how long is too long?

[Pam_C]

How long is too long to be on induction? I have heard many greatly overweight people say they stayed on induction and never went off. Is this ok?
Pam

[LuvMy2Boys]

I've heard it's safe to be on induction for up to 6 months.

[not2late]

Re: how long is too long?

How long is too long to be on induction? I have heard many greatly overweight people say they stayed on induction and never went off. Is this ok?
Pam

Generally, no it's not okay. All of us have a Critical Carbohydrate Level for Losing/Maintenance. That number is critical to learn in order the maintain the weight loss. Loonatika hasn't found her CCLL yet and she's eating over 100 net carbs daily!

By going through the phases, you not only add/re-introduce food groups like fruit and grain, but you will also see how your body reacts to these foods and to the higher carb levels of these foods. When 2Big moved onto Pre-Maintenance and added foods in 10 net carb increments, some of her cravings returned.

Going back to the food groups. As you've noticed while on Induction, the Induction food list is rather limited. It eliminates grains, legumes, fruits, starchier vegetables, some cheese and non-cheese dairy products. All of these foods have vitamins and minerals that our bodies need. In addition to losing weight, our goal should include gaining health and maintaining health. Fruits aren't evil, starchy vegetables aren't evil, grains aren't evil. Eating too much of them is bad for our bodies. Eating the right amounts of them is good for our bodies---and it's in the other 2 weight loss phases that we learn the "right amounts" for our individual bodies.

Anyhow, Dr. Atkins wrote implicitly in the OWL chapters that the last 5-10 pounds must be spent in the Pre-Maintenance phase---again, so we learn how to keep the weight off. Considering that 9 out of 10 people regain the weight that they lost within one year of losing it, learning how to keep that weight off is even more important that losing it.

[ttdriver]

WHAT MEGS SAID!! :yes

Yes, don't be afraid to go beyond induction or your body will never learn to adapt to eating any differently and your metabolism will eventually catch on!!

4 Phases = Success!

Betty

[Pam_C]

I went back and re read DANDER. On page 161 he talks aboutCarol who stayed on induction for 2 years. It just depends on you and your body.

[not2late]

I went back and re read DANDER. On page 161 he talks aboutCarol who stayed on induction for 2 years. It just depends on you and your body.

Carol was also severely metabolically resistant to weight loss.

After your 14 day induction, you checked your degree of metabolic resistance to weight loss. If you have moderate to little metabolic resistance, then staying on Induction until goal might not be the best thing for you to do. Too many folks who do that either get bored with their Induction foods and fall off. Or they hit a plateau that's not relieved until they begin adding carbs back to their diet.

There are two goals in this weight loss game of ours: losing the weight and keeping that weight off. If you don't learn about your body and what it can and cannot handle, then the chances are great you'll have trouble maintaining your goal weight and all your hard work losing the weight would have been for nothing. You don't learn how to "eat in the real world" during Induction because your food choices are so limited---unless you have decided you will never eat fruit, starchy vegetables, grains, legumes, non-cheese dairy products, and nuts again.

I've no doubt some people can succeed in limiting their diets like that forever, but from what I've seen around here, most people can't.

[Pam_C]

Oh I agree Megs. I tried a few months ago to go on to OWL The first week I gained 3 pounds.The second week was 2 more. I don't lose weight easily and I have tried other diets. I know that muscle weighs more but that had not happened before. I am not bored with the way I eat actually I hate "new" foods. I like everything to be the same. The only difference in now and what I used to eat is the elimination of soda, pasta, and candy. Everything else is the same. I went from eating Ramen noodles 3 meal a day for weeks straight to salads and grilled chicken etc. Now I am stuck on salads but I try not to eat them all the time for every meal. I just wanted to make sure that it wasn't dangerous. I will move on again but not right now. I did follow the OWL to a T just kept on gaining.

[not2late]

Oh I agree Megs. I tried a few months ago to go on to OWL The first week I gained 3 pounds.The second week was 2 more. I don't lose weight easily and I have tried other diets. I know that muscle weighs more but that had not happened before. I am not bored with the way I eat actually I hate "new" foods. I like everything to be the same. The only difference in now and what I used to eat is the elimination of soda, pasta, and candy. Everything else is the same. I went from eating Ramen noodles 3 meal a day for weeks straight to salads and grilled chicken etc. Now I am stuck on salads but I try not to eat them all the time for every meal. I just wanted to make sure that it wasn't dangerous. I will move on again but not right now. I did follow the OWL to a T just kept on gaining.

Did you follow your daily calories after the 3 pound gain in one week? For you to gain one pound you have to be eating 3500 calories in addition to what you were already eating. If you weren't eating excessive calories, then the gains might have been water retention.

If neither of these things were the problem, then you might be one of those very few people who are so metabolically resistant (the amount of weight you lost during your first 14 days would have told you what your degree of resistance is) whose CCLL is 20 net carbs or less.

If that's the case, then I would advice you to move up the Carb Ladder, just to add variety and to add in other food groups. Remember, once you get to Maintenance, all food groups will be open to you and unless you plan to eat only Induction foods for the rest of your life

[Ailah]

I was on induction for four months, then I went on to OWL and my body grabbed ahold of all the carbs it got and I gained/bloated. I was miserable. I recently lost 5 pounds, but I gained them back in a few days despite not changing my diet at all. It's water, but it's not going away.

I'm at a plateau. But if I add carbs I gain. So it's either stuck or gaining. It's insane.

Yes, I have the book, yes I've read it, no, I don't cheat. My body is fighting me... But I'm not planning to give up, that's for sure.

[Pam_C]

I had to eat very little carbs and workout excesively to lose what I have. I did speak to my doctor about previous medications I was on for years and he said that my not losing weight could be do to what they did to my system and my body in general. Heart disease runs in my family and I had to lose weight for medical reasons. My doctor like so many other people is familiar with atkins but not an expert. I was on an extreme diet with less than 1000 calories and still struggled with weight loss and that is not practical. In a day I never eat over 1200 calories usually and that is not because I count calories it just comes out that way. I can't workout all day and my progress is slow but steady at this point. I know the scale is evil but my BMI when I started was off the scale. It is better now but I have a lot to go to be in a healthy range. I appreciate all the responses and I will try OWL again but I think I will wait a couple more weeks.

[not2late]

I was on induction for four months, then I went on to OWL and my body grabbed ahold of all the carbs it got and I gained/bloated. I was miserable. I recently lost 5 pounds, but I gained them back in a few days despite not changing my diet at all. It's water, but it's not going away.

I'm at a plateau. But if I add carbs I gain. So it's either stuck or gaining. It's insane.

Yes, I have the book, yes I've read it, no, I don't cheat. My body is fighting me... But I'm not planning to give up, that's for sure.

So you added on 5 net carbs of one food every other day for one week. Weighed and measured to see if that food/carb level affected you. Then tried that one food at 5 net carbs daily for another week and your body couldn't handle 5 net carbs above your current Induction level.

Did you post your problem in the OWL forum to have us look over your menu?

[ttdriver]

If you find that you gain weight by adding back in the good carbs as described in the book, then you may need to revisit how much FAT you are eating ... as you increase your carbs, you will need to cut back on the fat. Fat is high in calories and those calories add up quickly in combination with the extra carbs.

Remember, Dr. Atkins said "I never said calories don't count, because they do, its just that carbs count more.'

Watch your portions/fat/calories and increase your exercise ...

Betty

[Pam_C]

If you find that you gain weight by adding back in the good carbs as described in the book, then you may need to revisit how much FAT you are eating ... as you increase your carbs, you will need to cut back on the fat. Fat is high in calories and those calories add up quickly in combination with the extra carbs.

Remember, Dr. Atkins said "I never said calories don't count, because they do, its just that carbs count more.'

Watch your portions/fat/calories and increase your exercise ...

Betty

I will look into that. I admit I might have missed a few things in the book because I am constantly running after my 3 yr old. That is why I have decided to re-read the book more carefully than before. That is also why I like these forums. I keep learning more everyday. I think I will try OWL again. I would like to add I am not in it for how I look but it is all about my health. I am going to rely more on my tape measure this time. Thanks.
Pam

[Kent]

Re: how long is too long?

How long is too long to be on induction? I have heard many greatly overweight people say they stayed on induction and never went off. Is this ok?
Pam

Pam I was on Extended Induction for a year. I am still eating basically the same Acceptable Foods List items I was before with additions being very occassional, like berries or ricotta cheese. The point of OWL is important as you see how foods you add will affect you. However, I don't believe it is important to try every food just to check, but in the same token, you'll need to test the new foods you add. Each new food at that time may be a new untested trigger food.

If you accept the AFL foods, you can certainly stay on Induction for much longer than 2 weeks or even 6 months. Breaking the monotony because you were tempted or bored without the benefit of the rungs is less likely to promote success. No one can read if you are one to likely hop off or hop back on, but you have to know yourself. I am pretty assured in my ability to write off grains or beans, but one person does not make a unversal truth.

One more thing, the good doc allowed for the addition of 1 oz of nuts and seeds for those continuing Induction after the first 14 days. Portion control remains important with any possible snacking foods.

[Pam_C]

Bowulf,
That is just it. I am not bored with my eating habits and actually I really like it. There are enough foods that I can eat that I am not getting bored. I am a picky eater anywayand I like things to stay the same I just didn't want to jeopardize my health for a few pounds. Thanks I feel much better.
Pam