The Atkins diet is a high-protein, low-carb plan that restricts your intake of starchy vegetables and fruits, cereals, breads, pasta and grains. The diet features four phases, the strictest of which is phase one, or the "Induction Phase." During this phase, you are limited to just 20 g of carbohydrates daily--about the amount in one small banana. A study in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" from Jan. 5, 2005, found that obese women following the Atkins plan lost more weight than others following the Zone, LEARN or Ornish plans after 12 months.
Vegetables
The Atkins induction phase mandates you eat 12 to 15 g of your daily carbohydrates in the form of "foundation vegetables." Six cups of salad or two cups of vegetables fulfills this requirement. Not all vegetables are low in carbohydrates, so check carbohydrate levels at a site like nutrition.gov.
Specific vegetables recommended by the diet include alfalfa sprouts, arugula, bok choy, celery, chicory greens, chives, cucumber, radishes, endive, escarole, fennel, jicama, iceberg or romaine lettuce, radicchio, mushrooms, parsley and peppers. Vegetables acceptable in this phase but slightly higher in carbohydrates include spinach, broccoli, eggplant, cauliflower, zucchini, tomatoes, pumpkin, kale and onions. Be sure to measure these after cooking for accurate carbohydrate counting.
Proteins
Meats, fish, poultry and eggs form the foundation of the Atkins induction phase. Eat 4 to 6 oz. at each meal. Keep your protein choices lean, going for extra-lean beef, chicken breast, white fish and egg whites when possible to avoid overconsuming saturated fat, which can raise your risk of developing heart disease, warns the American Heart Association. Keep track of the carbohydrates in proteins like oysters and mussels and count them toward your 20 g per day allotment.
Desserts
Sugar is forbidden on the Atkins plan, and this includes naturally occurring sugar in fruits. You may eat sugar-free gelatin as one dessert option. Atkins also markets specific snack bars for the induction phase.
Fats and Flavor Enhancers
The induction phase of the Atkins plan allows for 4 oz. of cheese daily--but stick to cheddar, feta, blue, Parmesan, mozzarella and gouda. Avoid cottage cheese and ricotta. You may also have olives, avocado, sour cream, heavy cream and lemon or lime juice. Salad dressings, most plant oils, mayonnaise and butter can be used for cooking or flavoring. Be sure to measure and consider how many carbs are in your selected items, such as citrus juices and cheese, as they count toward your total 20 g daily. Herbs and pure spices may be used liberally because they contain no carbohydrates.
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