Hello,

I would like to eat more salad greens, but the Atkins book says only 2 to 3 cups. That is less than 3 carbs. Can I have more salad and veggies as long as I don't go over 20 grams carbs. So if I just ate eggs, meats and salad veggies would that be okay. I am not a big cheese eater, so I don't know where else the carbs would come from if not the salad veggies. Maybe the salad dressing? I am just wondering why the book limits the veggies. It doesn't add up to 20 grams carbs?

Thank you, Stacey

I personally never measure the salad, I eat as much salad as I want as long as my total carbs are under the 20gr carb limit. I eat lots of salad and it never slows me down.

Yea! So can I just eat celery sticks for a snack, or do I have to have them with dressing for the fat?

Mmm as it is said it´s better to have the combination carb-protein-fat in every food, so I´d add a little dressing, but I´m just guessing.. we´ll have to wait for the experts´opinion!!!

I don't think it would matter if you just had the celery, I don't think there are enough carbs in celery to affect your blood sugar much at all.

My advice is just use a carb counter, measure everything and keep your carb intake under 20g/day while you're in induction.

I am someone who spent years - decades - eating pretty much low fat, low calories. Huge portions of veggies have been the backbone of my diet until low carb. I actually restrict my veggie portions now, but it's because I'm capable of eating so many of them, and have for so long.

Salads are an exception - at least the greens part. I am careful of what I put on a salad - the other veggies are pretty skimpy, and I always try to eat salad with dressing (which I make myself, so I know there are no hidden carbs - usually a vinaigrette).

For non-salad veggies I put butter on them, or make sauces - this has been a pretty new thing for me. And I buy almost exclusively very low carb veggies so I don't need to worry about it.

I do eat celery & cauliflower with a homemade blue-cheese ranch dip (made w sour cream). I cut up carrots too for my family but I don't eat the carrots. I eat this frequently but don't let myself go hog wild like I used to.

Managing veggie portions has been new to me - and I don't always succeed (one of the reasons I buy the very low carb veggies, like green beans). The hardest thing for me was tomatoes this summer - having a big platter of organic heirloom tomatoes around and needing to make sure I only ate one at the most... rough. (In summer we often ate a salad of tomatoes and cheese twice a day, each time each of us eating 3+ tomatoes).

I do think the fat at the same time as the veggies helps - both to slow us down (fat makes you feel fuller sooner) and also to balance the impact on blood sugar/insulin that a big bolus of even just veggies can give you.

I have a similar approach with berries (which I again try to eat in moderation) - I eat them w cream or mascarpone not just plain...