This is what Atkins says: start OWL immediately after your two-week induction. Increase carbs by 5-gram increments daily, maintaining each increase for a couple of weeks, until you reach the point where your test strips don't turn any more and/or you're no longer losing. Then back down from that level of carbs to one that's 5 grams per day less.

Having said that, a lot of folks, especially those who are slow losers, like me, keep pretty well to induction levels. I've personally modified my OWL by subtracting fibre grams from daily carb counts, and keeping the resulting "effective carbs" to 20-25 per day, somewhat higher than Induction levels, in which fibre grams are included in with your carb count. I also don't agonize if my carbs go up to 30/day, which they do on occasion (once every couple of weeks, max), if I'm eating out and have more veggies and/or low-carb fruit than usual.

You could keep on strict induction indefinitely, and some people do. I think the main danger in doing so would be getting bored with the food, and possibly not getting enough fibre.

Rachel