[PookPook]

Back when I was 'dieting' and looking primarily at the fat content of food, I realized that trying to count the fat grams in everything I ate and then total them up at then end of the day was not going to work for me, so I came up with a simple calculation. Wanting to keep my total fat intake to around 10% of my total calories, I made a rule for myself that at 9 calories per gram of fat, then if something had more than 1 gram of fat per 100 calories, I wasn't going to put it into my mouth. Easy enough, as I'm a pretty conscientious label reader.

Now that I'm going to be starting the two-week pre-op low-carb liver-shrinking (enough hyphens? ) diet in a few days, I was wondering what constitutes "low-carb," and would like to come up with a smiliar calculation to avoid having to total up everything at the end of the day. The hospital gave me a sample one-day menu, but I'd like to be able to do the math on my own. Is there a certain recommended percentage of total calorie intake that can't be exceeded? Are there other factors to consider when determining whether something is low-carb, such as whether they're simple or complex, or how much fat is also included?

All insights appreciated. Thanks!

[Perfesser]

In the 2-week induction phase of Atkins the goal is less than 20 g of carbs a day, then it can be slowly increased as you progress from phase to phase.

As a matter of information, your brain can only metabolize carbs, and it needs 90 g daily. Any more than that may a) kill your progress and b) possibly go into storage.

CT

[PookPook]

Thanks, CT. I'd been thinking that the same way 'low-fat' is calculated by percentage of fat calories from total calories, 'low-carb' could be calculated the same way.

Thanks to your explanation, I understand the number of total daily carbs allowed and required. I was just wondering what constitutes a low-carb food. For instance, 100 grams of Heinz ketchup has 120 calories, of which 30 grams are carbs. At 4 calories per carb gram, it's 100% carbs, so this particular ketchup is clearly not a low-carb food, no matter how much or little of it you use.

Is 50% considered low-carb? 25%? 5%? Or am I approaching the whole thing incorrectly?

And I've got to ask: How do people in the induction phase of Atkins get their brains to function for those two weeks on 20 daily grams of carbs?

[Perfesser]

In one sense, "low-carb" is anything the marketing folks say it is. Commercially it has as much meaning as "low-fat" or "lite". From a practical point of view, low-carb is a food that supports your goal of not eating too many of them.

Not all carbs are created equal, though. There are refined carbs and there are complex carbs. Most white foods (bread, rice, potatoes, etc.) are refined. That means that they are a short metabolic step from being blood sugar. They hit the bloodstream hard and fast. You ever had a "sugar rush"? They are easily stored, too, as the liver converts them to fat and sends them to the warehouse.

Complex carbs require a lot more digesting to be utilized. Whole grains are a great example. They are metabolized much more slowly, allowing them to be utilized without causing a spike in your blood sugar levels. Do a search on these two and see what's been said over the years here.

On Atkins, for the first week you're too cranky to notice that your brain is starving , and then your body converts to a fat-burning metabolism and you stabilize. I went through this phase twice over the years, and don't remember my brain being any more scattered than normal! Must be magic or sumpin'!

CT

[PookPook]

So if I understand correctly, the takeaway message is that whatever few carbs you're allowed, best to make them have to work for their keep. Makes sense.

Your explanations are really helping me put this all together. Thanks again, CT!

[Tricia Igo]

I just looked at my old spark people page because I thought that I was supposed to be having less than 100g of carbs for the day - BUT that's not true it was 213 to 256.... I'm feeling better about the carbs now.

[Emmasnana]

Many years ago I followed the Protein Power book/program that allows 40 grams of carbs a day. I did 10 each at meals and 5 2Xday for snacks. I lost 60 pounds in 5 months. First few days you may have headaches and feel strange but after that it's easy.