Question about transition from Atkins induction phase to OWL

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eriq the geek - 23 Jan 2004 15:26 GMT

I'm about to finish my second week of induction and I'm not sure if I
should stay in induction or transition to OWL. I've lost 8 lbs so far,
which rocks, but all of that was lost in week 1, so I'm figuring it was
pretty much all water loss. This week (so far) I have basically stayed the
same. I'm OK with that since I plan on making this a life long plan
instead of something temporary. But as I understand it, the whole thing
with OWL is that you add 5g of carbs a week until your weight loss has
stopped. Well, mine seems to have already stopped. So does that mean I
should just stay on induction for awhile? I am exercising and tracking my
food intake through fitday.com and I really don't believe I'm taking in way
too many calories or anything like that.

The wonderful thing about this plan is that I'm not starving all the time,
but I have to admit I was looking forward to adding a little more variety,
e.g. something like those new Subway wraps, which look really good but
supposedly aren't "allowed" on induction.

Thanks for any advice ...

Eric (289/281/175) since 1/04

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Doug Freyburger - 23 Jan 2004 22:26 GMT

> I'm about to finish my second week of induction and I'm not sure if I
> should stay in induction or transition to OWL.

Induction on the core plan lasts 14 days, so everyone "should" move on
to OWL on day 15. Sure, extending won't make you sick for 6+ months
and you can quote the book to say you hav epermission to extend and
la-tee-da. But allowed does not mean the same thing as should.

Dr A spent 3 decades trying to improve on his process, and from 1972
through 2002 it continued to be a 4 phase plan. Don't think you can
improve on his 3 decades of work by doing something obvious. He
tried the obvious. But his system is non-obvious, and it works better.

> I've lost 8 lbs so far,
> which rocks, but all of that was lost in week 1, so I'm figuring it was
> pretty much all water loss.

1) No weighing during Induction has any meaning whatsoever. So none
of this week 1 stuff. You lost 8 on Induction. 2) You have no way to
estimate how much was water and how much was fat, so calling it "pretty
much all" water is baseless. You just plain can't say that because you
can't know. Some was water, some was fat. You don't know the amounts
and neither does anyone else, so don't go there.

> I'm OK with that since I plan on making this a life long plan
> instead of something temporary.

Yet more reason to follow the lifelong 4 phase process not the 1 phase
fad diet variation. You're new, you want the radical. Grit your
teeth and follow all of the directions.

> But as I understand it, the whole thing
> with OWL is that you add 5g of carbs a week until your weight loss has
> stopped.

No. Dr A's medical skills did not extend to writing skills. That is
not how you find your CCLL, and here is the number one reason why:

> Well, mine seems to have already stopped.

Bingo. Around 80% don't lose in week 3. Standard and expected as can
be. And if folks used "loss" they'd all think their CCLL is 20. But
the most common value is 50ish. Use the ketosis!

> So does that mean I should just stay on induction for awhile?

No. It means the clock says week 3 and standard week 3 events are
happening. Do NOT think that just because you didn't that there are
standard week 3 events, that something you did triggered them.

> I am exercising and tracking my
> food intake through fitday.com and I really don't believe I'm taking in way
> too many calories or anything like that.

Sounds good. Don't create a problem out of thin air.

> I have to admit I was looking forward to adding a little more variety,
> e.g. something like those new Subway wraps, which look really good but
> supposedly aren't "allowed" on induction.

Subway has salads that are allowed from the gate. The wraps are "Atkins
Friendly" but what does that mean? It means they want to sell them to
you. The wrap is made with grain, so try it when you get to the grain
rung of the carb ladder.

Use the ketosis to judge your CCLL. So far you've only encountered one
of the reasons it is impossible to use "loss" to judge it. There are
several other reasons. Spend a week out of ketosis, and your CCLL is
5-10 below that level.

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