OWL - discrepancy re transition

[A thin me!]

Hi!

I have poked around and have gotten answers from people regarding making the move to OWL.

On page 309 of DANDER, the yellow version he states that if you are overweight, you can continue Induction eating.

This is opposite of what you have told me.

Obvisously, I am having a good start with Induction, feel comfortable and would like to continue weight loss. Plus, I like the discipline it provides.

Please advise.



What do I do?

[Karen]

On page 309 of DANDER, the yellow version he states that if you are overweight, you can continue Induction eating.

You can, but why? Expanding your food horizons keeps you learning about food, your tolerance level for carbs and from getting bored.

If you ate steak with a plain salad everyday for dinner, 2 eggs and 3 pieces of bacon for breakfast, and a can of tuna with mayo and celery for lunch all the time and for the remainder of your weight loss phase, how much further ahead in the grand scheme of things would you be.

Expanding carb and food boundaries assures you of a smooth transistion into OWL.

I prefer to look at the big picture and not just the weight loss benefits.

Karen

[alto]

Thin, I guess like everything else, it depends on the person. Some people want to keep it simple, it works for them, they have a plan similar to what Karen posted, they want to lose weight steadily, they keep doing induction. (There may be dozens of other reasons, but those are a few I can think of. Also, it's safer. You can't mess up.)

What Karen is aiming for, and a lot of others here, is to aim to make this a way of living, not a diet, and to enjoy ourselves in the process. If you follow that line of thought, you want to start adding foods back in and experiment with what works and what doesn't. As I remember Atkins, he talks about this. Why rush things? He says. Enjoy life.

Like most things, nothing is written in stone, and you don't have to follow anyone's timetable. You've had a lot of ups and downs and offs and ons (so have I; not meaning to wag a finger here :) ) So it might be better to stay on induction until you're really really confident you know the program and are following it. BUT (and on the other hand ;) ) if you're beginning to be bored and afraid you'll lost interest, follow Karen's suggestions. The really good thing about this is you can change your mind :) If you start doing OWL and it doesn't work, cut back to induction. If you stick to induction another week, you can move to OWL the next.

[A thin me!]

Karen and Alto:

Thanks so much.

See, this is another reason, when I have to change I get all paronid, pesty and ask a million questions and become a big pain in the B___!!!

I was like this in the beginning of Induction and loook here again I go. See, for you two, you are no way as *big* or *fat* or *heavy* as me. You have no idea really what it is like to see progress and movement - downward on the scale.
That was why I was asking the question thinking I could ekk out 2 more weeks tops at Induction.

Karen - you logicl is correct - more food, more choices, less boredom. I understand it and yes, it makes sense - but...
I am just afraid of not having that control over myself. Does this make sense?

Alto -- I laughed when you said "go back to Induction." Yikes.....
but, hey I DID IT!! I have been so proud of myself - only 3 more days. Yes, you are right too, I can go back.

Thank you so much for your help.... I just need to mull it over until I get sick of thinking about it.

Have a pleasant night --

A Thin Me (actually getting there!!)

[alto]

Thin! When I started, I was only 7 pounds less than you are now. Please. Don't put me in with the Skinnies :) I've got months to go before I can be one of those "you don't know how I've suffered" people :) (who, of course, suffer just as much)

[Karen]

See, for you two, you are no way as *big* or *fat* or *heavy* as me. You have no idea really what it is like to see progress and movement - downward on the scale.

You know, for everyone who takes LC on, whether it be a diet or a WOL for them, the sheer mental weight that they carry makes up for the physical poundage. Even people that want to rid themselves of twenty pounds think they are fat and grotesque.

You or I may think it's scoffable - Ha! We may say. They have no idea what's it like to be 200, 300, 400 pounds. Then they could complain about being fat! For them, their 20, 30 and forty pounds are our 200, 300 and 400.

One of the reasons we use the percentage feature is because people tend to measure themselves afainst others. Percentage of goal is the great equalizer.

I am just afraid of not having that control over myself. Does this make sense?

It does, but without risks, what have you learned? If you go completely crazy, there is always coming back, and coming back wiser. You will know your limits. Without risk, you would never have found them.

If I hadn't pushed myself into the pit of despair with my food addiction, I would never have found an iota of serenity.

That's why my sig line reads as it does.

Karen