Just wondering what other people are doing. Are you religiously counting your carbs?

I am not but I do have a rough idea of how many carbs I've had during a day. Although I've been on Atkins for only a month, I been losing steadily but I'm afraid that my lazy ways may cause problems down the road.

I remember in Dr. Atkins books that he advocated that you know exactly how carbs you took in each day.

Many thanks!

I have been low-carbing on and off for almost 4 years now. (Mostly off.) My first Induction I was religious about counting carbs. I don't do that anymore. I don't worry about the carbs from Splenda, diet soda, whatever. I know what's high-carb and I avoid that stuff. In the end I am losing weight (restarted Induction Sept 10, 2003) and I feel good. I get a lot of veggies. More than is recommended, but I have to be very careful about my intestinal health. Can't afford to get stopped up. It also allows for tons of variety which was missing my first time - for a couple of reasons. 1. Because I was counting my carbs and didn't give myself the leeway that Splenda, diet soda, and extras like cream, cream cheese, etc offer. 2. Because I wasn't cooking or experimenting with my cooking much. I've been watching the Food Network a LOT, and experimenting with new ingredients that I've never used before. There's a lot out there - real foods, not the frankenfoods - that allow for an amazing variety with a low-carb plan. Much happier with Induction this time around. In the end, if you are losing - then go with the flow. If you start to stall, add exercise. Very important aspect to weight loss. Seriously. Also, do measurements. Judge by your size, not your weight. I always seem to get smaller faster than the scale moves down.

Sorry so long - my .02 always turns out to be more like a buck fifty.

Melissa

I count everything, using fitday. However, I don't measure everything, so it's best guess sometimes on the actual amounts. For some things, like salads at restaurants, I'll just use fitday's fast food salad. But if I make it here at home, I'll record the actual ingredients. I'm assuming at some point down the road, I'll stop recording everything.

No I am really bad. But to be honest if this is to be a WOL for me (and it is) then I need to be realistic. I am not a grrl who will carry around my carb counter and be religious about it. . .hell I go to church, am in choir, lead Women's Bible Study and I am not that religious about religion.

But I do know what foods to stay away from. . .I allow myself about 30 non fat carbs. . .and I keep a sort of running total in my head. If I decide to have a grilled cheese on the Alvarado Farms bread (sprouted grain, high protien) then I know I have shot my wad as it were in the old carb sense. Dawn

I do keep track. I dont count the fiber either really. I always aim to be under 20 carbs and most days I am. If I am over I know I would be under in my "net" if I felt like figuring it out. I eat 1 extra cup of veggies a day on average.... I never plan on it but when I am hungry and feel like snacking I will often have cauliflower or broccoli..something like that.

This is my first real diet. I track everything on fitday because I'm scared NOT to.

I'm sure as this becomes second nature, I wont feel so obsessive about logging everything...

I don't log in my carb intake daily. I do check the carb count of foods that are new to me or just for a refresh on what the actual carb count is.
If I counted daily I would have quit a long time ago. My personality can't handle all those numbers.
I set out a menu plan daily and that is where I keep it together. Otherwise, I will stray and end up back on induction.
Find what works for you and stick with it. It will come off- with patience and persistence.
Be blessed,
Tanya

I don't count all my carbs, but if I am considering an unfamiliar food I look up the carb count for that food. I have a good sense of what I can eat -- unlimited lowcarb vegetables, small quantities of lower carb fruit (berries or mellon -- 1 or occasionally 2 servings a day), some nuts but not too many, some hard cheese (some days, not all days), my daily breakfast serving of cottage cheese, and my two cups of coffee (which I refuse to give up). I use almost no artificial sugar so I don't get any carbs from that. Like Redawn, I think that to make this a WOL that I can stick to for the rest of my life, instead of a diet, I need to not be obsessive about it and counting is too obsessive for me. I have too much else going on in my life to start weighing and measuring my food.

I quit counting carbs after the first month. I totally agree that if I am making this my WOL then I cannot be counting carbs all the time. I do watch the things I eat, though. I've only cheated once, after 5 months, that was on my birthday. I eat less than 20 carbs most days. Sometimes up to 25, if I'm having a "hungry" day. As of today, I'm a half pound away from 50 lbs lost. Every once in a while I will count my carbs to see if I'm staying where I should.

Echo

I think someone on Atkins will do themselves a huge favor by keeping careful track of what they eat in the beginning, especially measuring portions. You need to learn what 3 cups of lettuce or an ounce of cheese looks like.

Eventually, it will become second nature and you'll be able to keep track fairly accuratley in your head.

After you get the hang of things, I think MTEcho's advice is sound. Over the long term you will have a good sense for what you're getting in the way of carbs each day without actually counting. IF the scale starts moving the wrong way, start tracking in detail again to make sure you're not straying.

I track my foods using fitday.com but I pretty much know what I can and can't eat at this point.

I use www.Fitday.com daily as I'm learning carb counts for all to foods I've been eating. I'm sure somewhere down the road I won't need to but for at least the next year I'll be doing it. It's also handy as it calculates the fat/carb/prtein ratio, calories, etc.

Nicole

I do not always count carbs. I keep a written food journal and write down what I eat each day and some things if it is easy to calculate like a cheese omelet I write down the amount of carbs in there. Other things like if I make a big pot of xxx and have some at dinner i just write down what I ate. I do try to check the total carb content of dishes I make and if there is something which I do not offhand know the carb count I'll look it up just to make sure it's not too nasty.

Just too picky, tried slimfast and could never count calories either.

Every so often I record a day in Fitday.... just to check that I am doing what I think I am doing..

I am lucky I have never had a sweet tooth... so sugar is not a problem for me....

Basically I am just totally avoiding all starches... bread, potato, rice, pasta.... all fruits except berries.... strawberries are in season here at the moment.... and I have to watch I don't overdo them.. and peas, corn and carrots.... otherwise I am eating pretty much as I please.... and so far it is working..

I figure that if and when I strike a stall.... then I will get more conscientious.... but for now I am simply enjoying this WOE.

Feeling deprived has always been a big problem for me on any diet... no matter how keen I start, it gets to me and I start craving everything that is taboo.... but with Atkins... I am not deprived of my favourite foods.... it doesn't feel like a "diet".

Hugz