gotta figure this out...

[sherice]

Ok I started induction Nov 14th...I fell of for two days and jumped back on after a binge. It is now dec 13th and for the most part I stayed on a "loose induction" of around 25 to 30 carbs a day. I added in peanut butter and nuts the other day, My question is do you think this is ok? Will I just lose weight at a slower level? I believe nuts are healthy and they are on the diet just not till rung 3....maybe I should consider myself there because really I kinda did the first two on my own without really realizing? (except cottage cheese). What do you think?

[not2late]

Originally Posted by sherice

Ok I started induction Nov 14th...I fell of for two days and jumped back on after a binge. It is now dec 13th and for the most part I stayed on a "loose induction" of around 25 to 30 carbs a day. I added in peanut butter and nuts the other day, My question is do you think this is ok? Will I just lose weight at a slower level? I believe nuts are healthy and they are on the diet just not till rung 3....maybe I should consider myself there because really I kinda did the first two on my own without really realizing? (except cottage cheese). What do you think?

First off, if you are eating 25-30 carbs that's not a 'loose Induction': that's OWL. "Extended Induction" is when you follow the Induction rules and eat off the Induction foods list beyond the minimum 14 Days. OWL is when you increase your carbs and/or climb the OWL carbohydrate ladder. And before anyone jumps on me and says "Well, that's how I did MY Induction!", let me just say to them: read the book and see how Dr. Atkins defines his phases.

Secondly, is this okay? It depends on how your body responds to the carb level and carbs you've added. That's the beauty of OWL Phase, you find your Critical CArbohydrate Losing Level, you add foods and you still lose weight.

What you've essentially done is OWL but skipped rungs 1 and 2. However my question to you is how you can be eating 25-30 carbs without adding additional vegetables and/or dairy?

[sherice]

I do eat vegetables and dairy...quite a bit...the majority comes from those..maybe you got confused by how I worded it....all I did was add peanut butter....I never considered myself in owl....when maybe I should have a while ago......I have lost an inch since I added more carbs (plus the peanut butter) so in moderation I am assuming that it could be ok right? thanks

[not2late]

Originally Posted by sherice

I do eat vegetables and dairy...quite a bit...the majority comes from those..maybe you got confused by how I worded it....all I did was add peanut butter....I never considered myself in owl....when maybe I should have a while ago......I have lost an inch since I added more carbs (plus the peanut butter) so in moderation I am assuming that it could be ok right? thanks

If those veggies and dairy constitute at least half of 25-30 net carbs, then you are on OWL----in fact, you've completed Rung 1 and 2. So adding nuts/seeds will mean Rung 3.

I'm a bit picky about the terminology because it confuses alot of people. I remember the days on ADBB where we had people say they were on Induction but eating 40 carbs daily and eating fruit, nuts, the occasional legume and grain.

So you're on OWL phase now. The rules are a bit different from Induction. So re-read the OWL chapters in the book and read the stickies in the OWL forum. What's 'okay' for OWL is very different from Induction because 'what's okay' is based upon how your body reacts to the number of carbs and the types of carbs.

OWL is nothing to fear. It's a the most important phase of Atkins because you learn about your body and that will enable you to keep the weight off once you reach goal.

[sherice]

Thank you for your advice....so far so good....I will keep a close eye as to what happens when I eat something new......also I will re read owl in the book.

[not2late]

Good for you. Alot of people blow OWL off because they think they'll lose more weight and/or lose weight faster if they stick it out on Induction. That's not usually the case, unfortunately, because many of them become bored with the Induction foods and fall off the diet completely.

I'm willing to bet that half the people doing "extended Induction" are really doing OWL rungs 1-2 because they've added more veggies, added non-Induction foods like cottage cheese, etc.

So don't fear OWL. OWL and Pre-Maintenance are the most important of the Atkins weight loss phases.

[sherice]

thank you for your support!! I am ready! And excited