want to eat 5 atkins bars instead of veggies.
Yes my attitude has been unhealthy at times, but this is why I want to be aware of the full stages leading to lifetime maintenance.
My protein take is far too high actually, I want it to be 60grams per day but it ends up more like 100. Most of my 20 net carbs come from dairy and low carb bars. I find it expensive to eat low carb as veg does not fill me up for long to be honest. I'll eat a can of tuna, 2 eggs, maybe another can of fish, nut butter, I guess I'm a grazer and do not cook meals as its too complicated counting.
I am happy to up my healthy carbs soon when i reach my goal weight, and try to get over my phobia of mixing fat and carb on my plate. I am happy to ditch the banana and rice cake in the future, and have One sweet potato a day (22 net carb) as this helps with BM..
I wonder how much fat to put on my plate for the Life long maintenance. I always feel a bit irresponsible for eating fat this way and have no idea how much fat to consume in a day for general ongoing low carb lifestyle.
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  #9   ^
Old Sun, Jul-29-18, 09:47
Ms Arielle's Avatar
Ms Arielle Ms Arielle is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 19,176
 
Plan: atkins, carnivore 2023
Stats: 200/211/163 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: -30%
Location: Massachusetts
Default

My concern is that the diet you eat is too low in fats, and too high in carbs. I spent a bit of time trying to help you understand ATKINS, as my impression is that because you are not following it to the letter, you are having difficulties that are not necessary.



Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexisLow
I have a history of food addiction and my mother suffered bulimia for 40 yrs. I would always put on weight on my legs from over eating, then I would go from there in cycles of years of under eating to compensate then purging when my appetite resurfaced.


I hope you dont feel alone in your difficult journey with food. While my personal experience has a different twist, I can understand your experience.

Quote:
I have had long periods of healthy eating but have been grateful to atkins as I would be huge if not for cutting starches over the years, especially when I was on stage in my twenties, my hormones trigger a sweet tooth where I will want to eat 5 atkins bars instead of veggies.


The Atkins bars are a problem for most people. Too many carbs, and triggers eating another and another. Looks like they are off limits for you too.


Quote:
Yes my attitude has been unhealthy at times, but this is why I want to be aware of the full stages leading to lifetime maintenance.
My protein take is far too high actually, I want it to be 60grams per day but it ends up more like 100.


Given your current situation, 100 is fine. Having enough is important. Perhaps for now, focus on the carbs as this was your inital question as you move to CCLL.


Quote:
Most of my 20 net carbs come from dairy and low carb bars. I find it expensive to eat low carb as veg does not fill me up for long to be honest. I'll eat a can of tuna, 2 eggs, maybe another can of fish, nut butter, I guess I'm a grazer and do not cook meals as its too complicated counting.


QUIT the low carb bars-- that is a lot of money and will save you a bundle in crappy food. Spend that money on a box of ready to eat mixed greens. These are making you hungry.

TUNA-- one can a week is closer to the recommendaion because of the high mercury content. I dont let my kids eat tuna. A rarity.

My impression is you are not eating enough fats. You talk about needing to eat all day. ANd I dont see mayo added to the tuna, mayo added to the eggs. Atkins talks over and over about liberal use of fats. You are trying to do both low fat and low carbs ---- that is my impression. Fat is a cheap food as a little will fill you up. Mayo and olive oil are staples here.

Stop grazing unless you have hypoglycemic problems. Eat 3 squares a day as Atkins suggests; set meal times if you need to. If you feel hungry have a snack. He also says if you follow this you will start to eliminate snacks, and reduce the amount of food you eat.


Quote:
I am happy to up my healthy carbs soon when i reach my goal weight, and try to get over my phobia of mixing fat and carb on my plate. I am happy to ditch the banana and rice cake in the future, and have One sweet potato a day (22 net carb) as this helps with BM..


Bananas are not on the Atkins plan. Rice cakes are not on the Atkins plan. IMO you are making this harder by not following the rules.

Atkins talks about a half sweet potato in pre-maintenance. Occassionally. Not a regular item.

Quote:

I wonder how much fat to put on my plate for the Life long maintenance. I always feel a bit irresponsible for eating fat this way and have no idea how much fat to consume in a day for general ongoing low carb lifestyle.


YOU MUST EAT FAT NOW. You should be eating about 4-6 TABLESPOONS of fat a day to make this work.


Summary--- if I am understanding what you have shared, you are not following Induction by the letter. Seems like you are trying to do low fat, moderate carb. Or have I misunderstood?

Please invest in a copy of the DANDR book, or follow the instructions in the sticky-- it is a great starting point.
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  #10   ^
Old Sun, Jul-29-18, 09:48
Ms Arielle's Avatar
Ms Arielle Ms Arielle is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 19,176
 
Plan: atkins, carnivore 2023
Stats: 200/211/163 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: -30%
Location: Massachusetts
Default

I eat very little on Atkins compared to all the junk I used to feed on.
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  #11   ^
Old Tue, Jul-31-18, 16:11
AlexisLow AlexisLow is offline
New Member
Posts: 14
 
Plan: atkins
Stats: 171/138/130 Female 5.7
BF:
Progress:
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Hi all, thanks again for all the helpful advice. I Am following induction at the moment and adding butter and coconut oil, when I mentioned rice cakes and bananas I was referring to ongoing life style maintainence where I get to my goal weight on Atkins then switch to low calorie carb foods, simply because I don't know what to do next.
The 4-6 tbs of daily fat.. Is this an ONGOING lifestyle thing?
Am I supposed to Remain in Ketosis Forever..?
Should I add butter to my plate even though it has a sweet potato on it and I'm having a glass of wine?
The confusion is the lifestyle thing really, as I am quite able to eat fat bombs and keto coffee etc but do I cut these out for long term maintainence after weight loss?
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  #12   ^
Old Tue, Jul-31-18, 16:35
Ms Arielle's Avatar
Ms Arielle Ms Arielle is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 19,176
 
Plan: atkins, carnivore 2023
Stats: 200/211/163 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: -30%
Location: Massachusetts
Default

Do you have an Atkins book???? All the questions you ask clearly indicates that you really must read the book. The book provides chapters and chapters of info.

Ketosis is when fat is used for energy after the energy fro m carbs is used first. If weight loss is your goal, then eat a bit less fat and use adipose tissue for the energy. As you close in on goal weight you can increase the fat until weight plateaus= IF you want to maintain ketosis for life. This is the keto diet.


For Atkins,
Simply keep adding small portions of ALLOWABLE foods with carbs until you stop losing weight.

Bananas and rice cakes are not on the lists that I have seen.

Atkins has a different proportion of the macros ( protein, fat, carbs) than "keto" diet.
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