| Atkins
Diet Foods – A Guide To Low Carb Food Products
by Kevin Urban
Atkins diet foods are many
and varied, so much so that many people are surprised
at just how many different kinds of foods are
allowed on the Atkins diet food plan. You still
have the responsibility to select appropriately
and double check the actual carb content of different
foods, but you will quickly learn just how varied
and interesting a low carb lifestyle can be.
The
Basics of the Atkins Diet Plan
The basic philosophy behind
the Atkins diet plan is that if you switch to
a low carb diet your body’s metabolism will
adjust and start to burn stores of fat. The process
starts during the induction phase when you change
your eating habits substantially so that you only
consume 20 grams of net carbohydrates per day.
Net carbs are determined by taking the total grams
of carbs in a food and subtracting the amount
of fiber grams.
Once you are past the 14 day
induction phase you then start to increase your
daily net carb intake a little bit each week –
starting at 25 grams per day, then the next week
going to 30 grams per day, and so forth. As you
raise your intake gradually, you pay attention
to how much weight you continue to lose, until
you find a level at which weight loss slows significantly
or stops altogether. When you get close to your
goal weight, you move into pre-maintenance and
maintenance phases so that low carb choices become
part of your everyday lifestyle.
Defining
Low Carb Foods
Low carb foods are those that
have low enough levels of carbohydrates that they
are considered Atkins diet foods. In general,
meats, poultry, fish, leafy green vegetables,
eggs and butter form the core assortment of your
low carb food choices. Some cheeses and other
dairy products are relatively low carb but typically
are not allowed in huge quantities while on the
Atkins low carb diet plan.
Remember, though, a food which
is high in carbs but also high in fiber can be
eaten as part of a low carb lifestyle because
the goal is to keep net carbs low, not just carbs
as a whole. Make sure you read the labels of the
foods you buy to determine the net carbs, and
consider carrying a pocket sized carb counter
with you to double check the net carb counts in
fresh foods.
As the Atkins diet plan exploded
in popularity over the last few years, many food
producers have tried to get in on the phenomenon
by promoting their products as low carb. The problem
is, though, that many of these foods are not really
low carb. With the exceptions of certified Atkins
diet foods, you should never just believe the
large print on the front that says low carb. Always,
always read the nutrition label and confirm for
yourself whether or not the food is really low
carb.
Finding
Low Carb Foods
Finding low carb foods is
as easy as going to the grocery store, dropping
into the convenience store located at your neighborhood
gas station, or going to your favorite restaurant.
Of course, some places will have a better selection
of Atkins diet foods than others will, and some
will also have more high carb temptations, but
there is no reason for you to visit a specialty
store in order to get the low carb foods you need.
Atkins
Diet Foods from the Grocery Store
In the grocery store you have
a huge selection of foods, ranging from fresh
to processed, all of which you can check for net
carb count. Processed foods will have nutrition
information printed on the outside box or label,
making it easy to determine net carbs. Fresh foods
are a bit more difficult because that information
is not printed on the food item and usually not
on the shelf label. You can certainly remember
a few core fresh foods that are allowable, but
a really good tool is to carry a carb counter
in your purse or pocket so that you can check
it if you have any questions.
Convenience
Store
In a convenience store, you
have to search a bit more for the low carb Atkins
diet plan foods. The big display of chips, candy,
cookies and more is not a place you are likely
find low carb choices, but if you go a little
further in you can usually find official Atkins
snack bars, liquid shakes or even some fresh foods
that are low carb.
Restaurants
Restaurants can be a bit tricky
because you do not always know what is in that
great tasting gravy or sauce, but most eating
establishments now offer designated low carb choices.
If in doubt, order your meal without sauces and
other add-ons that may have hidden carbs. When
you find a restaurant that serves a good selection
of low carb foods that you enjoy, be sure to give
the manager or owner positive feedback and make
that establishment a primary choice whenever you
want to dine out.
Atkins
Diet Plan Meals
Atkins diet foods are much
more than individual foods. They can be combined
in many ways to create tasty and interesting meals,
but even the most dedicated low carb follower
can get tired of the same old thing. The best
way to keep your low carb meals interesting is
to seek out a variety of Atkins diet plan meals.
There are many cookbooks and
recipe books available that are filled with low
carb meal choices using approved Atkins diet foods.
All you have to do is mix and match each day or
each week to keep a variety of meals on the table.
Another reason to have a good cookbook or recipe
book on hand is for those times when you are tired,
running late or otherwise need to come up with
something low carb to eat when maybe you do not
feel like putting a lot of effort into it. These
are the times when you will be most tempted to
grab something that is not low carb, so having
a collection of Atkins diet food recipes close
by can help get rid of that temptation.
About the Author:
Kevin Urban
is the editor at Atkins-Diet-Advisor.com, an easy-to-use
resource on the Atkins
Diet Plan. He has written numerous articles
ranging from Atkins
diet foods to Atkins
diet criticism.
Copyright 2006 Atkins-Diet-Advisor.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Urban |
