How Do I Follow The Atkins Diet?
Many people have heard of the Atkins diet and know that it can be an effective mechanism to lose weight. As with many diets, sticking to the plan can be quite difficult at times. Here are some ideas for helping you stick to the diet.
The first thing to get is a list of approved foods. You can get one in many bookstores that carry diet books, and there are plenty of resources online. The Atkins diet is based on “net carbs” which are not always easy to figure out from the nutritional guides included on food packaging. Having a list of foods with their net carb counts will help you stick to the diet in all it’s phases.
Along with that list, keep a diary of the foods you eat during a day and their net carbs. Many people are surprise how fast they hit their daily carb limit. Having that list of what you have eaten and where you stand each day makes keeping to the plan so much easier.
Be sure to check the labels of things like chewing gum and over-the-counter medications. You would be surprised how many of them contain sugar that will affect your progress on the diet. Search for sugar free alternatives.
Hunger pangs and cravings are the most common reason that people fail to stick to low-carb diets. Beyond following the list of approved, low carb foods the easiest way to follow the plan is to have a couple of small, approved snacks during the day.
In the induction phase, you are allowed to have almost all meats, poultry and seafood while eliminating most fruit and all bread, rice, potatoes and other starches. Low-carb, high fiber green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli and salad greens are also permitted. Having snacks of approved foods like nuts, vegetables and hard-boiled eggs will make it easier to follow this phase and keep hunger cravings down.
Things get a little easier in the ongoing weight loss (OWL) phase. You still have to watch the net carb numbers, but you do get to start adding foods back in to your diet. Again, a couple of small snacks of foods on the approved list is one key way to curb hunger and stay on plan. This time, some fruits (especially many berries) are allowed as are certain snack bars such as those marketed under the Atkins brand name.
Lastly, exercise is a component of the Atkins diet, just as it is any other diet designed to reduce weight and improve health. Even a small amount of exercise will keep your metabolism up, and that will help maintain your weight loss.
For more details on the various phases of the diet and the approved foods for it, consult the Atkins diet plan book or the Atkins website. That information, combined with some of the tips listed above will help keep you on track and successful on the Atkins diet.
