Read The New Atkins Made Easy Online
Authors: Colette Heimowitz
The New Atkins Made Easy (13 page)
Atkins Phase 1 (Kick-Start) Meal Plan at 20g NC/day: Week 2 (no Atkins products) | ||||
 | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday |
BREAKFAST | 2 eggs 1 1 oz mozzarella cheese 4 oz bacon or sausage | 1 small tomato 1 2 oz bacon or sausage 1 oz pepper Jack cheese | 2 eggs 1 1 1 oz pepper Jack cheese 1 | 2 oz bacon or sausage 1 1 1 oz Cheddar cheese |
Net Carbs: 2.9g; FV: 2.2g | Net Carbs: 4.7g; FV: 3.8g | Net Carbs: 5.7g; FV: 4g | Net Carbs: 5.6g; FV: 5.3g | |
SNACK | 1 2 Tbsp ranch dressing | 1 cup sliced bell pepper 2 Tbsp blue cheese dressing | 1 small tomato 1 oz mozzarella cheese | 1 stalk celery 2 oz Cheddar cheese |
Net Carbs: 2g; FV: 1.3g | Net Carbs: 3.4g; FV: 2.7g | Net Carbs: 2.5g; FV: 2.5g | Net Carbs: 1.7g; FV: 1g | |
LUNCH | 4â6 oz chicken 1 small tomato 1 cup mixed greens 2 Tbsp blue cheese dressing | 4â6 oz steak or hamburger 1 cup mixed greens 2 Tbsp ranch dressing | 4â6 oz ham or pork chop 1 cup mixed greens 1 2 Tbsp blue cheese dressing | 4â6 oz chicken 1 cup mixed greens 1 2 Tbsp vinaigrette |
Net Carbs: 4.6g; FV: 3.8g | Net Carbs: 2.1g; FV: 1.3g | Net Carbs: 3.7g; FV: 2.6g | Net Carbs: 2.7g; FV: 2.2g | |
SNACK | 1 medium tomato 2 oz pepper Jack cheese | 1 stalk celery 1 oz Cheddar cheese | 1 2 Tbsp ranch dressing | 1 small tomato 1 oz pepper Jack cheese |
Net Carbs: 5.3g; FV: 3.3g | Net Carbs: 1.4g; FV: 1 | Net Carbs: 2.6g; FV: 1.9g | Net Carbs: 3.5g; FV: 2.5g | |
DINNER | 4â6 oz steak or hamburger 1 cup cauliflower florets 1 Tbsp butter 1 cup mixed greens 1 stalk celery 2 Tbsp vinaigrette | 4-6 oz canned tuna or fish filet 1 cup mixed greens 1 1 2 Tbsp creamy Italian dressing 1 1 Tbsp butter | 4-6 oz chicken 1 1 Tbsp butter 1 cup mixed greens 1 2 Tbsp creamy Italian dressing | 4â6 oz ham or pork chop 1 cup cauliflower florets 1 oz Cheddar cheese 2 cups mixed greens 2 Tbsp ranch dressing |
Net Carbs: 5.9g; FV: 5.5g | Net Carbs: 7.1g; FV: 6.8g | Net Carbs: 5g; FV: 4.7g | Net Carbs: 7 g; FV: 5.9g | |
 | Total Net Carbs: 20.7g Total Net Carbs from FV: 16.1g | Total Net Carbs: 18.7g Total Net Carbs from FV: 15.6g | Total Net Carbs: 19.5 Total Net Carbs from FV: 15.7g | Total Net Carbs: 20.5g Total Net Carbs from FV: 16.9g |
Enjoy Atkins Endulge Treats for dessert if Net Carb consumption allows! |
Atkins Phase 1 (Kick-Start) Meal Plan at 20g NC/day: Week 2 (no Atkins products) | |||
 | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
BREAKFAST | 2 eggs 1 1 oz pepper Jack cheese 1 | 2 small tomatoes 2 oz bacon or sausage 1 oz Cheddar cheese | 2 eggs 1 1 1 oz mozzarella cheese |
Net Carbs: 4.6g; FV: 2.9g | Net Carbs: 5.3g; FV: 4.9g | Net Carbs: 3.1g; FV: 2.4g | |
SNACK | 1 small tomato 2 Tbsp blue cheese dressing | 1 2 Tbsp ranch dressing | 2 stalks celery 1 oz pepper Jack cheese |
Net Carbs: 3.2g; FV: 2.5g | Net Carbs: 2.6g; FV: 1.9g | Net Carbs: 3g; FV: 2g | |
LUNCH | 4â6 oz canned tuna or fish filet 2 Tbsp mayonnaise or Tartar sauce 1 3 cups mixed greens 2 Tbsp creamy Italian dressing | 4â6 oz chicken 1 cup cauliflower florets 1 Tbsp butter 1 cup mixed greens 2 Tbsp vinaigrette | 4-6 oz steak or hamburger 1 cup mixed greens 1 small tomato 1 1 2 Tbsp vinaigrette |
Net Carbs: 7g; FV: 6.9g | Net Carbs: 5g; FV: 4.5g | Net Carbs: 6.8g; FV: 6.5g | |
SNACK | 1 1 oz Cheddar cheese | 1 small tomato 2 oz mozzarella cheese | 1 small tomato 2 Tbsp blue cheese dressing |
Net Carbs: 2.2g; FV: 1.9g | Net Carbs: 2.5g; FV: 2.5g | Net Carbs: 3.2g; FV: 2.5g | |
DINNER | 4â6 oz chicken 1 cup mixed greens 1 2 Tbsp vinaigrette | 4-6 oz steak or hamburger 1 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 cup mixed greens 1 2 Tbsp blue cheese dressing | 4â6 oz chicken 1 cup cauliflower florets 1 Tbsp butter 1 cup mixed greens 2 Tbsp creamy Italian dressing |
Net Carbs: 3g; FV: 2.5g | Net Carbs: 5.4g; FV: 4.7g | Net Carbs: 4.8g; FV: 4.5g | |
 | Total Net Carbs: 20g Total Net Carbs from FV: 16.7g | Total Net Carbs: 20.8g Total Net Carbs from FV: 18g | Total Net Carbs: 20.9g Total Net Carbs from FV: 17.9g |
Enjoy Atkins Endulge Treats for dessert if Net Carb consumption allows! |
WEEK 2 | ||||
PROTEINS | DAIRY/CHEESE | VEGETABLES | SAUCES/CONDIMENTS | ATKINS PRODUCTS |
Steak or Hamburgers | Butter | Hass Avocados | Blue Cheese Dressing | Atkins Bars |
Chicken | Cheddar Cheese | Green Beans | Salsa | Atkins Shakes |
Eggs | Mozzarella Cheese | Cauliflower florets | Creamy Italian Dressing | Atkins Frozen Meals |
Ham or Pork Chop | Pepper Jack Cheese | Celery | Mayonnaise or Tartar Sauce | Â |
Canned Tuna or Fish Fillet | Â | Green or Red Bell Pepper | Ranch Dressing | Â |
Bacon or Sausages | Â | Lettuce/Mixed Greens | Vinaigrette | Â |
 |  | Tomatoes | Extra Virgin Olive Oil |  |
*
Select sauces and condiments without added sugar.
After two weeks on Atkins, you're practically an old hand! By now you're probably reaching your stride, losing inches and pounds. I'll bet you can now zip up your jeans all the way again! Once more, take your measurements and weigh yourself. Why are your measurements so important? Assuming that you're exercising, you may be gaining lean body mass and losing fat. Because muscle is denser than fat, the scale can be deceiving. How your clothes fit is another useful calculation. Even if your weight remains stable for a week or so, if your jeans zip up more easily, you're losing fat.
If all went well during your first week, in all likelihood you continued
to lose weight this week. If so, you're definitely burning fat for energy. You've probably also banished cravings for unsuitable foods, are in control of your appetite, feel energized, and have said good-bye to any annoying symptoms if you ever had them. Keep up the good work. If you uncovered some glitches after the first week and have corrected them, the chances are good that your results have improved. It may have taken you a little longer to spark your fat-burning metabolism, but now you're on your way.
But what if you have made all of the recommended changes that could have been hindering weight loss in the first week but the pounds and inches refuse to budge? Sad to say, some people are highly resistant to weight loss, and you may simply be a slow starter. In addition to the issues discussed earlier, here are some possible reasons and suggestions for overcoming them:
â¢Â You're simply eating too much despite thinking your portions are appropriately sized. Review the guidelines on page 54 one more time and, rather than estimate, actually measure your portions and record them.
â¢Â You have high insulin levels. Insulin is the fat-storing hormone. It may simply take you longer to initiate fat burning by controlling carb intake.
â¢Â You have an underactive thyroid. If this has been a problem in the past or you suspect it may be now, discuss it with your physician.
â¢Â Your menstrual period is interfering with weight loss. Some women lose very slowly or not at all right before their period.
â¢Â Certain medications may interfere with weight loss. Review the list on page 45 and discuss alternatives with your health care provider.
â¢Â You're sedentary. Begin some form of exercise, such as walking or swimming, to see if that gets the pounds moving along with you.
Whether it's improving your tennis game or slimming down, it's definitely easier to achieve any goal if you're working with someone who has your back. That's what buddies are for. You'll be able to celebrate each other's victories as well as help each other regain equilibrium when forward momentum is lacking. A buddy also helps keep you in line, perhaps talking you off the ledge when a jelly doughnut beckons after a stressful day. In an ideal world, your buddy would be your gender and age, have about the same amount of weight to lose, and live down the street. That said, if you're both doing Atkins, your significant other might be a great buddy. A friend or relative in another town could do too, as could someone you meet in an Atkins chat room. With Skype, email, instant messaging, or tweets, you may never meet face-to-face with the person who's sharing your journey.
If you're having trouble sticking with the program, an Atkins buddy can be a huge help. If your problem is more one of perception than of compliance, accept that although you're losing more slowly than you'd hoped, you're heading in the right direction. For more on troubleshooting in Phase 1 (Kick-Start), see the FAQs that follow.