Phase 1 of the Atkins Diet is known as Induction. It typically lasts two weeks and your diet is restricted to no more than 20g of carbohydrates a day during that time. Phase 1 is designed to jolt your body into learning to burn fat for energy instead of carbs. In Phases 2 and 3, carbohydrates are gradually added back into your diet. Phase 4 is called Lifetime Maintenance. By now you've identified how many carbs you can tolerate a day without gaining weight. You can maintain indefinitely on Phase 4, consuming that number of grams of carbohydrates per day. Different beverages are acceptable depending on the phase of the diet you are currently involved in, according to the Atkins official website.
Water
Atkins recommends that you drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water a day. Water can be filtered, mineral, spring water or tap.
Coffee and Tea
Coffee and tea should be decaffeinated, but Atkins allows you to fudge this a little. You may consume up to two cups of caffeinated tea or coffee a day in Phase 1 if you can tolerate that without craving more. Otherwise, Atkins recommends that you kick the habit during the Induction phase. Herb tea is also fine, provided that no barley or sugars are added. The website Low Carb For Life advises that the only sweetener permitted is sucralose, but keep in mind that it will add a gram of carb content per packet.
Dairy Products
Milk is not allowed. Cream--either heavy or light--is permitted, even in Phase 1, according to Atkins. Take care to measure it into your coffee. Half-and-half has only 0.6g of carbohydrates per tablespoon, but it can play havoc with your total carb allowance for the day if you pour it in and have several cups.
Juices
No juices are allowed in Phase 1 of the Atkins Diet, but you may add tomato juice back into your diet in Phase II. According to the Atkins official website, tomato juice contains 4.9g of carbohydrates per 1/4 cup serving. After Phase 1, lemon and lime juice may be added back into water or recipes.
Soft Drinks
Any soft drink that is not of the diet variety is prohibited during any phase of the Atkins Diet because sugar is loaded with carbohydrates. Check the carb count on nutritional labels of any diet soda you're considering because it can vary from brand to brand. Diet soft drinks and club soda are both permissible in Phase 1, according to Atkins.
Alcoholic Beverages
Alcohol is strictly prohibited in the Induction phase, according to the Atkins official website. After that, you can begin adding moderate quantities back into your diet. Make sure you use water or diet soda for a mixer if you choose spirits, not fruit juice. Tonic water contains 32.2g of carbs per 12 oz. serving, so stay away from that. The website Low Carb Connoisseur suggests holding out until Phase 4 before adding alcoholic beverages back into your diet, then sticking to scotch, rye or vodka. They all have zero carbs. Red wine has a slightly higher carb content than white, and beer should definitely be avoided unless it is a low-carb brand.
Member Comments