I would like to know if when doing induction do you count the items in special category foods or are they just freebies?

Welcome, Gretchen.

I'm not sure what you mean by "special category" foods? Could you give a little more information as to what sorts of foods you're referring to?

Maggie
5'1" ~~ Atkins since '98 (160+)
Maintaining nicely (110 +/-)
~~ Couch Fauxtato for Life, Redhead until further notice! ~~

In his book, "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution," the rules for induction specify several foods as "special category foods" including 10-20 olives, half a small avocado, and 2-3 T. of lemon or lime juice. It doesn't specifically say that you must count these foods, but elsewhere Dr. Atkins says to count all carbs. So I count everything that I eat and would recommend you do as well.

Especially since in "Dr Atkins' Carbohydrate Gram Counter" 1/2 a California or Haas avocoda only contains 1.7 net grams but 1/2 a Florida avocado contains 5.5 net grams. That's a big difference when you only get 20 grams a day during induction.

Just my opinion. Good luck with induction. I'm just starting induction again. I do great when I follow the Atkins Nutrition Approach, but I have such a weakness for carbs that I haven't stuck with it long term yet!

Atkins since 2/1/04
205/205/135

I agree on induction you count everything that goes into your mouth. It doesn't matter if it is on any special list. The special list is just a list of foods you can eat but not a lot of those foods either.

Just remember to subtract the fibers from the total carbs to get net carbs.

travellost-51 yrs Young
1/20/03 195/145 first time
1/5/04 second time
150/145/135
"I am allergic to carbs they make me break out in fat"

YUP!!! I concur. Count ALL grams of carbs and subtract all grams of fiber while on induction.

Barb - 30 lbs gone FOREVER!
www.iwsgroupinc.com - website design and development


Atkins-3/14/03
174/144/135 5'2"
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."
Knowledge is POWER

Avocados are a great food. I don't remember all the carb counts off the top of my head, but this is a very low-glycemic index food as well as relatively low-carb.

One nice thing about it is that the carbohydrate in avocados is in the form of a strange little thing called pentose, I believe, which is broken down and absorbed very slowly.

**************
"Sometimes I think you have to march right in and demand your rights, even if you don't know what your rights are, or who the person is you're talking to. Then on the way out, slam the door."

Doc,
You are always so full of information! I love your tid bits.

Jen

Atkins since 11/11/03

5'3" 140/129/115


I used to be indecisive...But now I'm not so sure!

Now that I am on OWL, I will sit and eat an entire avocado with a sprinkle of lime juice and a bit of sea salt. MMMMMmmmmm

Barb - 30 lbs gone FOREVER!
www.iwsgroupinc.com - website design and development


Atkins-3/14/03
174/144/135 5'2"
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."
Knowledge is POWER