How long is too long for Induction?

[IrishMom82]

I know Induction is 2 weeks and some can go on to extended Induction, which isn't a part of Dr. Atkins plan, but how long would you say is too long to be on Induction?

I'm still searching for my Atkins book to do the proper research plus I'm curious to hear what everyone says.

*I'm just starting week 2 of Induction*

[amwin12]

Re: How long is too long for Induction?

Well according to the book you can do Induction safely for 6 months. I know someone on another board who has done Induction the entire time (4 years) and still consume roughly Induction level carb intake. I think the highest she goes is 35 g of carbs.


Of course everyone has his/her opinion on this so I'll say do what feels right to you. Some will probably always stay close to Induction level carb intake with a few days or weeks here and there of carb increase and some will constantly increase theirs daily weekly until they find there CCL. Hope you find the answer you're looking for.

[not2late]

Re: How long is too long for Induction?

Dr. Atkins wrote that the only people who may benefit from extending their Induction are those people who have a high degree of metabolic resistance to weight loss because prolonging Induction may correct some of the factors that make one metabolically resistant to weight loss. The degree of metabolic resistance is based on your weight loss during the 14 days, your sex and the amount of weight you need to lose (it's all spelled out in the charts in the book.) Luckily the vast majority of us have low to moderate metabolic resistance, so staying on Induction over 14 days isn't necessary. Furthermore, since the majority of us do not have a high metabolic resistance to weight loss, it means we aren't stuck to eating at Induction level carbs to lose weight or to maintain our goal weight.

From the experience of the folks on this board, if you don't have a high metabolic resistance to weight loss, you're better off moving to OWL and finding your CCLL. What we've noticed is the folks who stay on Induction and have a moderate or low degree of metabolic resistance hit weight loss stalls after a few months and those stalls are only broken with they move to OWL and add carbs. Also the OWLers who eat below their CCLL for weeks or days at a time often experience a weight loss stall or slowdown. I don't have an explanation for why this happens, but that's what the experience of ADBB has been.

[TheDogAteMyName]

Re: How long is too long for Induction?

My problem the first time around (and Dr. Atkins did say it would happen per DANDR) is that I never left induction. Once I lose all the weight I went off on my merry way eating everything under the sun. This time I've wisened up and I know I need to go through all phases of this program. If I don't, I'm only cheating myself and I'm not willing to do that. Since I have 61.5 pounds to lose I am staying on induction until I lose 20-30 pounds. It really depends on if I cannot tolerate induction any longer. Once I start to feel as though I need to add more foods I'll move to OWL. Going through the rungs in OWL is much more enjoyable than cheating due to feeling deprived and starting back at square one.

[losetocruise]

Re: How long is too long for Induction?

I was thinking this time of doing the regular induction, then moving on to OWL and then maybe a week of induction level once every 4-6 weeks, hopefully to get a little spurt of loss. Has anyone tried it this way?

[not2late]

Re: How long is too long for Induction?

I was thinking this time of doing the regular induction, then moving on to OWL and then maybe a week of induction level once every 4-6 weeks, hopefully to get a little spurt of loss. Has anyone tried it this way?

Some people do it. Does it speed up their losses? Nope. We had one former member who used to cycle OWL and Induction (why I don't know because from her info, she had moderate metabolic resistance to weight loss.) Anyhow, it didn't give her any weight loss spurts and the last time I heard anything about her, she was doing Weight Watchers hoping to speed things along.

From the experience of the successful OWLers, if they eat near or at their CCLLs they lose weight steadily.

[losetocruise]

Re: How long is too long for Induction?

Some people do it. Does it speed up their losses? Nope. We had one former member who used to cycle OWL and Induction (why I don't know because from her info, she had moderate metabolic resistance to weight loss.) Anyhow, it didn't give her any weight loss spurts and the last time I heard anything about her, she was doing Weight Watchers hoping to speed things along.

From the experience of the successful OWLers, if they eat near or at their CCLLs they lose weight steadily.

Thanks!

[TheDogAteMyName]

Re: How long is too long for Induction?

You can do induction safely for 6 months. However, I think the longest anyone should be on induction is when they are starting to feel deprived and wanting to give up. Of course I'm speaking of after the initial 14 days. If you ever feel like you need to add more...move to OWL. In my opinion, it's better to move along correctly and happily than wish for huge weight loss numbers by staying on induction endlessly.

[blue996]

Re: How long is too long for Induction?

I did induction for four weeks but if I had to do it over I would move right onto OWL 1 after two weeks.

[brandywine1241]

Re: How long is too long for Induction?

However, I think the longest anyone should be on induction is when they are starting to feel deprived and wanting to give up. Of course I'm speaking of after the initial 14 days.

Nichole, you're exactly right. I feel sure Dr. Atkins would say the same thing.

[111thINF]

Re: How long is too long for Induction?

Dr. Atkins had no problem with anyone extending thier induction. He states in The Book that if you have alot of weight to lose that you should consider extending your induction.

[Elizellen]

Re: How long is too long for Induction?

I agree, 111th, but many people who have maybe 30 pounds to lose (which to them IS a lot) fall into the trap of deciding to stay on induction till they reach goal instead of following Dr Atkins instructions to work through the phases of induction and find their CCLL in preparation for being able to maintain their goal weight.

We have seen many posters returning to ADBB who have already reached goal once but never found out how to maintain because they took induction as being the ONLY phase of Atkins and we all want to make sure that others dont end up doing the same.

Here is one section about this in chapter

If you have a lot of weight to lose or have difficulty losing weight, you might want to do Induction for quite a while. That way you'll see dramatic progress before moving on to the more moderate phases of the program.
Although Induction offers plenty of advantages, there are lots of valid reasons for progressing: boredom with the food choices, modest weight loss goals (say 20 or 30 pounds) and perhaps the chance to avoid becoming dependent on a "crash diet" mentality. When people learn that they can lose weight quickly, as they do during Induction, they sometimes take their ability to lose weight for granted. They don't think in terms of a lifetime commitment to the Atkins lifestyle-just a quick fix for overindulgence. The result of this faulty thinking is yo-yo dieting and metabolic resistance to weight loss. While the next phase-Ongoing Weight Loss or OWL-may likely slow your rate of weight loss, this is not a bad thing. The slower the progress, the more chance you have to permanently change bad habits over the long term.

[Torchwood]

Re: How long is too long for Induction?

I agree, 111th, but many people who have maybe 30 pounds to lose (which to them IS a lot) fall into the trap of deciding to stay on induction till they reach goal instead of following Dr Atkins instructions to work through the phases of induction and find their CCLL in preparation for being able to maintain their goal weight.

I understand that 30lbs is a lot to someone, but that person has to use common sense to determine what 'a lot' is. In most cases 30lbs overweight isn't technically obese, unless they are pretty short.



Most people know if they are really obese. I think anything over 50-60lbs is obese, regardless of your height. Doing an extended induction is probably the best thing for those people. I am an extended induction right know, going on my third week. I have lost over 30lbs. I am also (was, I should say!) 150lbs+ overweight, so extended induction for me is perfect. But 30lbs overweight in not even close to being 150lbs overweight, regardless if 30lbs is a lot for that person. Unless that 30lbs person is a foot tall and the 150lbs person is 15’, then there is no comparison.



I am not pointing anyone out specifically, but I see a lot of advice on here that is contrary to what Dr. A wrote. My advice to someone if they are in doubt is to follow the book. If you come on here and get conflicting info, follow the book. I see too many people modifying this diet. I even saw people on here saying it was alright to use thing like margarine and to eat nuts on induction, two things that are totally contrary to what Dr. A says.

[Elizellen]

Re: How long is too long for Induction?

I even saw people on here saying it was alright to use thing like margarine and to eat nuts on induction, two things that are totally contrary to what Dr. A says

I am surprised that you didnt also see someone posting in response to a statement like that saying it was not correct!!

If you do see statements like that and don't feel you want to pitch in and post yourself on the subject you can always use the 'report bad post' function and make a moderator aware of the mis-information being posted so someone can say something to clear up any confusion.

To do this just click on the little red triangle at the top right of the offending post and fill in your reason for wanting someone to look at it and the message will be sent to the moderator(s) of that forum for action.

We try our best but don't always notice everything!!

[Elizellen]

Re: How long is too long for Induction?

I understand that 30lbs is a lot to someone, but that person has to use common sense to determine what 'a lot' is. In most cases 30lbs overweight isn't technically obese, unless they are pretty short.

Unfortunately to someone who normally weighs say 115 pounds, being 130 pounds seems obese to them sometimes and they don't see things in quite the way that a 300 pounder would.

I am an extended induction right know, going on my third week. I have lost over 30lbs. I am also (was, I should say!) 150lbs+ overweight, so extended induction for me is perfect.

Good for you you are doing great!!

I had 140 plus to lose when I started and did about 18 months on induction before moving to OWL. But I was not bored by the restrictions and tempted to cheat. I was one of the lucky ones who found that Atkins is a perfect choice of foods and I never miss all the bread/pasta/rice/potatoes, nor did I have a sweet tooth, This made induction eating easy for me. Not boasting, but acknowledging that many others would have had a harder time on induction so might have been better to move on to OWL instead of struggling to stay on induction for months.

We have many members who although they had over 100 pounds to lose decided to move to OWL after the first 2 weeks in order to enlarge their food choices and still lost weight at an amazing pace while eating cottage cheese, nuts, berries etc, so it is good that Dr Atkins gave us the choice to make our own decision on when to move on.

I am not pointing anyone out specifically, but I see a lot of advice on here that is contrary to what Dr. A wrote. My advice to someone if they are in doubt is to follow the book. If you come on here and get conflicting info, follow the book.

Great advice with which most of us here will agree!!