OWL questions-help!

[pokey75143]

Well, my 2 weeks of induction are ending on Friday. I haven't decided if I'm going to extend it for 2 weeks or not. But I have some questions about OWL. I want to get it right this time, because last time I didn't do it right at all! Ok, this is my understanding: you move up through the carb rungs as slowly or quickly as you'd like, adding 5 grams for each rung. For example, if I ate 20 grams during induction, then I add 5 grams of veggies on the first rung (for a total of 25)? What if I decided to move to the dairy rung after 2 weeks of extra veggies- do I then add another 5 grams, so then I'd be eating 10 grams over induction (30 grams/day)? Can I eat 10 grams of dairy and skip the extra serving of veggies? The reason why I ask is because I love milk and I'd love to be able to have a whole glass of milk! (And I know there are more than 5 grams in 8 ozs. of milk.) Or do I need to limit the milk and still eat the extra serving of veggies? I'm so confused! Help please! Thanks!

[ValidRouge]

Good for you for answering. You can, and should, move into OWL. BUT, the veggies are NON-NEGOTIABLE. In fact, Dr. Atkins said that half of our daily carbs should be from veggies, even in induction. So, by the time you get into maintenance and are eating, lets say, 50 net carbs, 25 NET carbs should be from veggies alone.

Veggies are important. And, in my own experience...in maintenance almost ALL my daily carbs come from veggies. Not dairy, not cheese, not olives, not cream, not sour cream, not avocados, not nuts, etc etc....VEGGIES! Now, I'm not saying YOU will have to eat this way. But, the only way you are going to find out what types of foods your body can tolerate and lose weight is to slowly and objectively and scientifically experiment with those foods. Dr. Atkins gives us explicit instructions on how much of these foods to add, and in what order.

So, next week move into OWL by adding 5 net grams of VEGGIE carbohydrates to your induction levels. If you were eating 15 net carbs during induction, your OWL week 1 rung 1 levels will be 20 net carbs.

I personally think most folks should spend quite some time on the veggie rung. There are so many veggies. If you increase by 5 net grams a week, you might be able to find your CCLL (where you stop losing) and then you can back off the portions of veggies and add other stuff. That way you'd know that it was the FOOD causing a stall/gain instead of the number of carbs. But, that's just my opinion.

[Elsie150]

Also there are some great stickies in the OWL forum that help to explain the process more. Good for you for moving on.