Atkins diet plan: Four phases to
improved health
The four phases of the Atkins
diet plan:
The people who developed the
Atkins diet plan state that it is an effective, safe, way to lose weight
steadily and relatively easily. Also, they state that even more importantly, it
allows you to achieve your weight loss goal permanently. Understanding the four
phases of the diet plan is crucial to your success. Here is a quick summary of
how the specific phases work.
Atkins diet plan phases:
Induction phase:
At the very beginning of your
weight loss program, you will limit your carbohydrate intake to just 20 grams of
"net carbohydrates" a day for a minimum of two weeks (net carbohydrates are the
only ones that seem to impact upon your blood sugar, and will be discussed on
later pages of this series on the Atkins diet plan). During this period of time
you may eat fish, poultry, beef, eggs and other foods high in protein and what
may be defined as "good fats" such as olive oil. Also, you may eat as much as 3
cups of salad greens (with low carbohydrate dressing) or 2 cups of salad and a
cup of fresh, non-starchy vegetables such as zucchini and broccoli. After two
weeks you may add an ounce of seeds or nuts to your daily intake of
carbohydrates, as long as they do not interfere with your weight loss.
Ongoing weight loss phase:
During this phase you may
continue to eat high quality protein and fat, along with your vegetables and
salad greens. With each subsequent week, you may then add back more vegetables,
seeds and nuts, berries, cheese and for some people even legumes. You may add up
to 5 grams of net carbs per day in weekly increments until there is a cessation
of weight loss. So, in effect, you go from 20 to 25 grams per day in one week to
about 30 grams daily in the next week. Once you stop losing weight, you should
then drop back 5 grams in carbohydrates until you discover the amount that you
can now eat while still losing weight. Most people find that the amount of
carbohydrates that they can eat is somewhere between 40 and 60 grams daily. You
should continue this until you are within 5 to 10 pounds of your weight loss
goal.
Maintenance phase of the
Atkins diet plan:
As you get closer to your
weight-loss goal, you should then slow it down to a level that it is almost
imperceptible, so that your improved eating habits become well entrenched. With
each subsequent week, you will be able at add another 10 grams of daily "net
carbs" to your diet plan, or you may even treat yourself to an extra 20 to 30
grams of nutrient-dense foods twice a week, as long as you continue to lose
weight. If quit losing weight, you should cut back 5 to 10 grams until you
gradually begin to lose weight again. This will then become your revised level
of carbohydrate consumption, the level you
will try to maintain until you reach your weight
loss goal.
Lifetime maintenance phase:
When you achieve your weight loss
goal, you can then begin to enjoy a wider range of your favorite foods. You will
always have to monitor your carbohydrate intake however. You should probably
skip eating junk food, and save your carbohydrates for nutrient rich foods such
as foods made out of whole, unrefined grains and a variety of fruits and
vegetables. Most people find that they are able to maintain their weight loss
goals by eating between 45 and 100 grams of "net carbohydrates" a day. If you
exercise for an hour or more daily, you will probably be able to eat more
carbohydrates than someone who does not. You will always be trying to determine
what your Atkins Carbohydrate Equilibrium (ACE) is, which is the number of grams
of "net carbs" you can eat without gaining or losing weight. This will be the
amount of carbohydrates that you will be able to eat while effortlessly
maintaining your weight and eating a healthy, satisfying diet.
Information from Atkins for Life by Robert C.
Atkins M.D.
