Madeleine Hull
The Atkins diet is a popular way to improve eating habits, lose weight, and feel healthier. It involves a low-carbohydrate approach, with a focus on eating healthy fats and snacks, and planning meals. The diet has four phases, with the first, Induction, being a jump-start phase that triggers the body to burn fat. This phase lasts 14 days, with dieters eating 20-25 grams of net carbohydrates a day. The second phase is about balancing your diet and maintaining momentum, while the third and fourth phases are about finding a healthy diet that suits you. Restarting the Atkins diet involves understanding the phases, setting goals, and planning meals with approved recipes.
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What You'll Learn
Set goals and choose a plan
Setting goals and choosing a plan is an important step in starting the Atkins diet. This step will help you stay motivated and provide you with something to work towards. Here are some tips to help you set goals and choose a plan:
Set Achievable and Healthy Goals
Before starting the Atkins diet, it is important to set achievable and healthy goals. These goals will vary depending on your current health, weight, and desired outcomes. For example, if you have a lot of weight to lose, are prediabetic, or have an inactive lifestyle, you may want to start with the Induction phase. On the other hand, if you don't have much weight to lose or are vegetarian, you may want to start with Phase 2.
Choose the Right Atkins Plan
There are currently two main Atkins diets: Atkins 20 and Atkins 40. Atkins 20 is the original diet, which allows for 20 grams of net carbs per day. This plan is more strict and is suitable for those who have a significant amount of weight to lose or specific health concerns. Atkins 40 is a less strict plan that allows for 40 grams of net carbs per day. This plan may be a good choice for those who are looking for a more gradual approach or who are already close to their goal weight.
Understand the Phases of the Atkins Diet
The Atkins diet consists of several phases, each with its own set of rules and approved foods. The phases are designed to help you lose weight, maintain your weight loss, and improve your health. Here is an overview of the phases:
- Induction: This is the first phase, which is designed to jump-start your weight loss by limiting carbs to 20-25 grams per day. During this phase, your body will shift from burning carbs to burning fat.
- Balancing: In this phase, you slowly reintroduce whole food carbohydrates, such as nuts, low-carb vegetables, and small amounts of fruit. You can eat between 25 and 50 net carbs per day.
- Fine-tuning: During this phase, you continue to add more carbohydrates to your diet until your weight loss slows down.
- Maintenance: In the final phase, you can eat up to 80-100 net carbs per day while maintaining your weight loss.
Plan Your Meals
Meal planning is an essential part of the Atkins diet. Familiarize yourself with the approved foods for each phase and plan your meals accordingly. This will help you stay on track with your daily net carb goals. You can find Atkins-approved recipes and meal plans online to make this process easier.
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Understand the induction phase
The induction phase is the first phase of the Atkins diet and is designed to jumpstart your weight loss. This phase must be followed precisely to achieve success. During induction, you will significantly reduce your net carbohydrate intake to 20-25 grams per day. This will cause your body to switch its main fuel source from carbohydrates to fat through a metabolic shift known as ketogenesis.
To enter ketosis, you must maintain this level of carbohydrate intake for at least two to three days. During this time, you may experience lightheadedness and fatigue due to the initial loss of water weight. To combat these symptoms, it is important to stay hydrated by drinking at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day. You can replace two of these with coffee or tea, and another two with beef, chicken, or vegetable broth (not low-sodium types).
In addition to water, you can also add ground flaxseed to a shake or sprinkle wheat bran on a salad or vegetables for added fiber. While not a requirement, you may also consider taking a daily iron-free multivitamin and an omega-3 fatty acid supplement to ensure you are getting all the necessary nutrients and minerals.
During the induction phase, it is important to eat throughout the day to stay full and reduce the risk of overeating or choosing unhealthy foods. Aim for either three regular-sized meals or four to five smaller meals. Protein plays a key role in weight loss and protecting lean muscle mass, so be sure to include at least three 4-6 ounce servings of protein each day in the form of poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, and red meat.
The length of the induction phase depends on your weight loss goals. For some, this phase may only last two weeks, while for others it may be longer. You will stay in this phase until you are 15 pounds away from your goal weight.
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Plan meals and snacks
Planning meals and snacks is an important part of the Atkins diet. The diet is low-carb, high-protein, and high-fat, so your meals should be planned with this in mind.
Firstly, you should determine which of the three Atkins plans is right for you: Atkins 20, Atkins 40, or Atkins 100. Each plan has a different daily net carb limit, ranging from 20-25 grams in the initial phase of Atkins 20 to 40 grams in Atkins 40.
Once you have determined your plan, you can start planning your meals and snacks. Meals should be built around a high-fat protein source, such as fatty meat or fish, with plenty of vegetables and some healthy fats like nuts and olive oil. Small portions of complex carbs can be included, but these should fit within your individual daily carb goal.
There are many Atkins-approved recipes available online, and you can also download a sample Atkins diet meal plan to get ideas for creating your own meal plans. A basic weekly menu could include scrambled eggs with spinach and mozzarella cheese for breakfast, grilled chicken breast with avocado and salad for lunch, and baked salmon with roasted asparagus and garlic for dinner. Snacks are encouraged on the Atkins diet, with two snacks a day recommended to help you stay full and fight high-carb cravings. Examples of snacks include Greek yogurt with raspberries and almonds, mixed berries with walnuts, or cottage cheese with chives.
It is also important to stay hydrated on the Atkins diet. You should drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day, and you can also drink coffee, tea, and beef, chicken, or vegetable broth.
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Stay hydrated and active
Staying hydrated and active is essential for your overall health and can help you reach your weight loss goals. Here are some tips to help you stay hydrated and active while on the Atkins diet:
Stay Hydrated
- Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day. This is the recommended daily intake and may vary based on your activity level and post-workout needs. Water is the ultimate hydrator, but if you find it hard to drink enough water, try infusing it with fresh fruits, vegetables, or herbs. For example, you can combine cucumber, strawberry, and basil for a refreshing flavour.
- Eat water-rich fruits and vegetables. These include cucumbers, celery, lettuce, peppers, watermelon, and cantaloupe. You can add these to your meals as refreshing sides or make fruit salads.
- Try Atkins Meal Shakes in Creamy Chocolate or Vanilla Cream flavours. These are designed to help with hydration and provide protein, vitamins, and minerals.
- If you are constipated, mix a tablespoon of psyllium husks with a cup or more of water and drink it daily.
- You can also add ground flaxseed to a shake or sprinkle wheat bran on a salad or vegetables for added fibre.
Stay Active
- The Atkins diet recommends finding ways to hold yourself accountable and stay motivated. Consider starting the Atkins diet with friends or family or joining one of the Atkins community groups.
- The Atkins diet is a low-carb diet that encourages eating high-fat, high-protein foods with low-carb vegetables. Eating throughout the day will help keep you full and reduce the risk of overeating or choosing unhealthy foods. Aim for three regular-sized meals or four to five smaller meals a day.
- Snacks are encouraged on the Atkins diet to help you stay full and fight high-carb cravings. Aim for two snacks a day between meals.
- During the Induction phase, aim for at least three 4-6 ounce servings of protein each day. This can include poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, and red meat.
- You can drink alcohol in small amounts while on the Atkins diet. Stick to dry wines with no added sugars and avoid high-carb drinks like beer and cocktails.
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Identify and overcome plateaus
Weight loss plateaus are a natural part of the Atkins diet and can happen at later stages of your weight loss journey after you've lost the initial "easy" pounds. A plateau is defined as a pause in weight loss that cannot be traced back to diet or lifestyle changes. To be considered a genuine plateau, you may meet the following criteria:
- No weight loss or loss of inches for at least four weeks.
- No alterations to your exercise routine or other significant lifestyle changes.
- You are not taking any new medications that may interfere with weight loss.
- You have been taking a weight loss medication but can no longer increase your dosage to maintain weight loss.
- You have discontinued a weight loss medication and are now starting to gain weight.
If you find yourself at a weight loss plateau, here are some tips to help you push past it:
- Remember to journal. Write down everything you eat to help you stay on track.
- Cut your net carbs. If you have progressed beyond phase one, decrease your daily intake of net carbs by 10 grams. Once your weight loss resumes, gradually add your carbs back in.
- Change it up. Try a different Atkins plan to challenge your body and help jumpstart weight loss.
- Add more healthy fat sources to your meals. This can help control your hunger and cravings while adding flavour to your meals.
- Spread out your protein intake to help preserve and add muscle mass and keep your appetite in check.
- Consider intermittent fasting to kickstart your metabolism and improve insulin sensitivity.
- Increase your physical activity and incorporate strength training and cardio to maximise muscle growth and calorie burn.
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Frequently asked questions
The Atkins diet is a popular weight loss program that improves your eating habits and makes you feel amazing. It is a low-carb diet that shifts your body from burning carbs to burning fat.
First, set achievable and healthy goals and keep them in mind throughout your journey. Familiarize yourself with the approved foods for each phase of the Atkins diet. You can start with the Induction phase, which is a 14-day jump-start phase that triggers your body to burn fat.
The Induction phase is the first phase of the Atkins diet, which is designed to jump-start your weight loss. During this phase, you will be limiting your net carbohydrate intake to 20-25 grams per day. This will cause your body to switch its main fuel source from carbs to fat.
During the Induction phase, it is important to eat throughout the day. You can have three regular-sized meals or four to six smaller meals. Make sure to eat at least three 4-6 ounce servings of protein each day. Additionally, drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and flush out the by-products of burning fat.
A plateau is a pause in weight loss that is not due to diet or lifestyle changes. If you hit a plateau, consider moving on to the next phase of the Atkins diet. You can also increase your fat intake, as this will help control your hunger and cravings. Don't give up and consider adding regular exercise to your routine.
