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OWL Fat/Protein/Carb percentages
During Induction, we kept our percentages around 65% fat:30% protein:5% carbs. During OWL, we begin to increase our carbs. By the time you reach Maintenance, your fat percentages are around 50%.
So how do we naturally lower our fats during OWL?
First off, protein remains the same, at 30%, throughout the diet. Therefore, we can alter our fat and carb amounts. But, Dr. Atkins says that fat remains the "mainstay" of our diet and as we increase our carbs, our fat percentages decrease naturally. Confused? You aren't alone.
Our fat percentages will decrease naturally provided that they remain the same or slightly lower than the Induction levels.
Here's an example meal of chicken breast, lettuce, mayonnaise.
Using your fitday.com account plug in 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, 4 ounces chicken, breast, with or without bone, broiled,skin eaten and 1 cup of lettuce, shredded or chopped. The fat % is 69% and the carb is 1%.
Now add 4 net carbs of broccoli (2 cups broccoli NFS) to that. The fat % is 64% and the carb is 5%. The fat percentage decreased and the only thing you changed was the carb grams.
The problem with some OWLers is that they as they increase the carbs, they increase the fat. This is probably the result of the "make sure you eat fat with carbs" rule from Induction. So more fat the better, right? Wrong.
While they might be eating below their CCLL and will have the signs of ketosis, the number of calories will be increased too. Remember fat is a calorie dense food. 1 gram of fat has 9 calories as opposed to 1 gram of carbs, which has 4 calories. So the weight loss stumble might not be carb level related, it might be calorie-related.
Let's look at this with our chicken, lettuce, mayonnaise and broccoli meal.
2 tablespoons of mayo, 4 oz chicken breast, 1 cup of lettuce and 4 net carbs of broccoli have a 433 calories.
What happens if we increase the mayo to 4 tablespoons?
Our fat % is 75%, Our carbs are 4%. But the calories are 631! 2 additional tablespoons added 200 calories to the meal.
What happens if we decrease the mayo to 1 ½ tablespoons? The fat% is now 59% and carb% is 5%. The calories are 384. For this meal, you've 'saved' 49 calories by eating just ½ tablespoon less of the mayo. Depending on your CCLL and your OWL rung, those 49 calories can be spent on another 5 net carbs of OWL food.
So do I count calories too?
Dr. Atkins really depended on the appetite suppression of ketosis to train us to eat only enough food for our bodies to function. If we do that, then the weight loss will proceed (along with the other stuff we have to do like count the carbs, exercise, etc.) But for many of us, we still need to make a conscious effort to eat only enough. So, unless you have your eating under control, you might need to count calories during OWL daily. For the people under control, you might need to spot check yourself once or twice a week to make sure you aren't going overboard.
Okay so I'm looking at my calories, I'm looking at my carbs, and I'm too scared to eat anything.
During Induction, you ate off the list, followed the rules, and life was simple and pleasant. OWL is really the first phase of Atkins where you get practice eating in the real world. Real world eating requires that you balance your meals.
For example, you eat 5 net carbs of cottage cheese this morning, you might want to eat an ounce or two less of the aged cheeses for the rest of the day. Why? Because cheese is a calorie-dense food. If you eat your 5 nets of cottage cheese plus your 4 ounces of cheddar, you're eating about 500 calories worth of cheese alone! Again, you'll be in ketosis, but you might not lose weight because you are eating more calories than what your smaller OWL body can use.
Remember one of the Rules of Induction was to adjust the amount of food you ate as your appetite decreased. When you began your Atkins at 275 pounds, you might have been able to eat 2200 calories and lose weight, but your 180 pound OWL body might not need all those calories. So you will be decreasing your overall calorie intake as you get smaller.
Summary
1. Protein percentages remain the same as Induction level
2. Keep your fats the same or slightly lower than your Induction level.
3. Calories do matter. So begin adjusting your daily calorie intake to suit your energy needs, as you become a smaller person.
4. Balance your meals.
During Induction, we kept our percentages around 65% fat:30% protein:5% carbs. During OWL, we begin to increase our carbs. By the time you reach Maintenance, your fat percentages are around 50%.
So how do we naturally lower our fats during OWL?
First off, protein remains the same, at 30%, throughout the diet. Therefore, we can alter our fat and carb amounts. But, Dr. Atkins says that fat remains the "mainstay" of our diet and as we increase our carbs, our fat percentages decrease naturally. Confused? You aren't alone.
Our fat percentages will decrease naturally provided that they remain the same or slightly lower than the Induction levels.
Here's an example meal of chicken breast, lettuce, mayonnaise.
Using your fitday.com account plug in 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, 4 ounces chicken, breast, with or without bone, broiled,skin eaten and 1 cup of lettuce, shredded or chopped. The fat % is 69% and the carb is 1%.
Now add 4 net carbs of broccoli (2 cups broccoli NFS) to that. The fat % is 64% and the carb is 5%. The fat percentage decreased and the only thing you changed was the carb grams.
The problem with some OWLers is that they as they increase the carbs, they increase the fat. This is probably the result of the "make sure you eat fat with carbs" rule from Induction. So more fat the better, right? Wrong.
While they might be eating below their CCLL and will have the signs of ketosis, the number of calories will be increased too. Remember fat is a calorie dense food. 1 gram of fat has 9 calories as opposed to 1 gram of carbs, which has 4 calories. So the weight loss stumble might not be carb level related, it might be calorie-related.
Let's look at this with our chicken, lettuce, mayonnaise and broccoli meal.
2 tablespoons of mayo, 4 oz chicken breast, 1 cup of lettuce and 4 net carbs of broccoli have a 433 calories.
What happens if we increase the mayo to 4 tablespoons?
Our fat % is 75%, Our carbs are 4%. But the calories are 631! 2 additional tablespoons added 200 calories to the meal.
What happens if we decrease the mayo to 1 ½ tablespoons? The fat% is now 59% and carb% is 5%. The calories are 384. For this meal, you've 'saved' 49 calories by eating just ½ tablespoon less of the mayo. Depending on your CCLL and your OWL rung, those 49 calories can be spent on another 5 net carbs of OWL food.
So do I count calories too?
Dr. Atkins really depended on the appetite suppression of ketosis to train us to eat only enough food for our bodies to function. If we do that, then the weight loss will proceed (along with the other stuff we have to do like count the carbs, exercise, etc.) But for many of us, we still need to make a conscious effort to eat only enough. So, unless you have your eating under control, you might need to count calories during OWL daily. For the people under control, you might need to spot check yourself once or twice a week to make sure you aren't going overboard.
Okay so I'm looking at my calories, I'm looking at my carbs, and I'm too scared to eat anything.
During Induction, you ate off the list, followed the rules, and life was simple and pleasant. OWL is really the first phase of Atkins where you get practice eating in the real world. Real world eating requires that you balance your meals.
For example, you eat 5 net carbs of cottage cheese this morning, you might want to eat an ounce or two less of the aged cheeses for the rest of the day. Why? Because cheese is a calorie-dense food. If you eat your 5 nets of cottage cheese plus your 4 ounces of cheddar, you're eating about 500 calories worth of cheese alone! Again, you'll be in ketosis, but you might not lose weight because you are eating more calories than what your smaller OWL body can use.
Remember one of the Rules of Induction was to adjust the amount of food you ate as your appetite decreased. When you began your Atkins at 275 pounds, you might have been able to eat 2200 calories and lose weight, but your 180 pound OWL body might not need all those calories. So you will be decreasing your overall calorie intake as you get smaller.
Summary
1. Protein percentages remain the same as Induction level
2. Keep your fats the same or slightly lower than your Induction level.
3. Calories do matter. So begin adjusting your daily calorie intake to suit your energy needs, as you become a smaller person.
4. Balance your meals.
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