The Atkins Nutritional Approach, or Atkins Diet, is the low-carbohydrate weight loss and maintenance program that cardiologist Robert Atkins started in 1972. If you decide to follow the program, your introduction to the diet will be the Induction phase. A low-carbohydrate diet may be high in unhealthy fats and cholesterol, and low in essential nutrients, so get your doctor's approval before starting the diet.
Atkins and Net Carbs
On Atkins, you count your net carbs, which are the carbohydrates in food that contribute to increases in your blood sugar levels. You can calculate net carbs for a food by subtracting the grams of dietary fiber from the total grams carbohydrates. Induction is the most restrictive phase, and you eat 20 g net carbs per day during this phase. The phases of Atkins are Induction, Ongoing Weight Loss, Transition to Maintenance and Lifetime Maintenance.
About Induction
The goals of Induction are to jumpstart your weight loss and to change your metabolism so you are burning stored fat instead of using dietary carbohydrates for energy. This phase lasts for at least 14 days, and you can move on to Phase 2, ongoing weight loss, when you are within 15 lbs. of your goal weight, you become bored with the foods on Phase 1 or you have been in Induction for months and you are more than halfway to your goal.
Foods on Induction
Each day, get 12 to 15 g of your net carbs from non-starchy vegetables, such as raw lettuce, radishes, cucumbers or tomatoes, or cooked broccoli, asparagus, string beans or eggplant. Get the rest of your 20 g net carbs from low-carbohydrate foods such as full-fat brie or Swiss cheese, salad dressings or garnishes such as sour cream. Emphasize carbohydrate-free protein sources, such as beef, poultry, tofu, fish, eggs and shrimp, and include fats such as butter, olive oil or canola oil. Do not eat whole grains, fruits, beans or nuts.
Instructions for Induction
Eat a meal at least every six hours, and aim for three to five meals per day. Have 4 to 6 oz. protein at each meal, and include some fat, such as the visible fat on your meat or butter or oil that you add during cooking. Drink at least 8 cups of an approved beverage, such as water, tea or coffee, and take a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement to help you meet your requirements while eating such a limited diet. Read package labels carefully and do not assume that foods are necessarily low in carbohydrates.
Member Comments