How a Weight Loss Diet Becomes a Lifestyle
Your trusted friends—foods that are rich in protein and good fats—helped you reach your goal weight. Now these same foods will be your allies when it comes to maintaining your … Read more

Fat Remains a Friend in Lifetime Maintenance
Many people make the mistake of thinking that it’s the amount of carbs in your diet that stops weight loss when you reach your goal. That’s partially true, but it’s … Read more

Objectives of Phase 4
In the Lifetime Maintenance, you’ll come to understand why the Atkins Diet is also called the Atkins Nutritional Approach. This is where you’ll commit to remaining at your goal weight … Read more

How to Transition from Pre-Maintenance to Lifetime Maintenance
Let’s put one issue to rest. Many people don’t understand why the Atkins Diet is made up of four phases instead of three. Once you reach your goal, you’re done, … Read more

Beginning in Phase 3, Pre-Maintenance
Just as it is possible to start Atkins in Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL), some people can start in Phase 3, Pre-Maintenance. Some of them should start in this phase; others … Read more

Are Your Patients Ready to Move to Lifetime Maintenance?
The whether-to-move-on question is easiest in Pre-Maintenance, where it’s a simple black-and-white issue. Ask your patients these questions and give them the following answers: Have you reached your goal weight … Read more

Objectives of Phase 3
By the time your patients move to Phase 3 of the Atkins Diet, they should be in control of their appetite and about 10 pounds from their goal weight. Many … Read more

Guidelines for Phase 3
Once your patients are in Pre-Maintenance, they should know the drill that enables them to stay in fat-burning mode. Just as in Induction and Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL), they will … Read more

How to Reintroduce Foods in Phase 3
This phase offers the opportunity to reintroduce the whole foods that were off limits in the first two phases of the Atkins Diet. While this is good news for those … Read more

Finding One’s Ace in Phase 3
Once your patients have achieved their goal weight in Pre-Maintenance, but before they move to Phase 4, Lifetime Maintenance, they’ll need to find their Atkins Carbohydrate Equilibrium (ACE). In contrast … Read more

10 Ways to Ease the Transition to Pre-Maintenance
As your patients leave Phase 2, Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL), and move on to Phase 3, Pre-Maintenance, it’s natural for them to feel conflicted. They’re impatient to reach their goal, … Read more

Objectives and Guidelines for Phase 2
In Phase 2, Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL), patients learn how to gradually increase their Net Carb intake and add variety to their diet—while continuing to stay in control of their … Read more

How to Reintroduce New Foods in Phase 2
In Phase 2, Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL), some of “new” carbohydrate foods are reintroduced, typically in the following order: Nuts and seeds, nut and seed butters and nut and seed … Read more

Realistic Expectations for Phase 2
Most people experience relatively rapid weight loss in Phase 1, Induction. After two weeks, weight loss could range from 4 to 15 pounds, although only very heavy people tend to … Read more

When to Move From Phase 2 to Phase 3
It’s generally recommended that individuals cycle through the phases to gradually find their carb tolerance and learn good, sustainable eating habits, but this approach doesn’t work for everyone. An individual’s … Read more

Beginning in Phase 2, Ongoing Weight Loss
Not everyone needs to start Atkins in Phase 1, Induction. It’s fine to start in Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL), rather than Induction, if: A person has no more than 15 … Read more

The First 2 Weeks of Induction: Weighing Results
It’s the rare person who doesn’t lose weight on Atkins, so the two most important pieces of advice to offer patients are to fully comply with the program and to … Read more

What to Expect the First Week
The best advice you can give your patients is to have no set expectations for their first week on Atkins in terms of weight loss. Here’s what they’re likely to … Read more

Smoothing Transition to Fat Burning
In the first week or two of the Atkins Diet, the body makes a number of adjustments as it transitions to burning primarily fat for energy, after which the metabolic … Read more

Objectives and Guidelines for Phase 1
As the name implies, Induction is the initiation into the Atkins Diet. All too often, people confuse this first phase of the program with the whole diet, but Induction is … Read more

When to Move to Phase 2
After two weeks in Phase 1, Induction, it’s time for you and your patient to decide whether it’s time to transition to Phase 2 of the Atkins Diet, known as … Read more

Atkins for Vegans
It’s challenging for vegans to do Atkins, but not impossible. Because vegans don’t eat any dairy products, eggs, meat or fish, they can’t satisfy their protein needs in Induction. By … Read more

Atkins for Vegetarians
It’s perfectly possible to be a vegetarian—or simply minimize intake of animal protein, add variety to meals and trim the food budget—and still do Atkins. The typical American vegetarian often … Read more

How to Handle a Plateau
Whether it happens in Phase 2, Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL), or Phase 3, Pre-Maintenance, at some point everyone experiences a temporary halt in weight loss. Such a plateau is perfectly … Read more

Four Reasons for Stalled Weight Loss
By Jeff S. Volek, Ph.D., R.D. When one of your patients experiences stalled weight loss, rule out noncompliance, “carb creep” and the other possibilities before assuming it is an actual … Read more

The Carb Ladder
The carb ladder provides a logical order in which to add carbohydrate foods beyond the basic foods consumed in Induction and prioritizes the amount and frequency. On the lower rungs … Read more

How to Read a Food Label
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that the packaging of every manufactured food product display certain information. Ingredients must be listed in descending order of weight. Labeling must also … Read more

10 Reasons to Follow the Atkins Diet
For almost 40 years, the Atkins Diet has been known the world over as an effective way to lose weight—often quickly and relatively effortlessly. But the diet, also known as … Read more

10 Ways to Customize Atkins
Recent modifications in the Atkins Diet allow individuals to tailor the program to suit their own metabolism, goals and time frame. The diet can also adapt to culinary preferences and/or … Read more

Tips for Success on the Atkins Diet
No matter where a patient starts the Atkins Diet, following these 15 tips will help him/her stay on track: UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU’RE EATING. Atkins is all about eating right. You’ll … Read more

How to Right-Size PortionsRampant portion distortion—particularly in restaurants and fast-food joints—has contributed to the burgeoning waistlines of American adults and children. Such outsize portions began to increase in the 1970s, rose dramatically in … Read more

How Insulin Blocks Fat Burning
The most recognized function of the pancreas is to normalize glucose levels by helping transport blood glucose into muscle and fat cells. When carbohydrate foods are digested and converted to … Read more