An Atkins Diet-friendly, low-carb meal.
The Atkins Diet is one of the oldest and most popular of the low-carbohydrate diets. The diet consists of several phases, limiting the number of grams of carbohydrates per day as well as the foods from which the carbohydrates are derived. There are recommended amounts of proteins, but they are not restricted in the way that carbohydrates are. A liberal amount of fat is allowed.
Instructions
1. Follow the Induction Phase of the Atkins Diet. Eat three normal-sized meals or four to five smaller ones at the beginning of this diet, with no more than six waking hours between meals. The centerpiece of each meal is 4-6 ounces of protein: beef, poultry, fish, eggs, vegetable protein, lamb or pork without regard to fat content. Butter, olive oil, mayonnaise and other fats are allowed also.
Limit carbohydrates to 20 grams per day chosen from a list of "acceptable foods" such as mushrooms, peppers and lettuce. The list is available on the Atkins website, which doesn't require registration or a fee. The Induction Phase generally lasts for two weeks. Carbohydrate calculators can be found online by searching for the phrase "carbs in" and the name of a food.
2. Follow Phase 2 of the diet, called Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL). In this phase, five grams of daily net carbs are added each week: Induction Phase weeks one and two: 20 grams of carbs per day. OWL week one: 25 grams per day; week two: 30 grams per day and so on. Net carbs are calculated by subtracting the number of grams of fiber in a particular food from its number of grams of carbohydrate. This phase allows more freedom in food choice, adding such items as berries, nuts and tomato juice. .
3. Begin Phase 3 when you have approximately 10 pounds left to lose. The number of carbs per day a dieter is consuming at the end of Phase 2 is highly individual. It might be as low as 25 grams per day or as high as 80. Increasing carbs during this phase starts with the dieter's number of carbs per day at the end of Phase 2 and adding 10 grams per day, week by week. The goal of this phase is to lose the last 10 pounds slowly so the dieter is able to transition to a permanent eating change.
4. Maintain weight loss with the final phase of the Atkins Diet. It's designed to keep the dieter within five pounds of his or her ideal weight so it becomes second nature to eat appropriately. The amount of total carbs consumed per day can vary greatly from one person to another.
Tags: Atkins Diet, Induction Phase, number grams, grams carbs, grams week, number carbs, this phase