Nervous as can be

[niko772]

I've been off and on Atkins (several screw ups) since the end of April and have gone from a size 26 to a loose 18 and snug 16. My weight is still quite high, though and it's been irritating me...to the point that I'm stashing the wicked scale.

Here's my problem. I'm extremely nervous about coming out of induction. My weight loss has slowed down and I can't seem to get out of the 250's and I'm becoming frustrated.

Should I move on to OWL since the weight loss has slowed down? It's kind of like tossing a security blanket.

Advice, please?

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Nervous as can be

>>hould I move on to OWL since the weight loss has slowed down?>>

Yes.

Induction isn't about losing ... it's about getting your body ready to lose.

The phase is called Ongoing Weight Loss for no reason!

You can't ever get to maintenance without moving through OWL.

[liv]

Re: Nervous as can be

Wow you made it size 16 - that is so great. You must be stoked.

OWL is kind of scary as we are a bit on our own when we go there but I found that taking it slow and really letting things happen worked for me. All you have to start doing is adding 5 more carb of veggies. Not too daunting I think. And you can dwell on a rung as long as you like.

are you exercising - sometimes some moving around helps getting that metabolism working again.

[WetBanana]

Re: Nervous as can be

I never stuck with the induction phase past the first two weeks. I thought I would because I have so much to lose, but it just didn't make sense to stay in that phase when I could add 1 cup of veggies and basically still be eating all the same foods on the first rung of OWL. I still have plenty more to lose, but I'm losing steadily and haven't stalled with any of the food I'm eating, so I am looking forward to this weekend when I will move to Rung 4. I plan on lingering there for awhile though, but really I'm not eating much different then when I was doing induction - except now I'm getting a snack at night of nuts, or maybe I'm having slightly more cheese, but really it's about the same for me.

I guess what I'm trying to say is - don't be afraid of moving on. And congrats on your weight loss to date!!

[Jarrod]

Re: Nervous as can be

I would say move on to OWL, but go through the rungs at a pace that you are comfortable with.

It's not like you have to eat food from every OWL rung you've been through, every day. OWL is good to teach you which foods tend to give you problems - either by stalling you out on weight loss, or triggering cravings. For me, I started by allowing myself a little low-carb ice cream from rung 2. Then I added nuts at lunch or for a snack (rung 3). Found out that nuts trigger cravings so I cut way back on those. Berries with breakfast was next (4). Then I added beans (6). For rung 8 I'll occasionally have a little corn or an occasional carrot stick. Finally I added low-carb wraps (yum, Mexican food) and a very occasional piece of whole-grain bread (9).

Now that I know which foods I can tolerate in moderation and still lose weight, I just switch back and forth between them to keep the variety going. I'd say I still eat between 25-35 net carbs on an average day but have had up to 50-60 on some days with no real problems. My weight loss has slowed from 2-3 lbs per week to about 1.5 lbs per week, but now I know I can still lose the weight and have a much wider variety of food choices, which makes the whole process just that much more enjoyable.

Make sure you are exercising - that is key! And you can always back off from an OWL rung if you change your mind! Or skip a rung if it doesn't interest you. I skipped rung 5 - I personally have no desire to drink alcohol until I'm closer to goal. I also skipped rung 7 and don't eat much from rung 8. Berries and melons are my favorite fruits, and salad veggies are my favorite veggies anyway so I prefer to "spend" my carbs on other foods.

Good luck! And congrats on your incredible success so far!

[beginanew]

Re: Nervous as can be

Congratulation on your success so far.
I've only been learning Atkins for a few weeks now, so I can't offer any andvice, but look forward to reading the responses.

Just wanted to congratulate you. You should be very proud of yourself.

[msanjelpie]

Re: Nervous as can be

Now that your body has slowed down and is probably on a consistant weight loss pace (i.e. 5 lbs per month etc?) it's a good time to move to OWL. At this point, adding 5 carbs of veggies isn't going to slow down the loss and it will get you on your way heading up the ladder...

Track your monthly weight loss for the past 3 months and then the next three months after moving to OWL 1 and see if there is any difference... Make sure to account for any changes in exercise...