Atkins Diet is a low carb, high protein and high fat diet. This is not calorie restrictive but it takes into consideration the amount of carbs that you eat, especially in the first phase of the diet.
There are four phases in this diet but in this article we will be focusing on Phase 1 – Induction.
What is Induction Phase of Atkins Diet?
Induction Stage is also known as Phase 1 of Atkins Diet where in you limit your carbohydrate intake to 20 grams per day. The reason for doing this is that you want to hasten the weight loss by drastically reducing carbs, thereby reducing the insulin level and preventing insulin resistance.
Glucose is not the primary source of energy and it is replaced by fats. Body is adapting to this new source of fuel and is going into a state of ketosis which can bring about weight loss.
This phase of Atkins Diet can also be compared to a Ketogenic Diet.
Induction is being done by people who need to lose a lot of weight. This stage can be skipped if you do not need to lose weight or if you are just maintaining your weight.
Can you go on fasting if you are on Induction Phase?
You can’t go on fasting while you are on Phase 1 of Atkins Diet – do not go on long periods of time without eating. They advocate not skipping meals or eating at least 3 regular sized meals or 4 to 5 smaller meals.
According to Atkins, this will prevent you from getting hungry. This will be an effective way of curbing your hunger.
What food can I eat when I am on Phase 1?
Eating high fat and high protein is essential in Induction stage. These will help you feel satiated and turn your body into a fat burning machine.
Meat Products
This will include lamb, pork, veal, beef, venison, veal. For ham and bacon, you must be aware of the hidden carbs as these may contain sugar and additives.
Fish and Shellfish
This will include fish like cod, tuna, flounder, herring, salmon, sardines, trout. For shellfish, this will be rich in omega 3 fatty acids and minerals and this will include clams, shrimps, lobsters, crabmeat.
Fats and Oils
This will include butter, mayonnaise, cold pressed oils like olive oil and other vegetable oils.
Beverages
Always remember to hydrate with water. Black coffee, decaf coffee and tea are allowed but be very mindful of the caffeine intake while you are on Induction phase because this can damage your adrenal glands.
What food should I avoid while I’m on Induction?
Whilst on Induction you need to stay away from high carb food that can kick you out of ketosis.
Refined sugars and grains contains lots of carbohydrates and as well as calories. This will increase the glucose level in the bloodstream and will increase the insulin level. Avoid these at all cost.
Do not eat anything that has ‘Diet’ or ‘Low Fat’ on it. These kinds of food typically end up with higher sugar content to mask the taste. Instead of providing benefits, they will do quite the opposite.
During this stage, it is best to avoid fruits, starchy vegetables and legumes – all of which have high carb content and will not give you the result you want which is weight loss.
As mentioned above, Induction is being done if you want to kick start your weight loss. Low carb diet can effectively give you the health benefits like clear mental function, higher metabolism and weight loss.
Atkins diet is considered to be more sustainable that Keto because in succeeding phases there is a slow incorporation of carbohydrates back into one’s diet.
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