Atkins Diet Controversy - How many Veggies on Induction?

[daicon418]

Thx for your amazing videos.They are gonna be life saving for me and for that I'm forever grateful.My question is,during induction ,would only eating 3 cups of greens and green beans daily be going against the 2002 induction rules?

[bowulf]

@daicon418 2 cups of greens and 1 cup of green beans would be fine according to 2002 Induction.

[emim05]

Thanks this is a relly easy way to think about it. Really got annoyed by the whatever point whatever numbers. Three cups of veggies seems easier

[dasschus]

This is very interesting! The New Atkins for a New You book on pg 94 recommends getting 12-15 grams carbs from veggies then says it means you can have 6 cups of salad AND up to two cups of veggies. Honestly, I have trouble eating that much. I measured out 3 cups of greens and had trouble with that! That's a lot of food.

I guess bottom line is I should try to eat more veggies and do the best I can and not sweat it too much.

[reminiscenze]

I must say that, coming from a country where we don't measure volume, i find it hard to go by that. I - count all the net carbs per day coming from grams of vegetables; i generally have 2 salads per day, and a very smal salad for diner and a few cooked vegetables. I find this more mathematical approach easier, because once i decide to move on to OWL i will just have to count another 5 grams of extras per day. Plus this way i vary a lot what veggies i eat. Its never just 100 radishes.

[bowulf]

@reminiscenze I think that is one of the joys of Atkins is that it works for both types of people. Both can be successful on the diet, and those unaccustomed to the American measurement method certainly the weight and exact carb method might be the better way to go.

[bowulf]

@Kissiq1618 It is up to you which plan you want to follow. I couldn't stand trying to track or nail between 12-15g each day, but others like the freedom of being able to eat more veggies potentially. Remember salad veggies aren't just lettuce, but things like peppers, cucumbers, jicama, etc.

[bowulf]

@Kissiq1618 Remember 3 cups is a volume measurement of the total vegetable. 12-15g in comparison is just how many grams of carbs of it is. 3 cups of lettuce might be 3g of net carbs. 2 cups of peppers and 1 cup of onions might be nearly 20g of carbs.

Check my what a cup looks like video for more information on what 3 cups of vegetables is.

[Tsayuga]

What I am having trouble with (and I have literally JUST started) is how do you know the exact amount of veggies in a big meal that is several servings? Ex: half a cabbage, a scallion, a stick of celery, and 3 small mushrooms in the recipe. It makes 6 servings. How do you figure this kind of thing out? I am serious about this, but how strict do you have to remain? I want this to be maintainable for life, and I know constant measuring is a weakness for me.

[bowulf]

@Tsayuga Figure out or estimate what your portion size of the total is. That half cabbage (depending upon size) might be 3-4 total cups, figure one 1/6 of that amount is 1/2 cup. A single scallion is about half cup and 7g (3g Fiber), divide that amount by one sixth (1g,.5g net). I'd count the carbs against my total. The portion of celery and mushrooms would be about 1/4 cup of salad veggies and negligible carbs.

[bowulf]

@Tsayuga My suggestion would be to fill portion cups (like two cups, one cup, half cup, 1/4 cup for sauces) with anything (peas, green beans, broccoli, whatever) and pour it out on the plate. That way you can visually estimate how much you are eating. It isn't realistic for most to measure everything and sight measurement if you are honest can be roughly accurate in limiting yourself by cups or volume.

Of course you can cheat this and underestimate this way, but I found it practical.

[bowulf]

@ParrotnPet Almost all carb measurements of vegetables are based upon volume, i.e. one cup of veggies equal this many carbs. That said in the first phase OWL, you increase the amount of already acceptable veggies by number of cups to equal 5 net grams of carbs.

In the case of lettuce, you might be able to increase by 2-3 cups the first week. Or in the form of onions, you might be able to increase only by 1/2 cup the first week. Still not weighing food, the amount is still volume based.

[bowulf]

@ParrotnPet Almost all carb measurements of vegetables are based upon volume, i.e. one cup of veggies equal this many carbs. That said in the first phase OWL, you increase the amount of already acceptable veggies by number of cups to equal 5 net grams of carbs.

In the case of lettuce, you might be able to increase by 2-3 cups the first week. Or in the form of onions, you might be able to increase only by 1/2 cup the first week. Still not weighing food, the amount is still volume based.

[homesteadingoats]

Kent,

I am so confused. Like you said the book says, 2 c and 1 c of vege. The website says net carbs. So, which do I go by? How am I supposed to get 25 grms of fiber with 2 c and 1 c of vege? Should I not worry about getting "enough" carbs, like the website says? I just don't see how these numbers compute....

Thanks

[bowulf]

@homesteadingoats My suggestion is to pick a standard and then stick with it. My standard is the 2002 version of the book. It worked very well (obviously) for me. I can see where new people may choose the website or the 2010 book as their standard and abide by that. I don't believe making Induction more like OWL phase is advisable, and that there is little danger of eating too few carbs if you are eating a wide variety of Induction acceptable vegetables.

[NadiaDAidan]

i know it might sound like a dumb question... but cups could of different sizes :) can't they... everytime I'm measuring my veggies by a cup I wonder whether my cups are too big or too small. Atkins says on page that you can up to 340gr of veggies a day or up to 230gr if you're combining it with highere carb veggies like tomatoes etc.... So what's a cup then ???

[bowulf]

As you said, a cup is not a weight measurement. It's a volume measurement as cup of gold or sunflower seeds will weigh significantly different than a cup of lettuce leaves. The diet however prescribes 3 loosely-packed cups, and in the raw form if possible as some foods wilt (like Spinach).

Remember this is simply a restriction in Induction, and the first step of OWL is to discover exactly how many cups you can have and still lose weight (CCLL).

[AreAre22]

But then the question is - if you have 3 cups of veggies a day - how do you count the carbs for the day?

[bowulf]

You still count the carbs for the day - i.e. staying below 20 net grams of carbs, but it is difficult to overdo the carbs if eating only by the book. Sure 1 cup of onions or tomatoes might put you over if combined with higher carb salad veggies like bell peppers, but most people do not have any problem with veggies.

You of course can eat too many carbs with cheese, cream, and eggs, so I still tracked mine at Fitday.

[simplywitchy]

I see online 2 different books for Dr. Atkings Diet Revolution. One has a white cover, and one has a red cover. Could you tell me which book is the best..or what it looks like. I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

[bowulf]

The red cover is the right one. Look for a 2002 copyright in the book cover or the ISBN number of 0060081597. That is the latest version or gold copy of the book.

[simplywitchy]

Thanks for your swift reply Kent! I will get this ASAP. By the way...you look marvelous. Congrats!

[bowulf]

Thanks for watching!

[2b2bd]

@bowulf Thank you so much for all your videos and wonderful information. I am starting today. I agree with your hypothesis. One thing I'm still confused about after reading all the posts. How many carbs will I have left over after eating the 3 cups of veggies so I will know when I get to 20 since I'm not weighing every single vegetable?

[bowulf]

@2b2bd As for how many carbs will be leftover after eating 3 cups, it all depends on what vegetables you eat. If you eat 3 cups of salad veggies -- like peppers or lettuces, you could have 16g of carbs left over due to their high carb count. Or alternatively if you had 2 cups of jicama and 1 cup of onions, you may only have 1 or 2g carbs left.

You will still need to count the total, but the individual need to count veggies is not as high.

[livingAtkins]

Great vid. I don't count my carbs either. It has become 2nd nature for me. Some days I might eat 10 to 15 carbs and other days it might be up to 30 ( I am not on induction anymore) I still have like 50 lbs to lose but losing slower is ok with me. I have now lost 90 lbs. yaya. Thanks for all the wonderful info. =)

[bowulf]

You are welcome, and you are definitely on the right road to goal!

[wackywireless]

I would say that as long as you DO IT, either way is ok. I always try to eat the highest fiber lowest starch veggie that I ACTUALLY ENJOY. 3 cups from the list will keep your carbs low, but try to think how can I get max nutrition from these 3 cups. Spinach is way more nutritious and fiber that iceberg, and kale is way more than Spinach, but kale is yucky in my opinion. For me personally, I just eat as much as I want of the non starchy veggies and the fat just falls right off.

[bowulf]

I do specifically try to get more nutritious veggies than simply the lowest carb ones, but as you pointed out it is a matter of taste. That is one of the reason most should progress to OWL as soon as possible as things like cauliflower or broccoli (Delicious cruciferous vegetables) can be had in greater abundance.

Roasted onions are almost like candy to the Atkins Dieter tongue. It's unique how your tastes change on LC. Maybe not within the first 14 days of Induction, but in time they do.

[wackywireless]

I do think that if people can get into ketosis ASAP they will find that their hunger pangs and craving will go away much faster. I also think that fiber is very important, especially in this type of diet. I'm talking about natural fiber from veggies, not what people put down as fiber on the low carb snack bars or low carb tortillas. Also eating foods that are naturally higher in fat like beef and eggs, as opposed to chicken and fish, will help you get in the zone as well in quick fashion.

[kateeire]

how much is a cup? i am from uk and we dont use cups? how many ML in a cup?

[bowulf]

1 US cup = 236.6 ml

[wendiesioux]

I did my Induction phase following the guidelines on the Atkins website. After I finished induction, I got my hands on the book. I noticed the discrepancy with the veggie allowance after I was finished. Oops. :) But I had a successful induction (8 pound loss) I did have me curious as to the difference between the DANDR book and the website. Thanks for bringing this up.

[bowulf]

I think it really just points to that either can work as you proved, so I don't think you have anything to regret. You did very well with the information you had. I think this is just one of those tips of the iceberg between where ANA is going (I am told 2010 holds some considerable changes) and what DANDR says.

Thanks for watching!

[winter654123]

Hey kent I had my hernia surgery 5 weeks ago today and I was wondering since I got off low carb to have the surgery (I lost 12 lbs in 5 weeks by the way but felt horrible due to the surgery) anyway I was wondering to start low carb back up should I do induction? and if so for how long 2 wks? thanks for the help I hope u and your family have a blessed Thanksgiving. Rebecca

[bowulf]

Depending on the level you were at before the surgery, I would at least do 1 week of Induction, and then evaluate how I am doing at that point. If your cravings are under control and you are rocking the diet, then you can progress to OWL and more vegetables to find your CCLL. If you are struggling a bit with cravings or Induction flu, then I would spend a bit longer in Induction and then progress.

[winter654123]

Sugar cravings are pretty bad right now. I was in the hospital for 5 days and they feed me sugar water in my vein the whole time cause I couldn't eat. Now it's all I think about. I'll do 2 weeks thanks for the help. Rebecca

[bowulf]

No problem, and I hope you and yours have a great Thanksgiving too.

[rosadavismusic]

what is a salty crispy snack other than pork rinds(I don't eat pok) I can eat that are atkins friendly. thanks

[bowulf]

It depends on the phase of the diet you are...  For Induction, microwave Cheese Crisps (dollops of shredded cheese nuked until crisp). Another option is something I call cheese crust - shredded cheese (mozz and parm) with italian seasoning, garlic powder layered in a non-stick frying pan and cooked until dark brown on bottom. You could make a flax cracker too with salt if you take the flax cookie recipe and add salt.

Those are the options I thought of. Post Induction nuts are an option.

[starrygazergurl]

that always confused me, i think the 3 cups salad or 2 cups and 1 cup other acceptable veggies is much easier to think about. thanks for bringing the sub up.

[bowulf]

I am glad you liked the video. I can understand for those unaccustomed to what "cups" are and how they might be confused, but being able to measure based upon volume as opposed to counting to tenth of net carbs just simply worked for me too. Thanks for watching!

[winterdawns]

Ya the Atkins book is the way, the site isn't as good as the book. There's so much detail in the book that you need for a life change!

It's a shame about Dr Atkins but he's left us his wisdom and insight in his book., Great video by the way..

[bowulf]

I am always worried when something gets changed, and I have to ask why. Is it because there was something wrong, change for change sake (to be new again), or is it to sell something? Or is it just a problem of new authorship trying to write the same thing their way? You can tell what I think of the "lean beef" quote from their website. Why exactly am I worried about lean-ness when I trying to fuel myself on fat?

I appreciate the comments...

[lifewithjades]

Good points; I think it's best to go by how the originiator- Dr Atkins himself said to do it.

[bowulf]

That's just what I thought plus when you lose all your weight under one system, it's a little hard to accept changing it. I will say the people (Westman, Volek, and Collette B.) making the changes are scientific and want the best for ANA followers. Thanks for watching!

[ckrtom2]

Interesting video. Nice job with all your research.

You do seem noticeably charged/wired/"irritated," as you said. You are almost yelling at times. I hope all is well with you

[bowulf]

No, not overly irritated at all. Perhaps it was the sound level of the mic, or just finished watching the Colts-Pats game, or trying to enliven a potentially boring topic for some.

As for me, things are going well.