Just wondering if many people stay on induction longer than the 2 weeks Atkins recommends. I have, and am wondering if this is healthy. The main reason I have done this is to give myself some leeway for mistakes, ie I aim for 20g Carbs but if i go over it isn't a disaster.

Do people who stay on it do so because 20g Carbs is the max they can take and still be in ketosis or just because why change something that is working?

I wanted to post a poll but cant figure out how to do it!

I have almost completed my third week of induction. I decided into my first week that I would stay in this phase until I'm about 10 pounds away from my goal. I'm doing this for several reasons...but the main reason is that I have found that when I consume very low carbs, I have no cravings and it's real easy for me to follow the program with no slips. I have noticed that the people who seem to go off are the ones who are eating the bars and other sweet tasting things. I'm sure I would be the same way. Dr. Atkins has said it's okay to stay on longer than two weeks so I feel good about it. I do take a lot of supplements though.

Diana

ebee

The answer is probably both. Some people who can tolerate few carbs and try lose weight have no choice but to consume 20 or fewer carbs a day. Any more than that and they stall or begin to gain weight. I believe I read in Atkins about some people who need to consume a lot less than 20 grams in order to stimulate lipolysis.

Then there are people like me who have a lot of weight to lose and plan to stay on induction because it provides a speedier weight loss than moving on to OWL.

From reading Atkins book, after induction, the normal procedure is to add 5 carbs at a time until until weight loss slows. Then start deducting carbs until you reach an acceptable amount of loss per week. Everyone can lose at their own speed, up until the time they come close to maintainance and carbs are added to really slow the loss down.

There is a small paragraph in the induction section where it says you can continue induction for as long as necessary without harmful effects. In fact, in the book Life Without Bread, there is a description of an two artic explorers who, to make a point, ate nothing but meat for a full year. Not only didn't it do them any harm but one of them lost weight and eased some chronic health condiditons.

slowday

I kept my carbs around 20-22 for about 7-8 months. I moved into OWL about a month ago in preparation of upping the intensity of my exercise regimen. I have only upped my carbs once by 5, I am taking it slow. I haven't lost scale weight since going on OWL, but I have lost inches, so I'm not stalled. I do intend to find my own carb level for losing, but I plan to do it very gradually, no way will I add 5 carbs per week!

until I need more stamina, which will be in the Spring when I start gardening and hiking.

Hi,

Just thought I might clear something up. During Induction, as I understand it from my reading, you can only eat the certain approved foods. Once you start eating other things, like nuts, even though you may stay under 20 carbs, you are no longer on induction. I stayed with the induction plan for about 3 weeks. Now I consider myself in OWL even though I try to keep my carb intake under 20 a day. Anyone who can stay with the strict limitations of induction for a long period of time has my sincere respect!

Chickadee

i have really upped my exercise, seeing a personal trainer twice a week, going to the gym once or twice and swiming twice a week. i wanted to stay on induction but reading this am worried that it may not be healthy. any advice

Do you take vitamins and supplements? If so, I don't think you need to worry about induction not being healthy while you exercise. The exercise will just increase the fat burning effects of induction! Go for it!

Chickadee

I agree with Chickadee...it's the strictness of the allowable foods and 20 gm limit that defines induction, and even though I keep my foods fairly close to that and my gms close to 20, I'm way beyond induction now.

I did stay on for three weeks at first though, just to continue to get the hang of it. It worked well for me. I haven't move too much into increasing my DAILY carb counts, but on occasion I feel the freedom enough to enjoy something a bit higher. That's because I keep to about 20 a day usually, and because that works for me...it may not work for everyone.

It's all about adjusting and seeing what your body can handle!

In the strict definition of induction I did not last the two weeks because I could not do without my caffeine and cream.

In the wider sense of trying to keep around 20 carbs, that persisted into months and rarely got above 35. This was an OWL
period that lasted a year. During the year I experimented a lot with different carb levels, different foods and after a while you actually stop counting carbs as you eat them.

Low carbing for me became essential at the point of sale (ie in the supermarket reading labels)Working on the principle that if you do not have it in the house you can't eat it, and if its in the fridge or cupboard or vegetable rack then you can.

The interesting point to note is that there is no specific relationship to the amount of carbs you eat and either weight loss or weight gain. Everybody differs in their resistance to insulin.

Atkins set the limit at 20 to be sure he got in under the bar for most people. Other low carb writers and their plans follow the same basic principles but suggest carb levels of 40-60 which still achieve weight loss.

But in answer to the original question, there is nothing harmful in staying on induction for a long time, but it is restrictive, and is not necessary. Many return to a quick induction blitz to correct a few gained pounds on a maintenance plan.

That is where I am now, back down to near induction levels. This is because soon after the holiday period my scales starting playing up and telling lies (must get them fixed) and my clothes mysteriously shrank in the wash

Your comments are good about induction being different than just eating under 20 g.

I kind of looked at induction as "cleaning out the system" and getting the junk out of my diet. In fact, I think he should encourage even stricter induction and discourage the use of cheese, sour cream, and cream and other foods that people tend to get hooked on earlier. It's only 2 weeks folks (and harder than h*ll, I know).

I eat around the 20+ mark myself, happy to enjoy coffee and wine, and other low carb things that sneak in. That whole "increasing by 5g" thing just seems to tough for me. The fact that I got off flour and grains is enough to impress me. I do look forward to adding a bit of fruit in the summer months, but realize that I could care less in the winter.

Thanks to all of you. It is a long time since i read the book and I realise I have been thinking of 20g as the only rule for induction whereas it is more than that and also involves restricting some food. I am not really on induction at all then because I eat nuts cream etc.

The health question was because I do eat very few fruits and wondered if this was healthy long term. I eat the low carb veggies though and I take a vitamin supplement.

Similar to the Arctic explorer story there was an interesting documentary on TV recently where they showed a village in Siberia -said to be the coldest inhabited place in the world, The temp was -45C. There was no vegetation to eat and the people lived only on meat that they caught, including every bit of the reindeer carcas such as the intestines! They were very healthy and fit and the Western reporter staying with them had a lot less energy and stamina. Of course they would have got vegetables from eating the animal since they ate the stomach and intestines.

I have stayed around the 20gram mark myself for about 7 months. Occasionally I go to 30 or 40 and I have added nuts occasionally also. I continue to lose although the pace has slowed within the last month. I am trying to do this and make it a livable solution. Having a french fry or two from the kids happy meal or maybe a hershey kiss or two but thats it. No bread, no grains and no sugar. I feel alot better and my energy is at an all time high. I went to a bakery today that sells low carb ecliars and cream puffs and they were all out. What a dissappoint. I have made the low carb cheesecake and peanut butter cups and they are good. I want to be able to get to goal and stay there by limiting myself and not necessarily completely ommitting. Induction is a good way to kick start a stall and get things moving for you in general but staying straight induction is like deprivation and we all know what happens when you deprive yourself for too long.....you fall off the wagon!!!!!!!!
Laurie

Bravo Chemlady and congratulations on your impressive weight loss!

Chickadee