The Rules of the Atkins Diet Induction

One of the most important things to remember about the rules of the Atkins Diet Induction is that they must be adhered to strictly for the entire time. For most of you this will be only two weeks, but some of you may stay on it slightly longer if you are extremely obese.

There are several rules of induction, and if you can follow these rules to the letter, you will successfully take the first steps toward your weight loss goals and a healthier lifestyle. They are the basis that the whole Atkins Diet revolves around.

The reason the rules of the Atkins diet induction phase are so crucial to your overall success is that they are the basis for resetting your metabolism and beginning ketosis. Ketosis is the process that burns your own body fat as fuel once you cut out the carbs.

My 12 Basic Rules of the Atkins Diet Induction Phase:

1. Do not skip meals or go more than six hours without eating when awake. Eat either three regular meals or four or five smaller meals.
2. Eat liberal amounts of proteins and fats. Preferably lean meats, including poultry, eggs, fish and some red meat and natural fats such as butter, olive oil and mayo.
3. Never eat more than 20 grams of carbs a day. These should primarily come from salad greens and vegetables.
4. Eat NO fruits, breads, pastas, starchy vegetables or grains. You will even have to pass on beans and nuts until you are done with the Induction phase.
5. Follow the food list. One of the most important rules of the Atkins diet induction is not to eat anything that isn’t on the acceptable foods list. That means NOTHING – no “just a taste,” no cheating.
6. Pay attention to what your body tells you. Your appetite should decrease as you move through Induction. When this happens, be sure you cut back on portions – you don’t have to eat as much as you used to, and stuffing yourself is counter-productive.
7. Learn to read nutrition labels on all foods. Check them to see how many carbs are in anything you’re planning to eat. If you aren’t sure, find a good carb counter to help you out.
8. NO gravy. Feel free to eat as often as you want, but be careful to avoid sauces and gravies. Carbs and sugars can sneak into these easier than any other foods.
9. Don’t drink beverages with aspartame. Sucralose and saccharin are fine, though – as long as you remember that each packet of these sweeteners is 1 gram of carbs.
10. Don’t drink caffeine when you are on the Atkins diet. This rule means no coffee, tea or sodas unless they’re decaffeinated. Too much caffeine causes a drop in blood sugar and can lead to cravings.
11. Make sure you get enough fiber. Some good sources are psyllium husks (look for them in health food stores) or ground flaxseed.
12. Drink plenty of water. The standard advice to drink eight glasses of water a day is especially important during Induction – it will flush out the by-products of ketosis and keep you hydrated.

Induction is the most crucial phase of the Atkins Diet. If you are successful at it, the next three phases (Weight Loss, Pre-Maintenance and Maintenance) will be easy. So keep these rules of the Atkins diet induction phase in mind at all times to make sure you can reach all of your weight loss goals.

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