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ATKINS DIET INDUCTION
PHASE 1 - The Rules of Induction
- Eat either three regular-size meals a day or four or
five smaller meals. Do not skip meals or go more than six
waking hours without eating.
- Eat liberally of combinations of fat and protein in the
form of poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs and red meat, as well
as pure, natural fat in the form of butter, mayonnaise,
olive oil, safflower, sunflower and other vegetable oils.
- Eat no more than 20 grams a day of carbohydrate, most of
which must come in the form of salad greens and other
vegetables. You can eat approximately three loosely packed
cups of salad, or two cups of salad plus one cup of other
vegetables.
- Eat absolutely no fruit, bread, pasta, grains, starchy
vegetables or dairy products other than cheese, cream or
butter. Do not eat nuts or seeds in the first two weeks of the
Atkins
Diet Induction period.
Foods that combine protein and carbohydrates, such as
chickpeas, kidney beans and other legumes, are not permitted
at this time.
- Eat nothing that isn't on the Acceptable Foods list. And
that means absolutely nothing. Your "just this one
taste won't hurt" rationalization is the kiss of failure
during this phase of Atkins.
- Adjust the quantity you eat to suit your appetite,
especially as it decreases. When you're hungry, eat the
amount that makes you feel satisfied, but not stuffed. When
you're not hungry, eat a small controlled carbohydrate snack
to accompany your nutritional supplements.
- Don't assume any food is low in carbohydrate, instead
read labels and check the carb count on every
package or use a carbohydrate gram counter.
- Eat out as often as you wish but be on guard for hidden
carbs in gravies, sauces and dressings. Gravy is often made
with flour or cornstarch, and sugar is sometimes an
ingredient in salad dressing.
- Avoid foods or drinks sweetened with aspartame. Instead,
use sucralose or saccharin. Be sure to count each packet of
any of these as 1 gram of carbs.
- Avoid coffee, tea and soft drinks that contain caffeine.
Excessive caffeine has been shown to cause low blood sugar,
which can make you crave sugar.
- Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day
to hydrate your body, avoid constipation and flush out the
by-products of burning fat.
- If you are constipated, mix a tablespoon or more of
psyllium husks in a cup or more of water and drink daily. Or
mix ground flaxseed into a shake or sprinkle wheat bran on a
salad or vegetables.
- During the
Atkins Diet Induction timeframe, adjust the quantity you eat to suit your appetite,
, take a good daily multivitamin with
minerals, including potassium, magnesium and calcium, but
without iron.
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