Phase 2 Tips
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MaxDPeterson
Posts: 12 Member
I am starting Phase 2 and I wanted to know what I should expect and if you have any tips. I've been on Phase 2 for 2-3 weeks and actually gained 1.5 lbs. I've been adding 5 net grams a day per week. Do any of you have experience with how to best transition? I hit my preliminary goal and want to start transitioning more foods into my diet but I still want to drop down another 20 lbs if I can.
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Can you share how long you were on Phase 1?
Wish I had advice but I'm only on the third week of Induction. Perhaps scrutinize if you are logging your serving size and carbs accurately. Also, perhaps up your movement now that you are upping carbs. You might just be super sensitive to carbs, though less than 2 lbs could just be a normal variation.0 -
Thanks for the reply. I did Induction for 4 months and got to my preliminary goal of 208 lbs. From there I decided to start Phase 2. I think the real problem arose from the fact that I went on a camp out and didn't pay attention to how much I was eating. I ate only Phase 2 approved foods but I was lax on my food tracking. I've lost 2 lbs in the last 4 days so I think I am ok. I'm adding 5 net carbs a week and am currently at 35 net grams per day. I have to say, I've missed strawberries and other fruit.0
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Wow, did you lose all 65 lbs over those 4 months? I'm finding resisting seasonal fruit challenging too. But I'm motivated to see success stories like yours!0
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For me, tracking net carbs doesn't work as well as just straight up carb count. Keeps me more honest since I can't easily track net carbs on MFP. Other eating approaches I have read about target 50-100 carbs a day for maintenance. Lower numbers for women and higher ranges for men. That is what phase 2 is about - finding your personal tolerance for carbs. Good luck!0
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Wow, did you lose all 65 lbs over those 4 months? I'm finding resisting seasonal fruit challenging too. But I'm motivated to see success stories like yours!
Thank you for the encouragement and kind words. Yes I did lose it all in a little more than 4 months. It takes dedication for sure but it pays off.
I will tell you that I haven't really cheated once. The fun thing about Atkins is learning what you really can eat and then having fun with it. Change your mind set too. Think of cheating as having some chicken wings even though non breaded wings are technically allowable on atkins. The idea of this is to be healthy and lose weight at the same time. I was, and still slightly am, a huge food addict so I wouldn't have been able to survive this without the occasionally "cheat" day. Again, "cheat" to me means doing something within the diet that I wouldn't normally do. At any rate, keep up your attempts and try not to get discouraged with anything. I've had weeks where I lost a lot less than usual and days where I really wanted to have that candy bar but you have to power through it. I rarely have cravings and I attribute that to the fact that I don't cheat.
Lastly, try to find some exercise you like. 4 months ago, the idea of getting up from the couch for anything other than eating or work was a terrible thought but when I lost the first 10 lbs, I had more energy and started hiking once or twice a week. If you don't like to exercise, you can still lose the weight but it certainly helps to do something cardio related if you can find something you like. Maybe it's running, biking, basketball or whatever. Swimming is a good with it being summer right now. I hope this helps. I know first hand how hard it can be to want to eat certain things and how hard it can be to say no but it pays off 100%.0 -
Thanks for sharing all this inspiration and practical advice. I have been using Fitbit and aiming for 10000 steps a day. I am more than willing to do this for 4 months if I could see half your results. My weight loss came fast at first (10 lbs the first 8 days) and then nothing until day 20! Now I'm finally losing again.
I'd love to hear more about your in-plan cheats! I've never been a big meat eater, so it does feel odd. The lack of cravings does make it worth it!0 -
What I mean by cheating within the diet is having something that is maybe a little less healthy but still on the approved list of foods we can eat. I love meat so for me, that means going to Texas Roadhouse and having a giant steak. Not healthy for me, but still low carb.
If you don't like meat, I am not sure how to go about that. Atkins is essentially meat and vegetables in the first phase so it is a bit trickier. Maybe, you have ranch instead of balsamic on your salad or maybe you bake your broccoli in the oven covered in olive oil instead of having it raw or steamed. It's all about being creative.0 -
I like meat, just never ate a lot of it. I like the idea of focusing on the indulgence of it, rather than the deprivation. Thanks!0
