The New Atkins Made Easy (19 page)
Read The New Atkins Made Easy Online
Authors: Colette Heimowitz
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Did you lose inches?
Once again, inches often disappear before pounds and are a good indicator that you're moving in the right direction.
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Did you lose neither weight nor inches?
If so, review the guidelines on page 108 to be sure that you're doing everything correctly and not overdoing serving sizes.
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Are you experiencing cravings?
If any food causes cravings, stop eating it for several days before trying to reintroduce it. If you find it hard to stop with a few almonds, or that an hour after you eat a small portion of blueberries you're just dying for more, you need to actâfast. Note these events in your journal, along with whether (and how) you were able to control the cravings. Perhaps you ate those berries “naked” the first time before realizing you're better off serving them with whipped cream or nuts. Or you dug into a supersized container of almonds instead of putting 1 ounce into a small resealable bag.
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Are you hungrier than you were in Induction?
Stay alert to hunger signals; if and when they hit, have a low-carb snack. Or eat your next meal a little earlier than you might have otherwise.
Your results in the first week will determine your actions as you move into Week 2. If you lost pounds and inches and weren't plagued anew with cravings and undue hunger, you may feel comfortable moving up to 30 grams of daily Net Carbs after just a week. If you wish, you can also move up one rung on the Carb Ladder (see
page 109
) and begin eating berries, cherries, and most kinds of melon. (See the meal plan on page 134.) However, if your weight loss slowed and you found it more difficult to stay in control, you're better off remaining at 25 grams of Net Carbs without going up another rung on the Carb Ladder. Instead, for variety, you could play with introducing other nuts and/or seeds. This will give your system time to adapt to these foods and the slightly higher carb intake of OWL.
Don't regard a slowdown in your weekly weight loss as a defeat, and don't rush back to the security of Phase 1 (Kick-Start). Depending upon the efficiency of your fat-burning engine, you may be able to climb the Carb Ladder quickly and increase your daily Net Carb intake every week or so, or you may proceed much more slowly. Small moves enable you to remain in control. Tailor your journey based on your weekly weight and inch loss and your response to foods on different steps of the ladder.
The meal plan on page 134 represents the second step up the Carb Ladder (see
page 109
). You'll continue to enjoy the Phase 1 (Kick-Start) foods, as well as the nuts and/or seeds you've recently added. The only difference is that you'll add about 5 grams of Net Carbs from the berries and other low-carb fruits listed on
page 111
.
To make this transition easy, we've again modified the original meal plan to show how to include the berries, cherries, and melon rung of the Carb Ladder. See the simple suggestions indicated in boldface italics in the meal plan on page 118 for how to add back these foods. (They are also in boldface italic type on the shopping list below.) Additions are small and incremental, ensuring that changes take place slowly, which moderates any impact on your blood sugar level. Feel free to substitute other Phase 2 fruits for the items listed, using the Atkins Carb Counter to check their carb counts.
PHASE 2 (BALANCING), WEEK 1 | ||||
PROTEINS | DAIRY/CHEESE | VEGETABLES | CONDIMENTS/NUTS | ATKINS PRODUCTS/FRUIT |
Steak or Hamburgers | Butter | Hass Avocados | Creamy Italian Dressing | Atkins Bars |
Chicken | Cheddar Cheese | Baby Spinach | Atkins Shakes | |
Eggs | Monterey Jack Cheese | Broccoli Florets | Ranch Dressing | Atkins Frozen Meals |
Ham or Pork Chops | Â | Celery | Vinaigrette | Strawberries |
Canned Tuna or Fish Filets | Â | Lettuce/Mixed Greens | Extra Virgin Olive Oil | Cantaloupe |
Bacon or Sausages | Â | Onions | Almonds | Raspberries |
 |  | Green or Red Bell Peppers | Walnuts |  |
 |  | Tomatoes |  |  |
*
Select sauces and condiments without added sugar.
Atkins Phase 2 (Balancing) Meal Plan at 30g NC/day | ||||
 | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday |
BREAKFAST | 2 eggs 1 1 tsp olive oil 1 oz Cheddar cheese | Atkins Advantage Peanut Butter Granola Bar 25 almonds 5 large strawberries | Atkins Frozen Farmhouse-Style Sausage Scramble 1 | 4 oz steak or hamburger 1 tsp olive oil 1 1 1 oz Cheddar cheese |
Net Carbs: 4.1g; FV: 3.1g | Net Carbs: 11g; FV: 0g | Net Carbs: 8.9g; FV: 1g | Net Carbs: 5.6g; FV: 5.3g | |
SNACK | Atkins Advantage Vanilla Shake 25 almonds 5 large strawberries | 1 small tomato 1 oz Monterey Jack cheese | 3 2 Tbsp ranch dressing* 10 walnut halves | Atkins Advantage Milk Chocolate Delight Shake 15 walnut halves |
Net Carbs: 9g; FV: 0g | Net Carbs: 2.6g; FV: 2.5g | Net Carbs: 4.9g; FV: 2.8g | Net Carbs: 4.1g; FV: 0g | |
LUNCH | Atkins Frozen Crustless Chicken Pot Pie | 4â6 oz chicken 1 small tomato 1 cup mixed greens 2 Tbsp ranch dressing 20 almonds | Atkins Frozen Beef Merlot | 4â6 oz ham or pork chop 1 cup baby spinach 1 1 Tbsp ranch dressing |
Net Carbs: 5g; FV: 4g | Net Carbs: 8g; FV: 5.1g | Net Carbs: 6g; FV: 4g | Net Carbs: 3.5g; FV: 2.8g | |
SNACK | Atkins Advantage Coconut Almond Delight Bar 20 almonds | 1 stalk celery 1 oz Cheddar cheese | Atkins Advantage Café Caramel Shake 25 almonds | 1 small tomato 2 Tbsp vinaigrette 25 almonds |
Net Carbs: 5.3g; FV: 0g | Net Carbs: 1.4g; FV: 1g | Net Carbs: 4.8g; FV: 0g | Net Carbs: 5.7g; FV: 2.5g | |
DINNER | 4â6 oz canned tuna or fish filet 2 cups mixed greens 1 2 Tbsp vinaigrette 1 cup broccoli florets | Atkins Frozen Meatloaf with Portobello Mushroom Gravy | 4â6 oz chicken 1 cup broccoli florets 1 Tbsp olive oil 2 cups mixed greens 2 Tbsp creamy Italian dressing | Atkins Frozen Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo 1 |
Net Carbs: 5.9g; FV: 5.6g | Net Carbs: 7g; FV: 4g | Net Carbs: 4.5g; FV: 4.3g | Net Carbs: 10.9g; FV: 5g | |
 | Total Net Carbs: 29.3g Total Net Carbs from FV: 12.7g | Total Net Carbs: 30g Total Net Carbs from FV: 12.6g | Total Net Carbs: 29.1g Total Net Carbs from FV: 12.1g | Total Net Carbs: 29.8g Total Net Carbs from FV: 15.6g |
Enjoy Atkins Endulge Treats for dessert if Net Carb consumption allows! |
Atkins Phase 2 (Balancing) Meal Plan at 30g NC/day | |||
 | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
BREAKFAST | 1 cup baby spinach 1 small tomato 1 1 oz Monterey Jack cheese 25 almonds | Atkins Frozen Tex-Mex Scramble V2 cup raspberries | 2 eggs 2 cups baby spinach 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 1 oz Monterey Jack cheese 1 |
Net Carbs: 8.2g; FV: 5.3g | Net Carbs: 8.4g; FV: 3g | Net Carbs: 10.1g; FV: 5.3g | |
SNACK | 2 oz Cheddar cheese 1 small tomato 2 Tbsp vinaigrette | Atkins Advantage Caramel Chocolate Nut Roll Bar 15 walnut halves | 1 stalk celery 1 oz Cheddar cheese |
Net Carbs: 3.6g; FV: 2.5g | Net Carbs: 5.1g; FV: 0g | Net Carbs: 1.4g; FV: 1g | |
LUNCH | Atkins Frozen Roast Turkey Tenders with Herb Pan Gravy | 4â6 oz canned tuna or fish filet 2 Tbsp mayonnaise or tartar sauce 1 stalk celery 1 1 small tomato | Atkins Advantage Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar 20 walnut halves 1 |
Net Carbs: 6g; FV: 4g | Net Carbs: 5g; FV: 5g | Net Carbs: 8.2g; FV: 0g | |
SNACK | Atkins Advantage Caramel Chocolate Peanut Nougat Bar 5 large strawberries | Atkins Advantage Vanilla Shake 25 almonds | 1 2 Tbsp ranch dressing |
Net Carbs: 8.1g; FV: 0g | Net Carbs: 3.8g; FV: 0g | Net Carbs: 2.9g; FV: 2.2g | |
DINNER | 4â6 oz ham or pork chop 1 cup broccoli 1 cup mixed greens 2 Tbsp creamy Italian dressing 10 walnut halves | 4 oz steak or hamburger 1 small tomato 1 1 | Atkins Frozen Crustless Chicken Pot Pie 25 almonds |
Net Carbs: 4.6g; FV: 2.9g | Net Carbs: 6.4g; FV: 6.4g | Net Carbs: 7.8g; FV: 4g | |
 | Total Net Carbs: 30.5g Total Net Carbs from FV: 14.7g | Total Net Carbs: 28.7g Total Net Carbs from FV: 14.4g | Total Net Carbs: 30.4g Total Net Carbs from FV: 12.5g |
Enjoy Atkins Endulge Treats for dessert if Net Carb consumption allows! |
Assuming that you've already added nuts and seeds and then berries and the like, as discussed previously, your next move would be to introduce foods on the next rung of the Carb Ladder. These additional dairy products include whole-milk yogurt or Greek yogurt (not the flavored or low-fat kind), cottage cheese, and ricotta. You can also have small portions of whole milk. In some cases, you'll be swapping out other foods (replacing Cheddar cheese, for example, with yogurt) to keep carbs in line. After additional dairy products come legumes, and finally tomato and tomato juice cocktail, as well as more lemon and/or lime juice. (See
page 113
to review these rungs of the Carb Ladder.)
