Carbs question that needs an answer

[GonnaGetThin!]

I decided today to go to fitday and start a diet journal there. The trouble is that the 3 cups of shredded romaine lettuce I had over the day added up to only 4.6 carbs according to their site numbers. My total food intake for the day was:

Breakfast - 2 jumbo eggs over medium cooked in 1 Tbsp butter, and 2 small sausage patties with a raw weight of 3.36 ounces.

Lunch - 1.5 cups romaine lettuce with 1.5 Tbsp Caesar dressing and a large baked chicken thigh with the skin removed after cooking (I don't like chicken skin )

Snack - 1/2 ounce pork rinds

Dinner - 1.5 cups romaine lettuce, 1.5 Tbsp. Caesar dressing, 2 large baked chicken thighs with skin removed after cooking (blech, chicken skin ugh).

Snack - 1/2 ounce pork rinds

Fitday calcs: Total calories 1,313 Fat grams 97.2 carbs 7.7 protein 98.3

This added up to 66% fat, 32% protein, and 2% carbs. The extra carbs came from the salad dressing and the eggs. My question is how to get to 20 carbs when I am supposed to have at least 12 from my salad? The other 8 carbs is supposed to come from additional veggies but only if I only have 2 cups of salad, so I am wondering if their calcs are wrong or something. I KNOW my amounts are right because I was weighing and measuring all day to get the exact amounts.

Can someone help me out with an answer here, or tell me where I am going wrong? I am really trying hard to follow the diet correctly, and don't want to mess things up so I am glad I caught this now instead of later!

[momtomany1]

You don't have to get the whole 20 carbs, BUT we definitely suggest you get some other veggies besides lettuces. Many of us get around 14 or 15 carbs a day in induction. But try 2 cups romaine, half cup tomato, half cup broccoli, .. or go really crazy and try the 1 cup of the salad vegetable radishes but cook them in bacon fat. Just quarter them and saute', really excellent if you add in a few onions!

Radishes are not 'hot' when cooked, they are yum!

[LadyBethny]

It is hard to get the 20 in, but you really need to add other veggies - you will get all the nutrients you need as well as making your menu interesting.

You may find that with this WOE, veggies you didn't care for very much you suddenly adore! I am finding I love all sorts of veggies that were never in my shopping basket before!

So many ways of cooking them too! Especially cauliflower! I would never have thought of using such an innocent looking veg in so many ways!

*goes off to try Momtomany's radishes tip* :0)

[IrishIrish]

There are other veggies besides lettuce and they are more nutritious than trying to live by lettuce alone. Whether you incorporate mushrooms on a burger or make some faux-tatoes with mashed cauliflower and cream cheese, or make a snack of raw broccoli with some ranch dressing, try some other veggies.

Vegetables
You can have two to three cups per day of:

alfalfa sprouts
daikon
mushrooms
arugula
endive
parsley
bok choy
escarole
peppers
celery
fennel
radicchio
chicory
jicama
radishes
chives
lettuce
romaine lettuce
cucumber
moche
sorrel
These salad vegetables are high in phytonutrients and provide a good source of fiber.

Other Vegetables
You can have one cup per day of these veggies if salad does not exceed two cups. The following vegetables are slightly higher in carbohydrate content than the salad vegetables:

artichoke
celery root
pumpkin
artichoke hearts
rhubarb
asparagus
chard
sauerkraut
bamboo shoots
collard greens
scallions
dandelion
snow peas
bean sprouts
dandelion greens
spaghetti squash
beet greens
eggplant
spinach
broccoli
hearts of palm
string or wax beans
broccoli rabe
kale
summer squash
brussels
kohlrabi
tomato
bean sprouts
leeks
turnips
cabbage
okra
water chestnuts
cauliflower
onion
zucchini
If a vegetable, such as spinach or tomato, cooks down significantly, it must be measured raw so as not to underestimate its carb count.

[GonnaGetThin!]

I know the amounts, but am stumped as to how to get the extra carbs in if I eat according to this list. If I understand it correctly, I can ONLY eat up to 3 cups a day from list 1, or 2 cups from list 1 and 1 cup from list 2? Then the extra carbs can come from other things in my diet like the cheese, cream, eggs, salad dressing? Or can I eat more of the veggies than I have been as long as my total carb count doesn't exceed 20 grams of net carbs per day?

I am not too awfully big on splenda since I generally don't sweeten my drinks, so at most I might have a packet a day.

[Lyssie]

I think Atkins is asking you to explore higher carb/fiber options of food instead of just eating 3c of romaine lettuce.

For example, if you had one salad of your 1.5c of romaine lettuce (2.3g), then half a cup of jicama (5g net), and a cup of spaghetti squash (8g net), you have umm.. like, 15.3g, so then your eggs at .6 a piece add to 16.5, plus whatever the salad dressing was, and depending on the sausage, an extra carb there. THat gets you pretty close to 20.

[GonnaGetThin!]

OH! Ok, I am glad I got that answered then, because it was driving me crazy! I will be sorry to give up the extra salad though, I really like caesar salad a lot.

[IrishIrish]

Lyssie is correct! Dr. Atkins hoped that we would use this as an educational process to learn how to eat for life. I know some people eat only salads, but when lettuce gets boring to them, they haven't experienced other veggies. This may not be your issue, but some people came to Atkins with the misconception that Atkins was about eating bacon, eggs, steaks and salad! The veggie list is formulated to enjoy healthy low carb veggie choices.

Best wishes to you!

[Elizellen]

Originally Posted by GonnaGetThin!

OH! Ok, I am glad I got that answered then, because it was driving me crazy! I will be sorry to give up the extra salad though, I really like caesar salad a lot.

So move to OWL and you can add loads of extra lettuce if that is what you like - I think 5 net carbs of romaine lettuce is about 13 cups!!