The pre-maintenance phase of the Atkins diet comes after the induction and the OWL phases. This is the phase that prepares you for a lifetime of healthy eating. The right time to enter this phase is when you only 5 to 10 pounds away from the body weight you seek. During this phase, your weight loss will occur slowly, but you are inculcating habits and practices that ensure a prolonged effect of the Atkins diet for you.

During the OWL phase, you are adding 5 grams of carbohydrates to your diet each week. But when you are preparing for the pre-maintenance phase, you are adding to the carbohydrate intake up to 10 grams a week. The indicator that the diet is working is that you are still losing weight. You must be losing weight at least at the rate of 1 pound per week.

The Atkins book suggests that the pre-maintenance phase should be continued till the desired weight is reached, and then it must be continued for a month after that. The duration of the whole process could be as much as 1 to 3 months. After this period, a state of carbohydrate equilibrium is reached. When you reach this stage, the amount of carbohydrates you are consuming is your ideal carbohydrate amount.

You can also try a wider choice of foods in the pre-maintenance phase. But if you are reintroducing new foods into the diet, you have to take care you do it slowly. You can increase the amounts of carbohydrates you are putting in your body, but that must be done slowly. Increments of 10 grams a week are ideal, and that will also help you to monitor your carbohydrate count.

Use a carbohydrate count book to understand how much carbohydrates you are putting into your body. They have measures like a 1/3 cup of legumes contain 10 carbohydrate grams, which is the same as in ½ an apple, ¼ cup of potatoes or ½ cup of plain oatmeal. You can have such foods everyday too, provided you are not jumping too high over the carbohydrate fence.

You must take the pre-maintenance phase quite seriously. This phase requires a delicate balance between counting carbohydrates and exercise to bring in the weight loss you desire. Monitoring is essential. You have to make sure that the carbohydrates you are including in your body are not drastically adding to your body weight. You have to find out the optimum line of balance.

If you find that you cannot add carbohydrates without diminishing your weight loss significantly, then you might have a metabolic resistance within your body. This can be worked out by making your exercise routine more strenuous, which will allow the metabolism to occur at a faster pace.

For some people, pre-maintenance works even if they have a little binge once a week. They can get away by adding 20 to 30 grams of carbohydrates to their diet a few times a week rather than the stipulated 10 grams. This might come through some fruit or through potatoes, or probably a glass of white wine or a mug of beer. This is good if it works for you; it will encourage you to stay on the program too. Find out what works for you. One suggestion is to reduce the carbohydrate amounts throughout the week whenever you can, so that you can extend the amount some day of the week, when you really need to. But see that the excess carbohydrates you take in do not create cravings in you, or you will be ending up eating much more than the permissible limits.

What the pre-maintenance phase does for you is that it gives you long-term success with the diet. You learn to add to the carbohydrate amount slowly so that you can better control the whole program and make it work for you.

What is Carbohydrate Net Anyway?

Net carbs are the carbohydrates that can be digested and processed by the body as dietary carbohydrate. Therefore, they directly impact blood sugar. You can determine how many net carbs you are eating by subtracting the grams of fibre, glycerine, and sugar alcohols from the total grams of carbohydrate. Net carbs are the only carbs that you need to count when you are on low-carb diets, such as the Atkins diet.

It is important to understand why fibre does not count as a regular carbohydrate. Fibre substance does not break down into sugar, so it does not play a part in the overall sugar load of the carbohydrate. If a slice of bread has 27 total carbohydrate grams and 3 grams of fibre you have a net carbohydrate content of 24 grams (27 g ? 3 grams = 24 grams). This explains why some high fibre foods will have a more favourable impact on the blood sugar and insulin levels.

Only plant foods contain dietary fibre. Fibre has a number of effects on digestion, some beneficial, and some more harmful. One positive effect is that fibre is likely to decelerate the rate of digestion of food. This leads to a more gradual emptying of the food from the stomach into the small intestine. This means that there is less possibility of large quantities of glucose being absorbed quickly from the small intestine into the blood, and therefore a lower chance of an insulin surge. Insulin is the hormone that is released when glucose is absorbed from the small intestine. It is possible that by slowing stomach emptying, fibre helps avoid the situation where the body has to produce large quantities of insulin, as a result of repeated rapid release of glucose into the intestine. In turn this may help protect against diabetes in susceptible people.

However, fibre does get in the way with the absorption of some nutrients. For example, up to 5% of the fat in a moderately high fibre diet is not absorbed because of this interference. This may even be a good thing in Australia, given that 63% of men and 47% of women were overweight in 1995, with no sign that these levels of overweight and obesity will decrease. High fibre foods also interfere to some extent with the absorption of some essential minerals and trace elements, but a high fibre diet is also probable to provide you with extra minerals and trace elements, so the effect is not believed to be very significant for normal Western diets.

Despite these minor detrimental effects, a high fibre intake is understood to be considerably advantageous on the whole. Low intake of fibre, particularly of the insoluble forms of fibre such as those in bread and other wheat products, is one of the major causes of constipation. Low fibre intakes are also strongly associated with an increased risk of diverticulitis. Although the evidence is less compelling, lack of fibre in the diet may also contribute to the incidence of rectal cancer, haemorrhoids, obesity, appendicitis and ulcerative colitis. High intake of soluble fibres such as the pectin and gums, found in fruits, vegetables, rolled oats, and saponins, found in legumes, is associated with reduced blood cholesterol. High intake of foods of plant origin, all of which contain some fibre, is linked with a reduced threat of heart disease, cancer, and an improved life expectancy.

Another benefit, and one that may help with weight control, is the sensation of satiety, that is, a feeling of fullness, which follows a meal plentiful in fibre. It is also true that high fibre foods are almost always low in fat, so a high-fibre diet will usually be a low-fat diet.

Atkins Induction Rules

The Induction phase of the Atkins diet is one of the most important stepping-stones to successful weight loss. In addition to the list of acceptable foods, there are a few rules that are important to follow during this period of the diet.

During Induction, you need to eat three regular-sized meals per day or four to five smaller meals. If you find yourself jittery and hungry between meals, try breaking down your meals into smaller portions and eat more frequently. In order to stave off carbohydrate cravings, you?ll need to constantly keep your body running on the proteins and vegetables on the plan. Never skip meals and never go more than six waking hours without eating.

You can eat freely from the list of acceptable foods. Do not restrict your fats and proteins. Eat as much of them as you like. Remember, the Atkins diet is not a calorie-restricted diet. The only thing you need to worry about is your level of carbohydrate grams. Make sure to count your carbohydrate grams when you eat vegetables, cheese and beverages with Splenda. At least 12-15 grams of your allowed carbohydrates should be from your vegetable list. While it may be tempting to eat them all in cheese, vegetables are important to your digestive system (especially while on this diet).

Avoid all fruit, bread, pasta, grains and starchy vegetables (like cauliflower or squash) during this initial period. These foods will be slowly introduced throughout the course of the pre-maintenance phase. Although beans are high in protein, they also include carbohydrates and should be avoided during this phase. If you feel that you must have some grain products, you should limit yourself to high fiber low-carbohydrate products. However, this may slow down your weight loss process.

Anything that isn?t on the acceptable food list is forbidden during the Induction phase. Don?t be tempted to just have ?one bite.? Your one bite may turn into two, and then before you know it you?ll end up ruining your diet.

Remember to adjust the quantity of acceptable foods to suit your appetite. At the beginning of the Induction phase, you may find yourself eating much, much more than you will toward the end of the phase. As your body breaks its addiction to sugar and carbohydrates, you will be less hungry throughout the day. When this starts to happen, make sure to eat only what you need. Eat until you are satisfied and not overly stuffed.

Always read the labels of packaged products, even if they claim they are ?carb free.? You may find that some products have hidden carbohydrates. The law allows manufacturers to round off to zero if a product has fewer than .5 grams of carbohydrates. Look at the list of ingredients for manufactured products to determine if there are hidden carbs. You?ll also need to watch out for hidden carbohydrates when you eat out. There are small carbohydrate amounts in gravies, sauces and salad dressings. The best bet is to eat your meat without sauce and eat your salad with olive oil and vinegar dressing.

Remember to drink 8 eight-ounce glasses of water, in addition to anything else you might drink. This will keep your body hydrated and help you avoid constipation. You?ll also be able to flush out the by-products created by fat burning.

Keep all of these guidelines in mind when you start the induction phase and you?ll be setting yourself up for long-term success with the Atkins diet.

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Atkins and Intestinal Problems

The major complaint of those who use the Atkins diet is the intestinal problems that are associated with reducing carbohydrates. These problems can include constipation and diarrhea. These symptoms can happen to anybody at some point, but those who follow a low-carb diet are especially prone.

Most commonly dieters will experience diarrhea during the early days of induction. This is a result of the body getting rid of excess carbohydrates. It also marks the beginning of the ketosis process. So in actuality, experiencing diarrhea at the beginning of the diet is a good thing. It indicates that you are on the road to becoming a fat burning machine.

Constipation is a side effect of lack of fiber in the low carb diet. Whole grains, legumes and fruit are the normal sources of dietary fiber, and they are all restricted on the Atkins diet?s initial phases.

However, you shouldn?t be scared off from the low-carb way of life because of these issues. There are simple solutions that can prevent and help with these symptoms and allow you to continue with staying on the diet plan.

The first tip is to make sure to include the proper amount of low-carb vegetables in your daily diet. In the induction phase, you can eat up to 20 grams of carbohydrates per day. This is roughly equal to 3 cups of salad vegetables. Some people are tempted to use their carbohydrate grams on cheese or artificially sweetened soda. Eating acceptable vegetables is a vital part of maintaining intestinal health while following the Atkins plan. It?s also important to drink a minimum of 8 eight-ounce glasses of water per day and get exercise. Both of these steps can help with intestinal programs.

If you are experiencing constipation specifically, then there are many methods for relief. When you switch from a diet full of processed and refined sugar products, your body will need some time to adjust to this new way of eating. You?ll need to make sure to up your fiber intake with acceptable vegetables and fruits (certain fruits are allowed after the initial induction phase). You can also try a fiber supplement like sugar-free Metamucil.

Make sure you are eating enough fats and oils. Constipation can be a result of too little fat in your diet. Adding tablespoon of olive oil or flax oil to salads or other vegetables can help your intestinal health. Also, try to incorporate a variety of vegetables in your salad. Pale iceberg lettuce does not have much fiber in it. Try dark green lettuces or have a serving of dark green steamed veggies (broccoli, asparagus or spinach are good choices).

If these tips don?t work, try cutting out all salt from your diet for a couple of days. This includes pickles, mustard, diet soda, ham, bacon and bottled salad dressing. This will decrease your fluid retention and sometimes helps with bowel movements.

Diarrhea should not be a problem after the first week of the Induction plan. However, on rare occasion, it does persist longer. First, analyze your diet. If you are eating low carb protein bars or other sugar free products, eliminate them. They may contain sweeteners like glycerine, sorbitol and malitol which are known to cause diarrhea and gas. Homemade low carb desserts may also be a cause of problems. Most of them use maltodextrin, an artificial sweetener used in baking. Maltodextrin is made from corn and can cause problems for some people.

If you are not used to eating raw vegetables everyday, this may be a cause of diarrhea. Understand that your body will adjust to the vegetables and the intestinal side effects won?t last forever. Make sure you are chewing your raw vegetables thoroughly. Also, using lightly steamed vegetables rather than raw can be a solution to this problem.

Intestinal problems are common during the first portion of the Atkins diet. Keep in mind, however, that these problems will go away within the first few weeks of the new way of eating. If the problems persist, try the previously mentioned tips to get relief.

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Frankly speaking, the Atkins diet is one of the simplest programs to follow for weight loss. Its restrictions and allowances are clearly mentioned in several books. But that does not mean there cannot be misunderstandings. Sometimes, these mistakes can make all the difference between weight loss and weight gain. This is what happens to some people when they are making mistakes with the Atkins plan. Let’s enumerate these common mistakes.

The first thing is that the Atkins program requires the dieter to be patient. The first phase, i.e. the induction phase can bring about fast weight loss, even up to eight pounds in the first week, but it will slow down after that. The induction phase is quite drastic. The later stages allow for more carbohydrate grams to be consumed and that will continue till the end of the program. The induction phase is your breaking in stage; the main purpose of this phase is to detoxify your body from the sugars that are present in it. But after that, you can introduce small amounts of carbohydrates in your diet, and due to that, the weight loss might occur slower than at the start.

Another thing to be borne in mind is that different people act in different ways to the Atkins diet. You might lose weight sporadically, or you might lose weight on a continuous basis. You might also have a lock in weight condition for a few weeks, and then a sudden decrease. All this is normal.

It is important to avoid caffeine and artificial sweeteners like aspartame when on the diet. There is caffeine in coffee and diet sodas too. Aspartame is present in gelatin and in diet sodas. If you take such substances, you are having a negative effect on your blood sugar levels, and might stop the useful reaction of ketosis in your body.

Though cheese is permitted on the Atkins diet, it is important to watch out for how much cheese you consume. Cheese does have some carbohydrates. It is wise to restrict its intake to four ounces a day, with some additional amounts on occasions. Instead of cheese, foods that can be used for protein intake in the body could be meats, tofu and eggs.

It is also important to consume vegetables during the induction phase. The vegetables taken in must be the leafy green vegetables that have more fiber. These vegetables can give you satiation from hunger and will not add to blood sugar levels. Have them in measured amounts, though. Three to four cups of salads and one cup of cooked vegetable per day is all that you should have. Also, there are many vegetables that the Atkins program prohibits. Do not consume these vegetables; they can cause your weight loss program to stop.

Keep eating constantly when you are following the Atkins diet. You must not allow six hours without food entering your system at a stretch. Have a snack of fats and proteins to keep up. When you skip meals, you will have a drastic lowering in your blood sugar level, and that will make you want carbohydrates. Also, it will weaken the reactions occurring in your body, due to which you will find losing weight difficult.

Do not cut out on the water amount you take in your body. Water has several benefits. Keeping hydrated will also reduce your hunger pangs, and avoid problems such as constipation, which might happen in the initial stages of the Atkins diet. It will also help to eliminate the toxins from your body.

Due to such mistakes people find that the Atkins diet is not working for them. It is necessary to know about these blunders and stop committing them, so that the best effects of the Atkins diet can be felt.