From what I read you can buy pure stevia powder, mine says it is, doesn't have anything else added so maybe it's no carbs but My Fitness Pal just labels it as such. Also, in reading this article, it says liquid stevia is mostly water.

http://www.steviva.com/about/conversion-chart/

You still have to be careful with the liquids of sweeteners, if you get Truvia in liquid form it still has regular sugars in it. But there are many out there without the sugar fillers.

Sweetzfree is nothing but pure liquid sucrolose, diluted to one drop being equal to one teaspoon of sugar. (If it wasn't watered down, one drop would make your head spin its so sweet!) Marvelous stuff, I've been a fan for probably a decade now. Go through about an ounce a year.

WIth my Fitness Pal, you have to scroll and scroll down those lists because many of the entries are made by other users to find one where the carb count fits what you are actually using. You can also add your own. With the iPhone app you can even scan in the product you are using.

Deanna, I totally agree with you about the net carbs being a slippery slope. It also makes things far too complicated. I gained weight because of my junk food/sweet tooth, and for me it completely counter-productive to try and eat things that remind me of the goodies I needed to give up. I've slid down that slope too many times to count, and what works best in the end is to just stick to the "real" foods that I know work for weight loss. I like keeping things simple, too...not having to deal with odd foods and net carbs and all that.

Kris, maybe things do get more challenging as you get older. For each decade you lose muscle and gain fat and your metabolism slows down a bit. However, that CAN be countered by exercise to replace that lost muscle. However, what I've seen is that keeping my carbs to 20 or fewer is what works for me. And to go further, I've had my best losses around 10g carbs. I feel best and do best on a simple Atkins diet of eggs, meat, limited veggies, tiny bit of cheese, and the result of eating that way is that I ALSO eat fewer calories. I don't care what anyone says, one component of all this is that calories DO count to some degree, but the good thing is that eating a clean basic Atkins diet means you naturally end up with fewer calories. I mean, how many eggs can you stuff down? Me, not so many!

Anyhow, considering all that I've said above, my biggest BIGGEST issue is consistency. I expect results too fast, I get carb creep too fast, and I absolutely know at this point that to lose what I want to lose I have to just dig in a do this diet with solid consistency until I get where I want to be. Otherwise, it's yo-yo time. If you eat right for long enough, it will happen.

AMEN Carole! Especially about the real foods, real carb counts and "best losses at 10g carbs".

Carb creep can even happen with good veggies and the only way of knowing exactly what you're eating is to weigh and measure EVERYTHING....I know, for me...yeah...that was just a 1/2 C right????...probably not and even that will add carbs FAST!!

If you have to do any math to get the number of carbs, then it couldn't possibly be "real" food. I like simple.

Just my opinion -
Deanna

Ummm....so veggies aren't real food? I'm a bit confused by this - if I couldn't deduct fibre, I'd be getting hardly any vegetables at all! I get that some people do count whole carbs, and that's a personal choice - just bristled a bit at the suggestion that vegetables aren't real food

I do apologize, 2thin - I truly was thinking of the bars, shakes and meals that have too much crap added...at least for my liking.

My intention was not to make anyone "bristle"...but, in reality, carb creep can even happen with veggies. I think it is possible to be a little too liberal when subtracting fiber from even veggies.

Deanna

comment removed as now superfluous.

This was exactly what I was thinking!

I just figure this: Dr. Atkins (DANDR) taught net carbs. He subtracted fiber from carbs to come to net carbs because the fiber does not have the effect on insulin levels that sugar does. I'm following the last comprehensive book* that he wrote, which includes his latest findings. Therefore, I am following Atkins the way that Dr. Atkins intended, including net carbs. Anything else is a tweak and not really following Dr. Atkins intended plan. So if you aren't counting net carbs, you may still be doing a form of LC, just not Atkins.

BTW 1 cup of broccoli has 6g carbs and 2.4g fiber = 3.6g net carbs. Broccoli is a real food, I think?

*Dr. Atkins released DANDR in 1992 and Atkins For Life in 2003. He died in 2003. Any book released after 2003 he did not write. Atkins For Life is more recipes than a comprehensive way of why and how to follow the plan (from what I gather. I admit I have only glanced at it because my mom has it).

Oh how I love the word superfluous! Lol

I totally understand the bars ands shakes and such can get you in trouble. I really do so much better sticking to real food, even vegetables in moderation. There's such a think as too much good. For everyone it's different though so I don't discount what works for one person might not work for me. Case in point, hubby has a bar for breaky every morning and he's losing 6 lbs a week so far for several weeks. No problem with stalls there.

For those of you who are able to keep their intake at 10g or less of carbs, I'd really like to see a typical food list for a day that makes this happen. Because for me, most my carbs tend to come from meats/eggs/cheese, so adding in veggies just makes it higher. I'm curious how others make it work, so share if you can.

Thanks for all your comments, so encouraging to hear for others. I've been off and on this WOE for 12 years but I still learn something new every time I talk to another low carber. So helpful.

Hey Kris!

You're doing so well...and this has been a great discussion. Thanks for bringing it up.

I DO understand the net carb thing. But for me, I do so much better when I count the "real" number. I never intended to allude that veggies were not real foods...they are and for some, hugely important.

But, again for me, I would rather keep it at that 6 carbs for a cup of broccoli..it's that slippery slope that I referred to above. It's just easier for me to remain mindful of the true number of carbs. It is all truly a preference and how YOUR body reacts to a certain number of carbs.

As far as what I eat each day -

Ketosis is a beautiful thing and most days, I actually eat very little.

B - 2 eggs with bacon, sausage, ground beef or pot roast
water and coffee with cream

L - pork, chicken thighs, or a hamburger patty (maybe 2) with a bit of reg mustard, HB eggs or deviled eggs (depends on my mood)

Afternoon something - maybe an egg and almost always a couple cups of coffee with cream

D - ham, hamburger, pork, roast or chicken...sometimes egg and beef scramble, sometimes a quiche...depends on what's around!

most evenings I have SF jello or a diet root beer.

I always keep HB eggs or deviled eggs in the fridge in case I need something.

I keep it simple...makes figuring out what my totals are each day though since I've been doing meat & eggs primarily I have not bothered to track.

I love this forum too...so much information and lots of people to get good advice and information!! It has been huge for my success so far.

Deanna

Do you ever eat vegetables?

Nope...no veggies...at least not right now.

I've put far more evil things in my body than worry about not eating my veggies for the time being.

Deanna