How Long Have YOU Stayed On Induction?

[Mija]

if YOU stayed on Induction longer than 14 day can you tell me How Looooooong YOU stayed on Induction? and WHY? and did it work Better for YOU? tomorow is my 14th day and i reeeeeeeally want to stay on Induction for a while... i just need Advice and Information from those of you that HAVE stayed on Induction for a while... I TRULY LOVE ATKINS!!!

[Desertthorn]

Re: How Long Have YOU Stayed On Induction?

Dr A said that you can stay on induction for up to 6 months. Here is a great article about how long to stay on it.

http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-low-carb-dieting-faqs/6765-how-long-can-i-stay-induction.html

[kibskix]

Re: How Long Have YOU Stayed On Induction?

today is day 31 on induction for me. Why? I'm not bored with it yet, and its easier right now when i'm still getting used to eating this way and working out and all the life changes i've made, I don't want to worry about introducing new things yet.
does it work better? Well I have no idea, I haven't gone up the rungs yet. It works fine for me right now, but on days that my carbs are higher, I lose more weight. Its fine to stay on induction for a while, but don't be afraid to go up the rungs. You will still lose.

[Mija]

More Carbs-More Loss?

on days that my carbs are higher, I lose more weight.

on the days your carbs are HIGHER you lose MORE weight??? how do you do that??? why type of carbs do you eat More Of on those days??? thats VERY interesting...!

[kibskix]

Re: How Long Have YOU Stayed On Induction?

if i eat too little carbs, like 5-10ish, i dont generally lose much. but if i get them closer to 20 or even accidently go over by 1-3, i lose consistantly. the carbs i eat those days come mostly from day i have flax and higher carb veggies like broccoli on the same day. it might cause me to lose more than having less carbs because im sure the rule of keeping them around 20 is there for a reason and thats enough to keep you losing but not so little your body thinks youre starving. maybe its my body telling me im ready to move on. maybe its that my calories happen to be higher that day, I dunno!

[planetclaire]

Re: How Long Have YOU Stayed On Induction?

Both times when I have been successful with Atkins (and I am including this time, even though I am far from goal I stayed on induction 2 weeks. I always wanted more veggies, that's the only thing that I really craved!

Induction is just too limited for me, I want to eat ricotta and berries as soon as I possibly can! LOL

[Kawispice]

Re: How Long Have YOU Stayed On Induction?

For me Induction is a severe way of eating, strong limitations and I check my total nutrition intake every day. I also feel very weak, maybe that is from too much exercise but I found potassium supplement helps. My hair starts to fall out too, I mean really fall out. Also weight loss seems to actually increase for me when I add some carbs.

[Sunny_0ne]

Re: How Long Have YOU Stayed On Induction?

Although I am on OWL 4, I actually end up eating induction meals a lot of days just because that's what I want and they satisfy me. But I like the freedom to eat a wider variety of carbs some days.

And the higher carb days don't slow my weight loss. In fact, although I am a very slow loser, I seem to lose more when I eat a few more carbs.

[kibskix]

Re: How Long Have YOU Stayed On Induction?

see its not just me!

[not2late]

Re: How Long Have YOU Stayed On Induction?

It really depends on your body. Even Dr. Atkins wrote that in the book. The two examples he gave were of a woman with a high metabolic resistance to weight loss and a man with a moderate metabolic resistance to weight loss. The woman stayed on Induction for the majority of her weight loss. The man moved to OWL Phase and proceeded through the Diet.

Dr. Atkins wrote in the book that the only people who could benefit from an extended Induction phase were those people with a high metabolic resistance to weight loss because staying on Induction might correct the metabolic imbalances that inhibit the weight loss. So the question is what is your metabolic resistance to weight loss and how do you find it?

Dr. Atkins wrote that at the end of your 14 Day Induction, you weigh yourself and look up your weight loss in the charts in the book. The problem I see frequently here is that no one bothers to do that. So we have folks who've "only" lost 9 pounds during the first 14 Days, mistakenly believe they have a high metabolic resistance to weight loss and mistakenly believe they "have" to stay on Induction to lose weight. If they had only bothered to take 2 minutes of their time to look up their loss in the charts, they would have seen that they have a moderate to low metabolic resistance to weight loss----like the vast majority of us do----and they wouldn't condemn themselves to staying on Induction. No, they would move to OWL Phase, eat a higher amount of carbs, eat a wider variety of foods and still lose weight. But since they don't bother to look things up, they remain on Induction unnecessarily.

Dr. Atkins spelled it out in the book that we, each, have a specific "critical carbohydrate losing level". That is each of us can eat a certain number of carbs and still lose weight. Only a small proportion of us will have to eat at Induction level carbs in order to lose weight. The vast majority of us can eat above it and lose weight. My CCLL was 50 net carbs daily----that's alot of food. We've had some members here who were eating over 100 net carbs daily and still losing weight. In my time here, there have only been about 5 people whose CCLL was 20 net carbs and the majority of them had medical issues that slowed their weight loss.

So unless you are one of those few people with a high metabolic resistance to weight loss, staying on Induction longer than the initial 14 days does nothing for you in terms of consistent weight loss, rapid weight loss, continued weight loss, etc. Over the years, we've noticed on ADBB that the people with average to low metabolic resistance actually hit a weight loss plateau if they stay on Induction too long. And by that time, they are too scared of carbs and too discouraged by their stall on extended Induction that they are absolutely terrified of adding 5 net carbs of veggies to their menues.

But the choice is yours.

[Mija]

Hmmmmm...

Oooooooooh K... so i lost 5 lbs my 1st week and only 1 lb my 2nd week of induction - so i am right in between HIGH and AVERAGE Metabolic Resistance (according to DANDR)... and i have been Totally Legal during these 2 weeks (BUT im usually always UNDER 20 Carbs - maybe between 13-18 - i am 49yrs old - 5'7" - started at 275 - am Sedentary - and i dont eat ANY processed foods... (started that on Day 1) ANY IDEAS FOR ME? im thinking i should stay in Induction for a while more... WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK?
((( P.S. - - - i do take MEDs - Paxil CR 25mgs daily (for Chronic Migraines) & Singulair 10mgs daily (for Allergies)))

[not2late]

Re: Hmmmmm...

Oooooooooh K... so i lost 5 lbs my 1st week and only 1 lb my 2nd week of induction - so i am right in between HIGH and AVERAGE Metabolic Resistance (according to DANDR)... and i have been Totally Legal during these 2 weeks (BUT im usually always UNDER 20 Carbs - maybe between 13-18 - i am 49yrs old - 5'7" - started at 275 - am Sedentary - and i dont eat ANY processed foods... (started that on Day 1) ANY IDEAS FOR ME? im thinking i should stay in Induction for a while more... WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK?
((( P.S. - - - i do take MEDs - Paxil CR 25mgs daily (for Chronic Migraines) & Singulair 10mgs daily (for Allergies)))

You're smack in the middle of high and average.

But you are taking Paxil, an antidepressant and Singulair, a. In chapter 25, Dr. Atkins says anti-depressants can cause a slower weight loss. So, it could be your metabolic resistance is due to the Paxil. That's a good thing, because your resistance may be lower but the Paxil is raising it. (Don't stop the Paxil, unless you are directed to do so by your physician.

I also noticed that you are sedentary. Exercise is non-negotiable on Atkins. Look at the Carbohydrate Gram Losing and Metabolic Resistance chart in Chapter 14. Dr. Atkins said that regular exercisers---which he defined as someone who does vigorous excerise five days a week for at least 45 minutes, have approximate CCLLs of 60-90 net carbs daily. So if you start exercising regularly, your metabolic resistance may be lower.

My advice to you would be to start exercising. I'm not telling you to go out and run 4 miles. Start slow: walk around the block three times a week. The other three days do some strength or resistance training, like squats, bicep curls, etc. I've found yoga to be very good exercise and it's not too hard on your joints, yet it strengths your muscles and improves balance, flexibility and mobility and you can do it in your home. Yoga energizes you, but you also feel calm and relaxed. Then as you get stronger and more fit, increase your exercise to make it more challenging. Plus, exercising will help tone your body and your skin won't be as saggy while you lose your weight.

Go ahead and add 5 net carbs of any Induction veggie to your menu and see what happens. That extra veg is healthful.

[msanjelpie]

Re: How Long Have YOU Stayed On Induction?

My first time around I was on induction for 14 months and lost 101 lbs. Then I upped my carbs so that I stayed at the same weight although I was still eating the same foods. (I'm a picky eater)

Then I started eating bad foods and became bulimic because I was terrified of gaining the weight back, and then severly depressed when I did start gaining the weight back which caused more eating and more depression etc... I tried Atkins several times, losing 20 lbs here and 10 lbs there but couldn't seem to stick with it the way I had the first time. I kept cheating, lying to myself that it was a one time thing.

So here I am trying yet again and knowing that I can't cheat even once for any reason what so ever. I'm on induction and I will stay on induction for as long as it takes to get to a set point and then THIS time I'm going to do OWL the way I should have the first time...

I've learned a lot, but I'm getting older, so I've gotta get this right this time before it is too late and I get diabetes or heart trouble etc...

[Diver Down]

Re: How Long Have YOU Stayed On Induction?

My first time on Atkins lasted about six weeks (all induction). I lost 30 pounds or so. Then, due to family pressure, I attended a big dinner and devoured tons of food in a carb-heavy food at an Italian restaurant. It was like giving drugs to an addict...after that meal, in the weeks that followed, I went nuts for carbs and gained it all back in no time. I tried induction again, a year later, and lasted about three weeks (losing about 20 pounds in the process). But I couldn't last, and went back to carbs in full force.

[Georgiana]

Re: How Long Have YOU Stayed On Induction?

My first time on Atkins lasted about six weeks (all induction). I lost 30 pounds or so. Then, due to family pressure, I attended a big dinner and devoured tons of food in a carb-heavy food at an Italian restaurant. It was like giving drugs to an addict...after that meal, in the weeks that followed, I went nuts for carbs and gained it all back in no time. I tried induction again, a year later, and lasted about three weeks (losing about 20 pounds in the process). But I couldn't last, and went back to carbs in full force.

This is why you should learn from your mistakes and do Atkins correctly this time. Not moving out of Induction is one of the most common reasons why we see people failing on Atkins. I read your other posts, so I am going to comment on everything you wrote, not only on what is written above.

The Induction phase of Atkins is a great way to get into ketosis and start to start losing weight. Unfortunately, because one is so limited in food options and the guidelines are so strict as to what you can and cannot eat, Induction does not teach one how to maintain the weight loss. This is why folks who never move out of the Induction phase almost always lose a lot of weight, but then stray off and gain it all (or a big part of it) back. It's not because they are weaker or because they had better reasons to go off track, but because their strategy was faulty right from the beginning.

During OWL and Pre-Maintenance, you will continue to lose weight. But besides losing weight, you will also learn what foods your body can handle and in what amounts, how many carbohydrates you can consume while still losing weight and how many you need in order to maintain once you've reached your goal. As we progress through the phases of Atkins, many of us find that we can eat things like a sweet potato or some beans or even pasta. However, if you never move out of Induction, you are never going to learn these things. You are also not going to learn how to change your food habits so that you maintain your weight loss and are not forced to restart Induction every X months. Starting Induction, falling off, then restarting Induction, falling off again, restarting and so on is just yo-yo dieting and it does no good to your weight or to your health.

So instead of doing what you have always done just to get the same results, do yourself a favor and break the yo-yo dieting cycle. Follow Atkins the way Dr. Atkins wrote it (going through all the phases, not feeding your sweet cravings with Atkins bars, etc.) and you will get the results Dr. Atkins promissed:

Let me state one crucial fact that you should always keep in mind: For people who comply with all the phases of Atkins, failure to maintain weight loss is very rare.

Success at maintaining weight loss is the great plus while doing Atkins. What most people know about it is that you can usually lose a lot of weight rapidly. And you probably can. But the key point is that the weight doesn't return.