• During the Induction phase of Atkins your body switches from primarily burning carbohydrates to burning fat as its main energy source.
• Controlling carbohydrate intake stabilizes blood-sugar levels, producing diverse and favorable physical effects. You will achieve these benefits by switching to the slower burning fuel found in proteins and fats.
• Typical results of these changes are a decrease in appetite, reduced sugar cravings and dramatic increases in energy.
Set...
As you jump-start your weight loss, remember that carbohydrate intake during Induction should be no more than 20 grams a day in the form of vegetables and other acceptable food choices. In this phase, you will be eating no breads, sugars, grains, potatoes, rice, pastas or fruits. Once your carbohydrate intake goes below a certain threshold, you will primarily burn your body fat for fuel. Since your body stores enough carbohydrate reserve to fuel it for approximately forty-eight hours, it will take that long for the process to start. You may feel hungry and out-ofsorts for the first two to three days. Be patient and persist.
Go!
1. Eat three meals a day. Stabilizing the blood sugar is the basic tool of controlled carbohydrate weight loss, and to achieve this you should not go longer than six waking hours without eating acceptable food. You can, however, eat four or five smaller meals a day, so long as you don ' t exceed 20 grams of carbohydrates.
2. You are permitted to eat liberal amounts of eggs, meat and fish, including beef, pork, chicken, turkey, duck, wild game, shellfish, veal and lamb. Eat until you feel pleasantly full, but do not gorge.
3. Liberal amounts of fats and oils are permitted. This includes butter, olive oil, mayonnaise and any oil that is liquid at room temperature.( Consume no hydrogenated oil or other trans fats-including margarine.) 4. Herbs and spices are permitted as long as they do not contain sugar. 5. Cheese( aged full-fat, firm, soft, semi-soft) is limited to three to four ounces daily. Fresh cheese, such as cottage cheese and farmer ' s cheese, is too high in carbohydrates for Induction.
6. You may have up to three cups loosely packed( measured raw) salad vegetables each day. This includes all leafy green vegetables, mushrooms, celery, radishes, green peppers, and cucumbers( see also " Salad Vegetables " on page 125).
7. Other vegetables low in carbohydrates are limited to one cup daily.( If you have a cup of these veggies, consume only two cups of salad vegetables.) This includes the following non-starchy vegetables( see also " Other Vegetables " on page 126):
• Artichoke hearts
• Asparagus
• Bean sprouts
• Broccoli
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