New to Low Carbing

[Mashelly]

hey all i am new to low carbing( this is my 2nd day)I was doing tony ferguson for a few weeks but have changed ..i am reading atkins and have been looking at other lowcarb forums on the web to get info..there seems to be varying information on percentages of fat, protein and carbs & what others think we should be eating.
i would like to know do the numbers really matter and does what we eat really matter as long as the carbs are low?
I am using Calorie King as a food tracker(i find it very helpful)
I guess i really need someone to say to me yeah thats great and your doing fine, cause this way of eating seems to good , to wonder,to damn fabulous to be true:D

here is a food count for the last few days

Food Total Cals Fat Prot. Carb.
Day Total 2178 164g 132.5g 18.1g

Food Total Cals Fat Prot. Carb.
Day Total 1757 114.1g 160.4g 17.3g

Food Total Cals Fat Prot. Carb.
Day Total 1824 139.1g 119.1g 23.4g

[Sherrie]

Welcome Mashelly :)

Looks like your doing really well for 2 days in!

I think in the beginning so long as you make sure to eat enough calories and fat (eg don't do a low fat version of Atkins) you will do well. Later if you feel you need to reign things in a good percentage is around 65-70% fat, 25% protein and the rest carbs then from there you can slowly increase your carb % as you go through the Atkins stages.

Feel free to start a diary, I swear they can be a lifesaver sometimes :)

[Sherrie]

Oh and PS: How did you go on Tony Ferguson? what made you change your mind?

[Mashelly]

I was only on TF for 2 weeks ..it does work and i personally like the shakes ..and there forums are lovely
but (there is always a but LOL) I asked the staff there what the carb count was and its 70 to 120 a day, during the same time as doing tf i was looking at lowcarbing info( i had tried low carbing for 3 weeks prior to starting tf but not in any real organized fashion just cutting out rice ,pasta etc and i done well) so anyways when i realized that the carb count on TF was 70 to 120 i thought why waste the money on shakes ($55 aweek) when i can join calorie king ,count my carbs easily and eat foods i like...so the last 2 days i have been offically low carbing using atkins induction ... i just wondered thou does what you eat really matter or is keeping the carb count to round 20 and under more important?
Cheers and thanks for the quick reply( are you the lady that is ready to have a bubs?& is this your 1st bubba?- just cause i am nosey:p)

[Sherrie]

No I have had my bubba :)

The carb count is individual I think so it really depends on how you go. 20g is a good place to start to give your body a chance to adapt, I don't see a point in going below 20. TF is very low calorie which I think is why people get away with more carbs on it. If you are hypothyroid it is best to have at least 30-40g

The 20g is net carbs too, so keep in mind that calorie king includes fibre into its carbohydrate counts for fresh foods, do you know about net carbs?

Net carbs are the total carbohydrate count minus the fibre. The fibre is removed because it is not digested so there for doesn't count. In Australia this is automatically done on our product labels.

[Mashelly]

yes i read a little about net carbs lets see if i have it right


lets say spinach is 6carbs and has 4 carbs of fibre the net carbs are 2carbs...but here in aussie they have already deducted the carbs so what i see on labels and calorie king is Net carbs...is that right???

I read a few post on your diary and seen you had a little boy-how sweet- i've have 5 sons and 2 daughters:)

[Sherrie]

I had a little girl (Maya) but I do have a boy but hes not little anymore :)

As far as I'm aware calorie kings database of Australian products is net carb due to our product labels but their fresh foods are not as it is an American database. Years ago they were called Diet club and it was all net carbs but they were later bought out by calorie king an American company who changed the database for fresh foods over to theirs.

They like to confuse us I guess!!!

[Sherrie]

PS: 7 kids!!! You have been busy!

[Moonie]

Welcome Mashelly, looks like you are off to a good start..
i just wondered thou does what you eat really matter or is keeping the carb count to round 20 and under more important?
The carb count is important, but also what you eat is as well..Best to stick to fresh foods,and leave the processed, and junk food type things alone...

I would think with 7 kids you would get plenty of exercise!!!

[Mashelly]

well my only down fall right now is carblite chocolate from cadburys--damn you cadburys you just couldn't leave it alone could you:p
other than its strictly induction foods

[Sherrie]

I believe the carb lite uses aspartame (951) not a very good sweetener. I use the 85% lindt chocolate. It has sugar but only a little plus because it is so rich I don't over eat it and it doesn't make me gassy like the others do!

[Snez]

Welcome Mashelly and welcome to low carbing.
Well Naturally - have a dark chocolate that is sugar free and its really nice. Not sure what the sweetener is?
I think the important thing is to keep your carbs low (min 20g) to encourage fat burning and have lots of good fats. Also, don't skimp on the low-carb, fibrous vegetables - they will keep you regular. Drink lots of water too! Plus if you can exercise (just incase you don't get enough running around after the kids) that will help too!

[Sherrie]

Hey Mashelly, how are you going?

[Mashelly]

To be really honest im not going that well..
I done my 1st weight in while Low Carbing and I lost no weight so i thought --i'll do what i know works "i'll count calories"(i have lost this way b4) well i ate some grapes and lite popcorn and this morning i felt like i had been hit by a bus:eek:It felt like i had a hang over--it wasn't nice:(

[Sherrie]

:(

Mashelly maybe you just needed to lower your calories a little while doing low carb?

What were your stats and the rest of your days (calories) like up until you ate the grapes?

There is some information here about how to work out your calories based on your stats: BMR and Calories (http://www.apinchofhealth.com/resources/BMR-and-calories.html)

Also if you feel so bad from eating them my feeling is that you have issues with either carbohydrates or something in the popcorn or grapes.

[Mashelly]

Oh i really think its the carbs before starting this whole low carb gig. i would have the shakes all the time if i didn't eat then id eat high cab foods and it would stop, but then id crash and burn and that has been my life for the last few years--BUT since starting LCarbing i have noticed how it has not happened at all..till this episode with the grapes n popcorn..

and your right the week leading up my calorie in take was above 2000..on the BMR thingo on calorie king it says to lose weight i should eat no more than 2000 cals a day...So this week i have tracked my calorie intake and kept my cab intake to around 25 to 30 ish
I have been eating Fish/Chicken and salads- So i hope to see my scales change and i know now stay away from those High carb Trigger foods
Thanks for your support:)

[Sherrie]

Ah the shakes, you are a poster child for low carb then!

You will start losing soon!

Are you eating red meat?

[Mashelly]

yes i eat lamb chops and steak

[Sherrie]

Mmm lamb chops :)

[thecount]

Time to fire up the BBQ!!!

You're making me hungry.. .. ..