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Ongoing Weight Loss: The Second Phase of Atkins
If you ' re starting Ongoing Weight Loss( OWL), I know that you ' ve succeeded doing Induction. Congratulations on reaching the first stage of your goal! OWL is where you ' ll start tailoring Atkins to fit your special tastes; it ' s what makes Atkins so unique and such a pleasure.
Although more lenient than Induction, OWL will continue to reveal the wonders of dissolving fat. Expect a gradual decrease in the rate at which the pounds and inches disappear-this is a deliberate part of the plan. I have to repeat one caveat: Allowing a few more carbs in at this phase is not a license to return to your old habits of dining on foods full of sugar, white flour and other " junk " carbs. The quality of the carbohydrate foods you eat continues to be as important as the quantity.
Focus on the positive changes you have already begun to enjoy! Now you-not that nameless, food-obsessed demon-are the one in charge of your appetite. And what delicious things you can have on your plate! In all likelihood, the crispy duck in Chinese restaurants or cheese omelettes garnished with thick slices of avocado were among the luxuries you had to do without when you were watching your fat intake. And you ' re on a nutritional plan that ' s healthier than any other you ' ve tried before.
But I know that what initially brought you to this book was probably your concern with being overweight. So let ' s look at the big weight loss picture, and, as the chapter unfolds, you ' ll understand how OWL is the key to becoming a former fat person.
Make Your Goal Specific
You ' ve set a goal now, and that ' s great! But make sure your goal is specific. Planning to lose 35 pounds, for example, is far better than planning to lose " some " weight. You will likely lose some weight, but you probably won ' t lose the full 35 unless you hold it in your mind as the destination of your journey.
The journey metaphor is apt. Imagine getting in the car to go on a family vacation without a clear idea of where you wanted to go. You ' d drive around aimlessly, and you would certainly get somewhere, but it probably wouldn ' t be the same place you ' d end up if you ' d chosen a destination at the start. It ' s the same thing with weight loss. Any behavioral psychologist will tell you that you are more likely to achieve change in your life if you have a specific picture in your mind of how you want to change.
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