ATKINS DIET

Induction Phase (two weeks)

• Eat either three regular size meals a day or four to five smaller meals. Do not skip or go more than six hours without eating.



• Eat liberally of combinations of fat and protein in the form of poultry, shellfish, eggs and red meat as well as of pure, natural fat in the form of butter, mayonnaise, olive oil, safflower, sunflower and other vegetable oils.



• Eat no more than 20 grams of carbohydrate a day, most of which come in the form of salad greens and other vegetables. You can eat approximately 3 cups (loosely packed) of salad greens or two cups of salad greens and one cup of other vegetables on the acceptable list.



• Eat absolutely no fruit, bread, pasta, grains, starchy vegetables or dairy products other than cheese, cram or butter. Do not eat nuts or seed in the first two weeks. Foods that combine protein and carbohydrates such as chickpeas, kidney beans, and other legumes are not permitted at this time.



• Eat nothing that is not on the acceptable list.

• Adjust the quantity you eat to suit your appetite, especially as it decreases. When hungry, eat the amount that makes you feel satisfied but not stuffed.



• Do not assume any food is low in carbohydrate. Read labels and/or use a carbohydrate counter.



• When eating out do not have gravies, sauces and dressings.



• Avoid foods with aspartame. Instead use sucralose (Splenda) or saccharin (Sweet and Low) Be sure to count each packet as ONE gram of carbs.



• Avoid coffee, tea and soft drinks that contain caffeine. Caffeine has been shown to cause low blood sugar which can cause you to crave sugar.



• Drink at least 8 eight ounce glasses of water a day. This hydrates your body and flushes out the by product of fat burning.



• If you become constipated take metamusil or an equivalent (get the sugar free kind and don't forget to count the carbs.

ACCEPTABLE FOODS

All fish including shellfish

All fowl

All meat including pork, lamb, veal and beef

All eggs (cooked any way you like)

Processed meat such as bacon, ham pepperoni, salami, hot dogs and other luncheon meats may be cured with added sugar and will contribute carbs. Read the labels and count the carbs if used.

CHEESE

You can consume three to four ounces daily of the following full-fat, firm, soft and semi-soft aged cheeses including:

cheddar,

cow, sheep and goat cheese

cream cheese

gouda

mozzarella

roquefort and other blue cheeses

swiss

SALAD VEGETABLES - You can have two to three cups per day

alfalfa sprouts daikon mushrooms

arugula endive parsley

bok choy escarole peppers

celery fennel radicchio

chicory jicama radishes

chives lettuce romaine

cucumber mache sorrel

These salad vegetables are a good source of fiber.

OTHER VEGETABLES

You can have one cup per day if salad does not exceed two cups. These vegetables are slightly higher in carbs than salad vegetables.

artichoke hearts celery root pumpkin

asparagus chard sauerkraut

bamboo shoots collard greens scallions

bean sprouts greens snow peas

beet greens eggplant spaghetti squash

broccoli hearts of palm string or wax beans

broccoli rabe kale summer squash

brussel sprouts kohlrabi tomato

cabbage leeks turnips

cauliflower okra water chestnuts

onion zucchini

If a vegetable such as spinach or tomato cooks down significantly it must be measured raw so as no to underestimate its carb count

SALAD GARNISHES

cooked crisp bacon

grated cheese

minced hard boiled egg

sauteed mushrooms

sour cream

SPICES

All spices to taste but make none contain added sugar

HERBS

basil garlic rosemary

cayenne ginger sage

cilantro oregano tarragon

dill pepper thyme

For salad dressing use oil and vinegar (but not balsamic vinegar, which contains sugar) or lemon juice and herbs and spices. Prepared salad dressings without added sugar and no more than two carbs per two tablespoons are also fine.

FATS AND OILS

Many fats, especially certain oils, are essential to good nutrition. Olive oil is particularly valuable. All other vegetable oils are allow, the best being canola, walnut, soybean, grape seed, sesame, sunflower and safflower oils. Do not cook polyunsaturated oils, such as corn, soybean or sunflower oils at high temperatures which causes them to smoke.

Butter is allowed. Margarine should be avoided because it is usually made from trans fats which are a serious health hazard.

You need not remove the skin and fat from meat or fowl. Salmon and old cold water fish are excellent sources of omega 3 fatty acids.

BEVERAGES

clear broth/bouillon (not all brands, read the label)

club soda

cream (heavy or light) limit to two to three tablespoons a day and note the carb count

decaffeinated coffee or tea

diet soda with sucralose

essence flavored seltzer (must say no calories and must not contain aspartame)

herb tea (without barley or any fruit sugar added)

lemon or lime juice (note that each contains 2.8 carbs per ounce) limit to two-three tablespoons a day

mineral water

spring water

water

ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS

Use sucralose (Splenda) or saccharin (Sweet and Low) and remember to count each packet used as one carb.

SPECIAL CATEGORY FOODS

To add variety, each day you can also eat 10-20 olives, half an avocado, one ounce of sour cream or three ounces of unsweetened heavy cream as well as two to three tablespoons of lemon or lime juice. But be award that these foods occasionally slow down weight loss in some people.

COUNTING CARBOHYDRATE

When counting the amount of carbohydrate contained in each food, the net carb count is the one used. To determine net carb count subtract the number of grams of carbs in dietary fiber from the total carb count. This yields net carbs and the amount you should include in your daily total.

ONGOING WEIGHT LOSS (OWL)

Once you've completed the induction phase (the first two weeks) you can start adding more carbs to your diet. During the first week add five carbs a day for a total of 25 carbs a day. If you continue to lose weight during this time you can add another 5 carbs a day the following week (total of 30) and so on each week till you reach a max of 90. So long as you keep losing you can add carbs, once you reach a plateau you've reached your critical carb level and should back down one level to continue losing

Foods that can be added are:

• More salad and other vegetables on the acceptable foods list
• Fresh cheeses (as well as more aged cheeses)
• Seeds and nuts
• Berries
• Wine and other spirits low in carbs
• Legumes
• Fruits other than berries and melons
• Starchy vegetables
• Whole grains

WEBSITES

If you go to www.atkins.com and register as a new user you will have access to a carb counter and daily journal as well as recipes, info on the diet etc. I use the site daily to track my meals, carb count and progress. Also www.lowcarb.ca/ is a good site for recipes and low carb products available for sale on the net. You can find low carb commercial products (Atkins name brand and others) in health food stores and a few things such as low carb bars in regular supermarkets.

As to your drinking milk, it is essentially out of the question during the initial phases of the diet. One cup of whole or 2% milk contains 11.7 carbs which is more than half your daily allotment of daily carbs in the induction phase. I've given it up altogether and it hasn't been as hard as I thought. I hope some day to be able to have a glass now and then but until then it is not on my list of acceptable foods.