How far up the rungs did you go?

[Luna Rossa]

2big said something in another forum that struck a cord with me so I thought I'd post it here and get everyone else's thoughts.

Please go read the STAC forum. there are folk in there who made it to gaol weight didn't do all the phases ballooned back up and just can't get back down cause they can't stick to the plan.

I made it to goal so I'm one of those people. I know I personally stayed in induction too long. I had a specific event as motivation and even though I felt great and had many other reasons to continue that was my driving force. When that had passed, that's when I started to slide.

I did follow the rungs fairly well, found I had a problem with dairy, skipped nuts/seeds (allergic) and legumes (bleck) but staying in previous rungs an extra week or two to make up for those.

Where did I go wrong? I never really figured out my ACE/CCLL. And I quit working out, which lowered that considerably. I never did the premaintenance/maintenance phases. I wonder now if I would have had better control over the sugar if I had done so.

Anyone else?

[maribelle]

Re: How far up the rungs did you go?

You know...every time I try to do the rungs, I screw up. Its really hard for me somehow to figure it out. But third time is the charm, so maybe I can do it right. There are days when my eating resembles more extremely low carb then Atkins I'm afraid (like eating strawberries and whip topping (( 2 carbs per serving in the whip topping)), but at the same time, it kept me from eating ice cream, which at the time I was almost dying for. So? Is that really evil? Anyway, I need to read the rung information again, and do this right.

[Luna Rossa]

Re: How far up the rungs did you go?

Hmm nobody else has any input on this?

I was just curious to see how many people actually did any of the other phases besides induction. Anyone I know IRL that has "done Atkins" never really got past the induction phase, lost interest and fell off time and time again.

The goalies who made goal and continue to maintain all did it properly (of course!) So where do the rest of us fit in?

[boonie stomper]

Re: How far up the rungs did you go?

A long, long time ago I did what I thought was Atkins, with an older Atkins book, for 6 months: It was all induction, and I knew nothing of ratios. The way I existed was basically fasting, with an occasional tiny meal of allowed food. My family insisted it was bad for me and even though I'd actually got very close to goal, I finally gave in to them and stopped. Then I proceeded to let all their "you're so skinny" statements go to my head, and fell for their fattening hand outs. Box of valentine chocolates. Easter candy. Spaghetti dinner, pot roast, all you can eat supper get togethers. They didn't seem to notice and neither did I as steadily I returned to what they and I knew as "normal", and I just kept on eating ad libitum, "knowing" I could stop any time and diet again to lose the weight again. I was oblivious to what my metabolism was doing - adding extra insurance against future famine... More weight came on, in less time than it took to lose it, and it kept on coming, even when eating controlled portions. This vicious cycle repeats itself with on/off highly restrictive rapid weight loss on any number of diets. Each time it gets harder, which is why this time I'm going though the rest of the program all the way to maintenance.
Though haven't convinced myself it will work for me yet, I see it works for others; and am convinced any other course definately will not.

[Katlam]

Re: How far up the rungs did you go?

ok i'll chime in. i still haven't done the rungs specifically. i've been doing this whole eating plan for 2 plus years. while i'm not eating sugar or white flour stuff i'm not really loosing anymore.

i'm actually afraid of OWL but i need to move on.

So how does one "get over" the fear of OWL??

Kathy

[Elizellen]

Re: How far up the rungs did you go?

i'm actually afraid of OWL but i need to move on.

So how does one "get over" the fear of OWL??

I suppose the only way is 'Just do it!'

Have you been eating induction-level foods all this time, Kathy?

Perhaps it wouldn't be too scary to add 5 net carbs more of the allowed veggies?

I am sure no-one got fat from eating an extra cup of broccolli?!?!

Then if all is well start on the dairy rung in a couple of weeks.

[lisaj]

Re: How far up the rungs did you go?

I feel just about the same way. Scared of OWL? Easier to stay in Extended induction. However this week, after deciding to skip the rungs up to fruits, I added watermelon this week. 1/2 cup has 5 carbs? Ever tried eating just that amount of watermelon. Well, I can say that, it gave me a stomach ache, but did not trigger any kind of cravings, so i will stick with it. I have to say the same thing, did anyone ever gain weight from eating watermelon? I don't know this. I can feel my TOM haunting me, last month, I had no cravings, but my stress levels seem to be at an all time high. Home, work, kids, and BF are really tee-ing me off. Might not be TOM at all. Just freaking LIFE. I think that it is so much better for me than the chocolate cake my child made,or the McDonalds the older one bought. so I've made the allowance but is it a cheat? I have been swimming for a couple hours daily and feel good about that part. I don't miss any of the rungs but fruit, and summertime feels wrong without watermelon LOL......... thats my rant.

[ValidRouge]

Re: How far up the rungs did you go?

I'm on my second time around guys....and I really, really think the reason I fell the first time was because I stayed on induction. I've been going through the rungs...probably not exactly like I'm supposed to, because I have not yet found my CCLL--but at about 35-37 net carbs a day, I'm very satisified. I am up to the fruit rung, I regularly eat berries, have cottage/ricotta cheese, lots of veggies, I have beans on my salads or in a soup, I have a piece of fruit (watermelon, nectarine, guava, mango, a few grapes, etc.)

My point is, I'M STILL LOSING! I had a 2 lb whoosh last night AFTER having a 2.5 lb loss on my official weigh day yesterday morning! Because OWL is not as restrictive, I eat all kinds of things that you can't have on induction...I'm still in deep ketosis too. Now, adding 5 net carbs of veggies is EASY because you get large quantities of them most time for 5 net carbs. The dairy rung is easy too--combine your 5 net carbs of veggie in the form of tomato sauce and add 5 net carbs (total of 10 net carbs) on the dairy rung in the form of ricotta/cottage cheese and now you can have some "Italian" style dishes without the noodles of course. Berry rung is easy too...5 net carbs of strawberries is about 5 whole strawberries, slice them up, whip some cream and eat for a delicious treat...and it is plenty because of the appetite suppression.

Where it gets a little harder is on legumes and fruits, etc. Those portion sizes are pretty small....so, how do you do it? You combine those foods with something else to stretch it out. Put your beans on your salad, put them in a soup, make a chili heavy on the meat, light on the sauce and beans. Put some sort of fruit on your salad, or do heidi's suggestion of grilling a piece of fruit to go with your meat or something.

Please consider going ahead and adding foods back, you are teaching yourself how to eat for the rest of your life so that you CAN maintain your loss. If you find yourself in trouble, you can always go back to induction for a few days and then try again.

[kkat55]

Re: How far up the rungs did you go?

This was a great thread...and worthy of bumping up for newbies (and myself).

[Dolphin]

Re: How far up the rungs did you go?

Thanks for this thread Luna, it should be a sticky, but of course we need some more input. I love ValidRouge breakdown. I too was stuck in extended induction, scared to start OWL, convinced myself I didn't need it. I will go as long as I can then begin OWL.

I really want to know HOW DO YOU FIND YOUR CCLL? ITS A MYSTERY.

Have a splendid Atkins day!!! btw thanks kkat for the invite!!!!!

[Dolphin]

Re: How far up the rungs did you go?

I found this thread with the answers!!! http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...ead.php?t=5515

Its now called the acronym ACE from the previous CCLL.

My ACE is 40-60 grams of carbs a day.

[RachelnLa]

Re: How far up the rungs did you go?

I lost my book in Hurricane Rita. Can someone tell me how long you are supposed to stay on induction? I know it's 2 weeks, but there was another part that said if you wanted to lose weight faster or had a lot of weight to lose you could stay on induction for 6 months?

I need to get a new book. I remember trying to add 5 carbs a day and blew it! Now I have a better understanding of what I was doing wrong.

Thanks!

[kkat55]

Re: How far up the rungs did you go?

Bumpity, Bump, Bump...

[bluQQ]

Re: How far up the rungs did you go?

I maintained for a few months. I didnt follow any specific order. I played around. I added more veggies, fruits etc and saw how my body reacted. I dont think it can be an exact science especially if you are working out.

[BeccaResRN]

Re: How far up the rungs did you go?

I am trying to do all the rungs this time in pre-mainatance, I feel this will help me know what things i should continue to avoid. I tried corn on cob this week and some potato last night....Corn no problems that I noted, potato made my tummy a little rumbley and my weight is up a bit today...but i fluxuate all the time. So maybe that means corn is Ok but I will go real slow on potatoes, I do do bread very often at all right now. and watermelon makes me cravey, nuts I can eat in food but as a snack I overdo.