Atkins Diet ATKINS How to Follow Phase 2. There are 3 key differences between Atkins induction and ongoing weight loss in doing the Atkins Diet Low Carb Weight Loss Plan. The first is obvious. You will consume more carbs second. Whereas during induction .  .  .

There are 3 key differences between Atkins induction and Atkins ongoing weight loss, the first is obvious. You will consume more carbs second, whereas during induction you ate your protein and fat foods plus 3 cups of salad and other veggies, OWL allows you much more choice. That means you can now craft a weight loss plan that is yours. But it also means and here’s the third key -- that counting carbs is truly your responsibility if you don’t count then you could get into trouble!!!

Your Own Private Number

Life in the 21st century means lots of numbers to remember, what with cellphone numbers, bank numbers and the like, but I’m going to give you the tools to find another number that is just as essential for your lifestyle. Remember these two basic principles when you're doing the Atkins Diet, your rate of weight loss is generally proportional to the amount of carbs you consume. The level of carbs you consume can be measured by attaching numerical quantities to the carb foods you’re eating. You know how much you can safely eat. Your daily threshold of carbs consumption is your Critical Carbohydrate Level for Losing (CCLL). Stay below this number and you will experience ongoing weight loss. Go above it and your weight loss stalls. Here’s how you’ll determine your CCLL: Each week you will increase the quantity of carbs you eat beyond the salad, and one cup serving of veggies allowed during induction. These increments should measure roughly 5 grams of daily carbs, representing one level. During the first week on OWL, increase your daily carb intake from the 20 grams a day on induction to 25 grams a day ----- going up one level I recommend you add either another salad, half an avocado, a cup of cauliflower or 6-8 stalks of asparagus or another veggie. Continue to eat this way for the rest of the week. As Long as your weight loss continues steadily, you can go up another level to 30 grams daily the following week. If you are a veggie lover, you may be happy continuing to add more salad greens and other veggies. Or, you may choose to add a half cup of cottage cheese, an oz of sunflower seeds, or a dozen macadamia nuts. If you have been feeling fruit deprived, now is the time to add berries, the fruits lowest on the glycemic index, (13 average size strawberries contain 5 grams of carbs) look at the Atkins Power of Five. Set below for other suggestions of foods you can add to your daily menu. Most people find it best to add back foods in a certain order. What I call the carbohydrate ladder (see below) note that few people will be able to add back all these food groups in OWL. Those on the second half of the list tend to rank higher on the glycemic index and are more commonly introduced in Atkins pre-maintenance. Following this order tends to minimize blood sugar surges that could reactivate cravings.

Carbohydrate Ladder

1. More salad and other veggies on the acceptable foods list
   
2. Fresh cheeses (as well as more aged cheese)
   
3. Seeds and nuts
   
4. Berries
   
5. Wine and other spirits low in carbs
   
6. Legumes
   
7. Fruits other than berries and melons
   
8. Starchy veggies
9. Whole grains
   
   

Each week you’ll go up another level, adding another 5 grams until eventually you’ll reach a number at which you stop losing weight. That’s how you find your CCLL. Above it you lose no more, or you begin to gain, below it you continue to lose weight. The lower your metabolic resistance to weight loss and the greater your level of physical activity, the higher that number will be. Once you calculate your CCLL, you’ll is able to say to another Atkins follower... My critical carbohydrate level for losing is 45 grams, what's yours? Or it might be higher. Say 50, or as low as 25. To get an idea of the range that is possible, see the table set below, as I’ve mentioned before, metabolic resistance is influenced by age, gender, activity level, hormone issues, level of physical activity, prescription medications and other factors, so the range in calls can be great. If you eat beyond your CCLL, your scale and measuring tape will herald that you’ve crossed a line and you’ll make adjustments accordingly. Most people simply drop back down to the prior level of carb consumption. Lipolysis testing strips (ketostix) can help you ascertain your CCLL in many cases. They generally stop turning color at a point a little bit below you CCLL. When that happens, your CCLL will be only a few carbs higher. How ever, you should be aware that once you is consuming 50 or more carbs a day, the LTS will no longer register a change in colors long as you continue to lose pounds and inches and experience no recurrence of your pre-Atkins levels of hunger, cravings and other symptoms, rest assured that all is well. You are still functioning on a primarily fat burning metabolism even though you may not be producing enough ketones to show up in your urine.

Carbohydrate Gram Levels and Metabolic Resistance for Losing

• Metabolic resistance approx. CCLL range
  
• High <15 grams of carbs per day
  
• Average 15-40 grams of carbs per day
  
• Low 40-60 grams of carbs per day
  
• Regular Exerciser* 60-90 grams of carbs per day
  
  

A regular exerciser is someone who does vigorous exercise five days a week for at least 45 minutes per session.

The Wise OWL Mindset

The Ongoing Weight Loss phase is all about choice. The choices you make should focus on healthy and pleasurable additions, with a strong emphasis on foods that contribute both. As you add foods in roughly 5 gram carb increments, you can probably move beyond veggies to other foods, such as nuts, berries and possibly grains. Although you will be eating primarily natural, unprocessed foods, you will find an increasing number of convenience foods created for people seeking to follow a low carb nutritional approach. Remember: read the label!