Right been doing this for about a week quite strict although did allow myself a few glasses of the red stuff this weekend and some sweets...im not going to go nuts with it as im exercising like a loon as well with 12-13 km every day burning about 250-300 cals.
im seeing results , i feel less bloated and im toning up..
but what i wanted to know is, ive been counting carbs, cals and fat every day religiously and not beating myself up when one or the other is a little higher or lower as long as i get the exercise in.

Im aiming for about 19 carbs a day for now, and fat at about 35-40 g and cals at 1000-1200 a day....

is this right? or should all be lower?
thanks

[JerseyGyrl]

I'm assuming you're doing Atkins Induction which is technically 20 carbs per day. Atkins is a high fat eating plan...that being said, I've seen people eating 70% fat. Calories aren't counted on Atkins although 1000 - 1200 sounds a bit on the low side. If you are losing weight and you are happy with the rate you are losing at, I'd say continue with what you're doing.

[sarahinparis]

I find with carbs under 20 it's not so easy to get total calories really high, but 1000 sounds low to me - if you plateau you won't have much to cut.

I do think we're best off when we eat as many calories as possible to still lose. More nutrients, more satisfaction, more revved up metabolism.

hi, thanks for the info...

I know the calories are low, but i really dont know how to bump them up much more without bumping up the carbs...

what do you think would help? more cheese? a few more eggs?

to be honest though im not that hungry once ive had all my meals throughout the day...and even now after only 900 cals today im still not hungry...!

any ideas?

[JerseyGyrl]

Would you mind posting a typical day's menu?

here is my thursday meal, its all rough and approx but it does give the idea of what im eating, each day is different but usually involves a small portion of fruit for breakie and salad for lunch and then a largish piece of meat and salad for tea, im not a huge fan of veg but i would eat it.

all this coupled with maybe 2 cups of tea?
and 45 mins exercise a day

thanks Kate



Thursday

Breakfast
grapes 7.1 g carbs, 0.2 fat, 28 cals
pepperami 126 cals 11 g fat
2 x boiled egg just whites 0.6 carbs 34 cals
4 slices of chicken breast 8 cals 0.4 g fat 0.4 carbs

Dinner
lettuce 2.6 carbs, 0.2 g fat,
tomato 2.1 carbs 0.1 fat 9.5 cals
cheese 2 ounces 9.4 g fat, 114 cals 0.4 carbs
onions 1/12 0.7 carbs, 3.5 cals
gammon piece 420 cals,19 g fat, 0.5 carbs

cream 14.3 fat,134 cals 0.8 carbs
strawbs 3 carbs 0.3 g fat 15 cals

= carbs 18 carbs fat 55 g cals 906

[JerseyGyrl]

Are you doing Atkins Induction?

[sarahinparis]

Are you trying to do low fat as well as low carb? I see you skipped the egg yolks & I didn't see any salad dressing, and you have nutritional info on carbs and fat, but not protein, so it looks like maybe you're tracking both?

I know that with carb restriction the higher-carb fruits (these are also high-GI index ones) are the very last thing that people add back - so strawberries would be a much better choice than grapes.

Some people are very much believers in 'by the book' (whichever book that is - Atkins, South Beach, etc) and some people find their own way. If you're more of an 'own way' person, then make sure you understand the science behind the book recommendations, so that if your 'own way' doesn't get you the results you want you know what to tweak. (***confession : I am an 'own way' person, but I'm pretty well read, and go back to the books frequently***).

If you haven't read it, you might give Good Calories, Bad Calories a try - it's not easy reading but it is quite convincing. If you're not up for the book, google "What if it's all been a big fat lie" to see the story he wrote for the NY Times in 2002. I was a low-fat girl before Taubes.

hi, thanks for getting back to me, yes im on the induction or at least my version of the induction.

tonight i had a piece of gammon and salad and salad cream.
then for desert i had 5 strawberries halved with a tablespoon of cream.

ive upped the cals a little today, and i feel much better...but kept the carbs low as much as possible.

[JerseyGyrl]

Originally Posted by touchmytoes

yes im on the induction or at least my version of the induction.

Ok...I'm one of those "by the book" people....although, I prefer to call myself an Atkins purist
By the book, fruit of any kind is not permitted while on Induction so...that being said, I'm not real sure how to advise you except that you may want to cut back a little on the fruit and add more low carb veggies & salad.