Carb Counter?

[munchkin]

Hey guys... sorry me again!!

Just been having a nosey on the atkins website and downloaded the carb counter. Thought it might be handy for quick reference out and about if I haven't got access to fitday. Just a bit concerned that there seems to be some discrepancy between the carb counter and fitday. E.g. bacon on fitday says 0 net carbs, on carb counter it's 0.1. Want to make sure I'm not exceeding my 20g net carbs on induction - should I use the higher amounts shown on the carb counter?

[*Emma*]

how about you use the nutritional info and input a custom food on to fitday to get the exact amount?

[munchkin]

Hi Emma,

I tried using the custom section yesterday, but I'm a bit worried that our food labels don't contain all the fields that the custom part asks for. Would this still produce an accurate result?

For example, I bought Gouda cheese yesterday from Waitrose and entered the nutrition info as per label as follows:
per 125g
Calories 425
fat 34.63g
of which saturates 2.488
total carbs 0.125
protein 28.38

for the equivalent weight on the carb counter the carbs is total carbs
2.7g, fibre 0g, net carbs 2.7g
fat 35.1g
protein 31.95g
calories 454

Just a bit worried that there seems to be a massive difference? Or did I input the carbs wrong?
Sorry if I'm being a bit thick!!!

[munchkin]

Am I the only person finding this carb counting thing really difficult - really worried that I am underestimating the amount of carbs I am having!

Been working on the 65% fat, 5% carbs and 30% protein rule using fitday but when I calculate based on carb counter my percentages for the same foods change to 58% fat 6% carb 35% protein feel like I'm on the verge of giving up - but surely it can't be that hard as everyone seems to be coping ok.

Perhaps this WOE isn't for me? Sorry to be negative, just really struggling.

[Kawispice]

You don't have to worry about it... everyone's body is somewhat different anyway, so that even if you got the ABSOLUTE right percentages suggested in the book by Dr. Atkins, those are only guidelines for the TYPICAL person.

Please don't give up because it is too much work. Many people don't use any counters at all, just look to see if they are in kitosis and not eat beyond satiation. Although if you eat less than your resting metabolic rate which is about 1200 calories for most females, you actually start losing weight more slowly than if you ate 100 or 200 calories above it. But again it is not an EXACT science, because our bodies are not exactly alike.

I love the lovely girl in your siggy, Munchkin. I am thinking that is what you plan to be.

(Also please be patient if you don't get an answer to your post right away, we tend to check in about once a day, so sometimes you may have to wait for a day to get your question answered.)

[*Emma*]

Yeah i think you're looking too much into this really!

Just use fitday, thats what the most of us do, stop stressing, your doing fine!

[Elizellen]

Originally Posted by munchkin

Hi Emma,
I tried using the custom section yesterday, but I'm a bit worried that our food labels don't contain all the fields that the custom part asks for. Would this still produce an accurate result?

I have set up custom entries for all the foods I use that come in packs with the info, as I reckon that fitday/USDA database are using a 'typical' product rather than an individual one and the manufacturer ought to have a better idea of what actually is in their product.

Also many foods are actually different - for instance 'bacon' in UK is not the same as 'bacon' in USA, so it is better to rely on package info.

Watch the carbs/fibre amounts for countries outside the USA as the fibre in any food is not counted as a carbohydrate everywhere but the USA! So our labels list the net carbs, not the total including fibre, so when adding a custom food you will have to add any fibre grams to any carbohydrate grams so fitday can deduct them!

In a way we are luckier than our friends across the pond as most of our our nutriton labels list numbers per 100 grams or 100 mls instead of by 'per serving' which can be as small as half a teaspoon.
So as the manufacturers are allowed to 'round' the numbers down to zero if it is less 0.5 carbs per serving, the carbs can mount up when you eat more than one miniscule serving!!

Another tip I learned on these forums is that if I want to keep a check on the vitamins and minerals I am eating I start my custom entry by selecting the nearest equivalent item first - for example 'cheese, gouda' and choosing 'customize this food' and altering the calories, fat, protein, sodium, carbs, fiber where listed on the label.
Then I save it as a custom food with a different name (say, 'Gouda cheese from Waitrose'). In this way I have the correct numbers from the label plus it keeps the info about the vitamins etc likely to be in the equivalent food.

[kellyf48]

I had the same thing happen 2 me. I say read the label of the thing you are eating!