Weight Management: The Atkins Way
By Michele Blandino
You can hardly escape it. The low-carb diet phenomenon swept into our lives earlier this year and has been enjoying a steady rise in popularity. It seems that almost every day, either new low-carb products hit the store shelves or another low-carb diet book is in the bookstore.
And, while many so-called low-carb diets have come and gone over the years, one plan has endured, and helped countless people lose untold pounds along the way.
The grand-daddy of all low-carb diets, the Atkins plan made its debut in 1972 when Dr. Robert Atkins published his first book, Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution. The plan consists of four distinct phases: induction, ongoing weight loss, pre-maintenance and maintenance.
The basic premise of the Atkins plan is fairly straightforward: the consumption of carbohydrates should be reduced so that the body is forced to instead turn to fat stores for its energy needs. However for most people, putting this seemingly simple requirement into practice requires a great deal of self-discipline.
Induction
The induction phase is the most rigorous. Here, dieters undergo an abrupt type of behavior modification in which sugar, wheat and grain products and caffeine are virtually eliminated from the diet and replaced with foods rich in protein and fat. During this phase which lasts a minimum of 14 days and, depending on how much weight you want to lose can go on for as long as 6 months, carbohydrate intake is limited to 20 grams per day and fruit, grains (including bread and pasta), and most dairy products are strictly off limits. Instead, dieters are encouraged to liberally eat fish, poultry, meat and eggs with moderate amounts of cheese, and certain vegetables.
The biggest obstacle dieters need to overcome during the induction phase is that of boredom. The restrictive nature of the induction phase can cause dieters to become bored with the plan and start adding small amounts of off-limits foods. This, according to the plan, will quickly sabotage the dieter’s efforts as adding even a moderate number of carbohydrates can negate the entire effort.
Ongoing Weight Loss
Once you reach or get close to your desired weight, you will transition to Phase 2 – Ongoing Weight Loss. During this phase of the plan, you will gradually be able to reintroduce carbohydrates to your diet. The amount of carbohydrates you will be able to consume each day will depend on a number of factors, including your level of activity and age.
Unfortunately, there is not a formula you can use to determine what your ideal carbohydrate intake should be. Instead, you will need to closely monitor your weight and make adjustments as dictated by the scale’s movement. During this phase, small increments are best; re-introducing carbohydrates 5 grams at a time will help you monitor your body’s new tolerance levels for processing these types of foods.
While weight loss will certainly slow down during this phase. It should not stop completely. If you do stop losing weight, it is most likely a sign that you have added too many carbohydrates into your diet. Try eliminating a few grams each day until the scale starts moving again.
Pre-Maintenance
When you’re within a few pounds of your goal weight, it’s time to move into the pre-maintenance phase. In this phase, you introduce even more carbohydrates – 10 grams at a time – to your diet until you no longer lose weight. Once you reach that level, you should continue to consume carbohydrates at that level for a month and then, as a test to see if your body can handle even more, begin adding again in 10-gram increments. You should continue to add 10-grams of carbohydrates to your daily intake every week until you begin to gain weight. This will help you to find your maximum carbohydrate intake amount: the amount you should target for daily consumption.
It’s important to know that you cannot just arbitrarily add carbohydrates into your diet; instead, the Atkins plan recommends a particular order for re-introducing these types of foods. And, because of the trial-and-error nature of pre-maintenance, it can take a few months to fully complete this phase.
Maintenance
The final phase of the Atkins plan is the Maintenance phase. This is where hopefully the good habits you have developed thus far will sustain you as you attempt to maintain your weight. During Maintenance, you are permitted to maximize your healthy carbohydrate intake to the extent that you do not gain back the weight you’ve lost. You are considered to be in Maintenance as long as you remain within 3 to 5 pounds of your goal weight.
