Variation in veggies

[onemoresong]

I eat one cup of lettuce with eachmeal, so I don't really try new veggies. I had broccoli one meal and mushrooms one meal, but generally I go for the lettuce. Is that okay or am I supposed to try different sorts of veggies?

One more thing about that that I just don't get. Am I allowed 20carbs + the veggies or are should I count the carbs in the veggies (have been counting them so far.)

[mitzimarie]

Originally Posted by onemoresong

I eat one cup of lettuce with eachmeal, so I don't really try new veggies. I had broccoli one meal and mushrooms one meal, but generally I go for the lettuce. Is that okay or am I supposed to try different sorts of veggies?

One more thing about that that I just don't get. Am I allowed 20carbs + the veggies or are should I count the carbs in the veggies (have been counting them so far.)

Onemoresong! Lettuce is one of the least nutritional and fiber poor vegetables out there, my friend! You most definitely need to branch out. I am eating veggies now that I wouldn't have touched with a ten foot pole before. And yes, you should count the carbs in the veggies. Over half of your net carbs should come from veggies. With practice, you will learn which veggies pack the most nutritional and fiber rich punch. Fiber is quite important, as it helps you feel full and also "helps things along." Don't forget plenty of water along with that fiber, or you will have problems.

This is my second time around on Atkins, and boy is it a lot easier this time around for me. Why? Because I am doing it by the book, keeping track of everything on Fitday, actually measuring my portions, trying new foods, and moving on to OWL. And the first rung of OWL is more veggies!

I have copied and pasted some answers here I recently posted on the board that may help you:

Just wanted to give you a few tips about Fitday that has made it easier for me. I enter everything I can as a custom food. I sat down one day with my laptop in the kitchen and went through my refrigerator and pantry to enter the info from every label I could get my hands on. On things that we count as a carb that aren't listed as a carb on the label, I enter as 1 instead of 0 carbs... for example, cheese and eggs. (yep, I even enter eggs as a custom food)

Also, when I started using Fitday I starting actually measuring my portions. I had always just eyeballed a cup of something. Now I use the weight in ounces or grams to measure a cup of something. I use an inexpensive food scale I found at Walmart. It is so much easier to measure out x amount of grams or ounces of something versus trying to eyeball how full an actual cup should be.

I also need to remind you to set a fiber goal in Fitday so it will count your grams of fiber for you. You do this under "goals" on the left side of the screen in Fitday. It doesn't matter what number you set your goal at - mine is set at 1 just so it will count the grams for me. It will display your fiber count right next to the other count info... you need to subtract your fiber from your carbs to get your net carbs and this is the number you go by. Once you start measuring and using Fitday, you will probably find that you are eating way less carbs than you think you are. Julie is so right about OWL... the better variety of food makes you enjoy this WOE so much more and it is likely to jumpstart your weight loss.

Here is the link to get you to a list of foods and their weights. After you click on the link, you need to then click on NUTRITIONAL SPREADSHEET to get to the list. I love it and printed it to use all of the time:
http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard....ead.php?t=42713 (Nutritional Spreadsheet)

[onemoresong]

So what veggie would you recommend? I'm all for trying new veggies, but which one has the most fiber in it?

[*Emma*]

Broccoli is a really good one, you said youd already tried that - so have it more! spinach is a great one too. theres lots to choose from, have a look at the lists and see what you can try.

[mitzimarie]

Originally Posted by onemoresong

So what veggie would you recommend? I'm all for trying new veggies, but which one has the most fiber in it?

You need to check out that Nutritional Spreadsheet that I gave the link for to see which ones interest you. It lists the fiber in each along with the other nutrition info. My personal favorites for nutrition and fiber are jicama (when I can find it), pumpkin, and bell peppers.

Jicama and all colors of bell peppers I eat raw. I buy the 100% pure pumpkin in a can and mix a half of a can with cream cheese, splenda, cinnamon, and allspice and microwave until it is hot.

Try stuff you've never tasted!

[onemoresong]

Sorry if I am asking stupid questions but I just don't get the veggies... Broccoli for example, the bag of frozen broccoli says 2g carbs per 100gr. But my book (in swedish) says that I'm only allowed to eat 75g broccoli 3times aday. Shouldn't I be able to eat it a lot more? Shouldn't I be able to eat 1000gr of broccoli if I didn't eat ANY other carbs (just an example) I think my swedish book is missing a lot and I have ordered another one because right now I am soooo confused!

[onemoresong]

Today I've had 2cups of lettuce and 1 cup of paprika (spelling??), still when I add up all my carbs I get 10,6. How am I supposed to get to 20g carbs if I'm only allowed to eat veggies 3 times aday?

[*Emma*]

theres a huge thing about the difference in books when it comes to international versions, your best bet would be to purchase a "cup" and go by the 2 cups of salad veggies a day, one cup of "other" veggies.

1 cup of paprika? me confused there, thats a spice, right?

You eat up to 20g carbs a day, eggs have carbs, cheese and cream, etc, you dont have to eat 20g a day.

[onemoresong]

oh sorry, I got paprika and peppers confused That's what I meant

[ValidRouge]

During INDUCTION (the first two weeks) you actually have two rules to follow regarding veggies.

1) Stay UNDER 20 g of net carbs (total minus fiber equals net carbs)
2) Stay within your 3 cup limit

This means you probably WON'T get to your 20 g net carbs. During my induction, I averaged 13-15 net carbs per day. And, that's okay. After the first two weeks, you then move into the on-going weight loss phase starting with adding MORE vegetables.