What Are Atkins Diet Foods?

Atkins diet foods are widely available and easy to find, regardless of whether you choose the pre-packaged products or whether you shop on your own for the proper foods. That is why it is one of the easiest diet plans to follow – you can find the right food products just about anywhere you go!

It is important to pay close attention to the allowed Atkins foods during each stage of the program, especially during the critical induction phase. If you stray from the allowed foods then you slow down your progress and interfere with your body’s ability to lose weight on the program.

One of the easiest ways to avoid any problems is to stick with genuine Atkins food products exclusively during the early phase or at least until you get comfortable with making the choices yourself.

Are you a vegetarian and wondering if you can go on this diet? Read what my friend Susan did. And what about the Atkins Meat Diet?

Carry a Cheat Sheet

I got into the habit of carrying a “cheat sheet” Atkins diet food list with me wherever I went, just so that I could look at it before eating. I found that a lot of so-called low carb diet foods are not as low carb as the label wants you to believe, so in those situations having my own fact sheet handy made a big difference in choosing the right products for Atkins diet meals.

Register for a Free Personalized Profile

Another option is to visit eDiets.com and register for a free profile and personalized information about the Atkins food plan. Once you’re registered, you can choose to have the site provide you with your own personal weekly meal menu. I especially like the “ready to print” shopping list – just print and head to the store, everything I needed was on the list.

Other Resources

If you’re more of a “do it yourselfer” then take a look at the some of the e-books available that have low carb recipes and meal plans that you can mix and match to suit your mood. A good hardcover book I found is Dr. Atkins' New Diet Cookbook.

Remember that when it comes to Atkins diet foods you have to know which phase of the diet you are in to select which products from the Induction Diet Food List are allowed. The basic guidelines during induction are:

• Less than 20 grams of carbs per day for a minimum of 14 days
• Eat only those foods on the allowed foods list – no nibbling allowed!
• No fruit, bread, pasta, grains, starchy vegetables, nuts or alcohol
• Drink a minimum of eight 8oz. glasses of water each day
• Avoid excess caffeine (Read this article on the 
Atkins Diet and caffeine consumption)

You may also want to get a copy of this printable version of the Atkins food pyramid and keep in in your kitchen.

Once you get past the induction phase, your choices broaden a bit, allowing for up to 25 grams of carbs per day. This means a wider range of food to choose from and greater variety in your weekly meal plan.

In Case of “Food Emergency”

If at any point you start to struggle or find non-Atkins foods just too tempting, keep a supply of the Atkins diet food products handy. When the cravings come and all you want is just one bite of that forbidden food, having allowed diet foods nearby is a huge help.

I called this my “food emergency” kit and it really worked for me.