Sun, May-09-04, 21:25
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There and Back Again
Posts: 1,590
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Plan: Atkins
Stats: 200/194.4/140
BF:42%/42%/20%
Progress: 9%
Location: Northern Colorado
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Induction level carbs vs. increasing
I have read that one can stay on induction level carbohydrates for a long time safely, and that if one has a lot of weight to lose, it is advisable to keep the carbohydrates in the lower range so as not to get as discouraged from weight loss slowdown until the end is in sight (the last 10-20 lbs).
I started Atkins about 14 months ago and have stayed with close to induction level carbs for most of the time (20 - 30 net carbs). I regularly eat cheese, nuts, and berries and have not found any of these things to stall me out--the key is moderation and being sure to measure out servings. Nuts are insanely healthy but also very high in calories, so it's easy to end up by eating way too many. Sunflower seeds in the shell have been a welcome addition. Strawberries and blueberreis, too. I have also recently added grapefruit.
I take sunflower seeds in the shell to the movies and eat them instead of popcorn. I also eat low carb tortillas, flax cereals, and organic low carb breads with no problems. Occasional alcohol as well.
Induction technically does not permit certain foods, but OWL does... OWL, however can be as low as 15 grams of carbs and certainly up... it's extremely individual. If you do add carbs, go by the carb ladder and take your time adding them in to see how you feel.
What OWL does offer over Induction is a wider variety of choices in what you eat. You can be on OWL and eat quite a range of foods and quite a range of carbs that is customized to you.
Maltitol has caused a bit of a stall for me--I prefer to count it as a standard carb rather than subtract it--if I do that, it tends to give a more realistic picture of the carb load.
However, after losing 40 lbs and being stalled for a couple of months I found that the most effective way for me to handle extra carbohydrates is to add a significant amount of vigorous daily exercies (30 minutes to 2 hours per day), incorporating both aerobic (including walking) and weight training types of exercise.
I have recently been adding more fruit and veggies. Because I am exercising a lot (more than an hour daily now) my body's optimal nutrition needs and tolerances are a little different than they were before when I was only lightly exercising... so one recommendation when you are adding carbs to your diet, is to also increase your activity level.
I would say that there is a direct correlation between the effectiveness of lc'ing and exercise. Exercise tends to cut appetite so calories trim down naturally, lc'ing also tends to cut appetite/cravings, and exercise also improves insulin function. I strongly believe that exercise is the single most effective weight loss tool even above and beyond lc'ing (not that I'm knocking lc, because I KNOW what a great WOL it is).
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