The Atkins low-carbohydrate diet is a progressive plan for weight loss and maintenance. The theory behind low-carbohydrate diets is to force your body to burn stored body fat, instead of dietary carbohydrates, for fuel. Phase 4, the final phase, of Atkins Diet is for lifetime maintenance at your goal weight. It may not provide adequate nutrition, so talk to your doctor about a healthy diet plan.
Net Carbs
When you are following the Atkins Diet, you limit your daily net carbs, which is the number of grams carbohydrates you eat, minus the number of grams dietary fiber. You only get 20 g daily net carbs in Phase 1, Induction, so that your weight loss is fast. In Phase 2, Ongoing Weight Loss, your daily net carbs increase by 5 g per week until you achieve a rate of weight loss of about 2 lbs. per week. Increase your daily net carbs by 10 g per week in Phase 3, Pre-Maintenance, so your weight loss slows. In Phase 4, Lifetime Maintenance, your level for daily net carbs is called your Atkins Carbohydrate Equilibrium, or ACE, and you should not gain or lose weight at this level. MayoClinic.com states that the ACE is 45 to 100 g for many people.
Foods to Eat
On Phase 4 of Atkins, you can eat all of the foods from Phases 1 through 3. You can have most kinds of proteins and fats, such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, shellfish, oils, butter, sugar-free mayonnaise and low-carbohydrate salad dressings. Continue to eat non-starchy vegetables, herbs, sour cream and high-fat cheeses. You can have some nuts, seeds, berries and lemon juices, which you added during Phase 2, and have small amounts of Phase 3 additions, such as whole grains, beans, starchy vegetables and more fruit.
Phase 4 Tips from Atkins
Continue to count your net carb intake carefully to ensure that you do not start to eat more net carbs than your ACE. Weigh yourself regularly during Phase 4, as you may need to reduce your ACE if you gain more than 5 lbs. from your goal weight. You can have the occasional treat as long as you count its net carbs and do not make it a regular part of your diet.
Other Information
Diet products from Atkins can be low-carbohydrate substitutes for sweet treats. On Phase 4, you can use Atkins Advantage bars and shakes, Atkins Day Break bars or Atkins Endulge bars to substitute for a snack. You may be on this low-carbohydrate diet to maintain your weight for a long time, so support your heart health by choosing unsaturated fats and lean proteins instead of saturated fats and cholesterol-laden foods. A low-carbohydrate diet may be inadequate in essential vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber, notes MayoClinic.com.
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