21
Ask Umpa / Re: ASK UMPA IS BACK!!!
« Last post by mouseissue on March 13, 2021, 03:28:29 PM »Hooray! 
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Everyone who visits this low carb forum is welcome to join. Scroll down to see the boards.
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Recent Posts
22
Ask Umpa / ASK UMPA IS BACK!!!
« Last post by umpa on March 13, 2021, 12:50:50 PM »Hi All! I am Back! 
23
Ask Umpa / Air fryer and instant pot recipes
« Last post by AliciaInTX on November 19, 2020, 01:44:19 PM »Hi Umpa!! How you are well! I was wondering if you have any favorite air fryer and/or instant pot recipes that are FTS compliant?!
24
General Discussion / So ... This may be tricky...
« Last post by AliciaInTX on November 19, 2020, 12:02:09 PM »Hi guys!
I've been MIA for a while and really hope to get back on track. Unfortunately, my fts lifestyle has been put on the shelf for the past couple of years and it shows. 😁 Oops. I'm looking forward to getting back on track but it's going to be tricky for me. My husband and i are the proud owners of a bouncing baby brewpub (we make beer and pizza)! It's been an adventure and we did a lot of "research" while we were in planning and I've learned so much about different beer and brewing and have built wonderful relationships with the local brewing community and enjoy it immensely! I realize that drinking beer and eating pizza are choices that are unhealthy for me and I'm ready to refocus on withdrawing from the sugar that my body has gotten used to again. Today is day two and yesterday was the first day at the pub that i ended the day with a salad and a bottle of topo chico. Woohoo! It was hard.... we make one heck of a hefe and i usually have one before heading home. It gave me hope that i can make this work. I do have a question, though, that I'm a little concerned about and that is sampling. Before, when i was doing FTS i was super strict and avoided anything that might cause me to fall off the wagon (and when i allowed myself to, i would totally fall off the wagon and binge for the entire day to make it worth it 🙄). This time, i an going to try to be a little more lenient without losing my focus. I need to be able to do tasters from time to time...an ounce or two for quality control and to be able to know how to describe a new brew or taste a fellow brewer's beer. This is going to mean a different mindset for me and a lot of self control to stick to my guns! Is anyone else here in this kind of position? Where you are diligent about cutting almost all sugar in your daily food intake BUT still having to taste sugar in small amounts here and there for work? I'm just wondering if I'm fooling myself and need to find a different solution. Science-wise, is this totally just not doable due to the sugar messing with my brain and cravings? Is there something i can eat whenever i do a sample to cut the physiological reaction to the sugar in my bloodstream to fool my brain into not craving more? I did so well with FTS before and so appreciated all the support here! I'd love to get back to it! Thanks in advance for any tips or sharing of experience!
I've been MIA for a while and really hope to get back on track. Unfortunately, my fts lifestyle has been put on the shelf for the past couple of years and it shows. 😁 Oops. I'm looking forward to getting back on track but it's going to be tricky for me. My husband and i are the proud owners of a bouncing baby brewpub (we make beer and pizza)! It's been an adventure and we did a lot of "research" while we were in planning and I've learned so much about different beer and brewing and have built wonderful relationships with the local brewing community and enjoy it immensely! I realize that drinking beer and eating pizza are choices that are unhealthy for me and I'm ready to refocus on withdrawing from the sugar that my body has gotten used to again. Today is day two and yesterday was the first day at the pub that i ended the day with a salad and a bottle of topo chico. Woohoo! It was hard.... we make one heck of a hefe and i usually have one before heading home. It gave me hope that i can make this work. I do have a question, though, that I'm a little concerned about and that is sampling. Before, when i was doing FTS i was super strict and avoided anything that might cause me to fall off the wagon (and when i allowed myself to, i would totally fall off the wagon and binge for the entire day to make it worth it 🙄). This time, i an going to try to be a little more lenient without losing my focus. I need to be able to do tasters from time to time...an ounce or two for quality control and to be able to know how to describe a new brew or taste a fellow brewer's beer. This is going to mean a different mindset for me and a lot of self control to stick to my guns! Is anyone else here in this kind of position? Where you are diligent about cutting almost all sugar in your daily food intake BUT still having to taste sugar in small amounts here and there for work? I'm just wondering if I'm fooling myself and need to find a different solution. Science-wise, is this totally just not doable due to the sugar messing with my brain and cravings? Is there something i can eat whenever i do a sample to cut the physiological reaction to the sugar in my bloodstream to fool my brain into not craving more? I did so well with FTS before and so appreciated all the support here! I'd love to get back to it! Thanks in advance for any tips or sharing of experience!
25
General Discussion / Re: Can I have some help jump-starting my dead low carb diet?
« Last post by mouseissue on April 29, 2020, 02:52:37 PM »Hi, Jeff.
Please read the nutrition labels on your Adkins shakes for net carb count. As I said before, reading nutrition labels is critical to success. I do not have the time to do this for you everyday and for everything you eat. Besides, you MUST learn to do this for yourself if you expect to lose weight and keep it off for life.
From what I found, the Adkins Milk Chocolate flavor shake has 7 total carbs - 5 carbs fiber = 2 Net carbs per shake. Can't speak for other flavors. Nor can I tell how many carbs are in your homemade cookies. For homemade items, check the carb counts for each ingredient, then divide by the number of ACTUALLY EATEN servings per recipe. I've provided food nutrition lookup websites for you in my last response.
Another thing, don't restrict yourself to eating the same thing everyday. You also need nutrition from foods like veggies to maintain good health. So create variety in your daily menu selections. It's very easy to do with all the recipes we have here plus those you can easily find online. Based on the sample menu you provided, you are getting 6 net carbs from the shakes and an unknown number in your cookie recipe. You can't have an ACCURATE carb count with ANY unknowns. Please look up ALL ingredients.
Regarding technical issues with the forum, please message Doug Verrier from the forum's home page.
Tony
Please read the nutrition labels on your Adkins shakes for net carb count. As I said before, reading nutrition labels is critical to success. I do not have the time to do this for you everyday and for everything you eat. Besides, you MUST learn to do this for yourself if you expect to lose weight and keep it off for life.
From what I found, the Adkins Milk Chocolate flavor shake has 7 total carbs - 5 carbs fiber = 2 Net carbs per shake. Can't speak for other flavors. Nor can I tell how many carbs are in your homemade cookies. For homemade items, check the carb counts for each ingredient, then divide by the number of ACTUALLY EATEN servings per recipe. I've provided food nutrition lookup websites for you in my last response.
Another thing, don't restrict yourself to eating the same thing everyday. You also need nutrition from foods like veggies to maintain good health. So create variety in your daily menu selections. It's very easy to do with all the recipes we have here plus those you can easily find online. Based on the sample menu you provided, you are getting 6 net carbs from the shakes and an unknown number in your cookie recipe. You can't have an ACCURATE carb count with ANY unknowns. Please look up ALL ingredients.
Regarding technical issues with the forum, please message Doug Verrier from the forum's home page.
Tony
26
General Discussion / Re: Can I have some help jump-starting my dead low carb diet?
« Last post by vankjeff on April 28, 2020, 02:18:07 PM »Also, is there a Setting on this site so that when I tap Post on a Reply on my iPhone, it won't just pop to a page showing all the Forums and it will stay on my Question? This is what it goes to automatically on my iPhone after I tap SAVE:
27
General Discussion / Re: Can I have some help jump-starting my dead low carb diet?
« Last post by vankjeff on April 28, 2020, 02:06:19 PM »I've been working on a more complete Reply but let me just ask this, would it be OK if all I eat everyday is:
- 10 am Atkins shake, 8-12 oz Diet Coke & 1 special low carb cookie that I bake
2 pm Atkins shake &8-12 oz Diet Coke
4 pm big glass iced water
6-7 pm Atkins frozen meal & 12 oz Diet Coke
28
General Discussion / Re: Can I have some help jump-starting my dead low carb diet?
« Last post by mouseissue on April 25, 2020, 04:58:06 PM »Hi, Jeff.
Ketone test strips quality, reliability, etc. vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. That is why I've preferred the brand my doc uses, Ketostix. They are a bit more expensive than some others. But I found they are one of the best.
A moderate reading of ketones is good. It means your body is using ketones for energy rather than blood glucose (high levels would be present shortly after eating anything with sugar or high net carbs). The higher the number, the more ketones are being used. But more does NOT always mean better. You are better off not pushing your metabolism far into ketosis. Doing so for long periods can be harmful, especially if you have certain medical conditions. Ask your doctor, to be sure.
Another thing to keep in mind is that during weight loss, our body is constantly "rebalancing" its metabolism and other systems. Our bodies respond to change by trying to stay in a stasis (unchanging) state. Your body may be trying to move back to a long-held weight set point of 186-188. In order to break this plateau, you need to change something like eat fewer carbs and more fats and reducing portion sizes.
One more VERY important point, our bodies do not care about how many carb grams we think we ate. They will respond to the actual carb intake. That is why reading nutrition labels and keeping track of every net carb is important. For foods that are not prepackaged, there are websites with carb contents, by amount. Here are three of them;
https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/
https://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/search
https://nutritiondata.self.com/
Can't help with the jog problem. This forum's website has changed a couple times. Perhaps message Doug Verrier, the site owner for some instruction.
Bottom line, keep strict track of EVERY NET CARB you eat. With that knowledge, you'll know for sure that you are at 20 or less and how the food you eat is effecting your weight loss journey.
Tony
Ketone test strips quality, reliability, etc. vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. That is why I've preferred the brand my doc uses, Ketostix. They are a bit more expensive than some others. But I found they are one of the best.
A moderate reading of ketones is good. It means your body is using ketones for energy rather than blood glucose (high levels would be present shortly after eating anything with sugar or high net carbs). The higher the number, the more ketones are being used. But more does NOT always mean better. You are better off not pushing your metabolism far into ketosis. Doing so for long periods can be harmful, especially if you have certain medical conditions. Ask your doctor, to be sure.
Another thing to keep in mind is that during weight loss, our body is constantly "rebalancing" its metabolism and other systems. Our bodies respond to change by trying to stay in a stasis (unchanging) state. Your body may be trying to move back to a long-held weight set point of 186-188. In order to break this plateau, you need to change something like eat fewer carbs and more fats and reducing portion sizes.
One more VERY important point, our bodies do not care about how many carb grams we think we ate. They will respond to the actual carb intake. That is why reading nutrition labels and keeping track of every net carb is important. For foods that are not prepackaged, there are websites with carb contents, by amount. Here are three of them;
https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/
https://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/search
https://nutritiondata.self.com/
Can't help with the jog problem. This forum's website has changed a couple times. Perhaps message Doug Verrier, the site owner for some instruction.
Bottom line, keep strict track of EVERY NET CARB you eat. With that knowledge, you'll know for sure that you are at 20 or less and how the food you eat is effecting your weight loss journey.
Tony
29
General Discussion / Re: Can I have some help jump-starting my dead low carb diet?
« Last post by vankjeff on April 24, 2020, 10:13:05 PM »Hi, Jeff!Thanks for your personal help. I think I'm learning some things.
First, follow the directions on the package of ketone test strips you purchased. There are subtle differences between brands.
Your ketone levels will vary day to day, even hour to hour. Sometimes, it may even be a bit low, like within a couple hours of eating. Therefore, measure your ketones the same time each day, like first thing each morning while you take care of morning business. This is also a good time to check weight.
An infamous weight gain "creep" is common. In my experience, well over 90% of the time, it's due to unintended intake of hidden carbs.
For example, take condiments like ketchup. On average, one tablespoon ketchup has about 4 net carb grams. That is equal to one teaspoon of sugar for each tablespoon of ketchup (or about 1/3).
CAREFULLY reading nutrition labels is CRITICAL to success!
Keep your net carb intake STRICTLY to 20 grams or less per day. That is Total Carbs - Fiber - Sugar Alcohols = Net Carbs.
I HIGHLY recommend keeping a journal of everything you eat and how much along with its net carb amount. This will help you learn about how your body responds to changes you make in your diet. With that, you can better control what you eat for best results.
Also pay attention to portion control. Our bodies have a mechanism to convert proteins into carbs. Overeating low or zero carb foods can cause weight gain when too much is eaten.
Not sure what's going with the jpg.
Hope this helps.
Tony
I am just following the Instructions that came with the Keto Strips that I bought but if you look at the box that I cut apart and scanned so I could show you, it only gives me 4 Instructions. There wasn't any printed Instructions in the box or a link to their website. So, I guess it's up to me to figure it all out. That's why I asked again for help.
So, why has it been consistently showing me as MODERATE 4.0 for 3 days now just after I wake up? Is that bad? Why does one side of the box say that I should see my doctor if I'm above 3.0? Is that for diabetic people or something?
When you said that "weight gain "creep" is common. In my experience, well over 90% of the time, it's due to unintended intake of hidden carbs", you got my attention. That's GOT to be what's going on. I'm a really firm believer in how cutting carbs can make you lose weight. Even though I think that I've been eating carb-free, obviously that's wrong.
When you mentioned ketchup for example, that really lit up my brain. I always add a packet of Ketchup on the In-n-Out Flying Dutchman (bunless) double burgers which I'd thought of as the ultimate Drive-Thru cheapie low-carb burger.
I do try to always look for carbs on the Nutritional Label or menu on everything I eat.
Here's a typical day:
*10am Atkin's shake, 12 oz Diet Coke & 1 special low carb cookie that I bake (a neat recipe I found)
*NOON 12 oz Diet Coke or finish this morning's after adding a little, small handful of Cashews or Mixed Nuts - salted only
*2pm Atkin's shake, 12 oz Diet Coke
*4pm 12 oz Diet Coke or finish after adding a little, small handful of Cashews or Mixed Nuts - salted only
*7pm frozen Atkins meal or homemade broiled chicken or In-n-Out Flying Dutchman (bunless) double burger or Weinerschnitzel Polish Sandwich (toss the bread)
So, in my mind, I've been eating less than 20grams of carbs a day. This had been working awesome for quite awhile and I steadily went from 222 down to 195, then I stalled but I realized that I'd been cheating so I fixed that, dropped all the way down to 175 and then I've rebounded recently back up to 186-188 without having changed a thing in how I was eating or exercising (not much as I'm disabled but I have a treadmill that I use now that the Stay At Home has my LA Fitness closed that I used to hit 2 or 3 times a week to do light lifting and a little aerobics bicycling)
When you say "Our bodies have a mechanism to convert proteins into carbs. Overeating low or zero carb foods can cause weight gain when too much is eaten.", I don't understand how I should use that information. I can say that I rarely feel hungry so is it possible that with as little physical things that I'm able to do, I should just be eating less and that suddenly that's what has happened to cause my weight loss to reverse itself?
As far as my difficulties adding a JPG image, I think that it is something to do with how this site treats uploaded images. Perhaps it needs to do something with them on a server or link it somehow before it will show it and that's why it just wouldn't show up when I hit PREVIEW but 10 minutes later it was there as an Attachment when I Refreshed my Browser?
I look forward to your answers. Thanks for the help.
30
General Discussion / Re: Can I have some help jump-starting my dead low carb diet?
« Last post by mouseissue on April 23, 2020, 04:11:53 PM »Hi, Jeff!
First, follow the directions on the package of ketone test strips you purchased. There are subtle differences between brands.
Your ketone levels will vary day to day, even hour to hour. Sometimes, it may even be a bit low, like within a couple hours of eating. Therefore, measure your ketones the same time each day, like first thing each morning while you take care of morning business. This is also a good time to check weight.
In infamous weight gain "creep" is common. In my experience, well over 90% of the time, it's due to unintended intake of hidden carbs.
For example, take condiments like ketchup. On average, one tablespoon ketchup has about 4 net carb grams. That is equal to one teaspoon of sugar for each tablespoon of ketchup (or about 1/3).
CAREFULLY reading nutrition labels is CRITICAL to success!
Keep your net carb intake STRICTLY to 20 grams or less per day. That is Total Carbs - Fiber - Sugar Alcohols = Net Carbs.
I HIGHLY recommend keeping a journal of everything you eat and how much along with its net carb amount. This will help you learn about how your body responds to changes you make in your diet. With that, you can better control what you eat for best results.
Also pay attention to portion control. Our bodies have a mechanism to convert proteins into carbs. Overeating low or zero carb foods can cause weight gain when too much is eaten.
Not sure what's going with the jpg.
Hope this helps.
Tony
First, follow the directions on the package of ketone test strips you purchased. There are subtle differences between brands.
Your ketone levels will vary day to day, even hour to hour. Sometimes, it may even be a bit low, like within a couple hours of eating. Therefore, measure your ketones the same time each day, like first thing each morning while you take care of morning business. This is also a good time to check weight.
In infamous weight gain "creep" is common. In my experience, well over 90% of the time, it's due to unintended intake of hidden carbs.
For example, take condiments like ketchup. On average, one tablespoon ketchup has about 4 net carb grams. That is equal to one teaspoon of sugar for each tablespoon of ketchup (or about 1/3).
CAREFULLY reading nutrition labels is CRITICAL to success!
Keep your net carb intake STRICTLY to 20 grams or less per day. That is Total Carbs - Fiber - Sugar Alcohols = Net Carbs.
I HIGHLY recommend keeping a journal of everything you eat and how much along with its net carb amount. This will help you learn about how your body responds to changes you make in your diet. With that, you can better control what you eat for best results.
Also pay attention to portion control. Our bodies have a mechanism to convert proteins into carbs. Overeating low or zero carb foods can cause weight gain when too much is eaten.
Not sure what's going with the jpg.
Hope this helps.
Tony