I'm starting this thread because since I have over 80 pounds to lose, I'm going to be on Induction for a really long time! Please post your ideas, suggestions, and experiences with long-term induction.
The more carbs I eat, the more I want. (I didn't get this way eating celery, girlfriends!)
For me the key is to having enough variety and types of foods that you enjoy that you can stick with it for the long term. The true Atkins induction rules eliminates a number of low carb foods that I find really convenient and satisfying (chiefly nuts and berries) so I'd find true 'induction' hard to live with long term. I do eat quite low carb - usually around 30 g per day, and my weekly average is probably closer to 25, but that number does include foods that could not be classified as 'induction'.
For me it's more important to have something I can live happily with than to follow anyone's rules too strictly...
As you can see by my ticker, I have A LOT to lose and plan on being in Induction for about 3 months. This is long term for me. It's a permanent change. I know that if I have a small taste of carbs right now it'll set off a binge of monumental proportions! LOL!
So far I'm enjoying it. I tend to eat the same things daily so I'm not too concerned about having a variety of foods to eat. I do better if I dont have too many options.
Im like you ... the more carbs I eat, the more I want and I feel like I cant control it - that's why I think longer term induction would be beneficial for me. I'll need to VERY SLOWLY make my way up that carb ladder and I may need to skip some foods altogether. I'll know for sure when I get there.
I will be staying on induction for a while too. Week one is over and I am down three pounds. I know I should be excited but I was kind of expecting more. At least it is down and not up.
I am thinking that maybe the Splenda is a problem. I went on amazon and ordered the liquid sweetner after reading up on why I may not be losing as quickly as I thought. Trying to stay positive.
I am with you guys on eating the same foods. If I have too many choices, I make bad ones. If I am not on something like this then I will take the easy way out and eat out....a lot. lol.
My only suggestion for long-term induction, is to consider moving on to OWL, or increasing your carbs at least slightly if "induction flu" doesn't go away.
It took me decades to discover that low-carb was right for me, because I was always so sick on induction that it reinforced the argument that low-carb had to be unhealthy.
I never considered adding more carbs (not even just 5 or 10), because I had so much to lose, and Dr. Atkins wrote that I could stay on induction - and that the "flu" was a result of carb-withdrawal and would go away. So I never considered that upping my carbs, even a tiny bit might help.
I never stayed on the diet much more than 3 weeks, because I felt so ill. I even passed out a couple times (the first time I blamed it on the heat, because it was summer, but there was no excuse for the second time). Because I found that eating carbs almost instantly "cured" the symptoms, I blamed the diet - but didn't think to compromise a little and raise my carbs a bit above induction level.
Now, that I'm diabetic, and have tested my blood sugar, I recognize the symptoms as low-blood sugar. If I had eaten smaller meals much more often, or if I had raised my carb level even 5 to 10g above induction, I'm sure I would have learned much earlier in life how to do low-carb for the long term.
I'm not saying this will happen to you, just that if it does, consider eating more often. If that doesn't help, then try increasing carbs them slowly just until the symptoms disappear (I think the 5g a week suggested in the book would be great).
What I'd love to save you is my own mistake - giving up rather than finding a way to make it work, even if that meant a slight compromise.
I agree with kaplods - and I support you completely. There is some evidence that limited, repetitive foods work well in weight control for some folks. If it ain't broken don't fix it. Might consider just adding one food at a time when you increase your carbs a little to see what might set you off on a binge. Stick around, we're on your side here.
I appreciate your suggestions. I probably need to settle on a few menus that I really enjoy, are strictly within WOE limits, and go with them. I also tend to get food-stimulated (is there such a word combo?) if I have too many choices.
The only real negative of Atkins (aside from the obvious) for me is all the prep work and cooking. I live alone, have a long commute, and work long hours during the school year (mid August - mid June), so I'm simply worn out at the end of most days and can't stand the idea of prepping and cooking for myself. I love food and love to cook, but not every day.
Right now it's easy for me; I'm on summer vacation, and it's WONDERFUL. Time to shop, time to cook, time to read and post on 3 FC...I'm scared though about going back to work. I want to eat out, pick up something, make a sandwich for dinner, make bad choices at the store because I'm tired and cranky and think I "deserve" a treat for making it through the day.
I know those are excuses - almost everyone is tired, rushed, and cranky at the end of a long day, but I've WORN THEM OUT! So I have to develop a list of quick, satisying Atkins menus I can rely on weekly. I found Linda's Low Carb Recipe site thanks to JerseyGyrl, and I plan to use it. On weekends or when I have guests, I can make Atkins menus that take a little longer or more prep.
I need and appreciate your encouragement and suggestions. Mind my business...I haven't done such a great job of it! Thanks.
Hi sandyfanny,
I have a few suggestions for you.
I try to eat basically the same types of things with just a few variations.
My kids are grown so I also live alone.
For my breakfast (which is my main meal) I eat 3 pre-cooked sausages (Jimmy Dean) with 3 scrambled eggs. This is pretty much every day.
Lunch will usually be a basic salad (leaf lettuce, tomato, 1/8 cucumber, dressing) and a few slices of ham.
OR sometimes I will make deviled eggs the night before - not much to boiling some eggs and mixing the yokes together with a few other ingredients (I like mine hot & spicey so I use jalepenos and onions chopped really fine)
MY supper (if I eat supper) might be a few servings of cheese or a hamburger patty with mustard.
I am sure you can experiment and come up with a few things that you really like that require minimal cooking.
Hope this helps.
sandy, as you know I have gone back to induction levels, because my weight loss was stalled at 30-40g of carbs/day. It is working, but I do have to be strict, which is a drag. I think what kaplods says is true, about the "flu" being related to low blood sugars, although for some of us diabetics and pre-diabetics, the sugars may not be truly low, but low in comparison to where they have been. If you are used to being around 7, 5 will feel low.
After a weekend a bit off plan, I have added some weight, (probably not true weight tho) and it reinforces that I need the induction regimen.
so this morning, a nice omelet. ttfn
I'm sure your fun weekend weight is very temporary...drink lots of water, take a walk, and induction will scare it right off.
Regarding being on induction for a long time, I think it's likely that many days I inadvertently consume 30 or 40 g. of carbs without meaning too, and that's why I'm not losing very quickly or why I've played around with up and down the same five pounds. Unless I'm super strict, I just don't lose or I lose a very small amount...so it's induction as carefully as I can for 80 or so more pounds!
I do notice that it's not as hard to walk Puddin' the Giant German Shepherd as it was when I started. I'm not gasping for breath, and I don't hurt...I know I'm building some endurance and burning a few calories. Puddin' loves her walks; I feel really guilty if I don't walk her. Although my yard is fenced, she likes to go snoop around the waterfront and be a DOG!
I'm sure your fun weekend weight is very temporary...drink lots of water, take a walk, and induction will scare it right off.
Regarding being on induction for a long time, I think it's likely that many days I inadvertently consume 30 or 40 g. of carbs without meaning too, and that's why I'm not losing very quickly or why I've played around with up and down the same five pounds. Unless I'm super strict, I just don't lose or I lose a very small amount...so it's induction as carefully as I can for 80 or so more pounds!
I do notice that it's not as hard to walk Puddin' the Giant German Shepherd as it was when I started. I'm not gasping for breath, and I don't hurt...I know I'm building some endurance and burning a few calories. Puddin' loves her walks; I feel really guilty if I don't walk her. Although my yard is fenced, she likes to go snoop around the waterfront and be a DOG!
Have a great week.
Yep. Me too! If I am not disciplined with my eating, I'll either stay the same or gain. I decided last week that that just wasn't good enough!! So I'm following induction & will be for some time!
My dog Shadow loves her walks & I feel awful when I can't take her out for a walk (like when I finish work at 9pm). She's a smart dog too! ie. when I open the back door for her to go out, she looks at me, calculates if it's worth it for her to get up just to to go in the back yard, and either puts her head down in protest, or says 'o-k-a-a-y' and comes very slowly to the door to do her business!
I know exactly what you mean. I'm aggravated with myself for not being super strict 100% on plan every day - I'd be so much further along. But I can't afford to get down and beat myself up when I eat something I know is off plan or realize I've eaten too much cheese or nibbled away on a dark chocolate bar (somehow I've convinced myself it's good for my heart) or drunk a beer with friends or not drunk a gallon of water...or a hundred other things that delay and waylay me! Who does all those bad things? My daughters had an imaginary friend who did all the naughty things at our house. His name was "Dr. No No." Who knows? Maybe it's Dr. No No.
We'll continue to take it day by day and do our best. And make peace with ourselves while we make WAR ON FAT!
maybe jersey girl can be helpful here, but if the only way to lose at all is to be very strict with induction, and going up the carb ladder almost immediately results in gain, is there long term danger of never being able to maintain? I know I haven't lost all the weight I want yet, and I am committed to making atkins a long term lifestyle, not a diet, but I will be wanting more carbs and varied carbs in my life eventually. Right now, that seems like it may never happen, and that is hard to take.
I know, I know, get the weight off first then think about maintenance....
or not?
I'm not even thinking about maintenance. I'm focusing on these 30 pounds for now. I'm really afraid I'm one of those people who will ALWAYS have a choice (1) stay essentially on Atkins induction or (b) regain the weight I lose.
I didn't practice maintenance when I lost 80 pounds and eventually my diet evolved into lots of carbs, many of them in sugar and the other evil "white meanies." It took me eight years to regain the weight, but I'm HATIN' taking it off again. It's not worth it to me to do this a third time...and I'm not getting any younger and it's not getting any easier. When I eat carbs, I want more carbs...I want all the carbs in the world, not 10 more grams.
I'm just not thinking about it. Maybe there's hope that you and lots of other Atkins buddies can return to a more fun carb count, but I'm pretty sure I'm not one of them. Just like I'm not 5'10", don't have long legs, or naturally curly hair...I'm going to try to accept it.
I'm not even thinking about maintenance. I'm focusing on these 30 pounds for now. I'm really afraid I'm one of those people who will ALWAYS have a choice (1) stay essentially on Atkins induction or (b) regain the weight I lose.
I'm just not thinking about it. Maybe there's hope that you and lots of other Atkins buddies can return to a more fun carb count, but I'm pretty sure I'm not one of them. Just like I'm not 5'10", don't have long legs, or naturally curly hair...I'm going to try to accept it.
I hear you Sandy. I am hopeful there is a middle ground, of a higher carb count (like 50 or 60 g, vs the 20 I'm having now) and the 150g that are closer to the "norm" that one dietition recommended for me. (I tried it, having only "good" carbs from whole grains, and lots of veggies, lower fat, and keeping to about 1600 cals. I did it for 2 weeks, gained 3 pounds, craved food all the time, was hungry a lot, and never got my sugars to any kind of reasonable level) . It really reinforced that Atkins is right for me.
You are probably right, now is not the time to worry about maintenance, when I still have a long way to go for loss. I expect it will take another year or year and a half to lose what I need to lose with things going slowly. That doesn't scare me, oddly enough, (although I am sure I am whining about it enough) but knowing it will take a while is good as it means I will be really used to eating this way.
BTW, weight is back to under 170, though it looks like I did gain a bit over the weekend. drag. but I can deal with it. sticking to induction.
"Induction" for a Really Long Time!
