The Atkins diet is a controversial and popular low carbohydrate diet that restricts foods such as bread and pasta to promote weight loss. The Mayo Clinic says the premise behind low-carb diets is that eating carbohydrates raises levels of insulin, a hormone that causes the body to retain fat. Restricting carbohydrates can force the body into a process called ketosis, in which fat is burned for fuel instead of carbohydrates.
Step 1
Purchase a carbohydrate counter book that lists the total carbohydrate and fiber content of various foods. This will help you track how many carbs you are eating each day. The Atkins diet website says that when eating carbs, you can subtract the number of grams of fiber from the number of total grams of carbohydrates in a food to come up with the net grams of carbohydrates. Because fiber is indigestible, net grams of carbohydrates are more important to count than total carbohydrates.
Step 2
Eliminate all but 20 g of net carbs per day for the first week of the Atkins diet. This first phase of the Atkins diet is called induction. The Atkins diet website says acceptable foods during induction include meats, seafood, whole milk, full-fat dairy products, butter and oils. You can also eat small portions of non-starchy vegetables such as green beans, provided that you eat less than 20 g of net carbohydrates a day.
Step 3
Increase your net carbohydrates by 5 g per week so that weight loss slows gradually until you reach your goal. You can introduce more foods back into your diet, such as apples, a few whole grains and more vegetables. You still need to avoid starchy foods such as potatoes, white bread and candy. When you are no longer losing weight, continue eating the same amount of carbs daily to maintain your weight.
Step 4
Drink at least eight glasses of water a day to avoid dehydration. Because very few fruits are consumed on the Atkins diet, the Mayo Clinic warns that dehydration is common. Keep a water bottle with you so that you are continually drinking water throughout the day.
Things You'll Need
- A carbohydrate counter book
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