Getting Started: The Induction Diet
*NOTE: This is for the first two weeks only, after that, you must add in more low carbohydrate veggies, fruits, and nuts in order to stay healthy.
First of all, I recommend purchasing the book, Dr Atkin's New Diet Revolution. Read the book through and get an understanding the diet and why it works. I would also recommend buying the Ketostix. These sticks measure the ketosis in the urine. You want to stay in the small to moderate range. This tells you you are burning stored fat for energy.
I would get a cholesterol level, too. Mine fell 50 points in the 1st 6 weeks. After about the third or forth day, you get a burst of energy and you appetite starts to fade away! That is the BEST benefit of the Atkin's Diet - you lose your appetite! Be sure to read the labels and be aware there are hidden carbs everywhere! Just one piece of sugarless gum is 2 carbs! So! Are you ready for the first 2 weeks?
For the first TWO weeks eat nothing except:
1. Meat (ALL meats except some sausages, bacon, or ham, if they are cured with sugar or honey they have too many carbs) Check the label...DO NOT eat it if it says two or more carbs per serving (ounce). Examples: fish, chicken (and the skin too!) any poultry, any meat. Try to stay away from deli meats too often, only because of the high sodium content, but it is okay occasionally.
2. Cheese Do not eat any cheese food products that have two or more carbs per serving. Velveta is a NO-NO! Examples you can have are Kraft Deli Slices..(some Kraft cheese slices have 2 carbs so read the label) cream cheese, shredded cheeses (Kraft Cheddar Melts melt like velveta) and most any kind of cheese such as colby, Monterey jack, Swiss, cheddar, mozzarella, pepperjack, etc. Just check the carb level if you are not sure.
3. Eggs made anyway, except don't use milk when scrambling
4. Sour cream, heavy whipping cream, butter (real butter, not margarine)--no milk or cottage cheese.
5. Sugar free jello
7. Pork Skins, any flavor
8. Ranch or Blue cheese dressing (NO FAT FREE--use regular) Check the labels...get the one that says 1 carb per serving.
9. Bacon bits...use the Hormel kind, real bacon bits...not the imitation kind.
10. Any diet drink...soda, crystal light, tea. (Limit your caffeine intake, it mimicks glucose in the body!)
All of the above you can eat unlimited amounts of!!!
These below are foods you can choose from for once a day:
1. small leafy green salad example:
lettuces (iceburg, romaine,etc.) celery, green pepper, onions. No tomatoes yet...you can add them later. You can add grilled chicken, bacon bits, any meat, shredded cheeses, and/or boiled eggs. You can use regular Ranch or Blue Cheese...no fat free dressings! (they contain carbs)
2. Sliced mushrooms (approx 1/2 cup)
3. Asparagus (approx 1/2 cup)
4. Spinach (approx 1/3 cup)
5. Black or green olives (4-7), pickles
6. Onions (couple slices) or green onions (2-4 stalks)
7. Celery stalks (2-5)
8. cauliflower (2/3 cup)
There are more low carb veggies in the book, but try to stay at 5-10 carbs here until you start turning your Ketostix pink. That should take about 4-5 days. They aren't very expensive, about 9-10 bucks for 100 stix. Ask the pharmacist you want the urine dip sticks that measure ketosis in the urine.
YOU CAN'T HAVE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:
sugar, pasta, potatoes, rice, corn, dried beans, peas
Helpful Hints
-Remember to drink lots of water.
-Get those Ketostix! They encourage you! You know that when you turn the sticks pink or purple, that you are using your stored body fat as energy.
-Try to walk some if you can...doesn't have to be much at first.
-Get lab work done so you can watch your cholesterol levels drop.
-Get a multi-vitamin/multi-mineral pill and take it daily.
-Make everything with either Pam, butter, or veggie oil. No Margarine.
-Grill out. Invest in a gas grill...I use mine every day! even if it is snowing (Thank God for porch roofs!)
Helpful Hints
* I ate alot of Spanish omelets with ham, cheese, green onions, mushrooms and green peppers.
*I also ate the sugar-free jello with either cream cheese or sourcream in it EVERYDAY! I took a box to work and got a large Styrofoam cup, poured the jello in it and added a third of water, dissolved the jello and then added 2/3 ice water. Sets immediately. After it set, I stirred in the creamcheese.
*Some of the condiments you can have freely is: Worcestershire Sauce, Real Mayonnaise (NOT Miracle Whip), mustard (yellow and brown types), and horseradish. Just check the labels and you will be fine.
*You can NOT have ketchup, Miracle Whip, most steak sauces, or BBQ sauces. The reason is that each serving is at least 4 carbs and you don't want to waste thos carbs on ketchup, when you can have a whole serving of veggies or such.
*You can't have any kind of sugar on this diet . You have to use sugar substitute. No honey, brown sugar, any sugars. The only sugar you are allowed is fructose from fruit, but not on the induction diet. I will give you a list of fruits you can have later on. Splenda is good, Equal or Sweet-n-Low is okay, but use in moderation.
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