The New Atkins Made Easy (15 page)

 As a quick guide, 3 grams of Net Carbs of nuts or seeds translates to 30 almonds, 3 tablespoons macadamia nuts, 2 tablespoons peanut butter, 2 tablespoons pistachios, or 4 tablespoons shelled sunflower seeds; 24 walnut halves come in at 3.4 grams.

 Portion out nuts and seeds in advance to avoid overeating. A couple of tablespoons of walnuts, almonds, pecans, or pumpkin seeds make a great snack. Or top a salad with sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts. You can also now have other nut and seed butters (stuff them into celery sticks) or coconut, almond, and other nut flours (available in the baking section or specialty foods aisle of the supermarket).

• Transition to Phase 2 (Balancing) no later than when you're within 15 pounds of your goal weight. At that point it's time to start transitioning to a permanent way of eating by introducing foods higher up the Carb Ladder.

Fast Track pros:
Speedier weight loss, greater structure, and fewer choices, meaning fewer opportunities for temptation

Fast Track cons:
Boredom; no options for moving past a plateau without reducing Net Carbs below the recommended level, which can be extremely frustrating and demotivating

Alternatively, you may chose to lose the bulk of your weight in Phase 2 (Balancing), which Dr. Atkins dubbed Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL). If you're comfortable with a slower, steadier rate of weight loss, after two weeks (or a few more) start to climb the Carb Ladder (
page 16
). The gradual increase in Net Carb intake and reintroduction of new foods allows you to continue to shave off pounds and inches, maintain appetite control, and feel energetic. You'll also gradually come to understand which, if any, foods trigger cravings for more of the same and/or interfere with weight loss.

You may find that you're comfortable at a relatively low level of Net Carbs a day, perhaps 25 to 35 grams, which is not all that different from Kick-Start but does allow you to eat such delicious, nutritious food as nuts and seeds (see the meal plan for 25 grams of Net Carbs on page 118, for easy ways to add them) and then berries, melon, and cherries (see the meal plan for 30 grams of Net Carbs on page 134 for easy ways to add them). Next you'll move on to Greek yogurt and fresh cheeses (see
page 115
for easy ways to add these “new” foods). Or you may find you can go considerably higher, say 50 or 60 grams of Net Carbs or even more, which will allow you to include legumes and some vegetable juices.

The balancing process enables you to find what works for you. Understanding your carb tolerance is the bridge from a weight-loss diet to a diet for life. This process can involve some fits and starts as you increase the variety of foods, but it's essential to understanding your unique metabolism. After all, wouldn't you rather lose a little more slowly and keep the weight off for good than lose rapidly by staying in Phase 1, reach your goal weight, and then regain those lost pounds because you never learned how to eat for the long run? Think of Atkins as a marathon rather than a sprint and you'll understand the rationale for losing the bulk of your weight in Phase 2 (Balancing).

Slow and Steady pros:
More variety in what you can eat; more options for moving past a plateau because you can always return to a lower level of carb intake; easier segue to a sustainable way of eating

Slow and Steady cons:
Slightly slower weight loss; having more food choices may be too tempting or confusing

Both these strategies will allow you to lose weight, but select the one that works best for you in the long run. By that I mean the option that will allow you to lose the weight—and then keep it off—while enjoying a satisfying way of eating. As you consider whether to leave the relative security of Induction to move on to Ongoing Weight Loss, ask yourself these questions.

• 
Is routine important to you?
Are you in the habit of eating the same foods day after day? If your attitude is “Just tell me what to eat and I'm fine,” you may actually find Atkins easier with a shorter list of acceptable foods, at least initially. Or do you get bored eating the same meals over and over again and delight in experimenting with new foods and new recipes?

• 
Are you a tortoise or a hare?
Are you willing to take a bit longer to make the journey easier, or are you in a rush to get to your destination? Do you really miss eating berries or having a glass of wine, or can you put up with those limitations for the time being to get your weight under control sooner?

• 
Do you miss certain foods?
If you might have a hard time moderating your intake of some foods beyond the first rungs of the Carb Ladder, you may want to hold off for now. Or if there's nothing there you can't live without for the time being, you may decide to wait. Or perhaps being able to have yogurt and berries for breakfast will make it easier to stay with Atkins.

• 
What else is going on in your life?
If you're juggling work, a family, and school, for example, you may want to simplify things by staying with Phase 1 for the time being. Or perhaps for you, being able to eat a greater variety of foods is easier when other aspects of your life are stressful.

As you evaluate your experience in the first two weeks of Induction, look beyond just the changes in your weight and waistline. Those numbers are probably why you started Atkins, but consider other markers as well.

• If you have hypertension, has your blood pressure dropped? If your new way of eating is lowering it naturally and making you feel light-headed, be sure to talk to your health care provider—you likely need to reduce the dosage of your medication.

• If you are prediabetic or have type 2 diabetes, have your blood sugar levels improved? If so, it's crucial that you communicate that to your doctor in case it requires a change in your insulin or other medication dosage.

• Have your aches and pains diminished or vanished?

• Has your mood lifted?

• Are you in control of your appetite?

These factors are all part of the larger picture of how eliminating added sugar and other empty carbohydrates from your diet can improve your health and well-being. Even if your weight loss has been minimal, these indicators are clear evidence that Atkins is working for you.

Whether or not you decide to remain in Phase 1, after two weeks you may now want to add physical fitness to your weight-loss program. Regular physical activity is important for numerous reasons, among them:

• Maintaining cardiovascular health

• Keeping bones strong

• Lowering high blood pressure

• Boosting your metabolism

• Improving sleep quality

• Helping coordination and balance as you get older

If you already exercise regularly, whether walking briskly, taking Zumba or spinning classes, working out in a gym, or whatever, by all means continue to do so as long as your energy level remains high. It's not a good idea to simultaneously increase your current activity level or begin an intense fitness program as you start Atkins. However, once you get that burst of energy that usually occurs sometime within the first two weeks, ramp up your physical activity gradually.

What if you haven't been in the habit of exercising? I suggest you wait until you get comfortable with Atkins before starting or resuming a routine. After two weeks in Phase 1, that time may be right for you. If you've never been a “fitness freak” but want to test the waters, walking or swimming is the best way to begin. Start small, perhaps a quarter-mile walk before dinner or a few laps in the YMCA pool, and then increase your distances gradually. If you're extremely heavy, swimming is an excellent choice, because it causes minimal impact on your joints. Ditto for exercises you can do sitting in a chair.

Does that mean you
must
start some form of exercise after two weeks on Atkins whether or not you remain in Phase 1 or advance
to Phase 2? No way. If your energy level is low or you simply aren't comfortable getting physical until you reduce your size, that's your choice. When and which kind of activity are personal decisions, but fitness is the natural partner to Atkins. So don't be surprised when I bring up exercise again in later chapters. Sooner or later you'll probably agree. As you'll hear from our success stories, most people found that as they slimmed down on Atkins, they became more interested in physical activity. Several of them, including Troy (
page 146
), have embraced competitive sports with a passion. Natalie (
page 191
) exercises “every single day, no matter what.” Meanwhile, Joe (
page 217
), who has taught tae kwon do for years, no longer experiences excruciating pain after working out now that there is 200 pounds less of him!

Physical activity helps some people lose weight, but not everyone. However, it will reliably help you maintain your weight loss over the long term. The combination of following Atkins while engaging in regular physical exercise benefits body and mind by:

• Increasing your energy level

• Helping unlock your fat stores

• Inducing calmness

• Reducing stress

• Firming up flab

• Empowering you with a sense of mastery

Weight training or other strength-building exercise also helps build muscle, giving your body a more defined appearance. As a result, your clothes fit better. And the less fat and more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism, which means you burn more fat even when you're sitting or sleeping.

If you've made the decision to take the Slow and Steady Track by stepping up to Phase 2 (Balancing) sooner rather than later, you'll most likely spend the greatest amount of time in this phase as you continue to slim down. That's why it's designed to help you change habits as you gradually transition toward a permanent way of eating. You'll experience greater freedom in this phase than in Phase 1 (Kick-Start). The trick is to exercise that freedom without undoing your initial results. The best way to handle that juggling act, what we call finding your personal carb balance, is to move slowly and deliberately up the Carb Ladder.

I can almost guarantee that if you rush to add back as many different foods as fast as you can, you'll stall your fat-burning engine. Worse, you could become discouraged and even give up on losing weight. Not to worry. I'm not going to let that happen to you. Nor need you retreat to the “safety net” of Phase 1. Here's how to succeed as you proceed up the Carb Ladder.

• Continue to consume a minimum of 12–15 daily grams of Net Carbs as foundation vegetables. Also continue to avoid foods with added sugar, have eight glasses of water or other acceptable fluids each day, and go no longer than three or four hours between meals or snacks, spreading out your carb intake across the day.

• Reintroduce food groups one by one, following the Carb Ladder. Depending on your metabolism and weight-loss goal, this may be at weekly intervals, every couple of weeks, or even longer.

• Add back carb foods within each rung of the ladder one by one as well. For example, reintroduce walnuts but gauge their impact, if any, before reintroducing almonds.

• Increase your overall daily Net Carb intake in 5-gram increments
at weekly, biweekly, or even monthly intervals, whichever works best for you.

• Continue to track your daily Net Carb intake daily in your journal, also noting any new foods so that you can tell if they are stalling your progress.

• Continue to weigh and measure yourself weekly.

You may be reassured to see how similar Phase 1 (Kick-Start) is to Phase 2 (Balancing) initially. Again, proceeding slowly and deliberately will make it easy to transition from one phase to the next. In the following chapter, we'll get into greater detail on what to expect as you move forward, how to manage the food reintroduction process, and how to evaluate your responses to more carbs and a greater variety of foods.