On the Atkins low-carbohydrate diet, you spend at least two weeks in Phase 1, or Induction, before you progress to Phase 2, or Ongoing Weight Loss, Phase 3, or Pre-Maintenance, and finally Phase 4, or Lifetime Maintenance. Induction is the phase of Atkins with the lowest carbohydrate intake and fastest rate of weight loss. Before you start Atkins or any diet, get your doctor's approval.
Net Carbs
On Induction and throughout the other phases of Atkins, you monitor your carbohydrate intake to make sure that stay under your limit for daily net carbs. The net carbs in a food are the total grams of carbohydrates minus the grams of dietary fiber. On Induction, you get 20 daily net carbs. Atkins states that you can lose up to 15 lb. during the first two weeks of Induction because of the extremely low daily net carbs consumed in this phase.
Daily Plan
Eat three meals per day, or 4 to 5 smaller meals, and have at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water or other approved beverage including herbal tea, coffee with or without caffeine or club soda. Take a multivitamin to reduce your risk of a micronutrient deficiency from eating such a limited selection of foods. Atkins also recommends a daily omega-3 supplement. Atkins encourages exercise, but states that you should wait until after Induction to start a new fitness program.
Protein and Fat
Each of your meals should include at least 4 to 6 oz. of a protein such as eggs, fish, poultry, shellfish or meat, such as beef, venison, lamb or veal. Be sure to count the net carbs from cured meats, such as bacon and ham, and from low-carbohydrate shellfish such as oysters and mussels. Have some fat at each meal, either from the visible fat from your fatty meat or the skin on your poultry, or from 1 tbsp. of olive oil, vegetable oil, butter or sugar-free mayonnaise.
Other Foods
Foundation vegetables, or nonstarchy vegetables, should provide 12 to 15 g of your 20 g of daily net carbs on Induction. You can have raw salad vegetables, such as cucumbers, lettuce, radishes or jicama, or cooked vegetables such as broccoli, onions, eggplant or turnips. Other carbohydrates come from full-fat cheeses, such as cheddar or parmesan, herbs and salad dressings. Atkins Advantage bars and shakes and Atkins Day Break bars come in multiple flavors, and are acceptable for Induction. You cannot have fruit, beans, grains, yogurt, added sugars, alcohol or starchy vegetables.
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