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An Unreasonable Fear of Owls?
"Low Carb Diet Plans" at Low Carb Diet Support: "Originally written by Emelia Emelia posted 01-25-2002 12:52 PM ------------------------------------------------ Okay...not owls...but OWL. Here I am, two full months into this WOE. I've lost 31 pounds. I feel good, I'm eating well, and I'm here ...." |
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#1
09-05-2003, 12:39 PM
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 An Unreasonable Fear of Owls? Originally written by Emelia Emelia posted 01-25-2002 12:52 PM ------------------------------------------------ Okay...not owls...but OWL. Here I am, two full months into this WOE. I've lost 31 pounds. I feel good, I'm eating well, and I'm here for life. However, I am exceedingly hesitant to increase my carb intake. I have tried, but I panic when I do, and I run right back to induction levels. I analyzed the past four days' worth of eating, and I am averaging 19 g/carbs per day. And of course, I've hit a set point and have been battling the same 2 pounds for the past 3 weeks. I KNOW I need to increase carb intake....I know WHAT to add (tomatoes, carrots, more legal veggies)....but I'm honestly petrified to do it! Veterans...including those who have recently entered OWL....how did you do it? What changed in your mindset that allowed you to expand the carb count? How long did you sustain new levels before you decided you could add more/stay there/decrease for weight loss? Amy talked to me a bit about raising the levels this morning...but as I sat here and considered what I would do, I felt a panic come on. Help! And thanks in advance. Emelia ------------------------------------------------ bethsorny posted 01-25-2002 01:03 PM ------------------------------------------------ hi~ I am in OWL but because I feel so good with 20 grams or under, I stick with that mostly. but I had the same fear. here is what I do/did: I would just 2 days a week eat 2 more cups of legal veggies for the day...going up to about 25 or so carbs. I have kept it that way for a month now and when I backed off.....I stalled.....I think the extra carbs (veggie carbs) really was the key (besides the extra water). my mind said that more carbs slows loss but for some reason this was not true.....more carbs kepts me on the fast track. I dont know what others have done but eventually I will go up a little bit higher in my legal carbs and then still a bit higher eventually so that when I get to maintanence I know my critical carb level where I maintain. kinda like quitting smoking or caffeine...some do it cold turkey....some do a little at time.....maybe just try a little more veggies a few times a week and test it out. I would venture to guess that you will have a visit from the whoosh fairy. good luck! Beth ------------------------------------------------ jenabee posted 01-25-2002 01:26 PM ------------------------------------------------ I have to tell you...I HATED induction. After Christmas I told myself that I was going to go back on it, but I couldn't. I like the veriety that OWL offers. I like to get intricate and creative with my recipes and some of the spices, vegetables etc that are required add up to a higher carb cound. I adore OWL becasue if offers much more room for the imagination. I just can't wait for maintenance. what I did to increase my carbs was to use more saues and add more legal veggies in. I also began to drink alcohol which upped my carbs a bit. I haven't had anything to drink for 2 weeks right now, but that has been out of choice. I haven't lost a lb since Christmas so you could say that I am having a stall. Maybe I need to drink some more! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Howard posted 01-25-2002 04:32 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Try adding 5g carbs per day and hold it at that level for a few days to a week. If can tolerate them without gaining weight, then add another 5g. Keep doing this until you gain just a tad from the carbs, then cut back that last 5g. Everyone has a different level of tolerance. My cardiologist warned me not to add all the carbs back at once, but to do so gradually. He said my metabolism is different now, and if I added too many at once, there is a greater risk for a heart attack. One doctor's opinion, but I thought it worthwhile to share. Howard -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emelia posted 01-27-2002 04:38 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Okay....Howard, what you say makes sense. And still I'm nervous. Has anyone else faced an emotional resistance to adding carbs? Emelia -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- meg posted 01-27-2002 11:54 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- lots of people do. and its frustrating for them, too. i have seen it happen many times where some people stay on induction becasue they think it will help them lose faster, but they stall out. after convinvcing them that actually need more carbs, they finally add another salad to their meal plan and viola they start to lose again. make your salads bigger. have some more/different veggies at dinner (not starchy ones) it is good to up your carbs after induction. HTH meg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- granny posted 01-28-2002 05:09 AM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Could it be that you are afraid of the "carb demons" waking up? After last week, I am big time afraid of that happening again...you see usually when I stray it isn't sweets I eat...but too many legal things that keep me from losing. I posted on another thread about those cravings...but mostly how rotten I felt. Somehow I think that wouldn't happen if you add some more veggies, non starchy ones for now. I think people get into trouble( with the carb addiction and then get off track) when they get too free with low carb treats and extra handfuls of nuts at the very least keep lots of people stalled( that would be me..stalled but rarely have cravings). Is it that you know yourself and know that you need to be rigid/strict or you'll go offtrack? So I guess what I am saying is...it might be best to listen to this "inordinate fear" for the time being till maybe a certain weight or size and try later. You have done so well, it wouldn't seem that you'd have a problem...but then again, who knows you better than you know you!! I have no proof of this, but it seems to be reasonable that if you stayed at induction forever then you would be VERY carb sensitive and might have to stay WAY, WAY low to keep your weight off? You are my hero Emelia on the WOE! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emelia posted 01-28-2002 09:59 AM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Originally posted by granny: Could it be that you are afraid of the "carb demons" waking up? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That's certainly part of it. I guess I fear not being able to stop. I have been fairly carefree about my vegetables - particularly salads and cabbages - since I got a handle on the ECC stuff. Maybe it's time to put some tomato on my salads. quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Originally posted by granny: I think people get into trouble( with the carb addiction and then get off track) when they get too free with low carb treats and extra handfuls of nuts at the very least keep lots of people stalled( that would be me..stalled but rarely have cravings). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That worries me a lot too. I already fear that a dependence on cream cheese for a bit of something dessert-like is causing me problems (I won't eat any this week to see). quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Originally posted by granny: Is it that you know yourself and know that you need to be rigid/strict or you'll go offtrack? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bingo. I am not a binger, I am a creeping cheater...a little bit here, a little bit there...maybe eat some more of this...a tiny bit more of that...and before I know it, I've gone completely off program. I don't want that to happen this time. It's true, I have had great success so far. And while I'm at at set point right now (last three weeks), I've also lost about 5 inches in the meantime. The last thing I want to do is sabotage my progress OR my ability to eat at a healthy maintenance level once I'm at goal. quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Originally posted by granny: You are my hero Emelia on the WOE! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You honor me. Thank you. And thanks, all, for the support. I might continue to post on this issue as I begin to creep up my carb levels...but for now, I'm gonna put some tomato on this salad I'm bringing to work. Thanks, my lovelies! Emelia -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Melissa posted 01-29-2002 03:58 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The one thing that continues to amaze me about this bb is that people write in with issues that I am dealing with today. It is so good to hear what people have to say on the adding of carbs issue. I am afraid to do it. I am keeping to 20 carbs and I haven't lost anything in a week. So I will start to add tomatoes to my salad...yeaa My "dh to be" wanted to stay at 20 grams to get the weight off faster. When I read to him what you all wrote, he sounded convinced and may add a salad or two. What are some other veggies to add...carrots? I am not a big veggie eater, so if there is anyone with any ideas let me know. I also have the Atkins book at home and I can look it up once I get there. Thanks again for just being so honest and open with us. I really do enjoy and appreciate the people on this board. Meggie -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- meg posted 01-29-2002 05:20 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- i would save carrots til later. they are good and healthy, and IMHO they should eventually be incorporated into your eating plan, if posssible. (carrots vs SF choc, carrots should win out) marg, you are very new to this plan, and the natural sugars in carrots (lots more than tomatoes) could easily trigger some bad cravings. wait until you are close to goal. as to the man - well its unfortunate. he may be able to eat carrots pretty soone. men have a different metabolism than us gals. HTH meg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- aprilwyatt posted 01-29-2002 06:51 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emelia: How ya' doin'? You look great from here. Um...concerning adding carbs to your intake, I can only speak from personal experience. It seems to me that this is a very personal thing and really hinges on personality type, believe it or not. I'm the type that requires structure. Without it, I run amuck. I've found that I panic when I realize that I am "allowed" to have more than 25 grams of carbs each day. It's as if I've been given carte blanche to eat anything I want. The structure of staying within 25 grams keeps me on a leash. Last Spring I began adding in carbs and considered 50 to be a good number. In doing so, I found that I began craving carbs and I ate them. That wasn't a good thing. So, I reverted back to what I knew worked and I stuck with it (except for the pop-tart frenzy I went on this past Fall...it was ugly...everyone here heard about it). You have to find what works for you. I have found over the past 2+ years that if I stay under 25 grams per day, I lose weight. If I stay within a range of 25 - 35, I maintain. If I go over 35, I gain. It's that simple. The structure is what tricks my mind into believing that I'm on target. Without it, I would feel guilty for whatever I eat, low carb or not. April PS: I already know I have issues. This post is affirmation of that. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emelia posted 01-29-2002 07:02 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for checking in, April! I decided today (in conjunction with the start of the T3 therapy...see Medical Issues)that the METHOD I would use to raise carbs a bit had to change, since what I'd been trying was sending me into that fear. What I WAS trying to do was creep up the carbs with one or two here, one or two there. You know....a couple of extra walnuts, a slice of tomato, etc. What I kept seeing was a few becoming many, and my eating spiraling out of control. So today, I decided that I have to add it all at once. I will eat like I normally do, but have ONE thing that is special and adds carbs. Tonight, it's five strawberries with my whipped cream. Tomorrow, it will be carrots. And the next day, it will be homemade tomato sauce. And who knows what will be next? I think this will provide the structure I need to raise the carb count effectively without freaking myself out too much. I'll let you know how it goes! Emelia -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emelia posted 01-30-2002 07:09 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi folks, Well, this is the second day of upping my carbs. Yesterday, I had five strawberries in some whipped cream in addition to my regular 18-20 g/day menu. YUM! Today, I had a half cup of carrots in addition to my regular menu. Again...YUM! I feel much more in control doing it this way. Now hopefully, I will see a whoosh soon! Thanks again for the encouragement, everyone. Emelia -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emelia posted 02-02-2002 01:41 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quick update: Between the increase in carbs and the thyroid therapy (see Medical Issues), I'm back in the losing business. The weekend I moved to NC, I hit 263 for 2 days...then bounced back to 265, and stayed between 263 and 265 for three weeks. This morning, I'm down to 262...I have faith that this is a trend, and I'll start losing again. Thank you, everyone, for your support and advice. Emelia -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LoveLowCarb posted 02-06-2002 01:28 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emelia, please continue to check in on this. I am pretty close to you as to when we started/weight loss and I am also experiencing the same issue with upping carbs while avoiding the "carb creep" and that unreasonable fear of OWL. I really liked what you had to say about adding one specific thing and I think I will try that route. I'd love to know if this continues to work for you. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emelia posted 02-06-2002 04:26 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hey Love, Until I got wiped out by the stomach flu Monday night, I was having GREAT success with the adding one thing method! I broke a three week stall, and found that the extra thing was a wonderful treat. So far, I've kept it to tomatoes, carrots, or strawberries -- I just adore the taste of all three. Once I get better, I'll raise the carbs by another 5 g...which means that I'll add the tomato or carrot to my dinner, and THEN have strawberries for dessert. I'll see how that goes for a week. Love, do let me know how it goes for you! Emelia -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- rummy posted 02-06-2002 07:07 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi ladies! I am the same way - freaked out when I think about upping my carbs! I don't like change. When I first started this WOE over a year ago, it was SO EASY!! I stayed on induction and shed 80 pounds quickly! I know alot of people who remain on Induction for a long time. Now that I've reached a LONG plateau, I'm also thinking that I may need to up my carbs. I hate counting, I've just become so familiar with what I can and can not have and how much I am allowed, that it became second nature and I got to a point where I didn't need to count anything - I just knew when I was at or close to my 20 grams for the day. The idea of changing things after so long is terrifying, but I like your ideas. I LOVE strawberries and fruit so maybe I'll just add some of that into my daily menus. That's simple enough. I guess this really doesn't have to as hard as I was making it out to be in my mind. I'm glad that I'm not the only one who has troubles with this. Good Luck everyone! We can do this! rummy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emelia posted 02-21-2002 07:35 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm bumping this up for cbenit, but also to report that I've been SO successful in raising my carbs! I seem to have settled in around 35 g/carbs per day, and I'm losing REALLY well! Since I began raising carbs four weeks ago, I have lost 15.5 pounds and I feel So happy eating! I enjoy carrots and tomatoes and strawberries... they're a welcome addition to my diet. I also have increased my other veggie intake...pretty much, I eat all the vegetables as I want. I figure I'll stay here at 35 g/day until I hit a bit of a stall; then I'll increase again. Yes, I said INCREASE. This is my not-so-humble opinion, but I agree with Zip that our bodies get used to a certain level of carbs...and I think raising carb levels will jumpstart weight loss. This might be contrary to what others have said or discovered...and I may find myself taking it back...but considering what my body is doing now that I have raised my carb levels, I can't help but think I will spark a loss with additional GOOD carbs. I'm a firm believer now that once you've purged your system of the carb/sugar addiction, your body learns how to process healthy, complex carbohydrates properly, and they should be a happy part of your diet. What I hope happens is that as I get closer to my goal, I will end up being able to eat over 100 grams of carbs per day, and include some good whole grains to my diet. I'm no longer scared of carbs...there's no question that my body needs them to help me lose weight and be happy! Emelia -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- UglyOlLady posted 02-22-2002 02:12 AM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emelia, I will be starting OWL (for the first time) on March 5th. I'm encouraged by your success. Did you also start counting fat and calories or did they take care of themselves when the carbs went up or do you still take in the same foods with the additional carbs? Thanks! I'm going to be needing help with this soon! Diane ------------------------------------------------ dd posted 02-22-2002 10:21 AM ------------------------------------------------ Emelia that is great news! Congratulations for conquering your fear and loosing the weight... I have a huge favor to ask. If it's not too much trouble would you post a day or two menu for us to look at? I too am attempting to up my carbs and am curious as to how you're combining them with other foods. Thanks in advance. ------------------------------------------------ Emelia posted 03-03-2002 04:27 PM ------------------------------------------------ dd, I JUST saw your question...sorry! Here are a couple of typical menus: breakfast: 3 eggs lightly fried in butter w/melted cheese, 2 sausage patties, coffee w/cream and splenda.....5 g lunch: chicken salad, large salad (various salad greens, some tomatoes, some onions) w/dressing.....10 g snacks: walnuts(1/3 cup), an ounce of cheese.....5 g dinner: steak, large helping of spinach, whipped cream w/10 strawberries.....15 g breakfast: 3 eggs lightly fried in butter w/melted cheese, 2 sausage patties, coffee w/cream and splenda.....5 g lunch: chicken caesar salad with all the trimmings (including tomatoes).....10 g snacks: filberts (1/3 cup), cheese.....5 g dinner: pork chops, broccoli-cauliflower-carrot mix, mock danish (includes 3 oz. cream cheese).....15 g And as always, water, water, water! Hope this helps! Emelia Life itself is the proper binge. - Julia Child 294/241/165 LC since 11/25/01 ------------------------------------------------ hopeful in hollywood Low Carb For Life Posted - 22 Jan 2003 : 9:48:44 PM ------------------------------------------------ THIS is VERY encouraging. I have been so very very very very very afraid of OWL-eating that I just kept either... A: going off-plan and binging like a mad woman or B: eating at induction levels. What great proof that adding carbs DOES help with the life-long progress we're shooting for. THANK YOU! ------------------------------------------------ Hope Atkins: 15 Dec. 2002 210/???/155 at 5'7" Already down 13.75" ------------------------------ jwilhunt Low Carb For Life Posted - 23 Jan 2003 : 10:31:15 AM ------------------------------------------------ Emelia~ Thanks for re-posting this.. I myself am afraid of exceedig my 20g per day. I seem to be at a good pace of loosing where I am now.. But nonetheless, I know the day to increase is coming soon.. ----------------------------------- Monique McKinley New Member Posted - 23 Jan 2003 : 8:26:32 PM ------------------------------------------------ Wow, this was a great thread for me to look at. I too, am scared to death of increasing my carbs. I've lost 10 lbs in 4 weeks, and to tell the truth, I didnt think that was enough to lose, plus my pee strips continue to stay light pink! You dont know what I'd give to see a purple strip! I only have about 15 lbs to go (did I say only??? LOL) but was so afraid to go out of induction. I think its time to up the carbs, be patient (not one of my better qualities obviously) and see how it goes. I do like this WOE LC since 12/29/02 157/149/135 -------------------------------------------- Schousse Very Veteran Low Carber Posted - 16 Feb 2003 : 6:39:45 PM ------------------------------------------------- I seem to have hit the plateau after 4-5 weeks and 20 lbs. And also scared to death of adding more carbs. Most days I am in the 20-25 range but perhaps I should go tp 30. See if that kicks the weight in again. My strips show I am burning fat, though, so I don't know what the heck is going on. Schousse ----------------------------------- waterlogged Member Posted - 16 Feb 2003 : 8:15:33 PM ------------------------------------------------ Schousse, Your story is me exactly! I started on 1/04 and have lost 20 pounds and am scared to progress. But after the above advice plus words of wisdom from Anyafire (see my question about what causes stalls?) I also had a 3 week stall but think it was because I got bold about adding the lowcarb bars and they don't work well for me. Let's be brave and bump up the carb and see how it goes. Like the little engine that could, I think I can, I think I can.  ------------------------------------------- Schousse Very Veteran Low Carber Posted - 17 Feb 2003 : 11:00:45 AM ------------------------------------------------ No kidding? Jan 4 is the date I started. I am so glad you have the same experience (well, not really, but you know what I mean). I know how you feel. I have decided to go up to 30 gr a day now and have added some sunflower seeds because I don't know how I can eat 30 gr. a day. I don't want to add bread yet. Don't know why, just scared!! Schousse Posted - 17 Feb 2003 : 11:10:10 ------------------------------------------------ Another thing I don't quite get ... I am not losing weight ... my stix are purple ... and I am not excercising enough to add muscle to my weight. I am losing a little in the emasurements, though. But how can I burn fat but not lose weight? -------------------------------------- BrightLady Moderator Posted - 17 Feb 2003 : 11:41:04 AM ------------------------------------------------ Shousse, you're correct about not adding bread back at this point. I posted this in another forum, but I think it fits here too. Maybe this can clear up some of the confusion about increasing your carbs. Here's a quote from the Atkins Nutritionals site about how to add carbs back to your menu: quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your ability to add all the food groups back depends upon your degree of metabolic resistance. For example, someone with high metabolic resistance would probably not be able to add legumes back during Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL), while someone who is young and works out regularly might well be able to do so. Few people can add back all these foods during OWL. Adhering to this order tends to minimize blood-sugar surges that could reactivate cravings: more salad and other vegetables on the acceptable foods list fresh cheeses (as well as more aged cheese) seeds and nuts berries wine and other spirits low in carbs legumes fruits other than berries and melons starchy vegetables whole grains ------------------------------------------------ Please note that alcohol is 5th on the list, meaning that unless you can still lose weight at 40 carbs a day, you should not be adding it back. Whole grains are the last food group. Here's a list of the food groups, arranged in the general order in which they should be added (also called the carb ladder) to your menus. Each portion contain roughly 5 carbs. Vegetables (add 1 serving at 25 carbs a day) 1 cup cooked spinach 2/3 cup red bell peppers 1 medium tomato 1 cup cooked broccoli 12 medium asparagus 1 cup cauliflower 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 avocado 2/3 cup summer squash Dairy (add 1 serving at 30 carbs a day) 5 ounces farmer’s cheese or pot cheese 5 ounces mozzarella cheese 3/4 cup cottage cheese 3/4 cup ricotta cheese 3/4 cup heavy cream Nuts and Seeds (add 1 serving at 35 carbs a day) 1 ounce of: macadamias (approximately 10 to 12 nuts) walnuts (approximately 14 halves) almonds (approximately 14 nuts) pecans (approximately 14 halves) hulled sunflower seeds (3 tablespoons) roasted shelled peanuts (approximately 26 nuts) 1/2 ounce of cashews (approximately 9 nuts) Fruits (add 1 serving at 40 carbs a day) 1/3 cup blueberries (fresh) 3/4 cup raspberries (fresh) 3/4 cup strawberries (fresh) 1/4 cup cantaloupe or honeydew (notice that apples are not included) Juices (add 1 serving at 45 carbs a day) 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/4 cup lime juice 1/2 cup tomato juice Low Carb Convenience or Substitute Foods USE WITH CAUTION Convenience or substitute low carb foods such as LC breads, tortillas, bars and shakes may be used occasionally once you have already included your additional veggie for the day and you sure of the actual carb count (no hidden carbs). ----------------------------- waterlogged Member Posted - 17 Feb 2003 : 5:28:44 PM ------------------------------------------------ I have read that you can be losing weight and not have it show up on the scale for a bit. Don't get too discouraged about that. How is the water drinking, schouse? I know that made a difference. My sticks went from purple to the lighter color but it was okay because the water was diluting the urine so the sticks were lighter but I was still burning fat. The bread thing is scary for me, too. I will try the nuts and berries, though....soon.. And Brightlady, thank you for the reminder about what to add in....need to get my book out and review more frequently than I am. How long since no weight loss, Schousse?Schousse Very Veteran Low Carber Posted - 17 Feb 2003 : 6:27:12 PM ------------------------------------------------ Waterlogged ... It has been about 2 weeks now. I am not drinking as much water as I should and have promised myself to increase it. And I suppose it doesn't really matter how dark the stix are, any color is fatburning, right? I just keep reminding myself that it took a long time to put the weight on and it's not going away overnight. But I have very little patience so it's murder LOL. Brightlady -- thank you for your list. I read my book all the time and I read the "ladder" but it was not quite clear to me exactly when to add what. I have, however, added some things such as strawberries and sunflower seeds (I am trying a little butternut squash tonigh) although I'm only at 30 grams now, but I figured as long as the stix has color, I'm ok. BTW ... correct me at any time if I am wrong. All of you, thank you so much for all your help and support!!! Schousse |
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#3
09-06-2003, 09:25 AM
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| Ketostix only got mentioned at the very end, which is unfortunate. I might be just as afraid of carbs if I didn't have my Ketostix. They provide me scientific feedback about whether or not I'm in ketosis, and thus whether the foods and my carb intact are compatible with this WOE. They allow me to experiment around the edges of the diet with new foods without having to see a significant weight gain to tell me I'm doing wrong. |
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#4
09-06-2003, 10:04 AM
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| I think it is possible that ketostix can be a helpful tool, but it's not the only tool, and I'd be hestitant to weigh all my carb decisions against them. After the first week, I not only never registered ketosis, I stopped using the ketostix altogether. And let's face it - I've certainly done all right with raising my carbs and losing weight. I firmly believe that they are not an accurate measure of whether the WOE is working...many of them are faulty, a high water intake dilutes ketones, and I just can't imagine that ketones are the ONLY proof that fat is being burned. Emelia "We can only learn to love by loving." - Iris Murdoch, Irish writer 294/208/174 since 25-Nov-01 |
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#5
09-06-2003, 02:38 PM
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| Amazing Grace. On my way to work I was praying for a answer as to why my weight has not moved since a week after induction and then it was only 1lb. I logged on, saw this thread and theres my answer. I had tried to add Carbs but was adding the wrong ones (cereal). Well Im off again. Im add Celery to my plan and adding a salad, so that I will have a salad both lunch and dinner. Thanks for this post, it is right on time. If God is for me, who can be againist me? |
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#6
09-06-2003, 05:01 PM
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| Ketostix aren't 100% accurate. Dilution has a big affect on that. But the thing is, for people in a stall, the scale may or may not be giving them any reliable feedback at all. At that point, how do you know whether to INCREASE or DECREASE your carbs? Without feedback, you basically have to operate on hunches. If dilution is a big problem, it's always possible to cool it with the water for a few hours to get a better reading. Personally, I don't drink as much in the late evening because I don't want to go to bed with a full bladder, so I find late night or early morning readings work best for me. |
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#7
09-07-2003, 12:34 AM
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| You have a good point. I wonder if we expect too much from a week's change. Maybe the important thing for all of us to remember is that OWL IS NOT A SCIENCE - IT IS AN ART. I think what I finally did (I don't see where I documented it after the first month after the first post) was say "to heck with it" and went unlimited on my veggies...and looked at my results over the course of a month. I also recall that in order to finally break my summer 2002 stall, I stopped tweaking my WOE. I decided to stick with one plan - with one general carb count - for 6 weeks, and see if I responded. The good news is that I did. So....Dr I, I think you hit it without realizing you did. When it comes to OWL, we have to operate on hunches. Emelia "We can only learn to love by loving." - Iris Murdoch, Irish writer 294/208/174 since 25-Nov-01 |
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#8
09-07-2003, 01:33 AM
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| HI, Emelia, Your story is a gift to me. I started this WOL 6-1-03 and did very well 31 lbs in 8 weeks. 8-1-03 started OWl and have lost a total of 4 lbs. I have been very hesitant to add "food carbs" I have been afraid to add real food. It has been easier to eat a LC bar or A LC drink to add carbs because I don't think of them as "real". The fear is losing control. It is so gratifying to see that I am not alone. I love this sight, the only problem is I can sit here for hours reading everything. Thank You! Thank You! Thank You. |
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#10
10-02-2003, 05:14 AM
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| I am also afraid to go to OWL. I have been on induction for 5 months and average about 16 carbs a day. Even when I went on vacation in September, I was petrified of gaining ANY weight so I pretty much stayed on induction. (I didn't gain any weight on vacation I might add !!) How long can you "safely" stay on induction? "To err is human, to forgive is CANINE !" |
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#11
10-04-2003, 02:03 AM
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| I think that there are a lot of us who are now afraid of carbs. For me I thought it was the demon chocolate fairy but in reality it is the demon 'sugar fairy'. Not having cravings is great but I have learned that if I go off plan with something that is my downfall like cake or doughnuts that it is very easy for me to eat ten times as much as what I would consider normal and then want more. I have done this more than once in the last three months. The result every time is that I feel AWFUL. I guess I have to learn the hard way. The only good thing about it is that it has made me realize that I am truly a carb addict and I now my way of thinking has changed. It was hard for me to get off of inductions but I have done it and I, too believe that the key is to add small portions of 'good carbs' and see what works for your body. I have been at the same weight now since the beginning of summer. I am hoping to have a visit from the 'woosh fairy' by the end of October. But if not, I will keep going forward. I feel great and would not change my low carb lifestyle for anything. I am grateful for a lowcarb diet and the support I am getting here from all of you. It is helping me to move forward! Izzy 230/179/169 |
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#12
11-12-2003, 01:57 AM
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| <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Izzy: I think that there are a lot of us who are now afraid of carbs. For me I thought it was the demon chocolate fairy but in reality it is the demon 'sugar fairy'. Not having cravings is great but I have learned that if I go off plan with something that is my downfall like cake or doughnuts that it is very easy for me to eat ten times as much as what I would consider normal and then want more. I have done this more than once in the last three months. The result every time is that I feel AWFUL. I guess I have to learn the hard way. The only good thing about it is that it has made me realize that I am truly a carb addict and I now my way of thinking has changed. It was hard for me to get off of inductions but I have done it and I, too believe that the key is to add small portions of 'good carbs' and see what works for your body. I have been at the same weight now since the beginning of summer. I am hoping to have a visit from the 'woosh fairy' by the end of October. But if not, I will keep going forward. I feel great and would not change my low carb lifestyle for anything. I am grateful for a lowcarb diet and the support I am getting here from all of you. It is helping me to move forward! Izzy 230/179/169<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> |
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#13
11-12-2003, 02:03 AM
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| I'm new to this site and am I happy to have found you! I lost 32 lbs on Atkins Induction in 3 months last winter, kept it off until this fall, but only by doing strict Induction during the week and trying not to cheat too much on weekends. I'm terrified of OWL...can't seem to do it right. I ended up gaining back 19 lbs with "carb creep" and stress carb-loading, of which I've now lost 7 on Induction again in about a week. Any suggestions on handling and sticking to the gradual OWL carb increases? Wookiemom |
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#14
01-31-2004, 08:32 AM
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| Hi there! You've found an "Information Only" thread.  These threads are not checked frequently, since we didn't anticipate getting questions here. We just noticed that some people ARE posting questions, so we're closing the thread to new posts. Your questions are important to us and we don't want any being overlooked! So, if you have questions, visit the main forum area. Click Here to get there! Browse around the different forums and see if there's a discussion going on which addresses your question and jump on in! But the BEST way to get responses that address your particular concern is to start your own thread. If you'd like to start your own thread with a question or comment, just go to the forum of your choice. At the top left hand side, you'll see a button which says "New." When you click it, a menu will come down. Here, you choose "Topic." A box will come up with two windows to fill in. The top one is where you give your thread a title. Like "What kind of scale to buy?" or "Need help calculating net carbs." The bottom window is where you post your question or comment. Have a great day! We look forward to your posts! Maggie 5'1" ~~ Atkins since '98 (160+) Maintaining nicely (110 +/-) ~~ Redhead until further notice!  Last edited by Maggie; 04-30-2004 at 08:17 PM. |
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#15
05-05-2004, 02:29 AM
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| Re: An Unreasonable Fear of Owls? What a great site! I have been sitting here reading, who knew all these answers (and others with the same ?'s) were here ? I have been struggling with a verry long stall, and through trial and error (mostly error) have decided to increase my carbs by adding more veggies, and maybe some lc breads. I am very encouraged by all of the great info you all have posted - thanks!
__________________  Cynthia |
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