Atkins basics 101 - induction

December 5, 1:29 PMSt. Louis Low-Carb ExaminerAmy Dungan

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Dr. Robert Atkins, a hero to many. Source

The most important things about starting a new diet plan is understanding how your program works and why it works. Without these two elements of comprehension you’ll likely have trouble getting the results you want. I wish I had a dime for every time I’ve heard someone complain that their low-carb diet wasn’t working, only to find out they’ve been having a small handful of M&M’s each day. Will a tiny amount of sugar really derail you? Yes, it absolutely can. If you don’t study your chosen program, you won’t understand these little details that really make a big difference.

Today I’m sharing some basics on the most famous (or should we say infamous?) low-carb plan of them all. Atkins and low-carb have become synonymous, even though there are many other great low-carb programs available.  Dr. Robert C. Atkins was a pioneer ahead of his time. He was scorned and ridiculed for his “dangerous” program, which clashed with the government’s new dietary guidelines for less fat and more carbohydrates. (All based on flawed studies by Ancel Keys and others, but I’ll save that rant for another time.) Over 30 years later Dr. Atkins program is still going strong and being validated in a plethora of studies. So what is this diet that has so many people huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf? Let me show you.

According to Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution, which was published in 2002, his plan consists of 4 phases. Today we’ll take a look at the first phase, induction.

Induction was designed to efficiently switch your body from a carb-burning metabolism to a fat-burning metabolism, aka ketosis. It will also stabilize your blood sugar, thus ridding you of symptoms indicative of unstable sugar levels (ex: fatigue, moods swings, brain fog). Another benefit of this phase is that it will help curb your cravings and break food addictions. Dr. Atkins also spoke of his plan giving a metabolic advantage. This declaration is highly debated, but many claim to have experienced it themselves. And last but not least, it acts as a bit of a diuretic. You’ll see quick results in short order, which is very motivational, and it’s not all water loss.

The rules for induction, which lasts about two weeks minimum, are simple.

• Eat regular meals or several small meals to keep blood sugar stable. No skipping meals on this plan! 
• Eat liberal combinations of fat and protein. Use real butter, mayo, etc. No fat-free frankenfoods allowed.
•  Eat no more than 20 grams of carbs a day. Most of those carbs should come from vegetables. 
• Avoid fruit, bread, pasta, grains, starchy veggies and dairy products. You are allowed cheese, cream cheese and butter. No nuts or seeds for this phase. 
• Eat only what is on the acceptable foods list! (Sorry, that daily hand full of M&M’s I mentioned are not there, for good reason.) To quote Dr. Atkins “Your ‘just this one taste won’t hurt’ rationalization is the kiss of failure during this phase of Atkins.” 
• Don’t assume any food is low in carbs. Carefully read labels! (I’ll add here that you should also carefully check ingredient lists as well.) 
• Watch for hidden carbs when eating out. Gravies, sauces and salad dressings can contain sugar or cornstarches. 
• Avoid aspartame. (Do I really need to expound on this? It’s just not good for you.) 
• Avoid excessive caffeine intake. 
• Drink your 8 glasses of water a day. 
• And if all this dietary change causes a traffic jam in your bowels, he recommends using psyllium husks, ground flaxseed or wheat bran. 

Next up we’ll talk about phase 2, Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL for short).