Phase Four Overview: How To Stay The Same Weight

PHASE FOUR: LIVING A LOW CARB LIFESTYLE | ATKINS LIFESTYLE

PHASE FOUR TIPS FOR A LOW CARB DIET

PHASE FOUR LIFESTYLE FOODS & FOODS FOR LOSING WEIGHT

Many struggle with the question of how to keep the weight off after a low carb diet. Luckily, moving through the phases of Atkins 20® has prepared you to do just that!

See details below on how to maintain a healthy weight in Atkins Phase 4.

How long

Ongoing

Purpose

Transition to a permanent way of eating that allows you to maintain your new weight.

Goal

Remain in control of your weight by adjusting your carb intake if your carb tolerance changes or you regain a few pounds.

If you can accept that Phase 4 is a lifestyle and act accordingly, most likely you will never have to “diet” again. Does that mean you won’t ever regain a few pounds? Of course not. But now you possess the tools and skills to turn around any situation. Here’s why:

• You’ve transitioned from phase to phase, gradually increasing your carb intake, as you worked toward a permanent way of eating.
• By reintroducing foods one by one, you know which, if any, could spell trouble for you.
• You now know which foods you can do without and which you can love but must eat in moderation.
• You’ve learned how to be alert to signals of cravings or undue hunger and how to respond before you lose control.
• You’ve discovered how to substitute certain low-carb foods for high-carb ones, treat other foods as garnishes, and more.
• More important, you’ve come to trust the Atkins program and experience the pleasure of feeling good, both physically and emotionally.

If you can accept that Phase 4 is a lifestyle and act accordingly, most likely you will never have to “diet” again. Does that mean you won’t ever regain a few pounds? Of course not. But now you possess the tools and skills to turn around any situation. Here’s why:

• You’ve transitioned from phase to phase, gradually increasing your carb intake, as you worked toward a permanent way of eating.
• By reintroducing foods one by one, you know which, if any, could spell trouble for you.
• You now know which foods you can do without and which you can love but must eat in moderation.
• You’ve learned how to be alert to signals of cravings or undue hunger and how to respond before you lose control.
• You’ve discovered how to substitute certain low-carb foods for high-carb ones, treat other foods as garnishes, and more.
• More important, you’ve come to trust the Atkins program and experience the pleasure of feeling good, both physically and emotionally.

The name Lifetime Maintenance says it all. This is not so much a phase as a permanent lifestyle. Pre-Maintenance is designed to make the transition from Phase 3 to [the so-called] Phase 4 practically seamless, so you should have no fears about moving on once your goal weight is stable. First of all, the Acceptable Foods for Phase 3 are the same as those for Phase 4. Of course, you may not have reintroduced all the foods you’ll try in the months and years to come, but as long as you’re alert to the potential of any individual food to cause weight regain, cravings, unreasonable hunger or any of the other symptoms of carb intolerance, you know what to do. As long as you comply with the program and stick to your ACE—which may require some modifications as you get older or make some lifestyle changes—you’ll be able to maintain your healthy new weight and say goodbye to on-again, off-again diets once and for all.

THE POWER OF 10

Starchy Vegetables

Net Carbs

New Serving Size

4.1

1 medium

Carrots, sliced

5.9

1/2 cup

Rutabaga, sliced

6.8

1/2 cup

Beets, sliced

7

1/2 cup

Peas

7.6

1/2 cup

Acorn squash (cubed/mashed)

8.5

1/2 cup

Butternut squash

9.9

1/2 medium

Sweet potato, baked

10.2

1/2 cup

Parsnips, sliced

13.1

1/2 small

Potato, baked

14.9

1/2 cup

Corn

Fruit

Net Carbs

New Serving Size

2.5

1/2 cup

Coconut, fresh, shredded

4.5

1 fruit

Figs, fresh

5.3

1/4 cup

Cherries

5.5

1/2 cup

Watermelon, cubes

6.4

1/4 cup

Pomegranate seeds

6.6

1/2 cup

Papaya, pieces

6.6

1 fruit

Plum, medium

7.4

1/2 cup

Guava

7.9

1/2 fruit

Apple

7.6

1 fruit

Clementine

8.1

1 fruit

Kiwi

8.9

1/2 fruit

Grapefruit (red)

9.6

3 fruit

Apricot, medium

9.7

1/2 cup

Pineapple, fresh, chunks

10.5

1 fruit

Peach, small

11.1

1/2 cup

Mango

13

1/2 cup

Grapes (red)

14.5

1 fruit

Orange, navel

15.8

3 fruit

Dates, fresh

20.4

1 fruit

Banana, small

21

1 fruit

Pear, medium

Grains

Net Carbs

New Serving Size

1.6

2 TBSP

Wheat bran (raw)

4.9

2 TBSP

Wheat germ

6

2 TBSP

Oat bran (raw)

8.6

1/4 cup

Quinoa (cooked)

10

1 slice

Whole wheat bread

11.5

1/4 cup

Oatmeal (dry, steel cut)

12.5

2 TBSP

Polenta (dry)

15.2

1/2 cup

Grits (cooked)

16.6

1/2 cup

Whole wheat pasta (cooked)

19

1/3 cup

Oatmeal (dry, rolled)

19.2

1/2 cup

Barley (cooked)

19.5

1/2 cup

Millet (cooked)

21.2

1/2 cup

Rice (brown, cooked)

TO REMAIN IN CONTROL OF YOUR HARD-WON NEW WEIGHT:

• Stay at your carb tolerance level, the number of daily grams of Net Carbs you can consume while maintaining your weight. This is the threshold you discovered when you maintained your weight for a month in Phase 3 (Fine-Tuning).
• Continue to have a minimum of 12–15 grams of Net Carbs in the form of foundation vegetables.
• Continue to have 4–6 ounces of (cooked) protein at each meal.
• Aim for no more than two servings of fruit a day.
• Continue to see fat as your friend and integral to weight management.
• Combine carbohydrate foods with fat and/or protein to moderate your blood sugar response.
• Continue to drink plenty of water and other noncaloric beverages.
• Adjust your carb intake if you become less (or more) active.
• Distinguish between hunger and habit.
• Continue to weigh and measure yourself once a week.
• Never let yourself gain more than 5 pounds (unless you become pregnant) without taking immediate action.
• Add new foods one at a time to gauge their impact on cravings and appetite.
• Engage in regular physical activity.
• Portion out ahead of time any foods, such as nuts or cheese, that you might be tempted to overeat.
• Keep reading labels, especially on any new foods.
• Stay alert to the possibility of carb creep.
• Plan ahead if you decide to take an occasional departure from your low-carb lifestyle.