What is the purpose of extending induction?

[ThinAgain]

This might be a dumb question, but what is the purpose of extending Phase 1? Is it mainly for people who feel they could lose more weight...or is it something else?

[Oceana55]

Re: Newbies and Mentors Meet Here

For me, extending phase one isn't about speeding up my weight loss; I'm maintaining a two pound per week loss with extended induction. To tell the truth, I'm doing so well, eating healthier than ever before, that I'm afraid to go onto the next level. But I don't feel like its just fear. I'm feeling great, have incorporated cardio and weight training and its almost a don't fix it if it ain't broke feeling I have. I used to be a major pot head, (21 1/2 years ago) into drinking and other drugs. There have been a lot of times that I thought "I could probably have a glass of wine..." and I don't take it any further than that because my life has only gotten better since I quit. And so that's sort of how I'm feeling right now with this. I've never been able to eat carbs in a manageable way without feeling deprived and having to battle cravings. I know that the whole purpose of induction is to break the carb addiction, but I'm just not ready to risk setting it off again. I did have a couple of slips right near the beginning with a scone and berries, but I haven't had any cravings the past three or four weeks. Hopefully I will feel confident enough eventually but having had the experience of breaking addictions (I also used to be a smoker) I am adamant about not wanting to be in their thrall again.

[phil h]

Re: What is the purpose of extending induction?

14 weeks of extended induction for me.I am amazed the way my body has reshaped.I am 53 but my body looks pretty good for an old man.I did Atkins several years ago and followed it to the letter.Lost 45 lbs but as I started reintroducing carbs back,it seemed like overnight ,the hunger roared back to life and I gained it all back plus very quickly. You don't have to look very far on the forums to see folks who did the same thing as me.Induction is great, but OWL is another story.Maybe others can do it, and that 's great for them.I learned my lesson though.Another thing is the way my body has reponded to the carb restrictions.Although I actually weighed less before than I do now, I look different. No prominent love handles.Before I was a minature version of what I looked like before I started losing.Little pot belly, handles, thin legs and arms.Now I have that lean look all over.A totally different look than before.Not sure how much more I will lose before I level off.I would think another 15-20 lbs, which is 6-9% more.Another positive is that I have become keto adapted.Urine checks are always negative.I still have that bubbling energy and powerful appetite suppression.Ketones are my primary energy source.I look forward to every morning as a little more fat has been trimmed.Good luck to all.Phil

[Georgiana]

Re: What is the purpose of extending induction?

This might be a dumb question, but what is the purpose of extending Phase 1? Is it mainly for people who feel they could lose more weight...or is it something else?

The people who may benefit from extended Induction are those who have a lot to lose or are very metabolically resistant. For those with a high metabolic resistance, a longer Induction phase will give time to correct for metabolic imbalances developed over time.

If you do not have a lot of weight to lose, Dr. Atkins advised it is better to "advance to OWL, so you can cycle through all the phases of the program."

[Oceana55]

Re: What is the purpose of extending induction?

Phil, I know exactly what you mean. That is the very thing I was explaining. And I'm not looking at this as a temporary thing, this is a lifestyle change though I would like to introduce some fruits. Its the starchy carbs that kill me and take over.

And Georgiana, thats good to know. I think I might be resistent and I'm sure there are a lot of metabolic imbalances to sort out. And of course, I am trying to lose more than one hundred pounds, so it all makes sense.
Thanks to both.

[IrishIrish]

Re: What is the purpose of extending induction?

Dr. Atkins devotes a chapter in DANDR 2002 to those who are asking themselves whether they should move on to OWL or remain in Induction. I think it is "must" reading like the rest of DANDR 2002.

[FwL]

Re: What is the purpose of extending induction?

Myself, I feel like 3 weeks in and I'm still just getting started. It wasn't until the end of this last week that some of my sugar blues started to dissipate, my mood started improving, appetite getting under control, etc...

I also feel it is going to take me a little more time to fine tune what I'm eating... still finding hidden sugar in foods... that sort of thing. I can't even imagine going into OWL 1 without first getting some sort of baseline established with induction.