skip phases?

[ariesgurl]

Have any of you stayed on induction until you reached your goal weight and then just went straight to maintenance? If so, did you find that it worked for you? As in, did you have a hard time maintaining your goal weight? Considering that I dont have that much weight to lose another 15-20 pounds maybe, I think going through all 4 phases isnt really ideal for me but I guess if I stop losing in induction I will have no choice but to move on...I think Im just afraid that if I start eating more carbs I will gain weight instead of lose it

[chinadoll]

There are four phases but many rungs on the carb ladder in OWL. If you don't have a lot to lose there are a lot of good reasons to start going through the rungs now.

1) As you go through the rungs and add carbs in small increments you learn where you stop losing --your Critical Carb level for maintaining your weight. This is important if you are to have long term success. If you go from Induction to maintenance phase, how do you know how many carbs that will be unless you have brought it up slowly?

2) Studies show that those losing slowly tend to keep the weight off longer--probably because they have, over time, learned how to eat properly. This is what OWL is for.

3) As I progress through the rungs, I tend to find that there are some foods within each rung that trigger appetite surges and cravings in me--even allowed foods. For example, I cannot eat peanuts. Even a handful will make me hungry for the entire rest of the day. I know that when I get to the level where it is allowed, I can eat whole wheat bread without a problem but rice has always and will always be a trigger food. Some low carb breads also trigger me. Going through the rungs slowly and introducing foods from each rung one at a time helps you identify the foods that are likely to trip you up in maintenance phase.

4) Even Dr. A advocated losing the last 15 pounds slowly because you need to learn how to eat for a lifetime. Losing the weight is (believe it or not) the easy part of the battle. The hard part is keeping it off--just ask the STACers or some of the Moderators. They have been there and back.

[not2late]

Originally Posted by ariesgurl

Have any of you stayed on induction until you reached your goal weight and then just went straight to maintenance? If so, did you find that it worked for you? As in, did you have a hard time maintaining your goal weight?

There are people who stay on Induction and lose all their weight. They become the people who say "Atkins works, but it doesn't work long-term" or "You can't stay on Atkins forever" or "I lost weight on Atkins, but couldn't keep it up" etc. The problem with these people is that they spend their entire time losing weight only: they didn't bother to learn how to maintain their weight loss. On-Going WEight Loss and Pre-Maintenance Phases teach you how to maintain that goal weight, while you are losing it. Oh, they also end up back here to "restart" their Atkins again because they regained the weight they lost.

Considering that I dont have that much weight to lose another 15-20 pounds maybe, I think going through all 4 phases isnt really ideal for me but I guess if I stop losing in induction I will have no choice but to move on...

Why do you think that the only time you should move to On-Going Weight Loss phase is when you "stop losing in induction"? Dr. Atkins never writes, "when you stop losing on Induction, move to OWL phase." In fact, he tells you to move to OWL and that the only people who may benefit from staying on Induction are those people with a high metabolic resistance to weight loss.

From our experience on ADBB, the people who have a moderate to low metabolic resistance do themselves no favors by staying on Induction and they should be moving to OWL as soon as they finish their 14 day Induction phase and not when they stop losing weight on Induction.

I think Im just afraid that if I start eating more carbs I will gain weight instead of lose it

This is why it does you NO GOOD--mentally or physically--- to stay on Induction until you get to goal. What will you do when you get to goal weight and you're too scared to eat more carbs? During Maintenance, you maintain your weight, not lose it. You can't stay on Induction because it's designed for weight loss. You can't move to On-Going Weight Loss phase, because it's designed for weight loss too. Same thing for Pre-Maintenance phase.

As chinadoll wrote, she discovered that there are foods within the Carb ladder that she cannot eat without some consequence. If she had stayed on Induction, she wouldn't know that. But now she does, so she knows what her body can and cannot tolerate which will make her maintenance phase alot easier than if she waited until maintenance to figure out what foods she can eat.

You're only cheating yourself if you don't go through the Phases. Because if you don't learn about your body and how to maintain that weight loss, you'll be back here again or at some other Diet losing everything you regained.

[sugarfreeone]

Not2late, you are SO right. That is exactly why I have been back to this board and back on the diet like THREE times. I never did move beyond induction. I was afraid , terrified even of gaining the weight back...and I got SO sicl of eating the same things all the time and no variety that i went right back to my carby eating ways...This time I am gdoing it right. I am past week one on induction and I am 4 pounds down and thrilled....after this induction period is up I am moving forward and doing Atkins the right way!

[EverLosing]

The previous posters are absolutely right on this one. OWL is an important part of the journey. It's about learning to keep the results of your hard work---for LIFE. That's why it's referred to as a way of living. I learned very little in induction compared to OWL. OWL allows your body to tell you what you can and can't handle. Go through the rungs this time or most likely, you'll be back up in weight and back here next time encouraging others to follow the plan correctly. Save yourself the heartache and do it right this time. You'll be so glad you did!!

[keriann_forgoodthistime]

it IS scary - but for me, as far as moving through the phases. i've never done atkins before - first and only time i'm doing it - only as in i'm learning the right way to do it so once i get TO my goal and maintenance i'll know exactly the right way to eat as well as not be afraid to add those other types of foods.

plus, (like already said) if you stay on induction and DON'T move up through the rungs, you will get bored and end up going back to the old ways of eating - and the only thing you'll get from that is back to the weight you were at.

i know I have decided to move through the rungs by the amount of weight i lose...for every 5 pounds, (since I only have a total of 36 to lose) I would move through the rungs. So my first 5 (191) i went up to rung 1 (more vegees) - second 5 (186) I went up to rung 2 (dairy) - third 5 (181) I went up to rung 3 (nuts)
I'm working on my next 5 as I'm only at 179/180 right now - and I so can't WAIT to get to the berries rung!!! but nope - not til i'm at 176.

It's worth it though - I know I don't wanna just eat meat and vegees for the rest of my life. I LOVE nuts (hey - just like the slapchop/shamwow guy - "you're gonna love my nuts" hehehe! sorry - funny commercial) - and it's really nice to be able to eat almonds and walnuts..i need to go get some macadamias though.

but really - there's no point in staying on induction cuz you'll get bored.

i wish you all the luck though! just slowly move up (maybe every 10 pounds?) and you'll continue to lose - don't be afraid.