How I Got Induction to Actually Start Working... Posted by Ice Fire

Hi everyone,

So I was on Induction for two weeks, and although I'd dropped two pounds, I wasn't going any further. I was religiously eating less than 20g of "net carbs" a day, exercising, and all, but I wasn't going any lower. More specifically, I would drop a pound or two lower, then rebound right back up. This happened several times, and I was sure frustrated.

Then, following the advice of people on this board, I threw out all of my Atkins Advantage Bars and anything else that was sweetened with sugar alcohols. Atkins says that only the "net carbs" matter, but I remembered losing weight once on Atkins *before* the bars were available, and lo and behold, once I threw them out, I started losing every day! IGNORE THE "NET CARBS" LIE! At least, if you're having trouble losing on Atkins. Count total carbs, including all of those fake sugars that Atkins claims don't affect you. They sure affected me.

Also, I had been drinking lots of carb-free beverages that contained citric acid (Fruit-2-O and others), which I heard on this board was a staller. I cut out all of those and started drinking only pure, natural water.

So, a week after throwing out all the bars and drinks with citric acid, I'm now down six pounds! And what's more, once I gave up those sweet, too-good-to-be-true Atkins bars, I've been SO MUCH LESS HUNGRY that it's ridiculous. I don't crave anything now.

It's too bad that Atkins' company is undermining the success of their own diet by trying to make money off unknowing, trusting people, with these pre-packaged products... Rather than dishonestly saying that Net Carbs are all that matter, they should really warn on the box that some people are affected by them just as they are by regular carbs, and to proceed with caution...

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Posted by Tomsej

True Atkin's Induction Rules Folks,

Induction is not just "under 20gC" net carbs a day. I went back and re-read the induction menus and rules recently. Please also realize that induction was created BEFORE Dr. Atkins allowed fibre to be subtracted from carb totals!

The original induction was 20gC TOTAL CARBS for the day. That's the real 1972 Original Atkins Induction.

In a nutshell, you are only to eat fowl, beef, pork, lamb, eggs, fish, shellfish and diary products such as cheese, cream* and butter.

*Note that there is also a limit of 2-3 tbs of cream a day on induction.

Only TRUE low-carb veggies allowed - mainly lettuces and things like cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus (see the induction vegetable list).

NO CAFFIENE, NO ASPARTAME or ASPARTAME beverages. All artificial sweeteners cost you 1G or CARB no matter WHAT it says on the packet.

NO BREAD. I don't care if the bag says 'OK for INDUCTION' It's not in the rules.

NO FRUIT. I don't care what fruit it is; clearly no allowed.

NO NUTS or SEEDS. Really? Yes, I found this one to be mind blowing (some of the Induction sample menus in the book have nuts and seeds in them!)

Look at the Twelve Rules of Induction; I will single out the one's I see ignored by people on this board regularly:

1,2,3 * no problem

4. "Eat ABSOLUTELY no fruit, bread, pasta, grains, starcchy vegetables, or dairy products other than cheese, cream or butter. Do not eat NUTS, or SEEDS in the first two weeks. Foods that combine protein and cabohydrates such as chick peas, kidney beans and other legumes, are not permitted at this time."

- Rule 4 note: people are eating low-carb tortillas and bread because they are "low-carb". Sorry, not in the rules. Even strawberries, rasberries, blueberries and melons are not allowed on induction.

5,6,7,8 * no problem

9. "Avoid food or drinks sweetened with Aspartame. Instead, use sucralose or saccharin. Be sure to count EACH packet of anyone of these as 1 GRAM OF CARBS."

- Rule 9 Note: You count 1G whether the packet says 0.2g or 0.5 or 0.8. Count 1G!!!!!

10. "Avoid coffee, tea and soft drinks that contain caffeine. Excessive caffeine has been known to cause low blood sugar, which can make you crave sugar."

- Rule 10 note: I admit it, I am addicted to caffeine. If I stop for 2 days I get headaches. However, rule 10 clearly says to avoid these beverages for two weeks.

11, 12 * no problem.

Quotes taken from "Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution" Chapter 11, And Away You Go: The Induction Phase, pg 122,123,124 ISBN 0-06-001203-X

Rules are to be OBEYED. If you are not following ALL the rules, you cannot call what you are doing INDUCTION.

Please realize that this book has been added to so many times that there are contradictions through-out the book. That's just human nature and Dr. Atkin's wasn't out there to mislead anyone.

I always wondered why I could not do induction and so many others had done it! What was wrong with me? My problem is I'm too bloody anal and follow rules too strictly!!!!

Hey, if you break a few of the rules and still lose 15lbs in TWO WEEKS WHO CARES???? I put my hands together and pump my fist in the air - awesome!

My issue is with the many people who are honestly trying to follow the induction "rules" they have been told and can't get things going.

Re-read the Induction chapter and start Induction clean. It's a tough two weeks; I've never gotten past THREE DAYS without giving up.

If you are truly stuck, then re-visit these rules; it will help you troublehoot your stall.

Good luck!

PS I'm not afraid of criticism; FLAME ME PLEASE! I have a journal on the board; you are free to put in your 2 cents worth.

Tom.

Gosh, I can't start to imagine why anyone would criticize Tom for his post - I, for one, will applaud it. I agree completely - a clean induction will work FAR better than bending the rules here and there.

Myself, I know that I've cheated with strawberries, nuts and some aspartame and I'm sure my loss has been slower because of that. I am going to use your pledge as my motivation from herein for the next month - ONLY natural, whole, induction-approved foods!

Thanks for a great (re)post!

The same thing happened to me last year. About 3 yrs. ago i lost doing Atkins, but that was before they were pushing their products. (Plus the Advantage tasted like chalk back then) Last year when I went back on this WOL they had improved the taste of the bars and I was eating 1-2 a day. I was exercising, eating less than 20 carbs, I was in ketosis, and I wasn't losing. At the time I thought I was eating too much fat. I was having alot of chicken, shrimp, and tuna salads with tons of mayo. No matter what I did I couldn't lose. I didn't think about the bars because they were suppose to be ok for induction. It wasn't until I found this forum did I learn they were stallers for most people. Now I back on track. No bars or any processed low carb foods and I'm losing.

I understood that the original DANDR (except it wasn't called DANDR...I think it was something like Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution...or that may have even been a later version) allowed no carbs on induction...since I haven't read it, I can't say for sure, but I know that has been posted here before. I'm really going to have to find copies of his earlier books to see what changes were made over the years...lol.


L

I have to admit....I WAS a big fan of all the "fake" chocolate bars....and I hate to admit it, but that was one of the reasons why I thought I would be able to stay on this way of eating. I thought that I could just substitute all the real chocolate and sweets with the fake stuff and lose weight. I am sure I am not the only one. I have lost some weight, but I was on a big stall...and I thought it was all the fat I added to foods (mayonaise, salad dressings, etc.). After reading posts in this forum I threw out all the candybars and sweets (I paid a lot for that stuff too) I started losing again. Now after reading this latest post....I know I did the right thing. I no longer crave the sweets and I am feeling great. I have increased the fat and continue to lose.

I'm still eating the Advantage bars a few times a week. They don't seem to have affected me much, but I've read enough hear to know that alot of people have not been so lucky.

I've had a few stalls along the way (the longest was about 4 weeks) and found that going to the KISS approach has been really effective in getting things moving in the right direction again.

Not sure about the net carb thing, but if it works for you I say go for it!

Mike

I have it/read it. It doesn't do net carbs, You don't get to subtract fiber or sugar alcohols or anything.

I think this might be what has happened to me, I lost 4lb on induction, but the last 10 days I have not lost anything. Could this be because of the Morning Bars which can be used for breakfast which are 2g of carbs?
I've also been testing and Im not in Ketois.

The reason the bars and other frankenfoods exist is people request them so the company tries to please the masses. I read in one of the Atkins books, probably not DANDR, that sugar alcohols were a no no. I remember feeling bummed about it because my favorite lc candy had maltitol. Basically I consider any treat as something that should be eaten on occasion not as a meal replacement.

That's a great post, Meg S. Thanks for bringing it up.

nanjack200: you put it so clearly about the bars etc. It's the major thing that I want to say to people. Even though the "Atkins Corp." now says bars are OK, even for Induction, I don't believe it. By the way, the bars freeze perfectly well. I am still using ones that have been in the freezer for 2 years. (That's how seldom I eat them. :lol


The 1972 first version of Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution allowed only 1 small green salad daily. (I'd have to go clean out my basement to find the book. ) Back then I lost 45 pounds inside of 6 months. But then I went off the plan and they all came back and each one brought a friend!

By 1992, when DANDR first came out, the carbs were numbered to start at 20 because that 20+ years of experience at his clinic in New York City had shown that there was no faster or better losing from going below 20 gm per day.

Atkinson:
-at 5'3", you are only 5 pounds or less from the recomended goal of 115 pounds. LCers tend to lose fat and keep muscle so be prepared to weigh more than you expect while looking great.
-Fat continues to redistribute for 6 months and more after you have lost your weight to almost goal. Expect your body to change shape without losing any more weight. But stick with LC food choices or you'll start to regain. Read the chapters on Maintenance.
- The last 5 -20 pounds comes off much more slowly. Expect this and focus more on the inches lost and fit of your clothes. But don't expect to lose more than a pound a month.

A great thread, thanks for starting it Meg S

I think one of the main problems is that many people don't actually seem to read the book in the first place, or just skim through it, without actually reading how to do induction properly.

As for the brekafast bars etc., we've been lucky, so far, in the UK, in that we haven't had all these so-called low carb products. However, that is now changing and many people think that they can use these in place of real foods - they are great 'in an emergency' or 'now and again' but NOT on a daily basis and certainly NOT on induction.

I want to thank you so much for this thread. That is probably the reason I stopped losing weight. I lost about 20 lbs on induction but then added the shakes, Atkins bars and Russell Stover candy and I have actually gained 4 lbs. Even with these items I stayed around 20 carbs. I am going to stay away from these products and see what happens.

Sigh. My big problem, as I read this thread is coffee. I drink two cups a night at work. I admit it, it 'drugs' me awake, and I feel I need it. I guess the solution, so I don't get withdrawal headaches is to cut down slowly over the next few weeks.

Any other suggestions?

BTW, great thread, thanks!

Wow, a lot of replies.
Fiona.. um.. well ... I personally don't have a problem with coffee or caffeine, and don't give it up even during "strict time." (grin) of course the fast that I find it such a hardship to give up means that there is a problem Cream in coffee IS a problem for me. I had to get rid of it and use only small dashes of low carb milk. Right now am trying (pathetically) to drink it black.

Green tea has caffeine, but less - and a load of other goodies. You could begin to sub in cups of green tea for coffee. Or mugs of a "brew" with lemon, ginger and cayenne.

It's great that many people CAN lose while only counting net carbs, and eating goodies like nuts or berries. The point is that if you're not losing... sorry! You're one of those people like me who cannot be lax in any way.
20 carbs can be negotiable... maybe you end up with 30 or even 40 through green fibrous vegetables and still lose. I think that it's better if the carbs come from green veggies rather than low carb tortillas.