Can I really ONLY count NET Carbs?

[DLS]

Okay, I tried the muffin in a minute recipe this morning, made with flax.
I cut mine into thirds because I thought the carb count was a bit much for me. I put one third on my fit day with 1 tsp of cream cheese and I am at 11% carbs! I am sure that fitday doesn't take away the net carbs but I wonder is it truly okay for me to do so? So for breakfast, including coffee and cream, I have had 7.5 carbs, and 5.7 fiber. Now, can I really count that as only 1.8 carb total?!

I am so afraid to screw up. I have been counting total carbs only up to this point but I think that it has become very limiting on what I'm eating. I would like to try new things but I don't want to assume I'm doing okay then step on the scale and say YIKES!!!

Thanks for your advice.

[blueberrylady]

Net carbs are the only ones that count on Atkins because they are the ones that affect blood sugar levels. The fiber doesn't count because it doesn't affect your blood sugar so you are safe to subtract them out.

[mitzimarie]

Originally Posted by DLS

I am sure that fitday doesn't take away the net carbs but I wonder is it truly okay for me to do so?

Donna, Dr. Atkins states several times in DANDR that we are only to count net carbs.

About Fitday - it will count fiber for you, if you ask it to. When you see the totals, is fiber listed along with the calories, fat, carbs, and protein? If not, you need to go to the left side of the screen of Fitday, and set a "Nutrition Goal" for fiber. It doesn't matter what number you set it at. Mine is set at a minimum of 1g of fiber, and a maximum of 50g, just so I can get it to count the fiber for me. When you set a fiber goal, it will start listing the grams of fiber along with the other facts, and you just subtract the fiber from the total carbs to get your net carbs.

Try it, and let us know if you have trouble.

[Kellen]

THAT is so cool! thanks Mitzimarie. You know i asked about this very thing on the Atkins-sponsored board, and got a rather snippy directive to just look at the pie-chart and do my own math. This is great and will make calculations easier. You are a genius.

[DLS]

MITZIMARIE,
Thanks. I had already set the Fitday thingy but was afraid to actually subtract the fiber! LOL I sometimes go over the carb amount and then I look down to subtract the fiber and I end up WAY under. During my first two weeks of induction I didn't do that so I was ALWAYS under 20 without subtracting the fiber. Maybe that's why I was losing so much so fast! Now I'm lucky to lose 2 lbs a week.