frequently asked questions

How do I know when to move from one phase of Atkins to the next?

Like a lot of things involved with our program, it all depends on what you want. If you have only a few pounds to lose, you can move through the phases quickly or start at a later phase, get to your goal and progress to Phase 4: Lifetime Maintenance.

On the other hand, say you have a lot of weight to lose. You may want to stay in a certain phase for a longer period of time. Or slow down and enjoy more variety in your diet. Let's look at some examples, shall we?

1) You have 20 pounds to lose. You have these options. 

a) To jumpstart your weight loss (everyone wants to do this!), start with the Induction Phase and stay there for two weeks. You could lose 7 to 15 pounds depending on your age, gender, activity level and individual metabolic rate. You could then skip Phase Two: Ongoing Weight Loss and start Pre-Maintenance, since you'll be 10 pounds from your goal weight. Here, you'll add 10 grams of Net Carbs each week, find your ACE (Atkins Carbohydrate Equilibrium) and lose your remaining 10 pounds in four to five weeks. Once again, results will depend on your age, gender, activity level and metabolic rate. 

b) Or, you could start with OWL and set your carb intake at 25 Net Carbs per day for the first week, adding additional carbohydrates in 5 gram increments. If you were to do this, your goal could be to lose up to 10 pounds in 4 to 5 weeks, then move to Pre-Maintenance, find your ACE number while losing the remaining weight, then enter Lifetime Maintenance.

2) Okay, you have 40 pounds to lose. 

a) You'd likely start with Induction and stay there until you lose between 20 to 30 pounds. Then, switch to OWL for 4 to 6 weeks, targeting a weight loss of 10 pounds (if you lost 20 pounds in Induction). Then, move on to lose the rest of your weight with Pre-Maintenance, find your ACE and move on to Lifetime Maintenance. 

b) If you lost 30 pounds in Induction, you could move right to Pre-Maintenance by adding additional nutrient dense carbohydrates in 10 Net Carb increments and lose those last 10 pounds.

So really, the key to moving to the next phase is always up to you. Think about these three things:

How long can I stay on Induction?

The longer you consume no more than 20 grams of carbs daily, the more body fat you will burn. Depending on how much weight you need to lose, you can safely continue with Induction as long as the following three conditions are met:

However, it is important to understand the entire Atkins Nutritional Approach. The ultimate goal of the program is to advance from the Induction phase through Ongoing Weight Loss and Pre-Maintenance, culminating in Lifetime Maintenance, which should become your permanent way of eating. By following these steps, you can find your Critical Carbohydrate Level for Losing (CCLL), also known as your carbohydrate threshold for losing, and ultimately your Atkins Carbohydrate Equilibrium (ACE), also known as your carbohydrate threshold for maintaining. Segueing from one phase to another will help you maintain a healthful weight, feel good and decrease your risk factors for chronic diseases such as heart disease, hypertension and diabetes.

That being said, if you have a great deal of weight to lose, you can certainly stay on Induction for six months or even more. When you switch to Ongoing Weight Loss, your rate of loss will naturally diminish. On the other hand, if you have a modest weight loss goal, say 20 pounds, and lose the first pounds rapidly, it is important to move through the more liberal phases so you can establish the good eating habits that will become part of your ongoing lifestyle and end yo-yo dieting.

Is it dangerous to lose weight very quickly?

When you start the Induction phase of Atkins, you may experience rapid weight loss for the first time in your life. Don't worry. What makes the initial drop dramatic is that you lose a good bit of water weight in the first 3 to 4 days. That's because eating fewer grams of carbohydrate results in fewer spikes in blood sugar, resulting in less insulin output. Insulin makes the body retain sodium, which, as you probably know, makes your body retain water. When you're not producing as much insulin, this cycle slows and the effect is like taking a diuretic. After four days or so, however, you will also begin to lose body fat. Young men and people who have a lot of weight to lose are more likely to lose weight more rapidly at the start of the Atkins program.

Losing weight too fast is an issue only if:

1) You're not eating enough, which could make you lose lean muscle mass. To lose only body fat, be sure to eat regular meals and take in adequate calories. If you aren't hungry at meal times, have a small snack with your supplements. Also, drink at least 64 ounces of water every day.

2) You feel sick, weak, dizzy or fatigued. If you lose too fast, especially at the beginning of the program, you may be experiencing an extreme diuretic effect. This could deplete you of water and also some electrolytes, which contain sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Signs of electrolyte depletion are muscle cramps and heaviness in your legs when climbing steps. You may need to add more vegetables to your meals to slow down weight loss and add a mineral supplement to replace lost minerals.

But if you feel well and aren't starving yourself, you're probably not losing too quickly. If you have just a few pounds to lose, you might slow the pace so that you can continue to learn good eating habits before progressing through the phases to Lifetime Maintenance. Simply move to Ongoing Weight Loss and increase your daily intake of carbohydrates by 5 grams. If you are within five to 10 pounds of your target weight, move into the Pre-Maintenance phase and increase your intake gradually, in 10-gram increments, until weight loss slows to about a pound or two a month. However, if you still have a lot to lose and you feel full of energy, simply feel good that you are dropping pounds easily.

If I stay at 20 grams of Net Carbs a day, why can't I have some in the form of a slice of whole grain bread or even a peanut butter cup, which has 20 grams of carbs?

There are two reasons this approach won't work. For one, all carbohydrates are not created equal. The Atkins Nutritional Approach is designed to prevent blood sugar levels from spiking and causing the overproduction of insulin—a hormone that helps convert carbohydrates to body fat. The first carbohydrates you need to add back to your diet when you move beyond Induction are more vegetables, then seeds and nuts, then berries and then—if you are still losing—legumes and grains. Even bread made from 100 percent whole-wheat flour contains enough refined carbs to produce this insulin-raising, fat-storing effect in many people. Later, if your weight loss is progressing well and you have increased your daily carb intake, you may eat an occasional slice of whole grain bread. As for the 20-gram peanut butter cup, it contains a lot of sugar—not to mention artery-clogging hydrogenated fat and sugar is the worst kind of carbohydrate.

Secondly, the Atkins approach is not about rapid weight loss—it's about learning to eat a variety of nutrient-dense carbohydrates for the rest of your life. These are foods that are packed with the most antioxidant vitamins and healthful phytochemicals relative to the amount of carbohydrates—so you're getting the most bang for your carbohydrate buck. Once you've reached your goal weight and established your personal Atkins Carbohydrate Equilibrium (ACE), most people can enjoy whole-grain bread, fruit and even the occasional plate of french fries. Unfortunately, that conventional peanut butter cup just doesn't make the grade!

Are nuts and seeds okay on Induction even though they have carbohydrates?

Atkins is not about eating no carbs. It is about controlling carb intake and eating those that are most nutrient-dense. Different nuts and seeds have different percentages of fat, protein and carbohydrate. We don't recommend eating them during the first two weeks of Induction. But after that if you are continuing to lose steadily, you can try introducing some. Note, however, that nuts and seeds may contain mold, which could trigger an allergic response.

However, it is worth mentioning that nuts are notoriously hard to eat in moderation. One leads to another until you may have eaten several ounces. Try buying the one- or two-ounce packets so you won't be tempted to over indulge.

I'm used to counting calories. How many am I allowed on Induction?

The Atkins Nutritional Approach counts grams of carbohydrates instead of calories. In Induction, you are allowed 20 grams of Net Carbs. When you progress to Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL), you gradually add carbohydrates in 5-gram increments as you move toward Pre-Maintenance, and finally, in 10-gram increments as you approach the Lifetime Maintenance phase. On the Atkins Nutritional Approach we don’t make you count calories. However for weight loss purposes we suggest you shoot for a healthy range. For women that range is approximately 1500 to 1800 calories. For men that range is approximately 1800 to 2000 calories per day. Be sure to limit empty calories and follow the acceptable foods list for whichever phase you are currently in.

Research has shown that on a controlled carbohydrate program, more calories are burned than on a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet, so there is a certain metabolic advantage to the controlled carb approach. But understand that this does not give you a license to gorge.

The real goal of the Atkins program is to learn eating habits that will enable you to permanently maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle. This includes changing old habits such as overeating that contributed to your original weight problem.

I lost weight on Induction and for the first few months on Ongoing Weight Loss, but now the scale just won't budge. How do I get off this plateau?

First, before you assume there is a problem, ask yourself some questions: Are you feeling better? Are your clothes fitting better? (You may be losing inches, not pounds, because muscle weighs more than fat.) Are you still losing, but at a slower rate? You may just need to continue a bit longer, making slight modifications. These include: 

What is carb creep and how can I avoid it?

When you start adding back carbohydrates as you move from Induction into the progressively less restrictive phases of Atkins, some people begin to lose track of how many grams of Net Carbs they're eating. If that happens, you are likely to regain the pounds you've lost. That is why it is very important to increase your daily carb intake by only five grams each week and to introduce only one new food at a time. That way, you'll also immediately notice if a new food is causing you to experience cravings that lead to over-eating. Another way to stay in control is to keep a food diary so you can spot troublesome foods before they set up a pattern of cravings and gorging. For example, if you find after eating nuts, you are hungry again in a few hours, cut out the nuts and see if the hunger disappears.

Once I've reached my goal weight, what kinds of foods are allowed and not allowed on Lifetime Maintenance?

Please note that on the Atkins diet you can eat some of the best foods on earth. See the Acceptable Foods Lists to find out more. Your personal maintenance regimen will be regulated by your carbohydrate threshold, which in turn is a result of your metabolism and your activity level. Younger people and men tend to have higher metabolisms than older people and women. If you have a high carbohydrate threshold and do some kind of physical activity/exercise on a regular basis, you may be able to regularly eat starchy vegetables, beans and other legumes, whole grains and fruit in moderation. On the other hand, if you have a low carb threshold and are not very active, you may have to limit some of these foods. In either case, your nutrition program will continue to stress whole foods and avoid sugar, white flour, hydrogenated fats and many processed foods.

What is the highest level of carbohydrate consumption per day recommended for Lifetime Maintenance?

The important concept to understand in order to maintain your weight is what we call the Atkins Carbohydrate Equilibrium (ACE). You should find the highest level of carbohydrate consumption that won't allow you to regain weight or cause hunger and cravings. Each person has an individual ACE and a bit of trial and error may be required for you to find yours.

Can I drink alcohol now that I am in OWL?

The body burns alcohol for fuel when alcohol is available. So when it is burning alcohol, your body will not burn fat. This does not stop weight loss; it simply postpones it. Since the alcohol does not get stored as glycogen, you immediately get back into lipolysis after the alcohol is used up. But keep in mind that alcohol consumption may increase yeast-related symptoms in some people and interfere with weight loss. If it does not slow your weight loss, an occasional glass of wine is acceptable once you are out of Induction so long as you count the carbohydrates in your daily tally. (A 3 1/2-ounce glass of wine contains about 4.3 grams of carbohydrate.) Spirits such as Scotch, rye, vodka and gin are acceptable, but do not mix with juice, tonic water or non-diet soda, all of which contain sugar. Seltzer, diet tonic and diet soda mixers are permitted. If you have added alcohol to your regimen and suddenly stop losing weight, discontinue your alcohol intake.

I have been able to do Atkins successfully but now that I am in Pre-Maintenance, my appetite increased. Why and what can I do to manage it?

Appetite can return when you are no longer in lipolysis (fat burning). Or you may have added a food that may be causing your blood sugar to become unstable, contributing to hunger or the re-emergence of cravings. Examine what you’ve recently added and determine if it contains sugars or refined grain. Be sure that you are maintaining a regular intake of protein and fat and, if eating more of acceptable foods assuages your hunger, eat a bit more. If all else fails, stop the most recent additions until you get your appetite under control.