Here we are into a brand new month.
I like to start new months with new goals. So my goal for this month will be to try at least one new L/C recipe a week.
I got one of the books I ordered yesterday. It is by Sharron Long. "Lo-Carb Cuisine. 250....recipes....10 grams or less of carbs.
The only problem I'm seeing is that many of the recipes contain soy powder. I'm supposed to restrict soy, so will see if there is something else I can sub for it.
If anyone knows, thanks in advance.

Bumping this up.
I found a PPL book at a charity store today. The hardcover for $2.50 and I got a senior citizen discount off that
I'm choosing Hedonist to start out with.
It looks like I need 34 g protein a meal, total 102 grams per day.
May need to play with that, cause sometimes I eat more often than that. 4 or 5 mini meals.
It looks to me as though I can eat anything I want, as long as I never eat over 10 net carbs at a time. Total net carbs are 40 per day.
And the EEC is grams of carbs- grams of fiber-grams of sugar alcohols.
Hmmmm, think I could get all my carbs from wine and beer?
Ducking!!!! J/K!!!!! Maybe

Beth, you have your assessment of how to eat according PPLP correct! As a matter of fact, we have the same protein amount (that number covers a wide range as you'll see by the chart) so it's the same approach I take. As for the carbs, believe me when I tell you I wanted my carbs to be beer today after being without power for over 12 hours!!!!!!!!!! haha But anyhow, you can certainly include alchohol in your allotment as long as you keep in mind that minimizing it may help you in terms of weight loss. You'll have to see how your body responds and just keep it in mind. Oh and I should clarify I have over 40 carbs for the day as I've recently decided to just live a more "maintenance" style life, using calories and exercise to help as well. We'll see about that. Anyhow, looks like you're off to a great start. Enjoy the read and this new WOE!

Thanks for the nice response, Lisa.
I averaged 37 net carbs a day last week, and lost 1/2 a lb. But I'm not trying to dump this really fast and then gain it all back when I get sick of not eating what I enjoy, so I'm "starting as I plan to continue". And amazingly, the 1/2 lb loss was on an average of 1667 cals/day. And I have lost a bit off my hips.
I need to change my profile.

Hi,

I am trying to figure out my new daily protien/carb intake. Can someone tell me the formula to figure it out?? I did the PP plan a few years ago, and I can't find my book. I am stalled after almost two weeks and losing 10 pounds the first week and none this last week. I'm new to this forum, I think its really going to help me to have tis support !!

Thanks,
Tracy

I am liking this new plan! I have had some days that I ate too many carbs but I didn't go on an all out binge because of it which is a big problem for me. I feel like I can get right back on the horse! On Adkins I would eat too many carbs and know that I knocked myself out of ketosis so then I would give up and binge and gain, gain, gain. Now on this plan I am not even thinking ketosis just healthy eating and feeling great!

I do have a headache today so I am going over what I ate and drank yesterday to see if there is a reason or if I am just tired.

My goal this month is to get into a eating and exercise routine.

I hope this thread keeps going because it is a great motivator!!

Tracy, I haven't got my PP book yet, but my PPL says 34 grams protein each meal for a minimum total of 102 grams. From what I've read on the forum, that is higher than what the earlier book would have required.
Hope someone can give you the exact formula.
And welcome. The more the merrier.

Teresa, I did eat too many on some days, and less on others. I'm shooting for a nice average over the week. Otherwise, I'm afraid I'll end up obsessing about trying to hit an exact number every day.
I'm just reading the exercise part in PPL. I think I'll start with one type for week, and then add another.
So this week will be the stretches.
I too hope this thread stays active. I need all the help I can get. And I still feel guilty when I eat fat. I hid the calorie column in my Fitday program so I quit freaking out.

I came by to welcome Teresa and check in. I was MIA on this thread for awhile and now I'm trying to check in more often. Teresa, welcome and happy to hear you're already feeling better eating this way. Isn't it amazing how food affects our bodies? Honestly I think PPLP taught me SO much more than how to best lose the weight...to me my overall health is the most important thing and I truly believe weight loss is a happy side effect of it.

Beth, you're right on the money with finding ways to relax and believe in what you're doing, rather than pick apart the numbers of what you eat or the scale or whatever. I think it's critical not to "obsess" over any aspect of your WOE. I know I've hovered at the edge of that with weighing myself and using FitDay. I think that doing these things is important, especially when you start out, so you have some kind of hard evidence as to how your body is changing. And I still weigh myself and take measurements, but I keep it to about once a week. But you have to know yourself and what will set you off because sometimes what could be good can turn ugly.

As for FitDay, I've actually stopped plugging in food because I am so pressed for time, but it was absolutely a Godsend when I first started so I could properly track and -- as importantly -- be HONEST with myself and TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for what I ate. I do still track weight and measurements in there, but since I've been tweaking my WOE for the longest time...and after having a baby in January, realizing I needed to adjust it again...I felt I could try stepping back and going more intuitively. I have a ballpark number of calories for the day and within it I've found I just naturally, without trying because of my PPLP influenced WOE, also fall into a range of carbs too (50-100). I know very well what portion sizes are now, having weighed and measured for so long. I used calorieking.com and other resources to help guide me, but honestly I've studied this stuff so long that I know most of it intrinscially. So I decided it was time to "test" myself and just literally go with my gut.

Also, I buy very specific, high quality foods. Though I've mentioned this before, I'll repeat the details for the benefit of those who are new here. I tend to eat more carbs -- and more of a variety -- than most, including grains. But my goal is whole grains, no HFCS, no trans fats. I buy eggs that are either cage free or have extra Omega 3 (depends on what's on sale). I buy nitrate free bacon and ham for sandwiches. I eat dairy, but have changed to make it more of a condiment to my meals than the crux of them. I watch ingredient labels very closely and when reduced fat dairy is an option (like Jarlsberg swiss or Breakstone's, neither of whom puts added crap in their RF dairy) I will choose that as well. Again, I'm searching for an overall balance of moderate calories and carbs. I don't eat low fat, but I make moderate fat choices. I cook eggs with butter, but it's premeasured. I used olive oil to cook, but I'm careful with the amount. I use mayo on my sandwiches - again, measured. And at this point it really doesn't take any longer because I've gotten so good at eyeballing. And the real key is I eat what I love. I enjoy a sandwich at lunch with 100% natural "health nut" bread by Arnold with nitrate free ham and RF swiss and 1tbsp mayo. It's about 400 calories and about 30 net carbs. Yes, some LCers here would shudder at that, but oh well. It's utterly satisfying to me and since my breakfast is much lower in carbs (primarily protein/fat) and my dinner is a good balance, it works out.

Again, I'll be a broken record, by saying that finding what works for YOU is the key. I struggled after having my son to find my way back to LCing and I realized that I was trying too hard to eat like others eat. I did try things I'd loved before, but also realized I didn't love them like I did before. I'd changed and I needed to respect that in order to find a WOE I could truly live with the rest of my life. Part of this, to be very clear, also involves a challenging but very enjoyable exercise program (details in my gym log) as well.

Beth's quote about "starting as [she] plan[s] to continue" is the key and it's exactly what I do. It reminds me of a baby book I read (Secrets of the Baby Whisperer) where she advises that the way to raise your child is to "start as you mean to go on". Just like I gave my 2-week old a bedtime routine (and everyone chided me, but they can stop laughing since he goes to bed without fuss and sleeps through the night) I'm also eating in a way I intend to the rest of my life, allowing for tweaks here and there. And yeah, it's slow going. But slow and steady is supposed to win the race, right?

Morning all.
Lisa I loved your post. As far as how many carbs you eat, I read once that Atkins ate about 100 carbs a day.
Been trying to fight off a summer cold and it won. Woke up with a sore throat, earache and runny nose.
Made one of the concoctions in the PPL book for breakfast. Think I'll run to the post office and then take some more Thera Flu and go back to bed.
Hope everyone is doing well.

If you're looking for online calculators which give very close approximations of the LBM calculation method for figuring protein intake from the original PP book, try the ones at the Wake Forest Baptist University Medical Center:
http://www.besthealth.com/Health+Calculators/

The Waist-to-hip ratio calculator is exactly the same as the one in the first PP book.

The Protein Calculator, while it requests some slightly different information, ends up being very close to the recommendations from the original PP book. To figure out your frame size, wrap your thumb and middle finger around the wristbone of your opposite hand. If your fingers overlap, you're small-framed. If fingers touch, you're medium framed. If your fingers don't meet, you're large framed.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Gaelen & Everyone!

The only problem I usually have is the wrist calculation is not accurate for me. I think of myself as med to lg framed because I've always been told i was "big boned". I wear a size 10 shoe, I have wide shoulders, 5'7, long fingers size 7 ring finger. BUT I have VERY skinny wrist an ankles. So my finger and thumb overlap when I do this calculation. I am definately NOT small framed. Actually, since my wrist and ankles are soooo skinny, they make my feet and hands look even BIGGER..lol lol lol. Its always made me self conscious of how big my feet are.

Anyway, I usually put med framed due to this odd measurement. This all really helps me out, I may have been getting all this confused because I have read soo many low carb books. The Zone book, really seem to confuse me more than anything, the "food blocks" that is. But the rest of the book was very helpful. I really enjoyed PP & PPL.

Blessings,
Tracy

Lisa,

I just wanted to say, I love your last post. I feel it's true, that you know what is best for you, and you know ,as I that if you don't enjoy what your eating, you most likely won't stick to it for life. That is my goal, to stay fit for life and feel better. That, for me, also includes eating higher quality foods.



Also, about your son's bedtime. I have 3 children 9, 7 & 3.
I have had them all on a bedtime routine since they were born, and they all go to bed without a fuss at the same time every night.
Now my last child took a bit longer because she had colic and reflux, (God bless my soul!!) But I just kept with the routine.
Most people that happen to be here when bedtime comes, can't believe how smooth and fast bedtime goes around here for us!


Blessings,
Tracy

This is the end of my first week on PPLP and I have lost 2 pounds on my scale. I still attend WW meetings and tonight will be my official weigh in. I am telling everyone that I am following the CORE plan at WW just so they don't start in on me about my eating plan.

I know that I didn't lose a huge amount the first week on this plan as opposed to the large amounts I lost on Adkins induction but I feel better and I get to eat fruit!! Yea!!

I could have followed the plan better, I had a couple meals that were a little carb heavy but in the long run I did good. I am just happy to be able to get right back on plan the next meal not binge for days on end and then hate myself for losing control!! I am hoping to get back to my goal slow and steady!!

Teresa, awesome job on the pounds lost but most especially your focus. You have the right idea. It's not about going "off" and "on"...it's about eating well and having the flexibility to make the most of every day and treat your body right. Going slowly is part of that and I truly believe it's the better path to take. Funny how you mentioned explaining what you do as "WW CORE" so people don't get on your case. I know there are tons of threads out there about this very thing, but I have to laugh when you say "low carb" to someone and they get all weird on you but if you explain how you eat (sufficient lean protein, lots of vegetables and salads, limited grains, low sugar) and you get people nodding in approval. Honestly, it's just semantics. I told my mom's doctor recently how I eat and he said "everyone should eat that way, not just you" and gave his blessing for me to get my Mom to eat that way to help control some rising sugar (pre-diabetic) concerns. Ok, I'm starting to digress. My point is, you keep at it and keep the faith this is the right path - you're doing great!

Tracy, thanks for the support and affirmation about the parenting approach. Any chance you might've read On Becoming Babywise? That and Secrets of the Baby Whisperer were both integral parts of my approach to parenting. They really resonated with me. As you can probably tell from my posts I'm all about life balance and proper focus and I want to set a good example for my son. I think so far so good.