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The
Induction phase of the Atkins diet is
one of the most important stepping-stones to successful weight loss. In
addition to the list of acceptable foods, there are a few rules that
are important to follow during this period of the diet.
During Induction, you need to eat three regular-sized meals per day or
four to five smaller meals. If you find yourself jittery and hungry
between meals, try breaking down your meals into smaller portions and
eat more frequently. In order to stave off carbohydrate cravings,
you’ll need to constantly keep your body running on the proteins and
vegetables on the plan. Never skip meals and never go more than six
waking hours without eating.
You can eat freely from the list of acceptable foods. Do not restrict
your fats and proteins. Eat as much of them as you like. Remember, the
Atkins diet is not a calorie-restricted diet. The only thing you need
to worry about is your level of carbohydrate grams. Make sure to count
your carbohydrate grams when you eat vegetables, cheese and beverages
with Splenda. At least 12-15 grams of your allowed carbohydrates should
be from your vegetable list. While it may be tempting to eat them all
in cheese, vegetables are important to your digestive system
(especially while on this diet).
Avoid all fruit, bread, pasta, grains and starchy vegetables (like
cauliflower or squash) during this initial period. These foods will be
slowly introduced throughout the course of the pre-maintenance phase.
Although beans are high in protein, they also include carbohydrates and
should be avoided during this phase. If you feel that you must have
some grain products, you should limit yourself to high fiber
low-carbohydrate products. However, this may slow down your weight loss
process.
You owe it to your dieting success to stay within the acceptable foods
list. One of the best ways to do this is to follow the Atkins menu
plans that are printed within the New Diet Revolution book. There are
also Atkins cookbooks and cookbooks that are geared toward other low
carb diets that are helpful in formulating meal plans.
It’s a helpful idea to use a cheat sheet of acceptable Atkins foods
wherever you go. If you are out and about and hungry, the last thing
you want to do is to try to think back in your memory to figure out
what you can and cannot eat. Carrying a list of acceptable foods with
you will make finding a snack or meal while out on the run easy. You
can’t always rely on “low carb” labels to tell you whether or not
something is diet friendly. Ever since low carb became the new diet
craze, manufacturers have been jumping on the bandwagon to attract
Atkins dieters. They label items low carb to sell products and don’t
have your health in mind. Relying on foods from your own personal list
is the best way to stay on the plan.
Another good resource for keeping track of the appropriate Atkins foods
is an online diet program. There are several available. Some are free
and some have a small monthly fee. The programs require you to register
and then they provide you with personal weekly menu plans based on your
needs and your carbohydrate gram level. There are normally printable
weekly shopping lists that make picking up your Atkins diet foods from
the grocery store easy and quick.
As far as I can tell, the answer to the questions does the Atkins diet
work is a resounding yes. The answers to the other questions, however,
are a little bit trickier. I am not really that interested in how it
works, Atkins diet food is easy to find once you know what you are
looking for. The books, food pyramid and online resources can help you
make better food choices and stay on the diet for the long term.
This
information is
not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and
informational purposes only
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