Hello CarbStarve
The longer you read this site the more you will learn about the particular experiences of all the LC (Low Carbers) doing this plan.
As for the accronyms there is a list on this site and you can find it here.
http://www.lowcarb.ca/tips/tips003.html
I also had to use it when I first started. Soon you will be abrevieating with the best of them!
OoO stands for Oil of Oregano (be sure it is ONLY the Wild Mountian VULGARE species, normal Oregano is NOT the same thing!!) I think that is why some have said it does not work for them, etc. Lots of supplement places offer BOTH kinds and the normal one is cheaper so lots of people go for that one and wonder why it doesnt work. Yes, it is not cheap, but its other properties for health, like treating yeast infections and enhancing mood swings are worth it for me too. I am not going to stop just to see if is really working. Some take it one one week and off the next. I tried that and you can look at week 18 and see why I now no longer stop it. I take if full time.
I haunted this page looking and reading every single subject, especially the tips and stalls.
http://www.lowcarb.ca/tips.html
Also, this forum has a tips and stalls section.
Yes, I admit it, Yes, I am (and have been) OBSESSED with not falling into the trap of a true stall. Therefore, I made lists of every single thing that someone said tha might stall them. Even though I know what stalls one person, may not stall another, I assumed that it would stall me and without trying it, just did not do it. (This relates to my upcoming renuion and my fear of being taunted, perhaps you would feel more confortable with doing a bit of adventure eating, I just was not willing to give up one day of potential loss)
And, since I like the foods so well, I just never had the need/desire to try cheating in an all out re-feed, etc.
As to what level I am on, I think it would be classed as OWL (phase 2 Ongoing Weight Loss) because I do eat a couple of things that are not on the acceptable foods list, but my carbs are still about 20 which is induction levels so I dont know what I am called. Well truthfully I always had trouble getting enough carbs at all, despite eating all the veg required.
I know others will be shaking their head in disbelief here, but I live in Europe and have no access to LC frankenfood stuff. I buy my meat at a butcher (common practice here) and there is no sugar curing, or packaging stuffs going on here) I even have them cut my bacon, nothing I eat except the occasional salami jerky comes in a package. I really only have access to whole foods. So pure meat, eggs, veg and cheese are it.
98% of what I eat is on the Induction list.
I will stop at McDonalds for a Chicken Ranch and a Burger without bun, but I use the Cesar dressing not the Ranch one, and the whole thing is about 10 carbs for the meal. Apparently, the chicken is processed, but that is about it.
The only other things I eat that are NOT on induction is:
Fruit - Strawberries or Raspberries
Occasional nuts/seeds
sour cream (but I think this is allowed now on the new version)
some of the heavier GI vegs, ie, a bit of carrot in my salad.
I had read that sometimes your carbs can be too low, so I realized that I could add onion, and other veg to stuff so now I do and I actually have to try to get 20 carbs net. So now my omelets have onion in them, and I eat a strawberry concoction EVERY SINGLE DAY at night while watching TV. I made it up and call it my ice cream. This is my favorite and almost only dessert.
Frozen Strawberry Dessert. (Makes 4 portion/cups)
500 gr Fresh Strawberries (1 1b 2 oz) This is just how ours are sold, I use one box
125 gr (4 oz) Philidelphia Cream Cheese
1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream (Fluid)
2 tsp liquid Saccarhin (not the powder kind or you have more carbs!)
I use a mixer and crush the berries to a pulp, throw in the cream cheese and heavy cream and beat till cream whips up nice. Then add the sweetner.
I divide and freeze it in 4 portions in paper cups. It is not like ice cream as the consistency end up icy. But I love italian gelato and I scrape the top to get spoonfuls to eat it and it takes a long time to finish one. And helps me to get 8.5 (6.25 NET) more carbs. Which I need to keep my body from stalling.
Amount Per 1 cup According to FitDay
Calories 230.5
Total Fat 21.25g
Sat Fat 13g
Poly Fat 1g
Mono Fat 6g
Total Carbohydrate 8.5g
Dietary Fiber 2.25g
Protein 3.25g 7%
I have tried other "sweet" things, like the mock danish, but it was not my cup of tea so to speak.
The truffle things dont really have a recipe. I just take cream cheese in the portion I want and roll in it SF jello. I dont do this so much since I added Aspartame to my list of stallers!
SF jello has that in it. (that dreaded list just keeps growing with all the posters here on this site)
The other original truffel sweet thing is just cream cheese and peanut butter in equal portions, ie 1 oz of each and some liquid sacc again (or any sweetner but you will have to count he carbs) and roll it into SF cocoa powder. I like reeses so now I do .5 oz of the cream cheese and 1.5 oz PB to get more PB taste. Really this is just as you like. When you experiment you will find lots of stuff that is fun.
Once I wanted pb so i made pb and cream cheese and whipped cream with sweetner and called it pb joghurt. I am a strange bird. If it is on the list and I can have it, I try it any way I can think of that takes my fancy. But on the whole I am not a sweet eater.
I much more prefer the salami and cheese microwaved to chips and diped in dressing or salsa and sourcream! Everybodys taste is different.
I recently tried pork rinds. But I suppose you have better stuff there, mine were awful things hard like a rock, I think they were called cracklings, so maybe I havent got the right thing here.
About the Cheese thing, I think in hindsight that I stay on the 2 oz of hard cheese becuase I have the strawberry thing every night and it has another oz of cream cheese in it. So that would make a total of 3 oz MAXIMUM a day. I bet you'll find that your shredded cheese is probably not too bad, as when it is shredded you get more so you will need to measure it for sure. My only advise here is to be 100% sure that it is NOT that processed stuff and is the real hard natural thing. No velveeta, or American slices kind of thing. That is made with milk/lactose which is sugar!
I would hate to be a person who says something is a NO-NO, I am just letting you know what works for me. And I am not willing to try other things yet. Please remember this is a WOE (way of eating) and should make you feel happy. As for me, I dont feel deprived. I read others do. So you need to find what works for you. I gain confidence with every lb and inch lost. No food can give me that so I actively choose the better feeling.
And the compliments are flying now, and I am just about to cross over to 60 lbs lost. So I am excited.
Lastly, about the dark purple strips. I am pleased for you that you are in ketosis and I know your excited! Hurrah for you! But as a caution, ketosis strips only show that you are in ketosis, ie burning fat as a primary source of fuel. So that can be EITHER dietary fat or stored fat. Of course we all hope it is the latter, but the color is NOT the issue. I do also test and when I see DARK purple I up my water intake. The reason for this is that is not relavant how dark or light the sticks are. This only means that you dont have enough water diluting the ketones. SO, as I am also thinking of my kidneys and want a healthy body, I help my kidneys along with more water. This will show a lighter shade on the keto sticks but ensure that your kidneys have enough to process the ketones out and excrete them by urine.
If you are unsure, try this for me. Check your stick for me when you just wake up and it will be dark purple. Check it an hour after a steak and salad with water and it will be lighter. Reson being that you slept and body still processed ketones, but had NO drinks to help it along.
You dont want CONSISTANT dark purple without adequate hydration. DRINK your water so you dont have a problem later in life with your kidneys or having kidney stones. Drinking enough and lots of water is one of the induction rules and I think people slack on this.
Whew, I feel like a taskmaster, which I dont mean to be, but I am sooooo much happier now, I want everyone to feel like this!!
NOW, you tell me something, Where is your fitday and your journal? HMMM?
Others could check on you and give support to you there. Do you realise you could easily be 60-70 lbs lighter by Aug? I have lost 60 in about 5 months.
(Today is 59.5 lbs and tomorrow will be my 5 month anniversary)
I know that KristyC will be along soon, and I am sure she will answer you too.
She is so much better at this, so take notice at what she says.
See you around.
PS. I am visiting the USA in July/Aug and have family living in Birmingham, Madison, Sylacauga, Hartselle and Huntsville. I might be walking right past you!