Finding that Critical Carb Level
 

I have finished my first three weeks and am reviewing my stats this morning to keep me on track.

This is what I have learned so far.
1. I need to pick up the Atkins Carb Counter because just one item I have been using (the spinach) was putting me over. In
order for me to have a true Carb count based on what Atkins carb levels I have to use his scale and not the packaging from the store. Don't trust the package. EVEN on spinach ! Wow :D

2: Try to stay in my CCLL because even the chart says I should be able to eat up to 40 and continue to lose .....But my body is saying :p :D :daze: :roll: :thdown: Forget it Baby! So I have learned to keep this fat roll rolling I need to stay at 20 to 25 (accounting for the slight increase because of me underestimating the spinach and still loosing)

NO guessing since it is so easy to fall out of that critical range. This is personal for everyone.but I am posting mine here for everyone because I have learned that even though I lost 10 pounds the first 2 weeks I have stalled a couple of times during both the second and 3rd week and I think I can see it is directly related to when I take in more carbs then I think I have. Or get just above my critical carb level.

A hidden carb for me was the spinach and although The chart in Atkins says I have low to medium metobolic resistence due to the fact I lost 11 pounds the first 2 weeks. I am finding I just can't move it up above the 20 to 22 range without gaining. So I am going to stay there and prevent more stalling which can only lead to discouragement . NO Quitting now. I know it works and I feel great just have to fine tune.

I have just reviewed my last stall to see what is stopping me.
I go up and down everyday but weigh the same this morning as I did last Sunday. 1-19-2003.

Weight carbs
224 19 Lost
222 15 Lost
221 19 Lost
220 28* Gained
221 22 Lost
220 23 Maintained
220 29* Gained
221 50* WOW Gained DUH!!!
222 22 Lost
221 35 Maintained
221

As we can all see I am losing between 19 and 22 a day and gaining above that. I am going to recalculate the CCLL level for me though because I just found out this morning that the spinach I have been using in my salad is much higher then the romaine. The spinach bag says 1 gram per cup but Atkins book says 4 per 1/2 cup That is a big difference . I am going to go with the Atkins count and since I enjoy my salad I am going to switch back to romaine lettuce and make more ceaser salads instead . I isn't worth if for me to have the small amount of tomato and carrot that has been in the salad up to this point .I have been picking them out. I am going to rely on more romaine and radishes instead of carrots for the crunch. Reminds me I have a recipe for a salad we love that is Low Carb with an olive oil and mustard dressing .I will find the recipe and post it later.

Well I find it easy to be long winded as you can see but that is it for now. Correct carb counts and Critical Level for me to keep losing. I wanna be a loser for the first time in my life!!!

Debbie

Hi Puppetlady:

Re: the spinach - if you check out the carb counter under the "Low Carb Links" at the top of the page, you can plug in spinach.

1 cup of raw spinach = 1.05 grams total carbs (TC) and .81 grams of fiber (ECC = .24)

1 cup of cooked spinach = 6.75 grams of TC, 4.32 fiber (ECC=2.43)

So the question is, are you eating it raw or cooked? Also, are you getting confused with Total carbs and ECCs? Atkins may have values based on cooked spinach. In my Atkins book it says 1.1 grams carbs/cup of raw spinach, .2grams for ECC. There is no value for cooked spinach.

Looks like you are doing really well with analyzing your weight loss, but it must be time-consuming. You'd do well to log onto fitday.com and start entering this data. You'll get all kinds of benefit especially if you are trying to figure out the best levels of carbs for yourself.

For help with fitday.com, there is a sticky thread under the Newbies Questions section. http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthre...&threadid=38343

You're doing great. Keep it up.

Wanda

Thanks Wanda,
I am going to fitday RIGHT NOW!
Sam keeps telling me how great it is so I am going to go check out what I have been doing so far and see what I come up with .

I haven't been doing the ECC so that might help me figure this out with a little more accuracy. All I know is I am a bit stalled and want to see what I can do to get it moving again.

Thanks for the encouragement
Sincerely , Debbie

Of course, weight loss does not always progress in a two pounds per week step wise motion. Weight fluctuates often.

You can read more about it in this thread Do you really expect all your progress to be loses?

Also, all carbs are not created equally. Nuts and cheese and low carb bars are notorius stallers for some people.

You say you've been doing this only three weeks? Are those daily weighings? Weight can fluctuate during the week too. Try weighing just one or two days a week, or if you have to weigh every day, average them for the week.

A stall is 6 weeks with neither pounds nor inches lost...not days!

BTW--welcome to the forum from a fellow Mainer!

Beth