Wed, Aug-21-02, 09:39
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Senior Member
Posts: 1,322
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Plan: Modified Atkins
Stats: 147/128/118
BF:?/18/17
Progress: 66%
Location: Victoria, BC, Canada
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Hi there,
I can answer some of your question.
I was following Atkins when I started my first BFL challenge. I found I had to increase my carbs because I was feeling very washed out and tired in the afternoons. With the increase in carbs, I felt much better. The foods I added were one slice of lowcarb toast per day (8g carbs) and fruit (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, apples & cantelaupe). I went from eating induction amounts of carbs and being in ketosis (20g or less carbs a day) to anywhere from 40 - 100g carbs a day depending on what I chose to eat that day. Then I stopped keeping track of my carb count.
I did take the free day every week and I really enjoyed that freedom to eat as I wanted or do what I wanted and that really helped me stay on track with the program. For the most part my free day was a regular low carb day but if I wanted to have two slices of lowcarb toast, I did, or dessert, I did, or eat pizza, I did, but I didn't make it a pig-out,-stuff-my-face-'til-I-puke sort of day. I often had a chocolate bar on my free day.
Sometimes, I suffered with that bloated feeling and retained water after a free day. It usually hit me two days after free day.
During this summer I am not doing a challenge and I am not strictly lowcarbing but I AM maintaining. I gave myself permission to do this.
However, I am currently preparing for my 3rd BFL challenge and I think I am going to start by going back on induction for 2 weeks (before I begin) and then slowly increase carbs during the challenge so that I don't suffer from tiredness. This will mean going back to carb counting and being very strict about my diet (no bread at all, cutting out fruit and absolutely no sugar). After a summer of maintaining and indulging a little here and there I want to get back into the losing mode and reach my goal by the new year, if I am able. I am aiming for loss of inches (on my stomach, hips and thighs) and 20% body fat rather than a scale # as I don't know what Scale # I need to reach to achieve my goal.
Good luck to you on your challenge!
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