I was reading the latest Atkins book before I start to change my life next Friday and have a question or two.

In the book, a table lists all the weight goals per height. Are those legit? Have they been updated. I am 5'8", 200lbs. Now I know I can loose 20 lbs, but I have no idea where on my body I am going to find another 15. Just curious.

Does anyone know how many carbs are in a tbsp of Kethup? I suppose it is not good. But I love it.

Thank you to anyone that replies

Hi Dougie and welcome to Lowcarb.ca

Ketchup is higher in carbs than most condiments, I'm not sure how much more (I havent used it in months!) there is a great carb counter on this site, though. At the top of every page under "low carb tools" you'll find the carbohydrate counter. It's up to date and quite easy to use.

As for the weight charts in the book, all I can say is your 'ideal' weight should be the weight at which you are most comfortable. Your body should find that weight with LCing. Most weight charts do not take into account people with higher than normal amounts of muscle. You are the best judge of what is best for you.

Happy LCing and best of luck!
Nat

My comment about ketchup is that it is high insugar content. I would suggest looking for a low-carb one [ there will be recipes too] It might be a good alternative.

Dougie--what I have found is that some of the foods I once loved for their sugar content, I now can take or leave in their LC version.

The table I use for weight says you should weigh 140-172, depending on your frame. But I wouldn't worry about your goal weight now. Just get on the plan and make a commitment to it for a lifetime. You can't use it as a diet--in fact, NO diet works in the long term, including Atkins used as a diet. If we return to the way we ate that got us fat, we'll just get fat again--and then the next time we try to lose, our bodies will resist. As you get slimmer and stay on plan, you'll figure out where you feel best--and then you'll slowly add back fruits and higher-carb veggies until you quit losing.

But for now, it's just one day at a time--avoiding sugar, grains, milk, and the other high-carb foods. Men usually lose quickly, so I envy you the experience you're likely to have!

Here's a ketchup recipe:

2 cups Tomato Paste
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1 t oregano
1/8 t cumin
1/8 t nutmeg
1/8 t pepper
1/2 t dry mustard
dash garlic powder