quick question

[Summer22]

my friend needs to only loose 5-10lbs and i was wondering if she should still go through induction?

[liv]

Re: quick question

Up to her. I think I would do it just to get a very basic starting point.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: quick question

Is your friend just using Atkins as a quick fix?

[liv]

Re: quick question

Is your friend just using Atkins as a quick fix?

So is it relevant what her intention is. I am not sure I am following the logic here (not that there was much to go on )

I started this diet as a quick fix - so what
Some of us just learn to love it slowly

[atkinsgal08]

Re: quick question

>>So is it relevant what her intention is. >>

It is to me ... as we know, Atkins isn't a quick fix diet. Those people who use it as a temporary "diet" will, most likely, find that their weight returns after they stop "Atkins".

If someone just wants to lose 5-10 pounds for some short term goal, then there might be better ways to do it than with Atkins.

If someone wants to do Atkins as a lifestyle choice, and they don't have much to lose, then that's different.

Starting with Atkins for Life might be all they would need.

[2big4mysize]

Re: quick question

your friend shouldn't get a giant loss from induction unless she has a very large glycogen store since she has so little to lose.

it is better to do induction just because the appetite supression will occur and assist her with the OWL carb climbing and learning portion controls. it is hard to eat a normal for your size serving of something when you are hungry and be satisfied.

[not2late]

Re: quick question

your friend shouldn't get a giant loss from induction unless she has a very large glycogen store since she has so little to lose.

it is better to do induction just because the appetite supression will occur and assist her with the OWL carb climbing and learning portion controls. it is hard to eat a normal for your size serving of something when you are hungry and be satisfied.

Additionally, with a 5-10 pound weight loss goal, your friend might not lose the same amounts of weight heavier folks do during Induction. So she shouldn't be discouraged if she loses 1 pound.

That said, she should move to OWL phase on Day 14 and continue with through the diet.

[poobears1972]

Re: quick question

If she just wants to lose 5-10 and not stay on. I would just help her do a low carb (not as strict as atkins). Cut out the crap and up the protein some and she'll probably take that much off. Then when she goes back to eating she may not have as dramatic of a gain. If she just does induction to get the weight off then goes back to carbing she'll probably put it right back on and maybe more.

So I do agree it depends on why she wants to do it wether it would be worth it or not.

[not2late]

Re: quick question

If she just wants to lose 5-10 and not stay on. I would just help her do a low carb (not as strict as atkins). Cut out the crap and up the protein some and she'll probably take that much off. Then when she goes back to eating she may not have as dramatic of a gain. If she just does induction to get the weight off then goes back to carbing she'll probably put it right back on and maybe more.

So I do agree it depends on why she wants to do it wether it would be worth it or not.

Atkins for Life addresses those people who are normal weight or who just want to lose a few pounds and do Atkins and the folks who have lost their weight and are trying to keep it off. The normal weights/few pounds to lose people still go through the weight loss phases, because as 2Big alluded, the phases get you ready for the Maintenance Phase.

Induction is only 1 of the 3 weight loss phases of Atkins. It lasts a minimum of 14 days. The chances are her loss during her Induction will be about 1/2 to 1 pound, so she will still have 9 pounds left to lose on OWL Phase and Pre-Maintenance.

One of the hardest things I've learned through my Atkins journey is trying to eat appropriately for my body. Induction doesn't really teach you that. And if you don't know how to eat appropriately, maintaining your weight will be difficult.

[poobears1972]

Re: quick question

That's kind of what I mean. Atkins for life is still teaching you how to do this for life. If that is not what she wants, if she just wants a quick drop for a special occassion then it won't help her. She would be better off with a different plan so when she goes off she doesn't have such a rapid gain. Did that make sense?

From the info provided it's not clear if she wants something long term or not though.

[not2late]

Re: quick question

That's kind of what I mean. Atkins for life is still teaching you how to do this for life. If that is not what she wants, if she just wants a quick drop for a special occassion then it won't help her. She would be better off with a different plan so when she goes off she doesn't have such a rapid gain. Did that make sense?

From the info provided it's not clear if she wants something long term or not though.

Well, in any "diet", if you do not stick with it, you will regain the weight. If you want long-term weight maintenance, whether you follow Atkins or Weight Watchers or Ornish and others, you will need to stick to it. Otherwise, you will only commit yourself to a lifetime of yo-yo dieting.

[poobears1972]

Re: quick question

I totally agree. But I've done WW and lost weight. Usually if I go off plan my weight still maintains for several months then slowly starts back on. If I go off plan on a low carb it will come back rapidly. Obviously for the long run I would rather do a restricted carb which is why I'm here. But the regain is not the same speed on all plans, at least in my experience it isn't. She'd be better off not doing something so carb strict so her body isn't use to having very restricted carbs if she's looking for a quick fix.

In the end she will regain no matter what she does if she goes back to old habits, no arguement there.

[not2late]

Re: quick question

If she's looking for a "quick fix" the chances are she won't stay on any plan long enough to maintain it longer than 1 year. and the chances are she will bounce between diets for the rest of her life, until she finally gets it into her head there is no such thing as a quick fix.

But Atkins is made for people who want to lose 10 pounds or 110 or more pounds. Dr. Atkins made no qualifications that "my diet is only for people who have more than 50 pounds to lose. Others with smaller weight loss goals should try something else blah blah blah."

[Summer22]

Re: quick question

i dont think she is looking for a "quick fix" because i know her fiance is going to do it and he has to lose about 60+ lbs and she would want to be supportive. With that said thank you all for the advice. She told me that she was just going to start from the beginning(induction) and move to each phase with her boo!! lol. thank you all so much for all the advice. sorry i was so vague i just assumed i would get yes or no answers. obviously a little more needed to be said and i didnt think things through enough.

oh and ill make sure she buys the book too so she can really see if it would be something she would make a lifetime comitment to.

[not2late]

Re: quick question

That's great news.

PS, tell her NOT to compare her loss with her fiance's loss. With little to lose, she might not get the same results as he does.