your problem is metabolic, how did you become overweight in the first place? You should be on the lookout for a pattern of self-destructive behavior. It could be that that is a component of your weight problem. See Chapter 21 for more discussion of this possibility.
If Your Metabolism Is Stubborn Others of you aren't so lucky when it comes to metabolic resistance. Those of you with a very high metabolic resistance to weight loss are most in need of this book. If you are unable to lose during Induction or had an initial loss and then stalled out while still doing Induction, you will have to adapt to eating not much more carbohydrate than 20 grams daily. You certainly will want to study Chapter 20 carefully. Remember, if you're going to stay slim and healthy, a significant increase in the amount of exercise-which I strongly recommend for everyone-is absolutely essential for those of you with high metabolic resistance. Without it, losing weight may actually be hard for you. (See Chapter 22.) ===================================================================== Rules of OWL • • • • • • •
Protein and fat remain the mainstays of your nutritional regimen. Increase your daily carb intake by no more than 5 grams each week. Add new foods in the order listed in the Carbohydrate Ladder (see page 171). Add one new food group at a time. Eat a food group no more than three times per week to start. Then you may eat it daily. If new foods provoke weight gain, or return of physical symptoms lost doing Induction, or increased appetite or cravings, stop them immediately. Continue doing OWL until you have from 5 to 10 pounds left to lose.
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Looking Forward After OWL-having become as wise as that dignified night-roaming bird-you'll move up to the key phase of Pre-Maintenance, and then finally to Lifetime Maintenance. You're going to find that every one of these phases is one that you can comfortably personalize for your own needs, tastes and lifestyle. In the next chapter, before we get to Pre-Maintenance, we'll take a small detour to discuss the crucial subject of plateaus.
KEY POINTS! • •
As you transition into OWL, your rate of weight loss will gradually slow. This is normal and intentional. The key to OWL is determining your personal Critical Carbohydrate Level for Losing (CCLL).
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