The Atkins Diet is based on the idea that if you consume fewer carbohydrates, your body will need to burn fat as fuel. By changing your diet, your body switches from a carb-burning machine to a fat-burning machine and therefore you lose stored fat. The Atkins Diet is a low-carb diet that is divided into four phases.
Phases
The first phase is the induction, which lasts for two weeks. During this time, you will be limited to 20 net cabs per day. Phase two is the ongoing weight loss (OWL) phase. This phase will last as long as it takes you to get within 10 pounds of your goal weight. During this time, you will increase your carbohydrate consumption by 5 net grams per day to a point that is specific to you so that you continue to lose weight.
Phase three is the pre-maintenance phase. This phase will help you lose your last 10 pounds at a slow rate while adding more good carbs to your diet at a rate of 10 net carbs each day. You stay on phase three until you reach the point where you no longer lose weight.
Phase four is the lifetime maintenance phase where you adopt your new healthy way of eating on a permanent basis so you do not gain back any of your weight. At this point your daily carbohydrate intake will probably be between 40 to 120 net grams.
Carbohydrates and Fats
The Atkins Diet measures net carbs, which is the carbohydrate content of a food minus its fiber content. Good carbs such as those found in vegetables and whole grains are encouraged. Carbohydrates from starchy foods and sweets are eliminated or strictly limited.
The Atkins Diet emphasizes the use of healthy fats to control blood glucose and satiate the appetite. Good fats come from olives, olive oil, eggs and lean meat. High amounts of saturated fat are not encouraged.
Foods Allowed
Poultry, fish and meat do not contain carbs. These are encouraged on the Atkins Diet. Processed meat, ham and bacon have additives that contain carbs so those meats as well as cold cuts should be avoided. Eggs cooked any style are allowed. Cheese should be limited to around 3 to 4 oz. each day since 1 oz. of cheese has roughly 1 gram of carbohydrates.
According to the Atkins Diet official website, you should consume 12 to 15 net carbs each day from vegetables. Alcohol is restricted during the first two weeks during the induction phase of the diet. After that, alcohol is allowed in limited amounts as long as it is wine, low-carb beer or alcohol mixed with a low-carb beverage. Other beverages allowed are broth, club soda, cream, milk, diet soda, herbal tea, water and decaffeinated coffee and tea.
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