The Transition from Induction to OWL

[kkat55]

I was just curious and wanted to ask those of you out there...when you switched from Induction to OWL did you notice any stalls or gains immediately?

My concern is that when I finish going through Induction (whether extended or not) and start adding in the five additional carbs that my weight loss will stop. I worry that my body will be conditioned for the 20 grams of carbs and won't be able to handle the five additional. (I'll be stuck on the 20 grams for life!)

If possible, please let me know of your experience going from Induction to Ongoing Weight Loss. I appreciate it. It is nice to know what to expect.

Thanks!

Kat

[mjett37]

Re: The Transition from Induction to OWL

Well here's my two cents and along with the help of the nice people in OWL who have helped me along the way the thing that stalls me is nuts, I don't care which ones I have tried it stalls me, so I have them sparingly or not at all, I have been on the starchy rung for past three weeks and only tried corn on the cob, didn't stall me but I haven't had anything else from this rung, not so ready to move to the last rung because don't want the weight loss to stop. But I believe my transition from induction to OWL has been a good one I am able to choose from a variety of foods and if I don't like something on the OWL rung I don't eat it, and on OWL my food is not limited like induction, I am still working out my cccl, Good Luck to you

[kkat55]

Re: The Transition from Induction to OWL

So, mjett37, you still lost weight as you added in the five grams of additional carbs (only not when you ate nuts)?

I had done Induction in the past, but never went on to OWL.

Thanks for the info. I appreciate it.

~Kat

[not2late]

Re: The Transition from Induction to OWL

I was just curious and wanted to ask those of you out there...when you switched from Induction to OWL did you notice any stalls or gains immediately?

My concern is that when I finish going through Induction (whether extended or not) and start adding in the five additional carbs that my weight loss will stop. I worry that my body will be conditioned for the 20 grams of carbs and won't be able to handle the five additional. (I'll be stuck on the 20 grams for life!)

If possible, please let me know of your experience going from Induction to Ongoing Weight Loss. I appreciate it. It is nice to know what to expect.

Thanks!

Kat

If you read through Chapters 12 and 13 of DANDR2002, you'll see there's a chart that estimates your degree of metabolic resistance to weight loss. Check your 14 day induction results with that chart.

Your degree of metabolic resistance gives you an idea of how many carbs you may be able to eat during OWL, in addition to giving you an idea of how "fast" or "slow" a loser you are. Just remember these two things: 1. as you get smaller and as you replace your fat cells with muscle, your metabolism can increase, so you might be able to tolerate a higher level of carbs and 2. the idea of being "fast" or "slow" isn't concrete either. I lost 9.5 pounds during my Induction, which put me at average to low metabolic resistance and I'm a "slow loser".

So check your 14 day results with the metabolic resistance chart. See what your degree is. Then flip to Chapter 14 DANDR and look at the approximate CCLL ranges for your level of metabolic resistance.

Unless you are highly metabolically resistant, you should be able to tolerate 5 additional net carbs without any problems.

Also, you might want to keep this in mind. Some folks notice a mini-stall between weeks 3 to 6 of this diet. So if you are moving from the 14 day Induction to OWL, I would stay on the 5 extra net carbs for weeks 3-6 just to make sure if you do hit this mini-stall, you won't panic and run back to Induction. Frankly, I've only noticed this mini-stall to occur in the folks who choose to stay on the Extended Induction, and not the people who move immediately into OWL.

[cajunthunder]

Re: The Transition from Induction to OWL

So far, nothing stalls me, and I eat from pretty much all of the rungs - just not regularly from some of them. I eat based on what sounds good on a particular day. I eat anywhere from 20-45 net carbs, but mostly I stay around 25-30 range. This is the week before TOM, so I go from feeling like I'm gonna puke at the idea of food, to wanting to eat the kitchen table, and I don't know how many carbs are in my table, so I've gotta find something else to satisfy the munchie monster.

I guess I'm what would be called a slow loser.... so far, the scale moves 1 week out of 4. I know why though - I burn the fat out of the fat cells those other 3 weeks, but my body fills them back up with water. Then in that 4th week, it decides that I'm really not gonna fill them back up with fat, so it lets go of the water and I lose 2-4 lbs, then the cycle starts over again.

Of course, now that I've figured that out, I'm sure it will decide it would be great fun to confuse me again and change up it's routine.

[kkat55]

Re: The Transition from Induction to OWL

Thanks not2late and cajunthunder for your replies.


Thank you also for letting me know where to find more info on this subject. It has concerned me (even when I did Induction last year) I was a little worried about the transition (and had read the book).


At least from hearing from those who replied let me know what to expect.


Thank you all.


~Kat~

[diamond girl]

Re: The Transition from Induction to OWL

kkat,
I started OWL after 3 weeks of induction (and a 10 lb. loss). At that time I was consuming about 13 net carbs a day. I decided to move on because I was getting bored and needed more food choices.
My experience with OWL has been very positive. I still lost an average of 2 lbs. a week and enjoyed a variety of foods.
Although I have met my goal, I still am losing about a 1/2 pound a week without really trying.
The big bonus was discovering that I can eat approximently 100 carbs a day and still lose weight.
I hope that you too will enjoy the transition.

[kkat55]

Re: The Transition from Induction to OWL

Wow! diamond girl, what a great testimony to how this plan works. I've been reved up to start and we finally will tomorrow. My husband wanted us to go through this week and the weekend and eat up some of the foods that we had in the house that may tempt us (mac & cheese, ice cream, pasta, etc.) so now we should be pretty "safe" from temptation.

Thanks for sharing your experience!!

~Kat~

[not2late]

Re: The Transition from Induction to OWL

kat,I've found that the "tempting foods" aren't as tempting anymore during OWL. When you go through the Rungs, you'll find foods that "scratch that itch" so to speak.

See, if you want something sweet, instead of being tempted by cake or cookies or pie or candy, you can have fruit or fresh fruit sorbets (frozen fruit tossed in food processor and processed with a little heavy cream). If you want something "carby" you can add legumes or even whole grains to satisfy that.

That's why I really feel sorry for the folks who languish in Extended Induction---they're cheating themselves out of alot of variety, nutrients and taste sensations. Nothing is sadder for me than to read one of them post that they "cheated" by eating a few strawberries or that they couldn't stand watching their family eat corn on the cob, etc. And I get really frustrated at the folks who mistakenly think the entire Atkins diet is Induction and begin to slam the diet because " on Atkins, you can't eat fruit, nuts, legumes, carrots, and grains." These foods are "
legal" on Atkins OWL.

So move into OWL, and enjoy the FULL benefits of this diet. When you do, you'll realize why Dr. Atkins said that his diet had alot of variety and didn't deprive anyone of good, wholesome foods.

[kkat55]

Re: The Transition from Induction to OWL

What a GREAT message, not2late!!

Thanks!!

[cruiser gal]

Re: The Transition from Induction to OWL

Kat, I started OWL 3 weeks ago tomorrow, after being in extended induction for just over 5 months. I wish I would've know months ago, that being in OWL would be so easy, and the variety of foods would be so great, almost feel like I am cheating! I have been losing between 2 1/2 and 3 lbs a week on OWL. I'm starting the nuts rung, and then in a couple of weeks the fruit one, I can hardly wait, as I'll be on vacation then, and will enjoy that fruit for sure! I haven't had any stalls with the introduction of the new foods, and hope it continues as such. Good luck to you on OWL, you'll love it!!!

[kkat55]

Re: The Transition from Induction to OWL

WOW! Cruiser gal this is so encouraging!! Thank you so much for letting me know how easy it is to switch from one phase to the other. I feel much better about it now.

You made my day!

~Kat~

[2big4mysize]

Re: The Transition from Induction to OWL

if you really look at what you are going to do it isn't so scary. you are going to add back to your menu 20 usable calories worht of low glycemic foods in a controlled manner for 2 weeks and see what happens with you being both the experimentor and the experimentee. You are specail rules to help keep you safe like not eating a new to you food more then 3 times the first week you eat that food so you can se its effect and control any bad effect it has on you in a very quick manner to keep your ketosis and craving control in tact. Not a very scary thing when you look at it like that. Once you have added the rung then you can use it in your daily menu whenever you want but you don't have to eat it every day.
While you do this you continue to eat your healthy 3 cups of induction veggies, you keep your protein intake the same and you slightly lower your fat intake as you add more of the healthy low GI carb foods. You will be getting in better shape with your exercising going for longer periods of time at a higher rate so your GAP between your current eating and your CCLL will be increasing at the start too keeping your weight loss at about the same amount per week as those doing extended induction get.
Sooooooooo now that it isn't so scary what are you waiting for?

Happy OWLing.

[kkat55]

Re: The Transition from Induction to OWL

These were great responses to my question I posted last year. I thought I'd bump it in case any one was questioning their move up the rungs.

Last year I didn't move up and my DH (and I) got bored with the foods and eventually went off the program.

I'm back on again, on the Dairy Rung, and am really enjoying it this time -- especially with the "cheat-free" thread going.

I hope everyone is having a great day!

[abbellire]

Re: The Transition from Induction to OWL

Thanks KKat! This prevented me from starting another "I'm nervous about OWL post."

I just started OWL Rung 1 today... I'm nervous about it, too, but I KNOW it is the right thing to do. I had trouble limiting my veggies on Induction because I just love them. I actually had a minor "cheat" and had a few slices of yellow carrots a few days ago, then actually broke down and binged on Day #14 of Induction. If that isn't a signal that I need to add more variety into my diet, I don't know what is! That said, there were other reasons I binged, too, but I understand completely why I did it and have learned from that.

I hope I'm one of those lucky people that can eat 100 gms of carbs per day and lose weight. I lost 12.5 lbs on Induction alone... although I have at least 100 more to lose.