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how long to stay on Phase I?

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chankalian
chankalian Posts: 4
in Social Groups
I've been on Phase I since April 29th, when do I move on and add 5 more grams of carbs?
I have not lost any weight since middle of week 2. Food journal is open. thanks

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  • VaporHero2
    VaporHero2 Posts: 24
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    Im staying on phase one until I get within 20-30lbs of my goal. I have over 100lbs to lose.
  • theMermaiden
    theMermaiden Posts: 1 Member
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    The way I figure it, I'll stay on phase 1 until I really understand how to count the carbs. For example, I had for a snack slice of turkey wrapped in a slice of cheese with mustard with a mini yellow pepper. 3 of those peppers were 6 grams of carb. Ok now I know. Plus yesterday I had tomato and pepper, gained .5. So clearly I have to take my time learning the new ways of thinking . Good Luck!!
  • wwmoab
    wwmoab Posts: 48 Member
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    This is the main question I have too. Would love to hear from successful (ie: at goal weight now) dieters to hear how long they stayed on induction...but they probably aren't on the boards much any more.

    chankalian, hope you don't me mind saying, you already look very fit so I imagine losing anything will come slowly. I may be a skeptic but I think Atkins works because my daily calorie count is much lower than it was when I was eating carbs. For me, the magic is freedom from my trigger foods/addictions:sugar and flour.
  • mooie70
    mooie70 Posts: 70 Member
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    I'm not sure but I think I'm in week 6 or 7 now and I'm still in Induction because I have a lot of weight to lose. I've lost 6 kilos all up because for almost 2 weeks in there I actually gained a bit over a kilo. I had a birthday where I had cake on one of those days, but only the one day and I was back in Ketosis by the next afternoon. I've had a really emotional month and haven't really eaten enough. Some days I just don't eat enough carbs, but usually I go eat a piece of red capsicum to add a few more in at the end of the day.

    I can't say I've found it hard to stick to. Counting carbs is MUCH easier than counting calories, and as a bit of a sideline, I've noticed the calories are not too bad actually.

    I had no cravings in the first 4 or 5 weeks, and only recently have I felt like something sweet. I haven't had sugar (apart from on my birthday ~ cake) in nearly 2 months. THAT in itself is a miracle for me. And I mean sugar in any form apart from naturally occurring sugars in salads and vegies.

    I finally started losing again this week, so I may be back on track, but for me (I have no thyroid, and have been big ever since I had it removed), the fact that I FEEL better far outweighs my need to lose weight. I guess only someone who is Hypothyroid would understand what I mean by that.

    Best of luck to you all :flowerforyou:
  • TheSatinPumpkin
    TheSatinPumpkin Posts: 948 Member
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    Still on induction at 9 months. Will reevaluate when i am at or a few lbs under goal and start strength training.
  • Nano1360
    Nano1360 Posts: 105 Member
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    I think it really doesn't matter if you stay in phase 1 longer than they say! The problem is to make sure your body receives all the vitamins and minerals it needs. Without eating carbs, fruits, and much vegetables especially for ladies it will affect our hair, nail, and skin. So I will say as long as we take enough supplement to replace the necessary vitamins and minerals, we will be ok for couple of month, but I wouldn't go more than 4 month by phase 1. Because there is a risk that our body get used to absorbing simple minerals and doesn't really work with natural minerals and vitamins in the future.
    Moreover, I think the hard thing with phase 2 is to eat too much carbs and get out of induction, then you should start the critical 48 hours again and it doesn't works that well if you repeat the process again and again!
  • focused4health
    focused4health Posts: 154 Member
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    I read this on

    http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/faq.php?faq=phases#faq_q32

    ""The longer you consume no more than 20 grams of net carbs daily, the more body fat you will burn. Depending on how much weight you need to lose, you can safely continue with Induction as long as the following three conditions are met:

    1. Your blood chemistries, lipid values, blood pressure or blood sugar levels continue to improve or remain stable and within normal limits.

    2. You feel well and are experiencing a high energy level, normal sleep patterns and stable moods.

    3. You are not bored. Boredom could lead to cheating and undermine your efforts.

    However, it is important to understand the entire Atkins Nutritional Approach. The ultimate goal of the program is to advance from the Induction phase through Ongoing Weight Loss and Pre-Maintenance, culminating in Lifetime Maintenance, which should become your permanent way of eating.

    By following these steps, you can find your Critical Carbohydrate Level for Losing (CCLL), also known as your carbohydrate threshold for losing, and ultimately your Critical Carbohydrate Level for Maintenance (CCLM), also known as your carbohydrate threshold for maintaining. Moving from one phase to another will help you maintain a healthful weight, feel good and decrease your risk factors for chronic diseases such as heart disease, hypertension and diabetes.

    That being said, if you have a great deal of weight to lose, you can certainly stay on Induction for six months or even more. When you switch to Ongoing Weight Loss, your rate of loss will naturally diminish. On the other hand, if you have a modest weight loss goal, say 20 pounds, and lose the first pounds rapidly, it is important to move through the more liberal phases so you can establish the good eating habits that will become part of your ongoing lifestyle and end yo-yo dieting.

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