You’ve
done it. You’ve made the commitment to a healthy lifestyle with Atkins.
Congratulations, you’re now in the Induction Phase. Now what?
The Atkins Nutritional Approach is based on a
four-phase
eating plan
that focuses on the consumption of nutritious, unprocessed foods. The
plan is to get your eating habits balanced again, so you not only lose
weight, but increase your energy level and gain a strong sense of
well-being.
The first phase of the Atkins Nutritional Program
sets the
stage for
you to reach your goals. Induction is designed to jump-start your
weight loss, end your carb cravings and stabilize blood sugar levels.
It lasts a minimum of two weeks and will switch your body chemistry to
burning primarily fat for energy rather than burning carbohydrates.
One of the most attractive aspects of the Atkins
plan is that
you have
fewer limitations on the amount of food you eat. More importantly, it’s
about the kinds of food you put on your plate.
The amount of carbohydrate in your diet determines
both blood
insulin
level and weight gain. By following an individualized controlled
carbohydrate nutritional approach, people at high risk for chronic
illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes
and arthritis associated with obesity can improve their health.
The focus of Atkins is grams of Net Carbs, not
calories.
During
Induction, you are allowed 20 grams of Net Carbs. As you progress to
the other three phases you will learn to add Net Carbs in 5-10 gram
increments. Although carb intake is the main focus, as you move out of
Induction, you will gain weight if you take in more calories than you
expend.
Atkins works by restricting the amount of
carbohydrates you
consume.
The body first burns carbohydrates for fuel. However, when you reduce
your intake of carbs, your body primarily burns fat.
When you do Atkins, you will find the threshold,
where you
will neither
gain nor lose weight. Your Atkins Carbohydrate Equilibrium (ACE) is the
amount of carbohydrates you are able to consume to maintain your target
weight. On the Induction Phase your meal plan is limited to 20 grams of
Net Carbs daily. Once you move beyond Induction and deliberately slow
your weight loss, you will incrementally increase your intake of
carbohydrates and eat a wider variety of nutrient-dense foods.
Your metabolic resistance influences your ACE, as
do other
genetic and
lifestyle factors including your age, gender and level of activity.
Since you can positively influence your ACE by staying active, you need
to exercise.
You are ready to move on to the second Phase if
you are close
to your
goal weight, or want more variety in your meals. You may be bored with
the options available on the Induction phase and be willing to take on
slower progress in return for eating a wider variety of foods.
There are two reasons to follow your personalized
Atkins
program very
closely. First, all carbohydrates are not created equal. Even bread
made from 100-percent whole-wheat flour contains enough refined carbs
to produce an insulin-raising, fat-storing effect in many people. In
later phases of the program, if your weight loss is progressing well
and you have increased your daily intake of Net Carbs, you may eat an
occasional slice of whole-grain bread.
The longer you consume no more than 20 grams of
Net Carbs
daily, the
more body fat you will burn. Depending on how much weight you need to
lose, you can safely continue with Induction as long as you feel well
and are experiencing a high energy level, normal sleep patterns and
stable moods. Someone with a lot of weight to lose might stay on
Induction for six months or more.
But don't get stuck on Induction. Segueing from
one phase to
another
will help you establish the habits that will become part of your
ongoing lifestyle.
If you have a modest weight loss goal (20 pounds)
and start
losing
rapidly, it's important to move ahead so you can establish the good
eating habits that will become part of your ongoing lifestyle. Segueing
from one phase to another will help you maintain a healthful weight,
and end yo-yo dieting.
After two weeks on Induction, you will have a good
idea of how
easily
you lose weight, which will allow you to personalize the path you take.
Check with your doctor. Be sure to schedule
an
appointment with your
physician before you begin Atkins or any new weight loss or exercise
program. Losing weight can be good for your health, energy level and
well-being, but it's important that you review your program with your
physician first.
For
professional help on Atkins - click here!
