Read The New Atkins Made Easy Online
Authors: Colette Heimowitz
The New Atkins Made Easy (4 page)
Rung 5:
Whole-milk yogurt and fresh cheeses such as cottage cheese and ricotta
Rung 6:
Legumes, including chickpeas, lentils, and the like
Rung 7:
Tomato and vegetable juice “cocktail” (plus more lemon and lime juice)
Phases 3 and 4
Rung 8:
Other fruits (but not fruit juices or dried fruits)
Rung 9:
Higher-carb vegetables such as winter squash, carrots, and peas
Rung 10:
Whole grains
For more detail, see the list of acceptable Phase 1 foods on page 35, acceptable Phase 2 foods on page 110, and acceptable foods for Phases 3 and 4 on page 153. Phase 3 foods are also acceptable in Phase 4.
Q.
Can vegetarians do Atkins?
A.
Absolutely. It's best to start in Phase 2 so that you can have nuts, fresh cheeses, and legumes as protein sources from the start. See “Atkins for Vegetarians,” in
Chapter 5
. By beginning with 25â30 daily grams of Net Carbs, you'll be able to get sufficient protein. For more specifics, see
The New Atkins for a New You.
Q.
Do I have to eat red meat to do Atkins?
A.
No. If you prefer, you can get your protein from poultry and fish.
Q.
Can I do Atkins if I'm pregnant?
A.
With your doctor's approval, you can follow Phase 4, Lifetime Maintenance. Consume the level of carbs that doesn't stress your blood sugar level but allows for the proper weight gain necessary for a healthy pregnancy. Be sure to consume at least 1,800 calories and at least 50 to 60 grams of Net Carbs daily. Also eat the recommended amount of protein, dairy, and fat along with the recommended minimum of foundation vegetables and two servings of fruit a day, plus a serving of whole grains if your metabolism allows.
Q.
Won't eating lots of fat raise my cholesterol level?
A.
No. Research shows that people who comply with Phase 1 of the Atkins Diet consistently improve their cholesterol profile, especially their triglycerides. It also raises HDL, the “good” cholesterol. In the context of a low-carb eating program, the fat consumed on Atkins is burned for energy and does not raise the risk for heart disease.
Q.
Do I need to count calories on Atkins?
A.
Even if you control your carb intake, consuming far too many calories can interfere with weight loss. It's also possible to consume too
few
, which will slow down your metabolism, putting a brake on weight
loss. That said, you're able to eat more (and more-satisfying) food on Atkins than on other weight-loss programs. The minimum daily calorie range for women is 1,500 to 1,800 calories a day and 1,800 to 2,200 for men. There's no need to count calories on Atkins, but if weight loss stalls, do a calorie reality check for few days.
Q.
Is there a connection between stress and weight loss? How about sleep?
A.
Either can interfere with weight loss. High levels of the stress hormone cortisol stimulate the release of the fat-storing hormone insulin. Yoga, stretching, other low-intensity exercise, and meditation can help minimize stress. Likewise, failing to get at least six hours of sleep a night increases your level of the hunger hormone ghrelin and decreases the level of the hormone leptin, which makes you feel full. People who sleep more tend to be slimmer than people who sleep less.
Q.
Is exercise mandatory?
A.
No. Exercise isn't essential to lose weight on Atkins. It is, however, effective to help maintain a healthy weight and to potentially break a stall. Combining regular activity with dietary changes has many health benefits and helps elevate mood. Unless you're already engaged in a regular fitness program, it's advisable to wait until you're feeling comfortable with your new eating habits before embarking on a new exercise regimen. If you've already achieved a certain fitness level, feel free to continue your exercise routine.
Q.
Can my overweight child do Atkins?
A.
It's important to understand that even a heavy youngster is still growing. No one under the age of twelve should be put on any weight-loss diet before consulting with a pediatrician. Meanwhile, weaning your kid off sugar is the single most important thing you can do. If your family starts eating a whole-foods diet, your child will probably lose weight.
In the next chapter, you'll learn how to ready your kitchen before you embark on Atkins, and take care of some other details so you can hit the ground running. And yes, it's time to take that dreaded “before” photo. Believe me, you'll be glad you did a few months from now, when you greet that slim new you in the mirror every morning! But first meet Tori B., who lost an even 100 pounds on Atkins, giving her the courage to initiate many other changes in her life.
I
.âââYou can add nuts and seeds if you stay in Phase 1 beyond two weeks.
SUCCESS STORY
A SLIM AND HEALTHY ROLE MODEL FOR HER DAUGHTERS
VITAL STATS
Daily Net Carb intake: 20â40 grams
Age: 37
Height: 5'6"
Before weight: 237 pounds
After weight: 137 pounds
Lost: 100 pounds
Tori B. was the grand prize winner of the 2012 Atkins weight-loss competition. It was a big deal for her to fly from her home in South Barre, Vermont, to Los Angeles with her husband on their prize vacation, where she met with Atkins spokesperson Sharon Osbourne. “I used to be scared of everything before I lost weight, including flying. I'd even worry that I couldn't fit
in a roller coaster seat,” she recalls. But after losing 100 pounds on Atkins, Tori welcomes challenges and savors every day of her new life, as she explains.
I was never a heavy kid, but after I hit puberty my weight became a problem. You name it, I tried it, but I would always regain the lost pounds. After the birth of Grace, who is now nine years old, I had a miscarriage. I wanted to do everything I could to ensure a healthy infant the next time. Around this time my husband got a new job, and I was in a position to stop working and devote myself to motherhood and getting slim and healthy.
Why did I choose Atkins? I sat down and thought about what I was eating and wrote it all down. It was all carbs, so obviously that was my issue. Also, I wasn't very active before I started Atkins. I was on a high the first day and had already lost 2 pounds by the second day. Two weeks after I started Atkins my energy returned and I felt better emotionally. I started walking three miles every day through Vermont's beautiful countryside. I lost weight consistently, which motivated me to continue. Within three months I'd lost 50 pounds. My husband was very supportive, which also helped. He lost weight without even trying just by eating what I was eating!
At this point I realized I was pregnant again, so I switched to a modified version of Induction with my doctor's approval. Grace now has a five-year-old sister, Anne. After her birth I wanted to achieve a total loss of 100 pounds so I could be a healthy role model for the girls. Of course, I also wanted this for myself. I knew I needed to take care of me so that I'd be
there for them for a good long time. With the well-balanced array of foods you eat on Atkins and exercise, those last pounds melted away. There aren't enough words to describe how incredible I feel. Atkins empowered me to live life more fully and try new things, like Zumba. I've have never been so healthy and so in shape. And it's not just me. The whole family skis, snowshoes, and bicycles together.
I hold myself accountable for everything I eat. I weigh myself every day. I figure if I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it right. I never feel hungry as long as I stay away from starches. Mornings are crazy with two kids to get out the door, so I have an Atkins Day Break Chocolate Hazelnut Bar. I call it my “get-up-and-go bar.” Then around nine-thirty or ten o'clock I'll have a real breakfast.
My children don't know the unhealthy Mom and don't recognize the old me in pictures. More than ever I feel that little girls need healthy guidance about body image and to be shown by example. And though I started out just wanting to be a role model for our daughters, now my transformation has also influenced my extended family. There's a history of heart disease, high cholesterol, and hypertension, so they were worried about my eating red meat, eggs, and cheese. Now they see that I also eat lots of vegetables and that foods like doughnuts, cookies, and sugary cereals never make it into my house.
Winning the contest was amazing, as was meeting Sharon Osbourne. The old Tori never could have put her story out there by entering the Atkins competition. The Atkins lifestyle is truly a blessing. If you can find it within yourself to
take the journey and follow it through, you'll see how fantastic this lifestyle is. If you eat the right foods and exercise, this way of being will change your outlook on life. I couldn't be prouder of where I am today compared to where I started.
MAKE IT EASY