Scared of OWL

thealything · 07-09-2008, 01:08 PM

okay, so I've pledged myself to another 2 weeks of induction... this time, trying a totally dairy-free, coffee-free and splenda-free induction to see how the absence of delicious things will affect me.

in the meantime, I know that I can't do this forever. I love induction, feel good, love eating meat and eggs and salads. but I also love veggies and kind of feel I'm ready to start incorporating more into my diet. and in the grand scheme of things 5g carbs is like, 20 calories, so what's the big deal?

even so, I'm TERRIFIED. I don't want to stall, and if I start gaining I might lose it. I know it's impossible to tell if I don't try, but I'm still scared anyway.

I am lame.

any thoughts?

flourchild · 07-09-2008, 05:58 PM

OWL = Ongoing Weight Loss. It's doesn't = STALL or MAINTENANCE. Trust the plan, follow the steps, learn your tolerances from climbing the rungs. You aren't going to get fat by adding back a few asparagus spears. Plus Induction is always there if you want to return to those levels.

If normal scale fluctuations could freak you out, consider staying off them for days or weeks at a time. Use other methods to gauge success. Living in fear of an inanimate object is simply unacceptable. The road to perdition is NOT paved with a few veggie carbs! Maybe mocha lattes and pastas and candy, but not lettuce.

C'mon. Let go a little and make some REAL progress, by learning how to sustain a healthy and varied eating plan. Best wishes.

thealything · 07-09-2008, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flourchild

Living in fear of an inanimate object is simply unacceptable. The road to perdition is NOT paved with a few veggie carbs! Maybe mocha lattes and pastas and candy, but not lettuce.

C'mon. Let go a little and make some REAL progress, by learning how to sustain a healthy and varied eating plan. Best wishes.

I needed that... thank you!

flourchild · 07-09-2008, 06:42 PM

okapi · 07-09-2008, 09:11 PM

Hi!

I was not nervous to move up to Owl Rung 1 because that is just a few more veggies which I knew would not give me trouble, but moving up to Owl Rung 2 (dairy) made me nervous! After some words of encouragement on another message board I made the move up and I'm soooooo happy I did!!

I ended up swapping rungs 3 (nuts) and 4 (berries) since berries are in season now and nuts are always available. So right now I'm comfortable with berries and just starting to test out nuts (only as an ingredient (such as mixed into a stir fry or salad) not just out of the container as a snack yet, which I'm worried about due to portion control!

I am loving the variety that is possible as I move up the rungs--esp with some easy non-cook options such as yogurt (Fage--yum!!) and cottage cheese. I think that FOR ME the variety and learning process is part of the reason I've stayed on plan and made such progress so far.

Give it a try! It's the only way to find out what foods work for you and if there are any that don't, and also how many carbs you can lose and maintain on. Also, I encourage you to keep a positive attitude as you climb the rungs. Easier said than done sometimes, I know, but I do think that attitude makes such a difference (really in most everything in life!). I think sometimes people climb the rungs expecting things to go badly and then that can have an impact on how it actually does go. I say "head up", forge ahead and expect the best. It is an adventure and a journey...enjoy the trip!

Best,
Katie

JuliaL · 07-10-2008, 03:36 PM

You will get to the point where you will want to eat more carbs, and it's better to do it in the controlled way that Atkins lays out in the book - adding one food in at a time - than to stay on induction and end up going crazy because you feel deprived. Not saying you would do that, but that's the biggest pitfall of people who don't move through the phases of the plan.

I stayed on induction for about 5 weeks, and then I started moving up the carb ladder.

2big4mysize · 07-10-2008, 05:28 PM

try moving to OWL in slow motion stop action. Add the 5 more net carbs of those yummy induction veggies and stop right there for a few weeks. See how your body loves the extra veggies and all the additional micronutriants you are getting.

then move to rung 2 and do the same thing you don't have to race one a week to rung 9. you can go as s l o w l y as you need to.

ElleH · 07-11-2008, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thealything

okay, so I've pledged myself to another 2 weeks of induction... this time, trying a totally dairy-free, coffee-free and splenda-free induction to see how the absence of delicious things will affect me.

in the meantime, I know that I can't do this forever. I love induction, feel good, love eating meat and eggs and salads. but I also love veggies and kind of feel I'm ready to start incorporating more into my diet. and in the grand scheme of things 5g carbs is like, 20 calories, so what's the big deal?

even so, I'm TERRIFIED. I don't want to stall, and if I start gaining I might lose it. I know it's impossible to tell if I don't try, but I'm still scared anyway.

I am lame.

any thoughts?

No, you're not lame! I've always been afraid to move up. Heck, I'm either on induction or face-down in carbs. All or nothing for me. I'm trying to move past that now, as we speak.

Not a good way to be! Go ahead and move up whenever you're ready and take it as slowly as you need to to feel comfortable. As you said, it's only 5g a day. Doubtful 25g will stall you, but it does happen. Either way, at least you'll know your CCL and CCM, which is great information to have.

As long as I've been doing LC I have no idea what either is, but am trying to find out my CCM right now.

thealything · 07-13-2008, 11:08 PM

from last time I tried (and failed) atkins, I am guessing my CCL is at about 30-35g. it will be really interesting to see if this changes depending on what kind of carbs I am getting.

anyways, thanks everyone for your encouraging replies!

I bought these frozen bags of veggies at tops, $1 each... each bag is exactly 15g net carbs! I figure I can easily eat one of those a day, splitting it up into 2 meals (it's a mix of onions, mushrooms, green beans and broccoli) and maybe adding a little tomato and onion to an omellette at breakfast if I feel so inclined. so far things are looking good, but my weight has stayed the same all week and I'm not in ketosis according to my stix.

ehh. I feel good!

2big4mysize · 07-14-2008, 10:06 AM

good for you don't worry about the stix telling you about ketosis if youare feeling good eating Atkins low carb just keep going next week you could add another bag of those veggies and see how you do.

07-09-2008, 01:08 PM	#1
thealything Senior LCF Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Niagara Falls Posts: 120 Gallery: thealything Stats: highest:205 / current:180.5 / STG:170 / LTG:130 WOE: Atkins Induction Start Date: May 1, 2008	Scared of OWL okay, so I've pledged myself to another 2 weeks of induction... this time, trying a totally dairy-free, coffee-free and splenda-free induction to see how the absence of delicious things will affect me. in the meantime, I know that I can't do this forever. I love induction, feel good, love eating meat and eggs and salads. but I also love veggies and kind of feel I'm ready to start incorporating more into my diet. and in the grand scheme of things 5g carbs is like, 20 calories, so what's the big deal? even so, I'm TERRIFIED. I don't want to stall, and if I start gaining I might lose it. I know it's impossible to tell if I don't try, but I'm still scared anyway. I am lame. any thoughts?

07-09-2008, 05:58 PM	#2
flourchild MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Near Haight & Ashbury Posts: 1,188 Gallery: flourchild Stats: Soy un perdedor...baby WOE: Atkins' OWL Start Date: '05	OWL = Ongoing Weight Loss. It's doesn't = STALL or MAINTENANCE. Trust the plan, follow the steps, learn your tolerances from climbing the rungs. You aren't going to get fat by adding back a few asparagus spears. Plus Induction is always there if you want to return to those levels. If normal scale fluctuations could freak you out, consider staying off them for days or weeks at a time. Use other methods to gauge success. Living in fear of an inanimate object is simply unacceptable. The road to perdition is NOT paved with a few veggie carbs! Maybe mocha lattes and pastas and candy, but not lettuce. C'mon. Let go a little and make some REAL progress, by learning how to sustain a healthy and varied eating plan. Best wishes. __________________ Own your decisions. Educate yourself. Induction is temporary. Yes, it's happened to someone else. We're all carb addicts. Combine patience with perspective.

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07-09-2008, 06:42 PM	#4
flourchild MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Near Haight & Ashbury Posts: 1,188 Gallery: flourchild Stats: Soy un perdedor...baby WOE: Atkins' OWL Start Date: '05

07-09-2008, 09:11 PM	#5
okapi Senior LCF Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Chicago Posts: 198 Gallery: okapi Stats: Sizes: tight 22/comfy 20/ ?? <14 WOE: Atkins-OWL Start Date: April 9, 2008	Hi! I was not nervous to move up to Owl Rung 1 because that is just a few more veggies which I knew would not give me trouble, but moving up to Owl Rung 2 (dairy) made me nervous! After some words of encouragement on another message board I made the move up and I'm soooooo happy I did!! I ended up swapping rungs 3 (nuts) and 4 (berries) since berries are in season now and nuts are always available. So right now I'm comfortable with berries and just starting to test out nuts (only as an ingredient (such as mixed into a stir fry or salad) not just out of the container as a snack yet, which I'm worried about due to portion control! I am loving the variety that is possible as I move up the rungs--esp with some easy non-cook options such as yogurt (Fage--yum!!) and cottage cheese. I think that FOR ME the variety and learning process is part of the reason I've stayed on plan and made such progress so far. Give it a try! It's the only way to find out what foods work for you and if there are any that don't, and also how many carbs you can lose and maintain on. Also, I encourage you to keep a positive attitude as you climb the rungs. Easier said than done sometimes, I know, but I do think that attitude makes such a difference (really in most everything in life!). I think sometimes people climb the rungs expecting things to go badly and then that can have an impact on how it actually does go. I say "head up", forge ahead and expect the best. It is an adventure and a journey...enjoy the trip! Best, Katie

07-10-2008, 03:36 PM	#6
JuliaL Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: May 2003 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 17,010 Gallery: JuliaL Stats: 190/142/140 16/8/6, height 5'8", age 48 WOE: Atkins/BFFM Start Date: 4/22/03	You will get to the point where you will want to eat more carbs, and it's better to do it in the controlled way that Atkins lays out in the book - adding one food in at a time - than to stay on induction and end up going crazy because you feel deprived. Not saying you would do that, but that's the biggest pitfall of people who don't move through the phases of the plan. I stayed on induction for about 5 weeks, and then I started moving up the carb ladder.

07-10-2008, 05:28 PM	#7
2big4mysize Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 4,805 Gallery: 2big4mysize Stats: 313 to current goalie 169-173 WOE: Atkins 2002 Start Date: june 1 2002	try moving to OWL in slow motion stop action. Add the 5 more net carbs of those yummy induction veggies and stop right there for a few weeks. See how your body loves the extra veggies and all the additional micronutriants you are getting. then move to rung 2 and do the same thing you don't have to race one a week to rung 9. you can go as s l o w l y as you need to.

07-13-2008, 11:08 PM	#9
thealything Senior LCF Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Niagara Falls Posts: 120 Gallery: thealything Stats: highest:205 / current:180.5 / STG:170 / LTG:130 WOE: Atkins Induction Start Date: May 1, 2008	from last time I tried (and failed) atkins, I am guessing my CCL is at about 30-35g. it will be really interesting to see if this changes depending on what kind of carbs I am getting. anyways, thanks everyone for your encouraging replies! I bought these frozen bags of veggies at tops, $1 each... each bag is exactly 15g net carbs! I figure I can easily eat one of those a day, splitting it up into 2 meals (it's a mix of onions, mushrooms, green beans and broccoli) and maybe adding a little tomato and onion to an omellette at breakfast if I feel so inclined. so far things are looking good, but my weight has stayed the same all week and I'm not in ketosis according to my stix. ehh. I feel good!

07-14-2008, 10:06 AM	#10
2big4mysize Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 4,805 Gallery: 2big4mysize Stats: 313 to current goalie 169-173 WOE: Atkins 2002 Start Date: june 1 2002	good for you don't worry about the stix telling you about ketosis if youare feeling good eating Atkins low carb just keep going next week you could add another bag of those veggies and see how you do.