Extending Induction

[notMYbod]

Hey there! I'm a 41 year old female and was always thin and muscular - until I turned 34. Then I started to gain about 5 pounds a year. In January I took a good look in the mirror and realized that it was NOT my body that I was looking at. I am a huge carb addict (I LOVE BREAD) but, I started atkins by the book (or so I thought) on Jan 25. I lost 8 pounds the first week and then I stalled. After reading the bulletin board I realized that it was my morning coffee and diet sodas with aspartame that was killing me. I stopped caffeine "cold turkey" and after 2 days of mind numbing headache pain I started to lose weight again. Not very fast though - about 1 pound every 3 days. I'm not sure why that is I've been in ketosis continuously. I'd like to get to 155 before going into OWL, but I'm actually having a hard time getting enough carbs now. Most days end up at 15 carbs. I'm just not that hungry and get full fast now.

[liv]

Re: Extending Induction

You seem to be losing really fast to me. I never lost at that speed - unless it was water weight at the very beginning.

Ketosis does lower your appetite at least for a while. It is a good time to use to get those good habits in there. Make sure you priorize veggies over things like sweeteners, dairy or other non veggie carb items.
You should not set a weight number for OWL - OWL should come after those fourteen days or if you choose to extend you should read ATkins advice in chapter 13 to figure out when the right time is to move. It has nothing to do with your weight (when you are this close to goal weight) You do not want to end out in a situation where you do not know howto deal with maintenance. About 99% of the people who "tried" Atkins did that and gained their weight back promptly.

And good job of cutting that stuff out.

The ketosis sticks are not always so reliable. It is more about what you eat and that you are losing.
Welcome to ADBB

[miller98b]

Re: Extending Induction

After no weight loss for two weeks I moved into the OWL phase and lost 7 pounds in one week! I guess my body wanted more carbs before it would start burning the fat stores. In addition, I started eating more healthy fats like avocados and olive oil and that helped with energy and weight loss.

Great job giving up the coffee and diet sodas. Personally, I kept one cup of black coffee in the morning, but gave up the sodas. Its all about how your body responds to different foods and you have to keep tweaking things to get it just right for you.

[notMYbod]

Re: Extending Induction

I would move into OWL, but in the past I've gotten all my carbs from bread, pasta, & potatoes. I'm really trying to eat more veges but I cant seem to get the carbs in there and still keep the fat/protein/carb ratio

[liv]

Re: Extending Induction

I am not sure. Give us some menu examples and we can throw in some ideas.

[notMYbod]

Re: Extending Induction

typical Day: where I work I do not have many snack opportunities (no food in laboratory)
Breakfast: 2 pieces of bacon and 1 egg with green tea to drink
about 30 oz of water
Lunch: piece of fried chicken (no breading of course) or cube steak with 1 oz cheese.
about 30 oz more of water
Snack: 1 can vienna sausage on my 1 1/2 hour drive home from work
Dinner: Olive oil sauted chicken with sauted spinach (2 c), diced tomato (1/8 c.), and mushroom (1/8 c.)
8 oz of Diet Rite soda: no caffiene, contains splenda
Snack: 2 deviled eggs
more water....
Of course not exactly this every day, but the ratios are the same.

[miller98b]

Re: Extending Induction

Your veggies seem too low.......Maybe some of these suggestions could help, they helped me.

1. Have red or green peppers, cucumbers or mushrooms on the way home as a snack with your sausage.
2. I usually eat a whole raw avocado for a snack. This is NOT Atkins approved, as we are supposed to only eat a 1/2 per day, but it really helped my energy levels, raised my Potassium levels from the basement, helped my ratios and increased my calories! Personally, I lost 7 pounds when I ate more avocados, but that worked for me and that is the great thing about this diet....It's all personal to you!
3. I added more bacon as a snack. Once again, this helped my energy, my calorie needs and my ratios.
4. On Induction, I had to eat ribeyes for breakfast, because chicken did not have the fat that I needed. Too little protein is what they call "Rabbit Hunger" which is usually pronounced Rabbid Hunger. This occurs when you eat too much protein, but too little fat or carbs. Ribeyes helped my ratios and my calories.

Have you tried making a few changes?

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Extending Induction

<<1 can vienna sausage on my 1 1/2 hour drive home from work>>

You drive and eat???? That's not safe at all!!!

Now ... these sausages aren't very Atkins friendly. If you read the list of ingredients, you'll find all sorts of things in them ... especially sugar.

You would do better to make an egg casserole so you can have something to eat while you're not driving.

You don't really have enough vegetables, and you would do better to spread them out during the day.

[notMYbod]

Re: Extending Induction

Thanks for all the great advice! I'll have to find a way to get more veges during the day with my earlier meals. I might try something with the avocado - just a little bit and see what happens.

[2big4mysize]

Re: Extending Induction

we don't have to eat 20 grams that is the max not the have to eat level. It is hard in induction of one eats clean to actually get to 20 net grams of carbs.

OWL rung one is all about adding move veggies so you could move to OWL and then just sit right there on rung one and enjoy an addition of 5 more net grams of those yummy induction veggies as you work your weight down further.

bread and potatoes are the last things one adds back if one ever adds them back.

[PolarBearKing]

Re: Extending Induction

bread and potatoes are the last things one adds back if one ever adds them back.

True but they are allowed on Atkins.

The problem I've been noticing is that not many do Induction correctly...and then they want to "extend" it. I too was guilty of this on previous attempts. Sure I lost weight, but still not done Dr ATkins way.

notMYbod, if you look at the Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL) portion of Atkins, you'll notice that it IS Induction plus a bit more. You can climb the OWL rungs AND continue to lose weight. All while learning how to eat correctly for your bod (pun intended).

[2big4mysize]

Re: Extending Induction

True but they are allowed on Atkins.

never said they weren't. they are rung 8 and 9 of OWL so they would be the last things added back and since the OP is afraid to go to OWL cause of them there is nothing to fear startign the extra veggie rung of OWL

I would move into OWL, but in the past I've gotten all my carbs from bread, pasta, & potatoes. I'm really trying to eat more veges but I cant seem to get the carbs in there and still keep the fat/protein/carb ratio

[PolarBearKing]

Re: Extending Induction

I agreed with you, just trying to clarify.

While with the rest of my post I was trying to get the OP interested and looking into OWL.

[liv]

Re: Extending Induction

typical Day: where I work I do not have many snack opportunities (no food in laboratory)
Breakfast: 2 pieces of bacon and 1 egg with green tea to drink
about 30 oz of water
Lunch: piece of fried chicken (no breading of course) or cube steak with 1 oz cheese.
about 30 oz more of water
Snack: 1 can vienna sausage on my 1 1/2 hour drive home from work
Dinner: Olive oil sauted chicken with sauted spinach (2 c), diced tomato (1/8 c.), and mushroom (1/8 c.)
8 oz of Diet Rite soda: no caffiene, contains splenda
Snack: 2 deviled eggs
more water....
Of course not exactly this every day, but the ratios are the same.

Well you are already getting some great feedback so this is just adding to it. You can add a bit veggie to your breakfast if you like. When I make egg I scramble it with a bit of onion, mushroom and pepper. You can also have some avocado once in a while if you like it.
Add some veggies to lunch. Have some celery sticks, cucumber, peppers - dip in some dressing if you like.

Need to find a better snack for that drive home. Those things are salty nasty little things - You can pack something in a lunch bag with a freezer pad - I do that. I bring cut up veggies (especially peppers and jicama, cheese, boiled eggs, and some meat (I like cold meat)

Dinner looks good.

I like deviled eggs for snack but you can have some cellery with cream cheese too.

So plenty of places where you can have some veggies. Just get into the habit of having them

[notMYbod]

Re: Extending Induction

Thanks for all the great advice from everyone

When I make egg I scramble it with a bit of onion, mushroom and pepper. You can also have some avocado once in a while if you like it.
Add some veggies to lunch. Have some celery sticks, cucumber, peppers - dip in some dressing if you like.

Need to find a better snack for that drive home. Those things are salty nasty little things - You can pack something in a lunch bag with a freezer pad - I do that. I bring cut up veggies (especially peppers and jicama, cheese, boiled eggs, and some meat (I like cold meat)

Dinner looks good.

I like deviled eggs for snack but you can have some cellery with cream cheese too.

So plenty of places where you can have some veggies. Just get into the habit of having them

I actually took livs advice this weekend and I think I will do this to gradually work into OWL.