My mom is doing Atkins also....I started as a way to give her support because she has alot of medical issues that are weight related. I, of course, also need to lose weight too...lol. Anyway...my mom's dr put her on atkins but also told her to stay on induction and every 15th day go off of it. Then back on the 16th day. I haven't gone off of it since I started, even tho my mom did. I'm wondering if the dr. is having her do this so it will shock her body into losing weight like starting a clean induction every 16th day?

Anybody else heard of this?

Also, "Off induction" is too murky a term for me to understand. Does this mean eat doughnuts, or simply to eat more than 20 carbs? Big difference.

My own experience is that I don't fart around with the program. I know me: No guarantee I can come back, so don't leave.

I've had difficult experiences with medical professionals coaching long-term life-style changes. I need more day-to-day hand-holding when making major changes than I can afford to buy from an MD. This feels a bit like a "hit and run" to me.

Your mother won't be hurt by sticking to the program as written, until and unless her doctor can explain just what the purpose of going off is, and what is meant by the term.

I vaguely remember something in the book about not doing that because your body will get used to it and over time will stop reacting to induction with weight loss.

Uses and Abuses of Induction
http://atkins.com/Archive/2001/12/15-370312.html

Wrong way to do Atkins
http://atkins.com/Archive/2001/12/15-535293.html

I'm glad her doctor supports Atkins or at least low carb, but he really needs to educate himself more on the diet. If she follows the plan she should lose weight, and not have to stay on induction forever, but rather move through the plan. She might also want to look at the other low carb plans and make sure Atkins is the one that best fits her needs.