It's natural for your weight to vary from day to day, which is why we recommend you do not weigh yourself every day. But from week to week, you should be seeing a difference in the way your clothes fit. For some people, adding 10 additional grams of carbs each week to their daily menu may be too much. Try dropping back to 5-gram increments.

You will see inconsistencies because carbohydrates cannot be measured as accurately as fats and protein can be. On food labels the number of carb grams indicated is basically what is left over after the fats and protein (as well as water and ash) are analytically assayed for weight. So when you back into the number of carbohydrate grams, the variance allowed in assays of other components can be compounded in the carbohydrate count. Moreover, the Food and Drug Administration allows a 20 percent margin of error on reporting Class II nutrients (including carbohydrates) on a product label. Therefore, the 10 grams of carbohydrates per serving listed on the label in actuality may be anywhere between 8 and 12 grams when assayed.

When it comes to carb counts listed in books, there are several additional factors that come into play. The quality of the data entered is obviously a factor, as is the process by which the calculations are made. In the case of whole foods, such as broccoli, the following variations could affect the total count: Is the broccoli cooked or raw? Do the florets include their stems or not? Is the quantity loosely packed or crammed into a cup? Moreover, some books list servings without specifying exactly what that constitutes. Finally, there is more than one form of computer software used for analysis and may provide different results. These systems also still have some bugs in them, causing variations in the analysis. In the case of packaged foods, the inconsistencies mentioned above also come into play.

There are two reasons this approach won't work. For one, all carbohydrates are not created equal. The Atkins Nutritional Approach is designed to prevent blood sugar levels from spiking and causing the overproduction of insulina hormone that helps convert carbohydrates to body fat. The first carbohydrates you need to add back to your diet when you move beyond Induction are more vegetables, then seeds and nuts, then berries and thenif you are still losinglegumes and grains. Even bread made from 100 percent whole-wheat flour contains enough refined carbs to produce this insulin-raising, fat-storing effect in many people. Later, if your weight loss is progressing well and you have increased your daily carb intake, you may eat an occasional slice of whole grain bread. (In the meantime, try Atkins^TM Bake Mix, with which you can make tasty quick breads and even crunchy snacks such as garlic toast.) As for the 20-gram peanut butter cup, it contains a lot of sugar--not to mention artery-clogging hydrogenated fatand sugar is the worst kind of carbohydrate.

Secondly, the Atkins approach is not just about rapid weight loss--it's about learning to eat only nutrient-dense carbohydrates for the rest of your life. These are foods that are packed with the most antioxidant vitamins and healthful phytochemicals relative to the amount of carbohydrates--so youre getting the most bang for your carbohydrate buck. (This is what we call the Atkins Ratio.)  Once youve reached your goal weight and established your personal Critical Carbohydrate Level for Maintenance (CCLM), most people can enjoy whole-grain bread, fruit and even the occasional plate of French fries. Unfortunately, that conventional peanut butter cup just doesnt make the grade!

However, the food industry has recently made huge strides in developing more controlled carb products and youll be pleased to know that there now is a controlled carb peanut butter cup that weighs in with just 1 net gram of carbs per portion. As with all sweet treats, these are to be consumed in moderation and are not appropriate during the first two weeks of Induction when blood sugar levels may not yet be stable.

Appetite can return when you are no longer in lipolysis. Or you may have added a food that may be causing your blood sugar to become unstable, contributing to hunger or the re-emergence of cravings. Examine what youve recently added and determine if it contains sugars or refined grain. Be sure that you are maintaining a regular intake of protein and fat and, if eating more of acceptable foods assuages your hunger, eat a bit more. If all else fails, stop the most recent additions until you get your appetite under control.

Soy (also called soya) powder and soy flour are both made from soybeans. Both contain protein and some carbohydrate and are appropriate for doing Atkins. Soy powder is ground finer than soy flour therefore works better in shakes: soy flour used for baking, is denser than soy powder and therefore has more carbs. For best results, especially in the Induction phase, use Atkins^TM Bake Mix, which has a very low carb count, instead of soy flour, when baking.

Soy protein isolate, as the name implies, separates the protein from the carbohydrate content of the soybean, making it lower in carbs than soy flour or soy powder.

Protein powder is a source of pure protein, usually an egg protein or vegetable-based protein powder. Keep in mind that many protein powders contain certain carb-laden fillers and hidden sugars. Make sure you read the label to check carbohydrate and sugar content.

Whey protein isolate (WPI) is considered the highest quality protein available in terms of the bodys ability to utilize it. It is extremely low in carbohydrate, high in protein and contains virtually no fat. It has also been shown to possess immune-boosting capabilities by increasing the bodys cellular levels of glutathione, an important anti-oxidant. WPI is an ingredient in Atkins^TM Shake Mix.

If you use Atkins^TM Bake Mix in a favorite recipe, substitute 1 cup of bake mix for 1 1/2 cups of conventional flour. Reduce oil by 25 percent and omit baking soda or powder if called for in your recipe.

Eggs are an excellent source of protein and contain virtually no carbohydrates, but it's understandable that you would like more variety in your breakfast menu. First, try preparing your eggs in different ways: poached, scrambled, boiled or omelette-style. If you are still in Induction, you can also try pancakes or waffles made with Atkins^TM Pancake & Waffle Mix. The new Atkins^TM Breakfast Bars are a good choice for breakfast on the run a few times a week. Or you can have an Atkins^TM Ready-to-Drink Shake. Add cream cheese, Atkins^TM Sugar Free Syrups and light cream. Other possibilities include cheddar, Swiss or other aged cheese served on toasted Atkins^TM Sliced Bread (limit yourself to one slice) or high-fiber crackers such as Bran-A-Crisp®.

Once you're past the Induction phase of the program, your options increase. You might enjoy cottage cheese sprinkled with nuts and seeds. Or enjoy Bagels with Steel's® Gourmet Jam, Marantha® Nut Butters or cream cheese jazzed up with Bagel Spreads. Atkins^TM Pancake & Waffle Mix is a great choice for weekend morningsserved with Atkins^TM Sugar Free Pancake Syrup, of course. Another post-Induction option is Atkins^TM Quick & Easy Muffin Mixes. If youve been missing cereal, try Nutlettes® soy cereal, which comes complete with soy milk, or our Protein Crunch cereal. You can also have berries.

And theres no reason you cant enjoy some of the foods you eat at other meals for breakfast, whether its smoked trout or turkey breast, sliced avocado, or even chicken soup. Atkins^TM Heat-and-Serve Souffles and Quiches are another treat for those on Ongoing Weight-Loss and beyond.

Lipolysis, the process during which your body primarily burns fat as fuel rather than glucose, causes ketosis, which in turn generates ketones, the by-products of fat breakdown. During ketosis, ketones are released in your breath and your urine. While this can be annoying, the good news is that ketone breath is chemical proof that youre burning stored body fat. The more ketones you release, the more fat youve burned. Drinking plenty of water helps dilute the concentration of ketones. Parsley, too, is a natural breath freshener as is oil of peppermint drops available at health food stores. (Read the label to ensure that it contains no sugar.) Chewing fresh parsley or taking capsules such as Breath-a-Sure, which can be found in any health food or drug store, also will help. As long as you drink enough water, the bad breath caused by ketosis usually lasts only a few weeks.

We discourage the use of most breath mints while doing Atkins because they may contain either sugar or artificial sweeteners. Even so-called sugar-free products are often full of carbs. However, we do recommend our sugar free mints and gum, which are sweetened with Xylitol and have 0 carbs per serving.

Ketosis may only exaggerate an underlying existing problem. Be sure to see your dentist regularly and have your teeth and gums professionally cleaned.

Dr. Atkins' New Carbohydrate Gram Counter is a handy pocketsize booklet you can  take to restaurants or the grocery store. You can also print out our updated carb counter in the Food & Recipes section of this Web site.

A carbohydrate gram counter typically lists the total carbohydrate value of a food item. The glycemic index is a measure of a given carbohydrates effect on your blood-sugar levels. You can use the glycemic index to choose carbohydrate foods that will have a relatively low impact on your blood sugar. But remember, when doing Atkins your total carbohydrate intake is of ultimate importance.

Try blueberries or other fresh fruit with whole-milk cottage cheese or whipped cream. Serving fruit with a source of protein moderates blood sugar swings. Or try a mix of nuts, seeds and raisins. Other ideas include whole grain bread or crackers with cheese or peanut butter; celery sticks with peanut or another nut butter; popcorn made in an air popper and drizzled with melted butter; deviled eggs; or rolled up slices of turkey or ham. Instead of soda or fruit juice, offer kids flavored seltzers or iced herbal teas. If theyre hooked on fruit juice, offer the whole fruit insteadwhich causes a less dramatic rise in blood sugar. In the winter, you can make hot chocolate, using Splenda® instead of sugar.  Also, keep a supply of Advantage® Bars handy for snacking, and make treats from Atkins^TM Shake Mix. Check out our recipes for more ideas. For example, for summer snacks, make Cranberry-Raspberry Gelatin Dessert with unflavored gelatin and Atkins^TM Sugar Free Syrups. You can also use the syrups to make popsicles. You can make a great Atkins^TM Ice Cream Sandwiches Bar with Atkins^TM Shake Mix. We also have controlled carb versions of Pecan Shortbread cookies, chocolate chip cookies and mini cheesecakes.

Hard boiled eggs, chicken wings or drumsticks, string cheese or other pre-packaged cheese (real, not processed); rolled up slices of turkey, chicken, roast beef, or lox (filled with cream cheese) or Swiss cheese are all ideal finger foods. Or make sandwiches using Atkins Sliced Bread and roast beef, sliced turkey, or tuna, salmon, chicken or egg salads made with mayonnaise and celery. (During Induction, make it an open-face sandwich.) Any green salad can be garnished with protein either from a salad bar or brought from home. Condiments such as olives, avocado and nuts make salads more interesting. Most of these ideas are equally appropriate for kids who take their lunch to school.

Atkins Tip: Cooking meat or chicken in bulk for the week makes it easier to prepare lunches.

When youre under the weather, beef or chicken broth and herbal teas can be especially soothing. Make hot chocolate from Atkins^TM Shake Mix or just heat up an Atkins^TM RTD Shake, perhaps intensifying the flavor with Atkins^TM Sugar Free Syrups. A variation on another perennial comfort beverage is hot lemonade sweetened with Splenda^TM.

The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) requires that the packaging of every manufactured food product display certain information, including a list of ingredientsin descending order of weight, as well as a Nutrition Facts panel. Almost everything displayed on this panel is based on specific laboratory procedures, called assays, regulated by the FDA. The quantity of fat, protein, ash and water can all be directly and exactly assayed. (Water and ash need not be listed on nutrition panels.) But the amount of carbohydrate is arrived at only after the above four components are directly computed: In other words, what is not fat, protein, ash or water is called carbohydrate.

To complicate matters, carbohydrates are comprised of several sub-groups, which include dietary fiber, sugar, sugar alcohol, and other carbohydrates--a kitchen sink grouping of gums, lignans, organic acids and flavenoids. (These individual items can be assayed.) The FDA requires that a nutrition label include the total carbohydrates. The amount of dietary fiber and sugar must also be listed. However, the law does not require that other carb sub-categories appear. Some manufacturers voluntarily include the sub-categories of sugar alcohol and other carbohydrate.

Not all types of carbohydrates behave the same way in your body. For example, when your body digests table sugar, it turns immediately into blood sugar. So sugar and most other carbohydrate is what we call digestible carbohydrate. Other carbs, such as sugar alcohol or glycerine, can be digested but do not turn to blood sugar. Still others, such as dietary fiber, are indigestible and pass through your body without impacting your blood sugar level. To date, the FDA has not focused on these important biochemical differences and treats all carbohydrates alike. This means that when you look at a food label, you do not see a number for the carbs that impact your blood sugar level. To do so, simply subtract the number of grams of fiber from the total number of carbohydrate grams.

We believe that consumers deserve to get all the information they need to follow a controlled carbohydrate nutritional approach and make healthy eating decisions. Therefore, Atkins Nutritionals labels include the Net Grams of carbohydrates (those that impact your blood sugar) as well as total carb grams. For example, an Atkins Chocolate Mocha Crunch Advantage^TM Bar contains 19 grams of total grams of carbohydrate as defined by the FDA. But of that total, 15.5 grams comprise dietary fiber, glycerin and other carbohydrates that do not impact blood sugar, so the number of carbs that you need to count when you do Atkins is actually only 3.5 grams.

Atkins Tip: If you are planning to have more than what is considered one serving (check the label), multiply the adjusted carb count by appropriate number of servings.

If you only recently started Atkins, your blood sugar levels probably havent stabilized yet. After adhering strictly to the Induction phase for five days, cravings should be under control. Occasionally, women will experience cravings just before a menstrual period. The longer you continue with Atkins, the fewer cravings youll have.

Skipping meals or going too long between meals may also cause cravingsone reason why eating regularly is important. Another possibility is that you may have a food intolerance, often called a food allergy. People often crave the very food they should stay away from. Foods to which people are often intolerant include milk products, peanuts, soy, wheat, yeast and corn. The only way to figure out if you are sensitive to a food is to eliminate various foods one at a time to see if the cravings abate.

Stress is yet another possible trigger for cravings. Blood sugar can become unstable when youre under stress, which in turn leads to cravings. This is just one more reason to limit, and learn to manage, stress. Excessive caffeine can also cause a hypoglycemic response in some individuals, which can cause them to crave sweets. Adding L-glutamine to your nutrient program may help curb cravings. Also, Atkins Dieters' Advantage Formula contains nutrients and food extracts that help control appetite, including chromium to help stabilize blood sugar.

Consuming fat helps you feel satisfied, mitigating cravings. If youre doing everything else right and still craving carbs, eat half of an Advantage® Bar, a few olives, some cheese, avocado or some cream cheese in a celery stick. Most important, dont give in to cravings. Doing so will only result in more cravings and more cheatingand inevitable weight gain.

During Induction, a small percentage of people get withdrawal symptoms, which may include headaches, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, muscle cramps or irritability. If this happens to you, increase your intake of vegetables for several days. But as soon as your withdrawal symptoms have abated, go back to consuming no more than 20 grams of carbohydrates a day. Withdrawal rarely lasts more than four or five days. Or, if your weight continues to come off, you may stay at that level until you are ready to move to a higher level of carb consumption and slow down your weight loss. If you can ride out the symptoms, they should disappear within four or five days. Be sure you are drinking enough water and take a supplement that contains magnesium, calcium and potassium.

If we had to name a perfect food, the egg would win, hands down. While many foods supply a mere handful of vitamins and minerals, eggs are natures perfect food. It is one of the few foods that can provide all eight essential amino acids, the building blocks of protein (as well as choline). Since our bodies dont manufacture these eight substances, we have to get them through foods or supplements. The yolk of an egg is protein so it was a travesty when low-fat propaganda had people eating egg-white omelets, meaning they missed out on the most nutrient-dense part of the egg.

People who have steered clear of eggs for years, fearing their cholesterol count, can still have high blood cholesterol. When you are on a controlled carb lifestyle and beneath your threshold of carbohydrate tolerance, you are burning fat for energy. The fat in food poses no threat, so long as you are burning carbohydrates. Moreover, the cholesterol found in an egg will have no impact on your total blood cholesterol on a controlled carbohydrate nutritional approach.

We usually recommend regular mayonnaise (as long as its not low-fat, which contains a negligible amount of sugar). If you want to keep your mayo absolutely sugar-free, you can make your own from scratch.

On the weight-loss phases, rice, noodles and dumplings are obvious no-nos. Also, Chinese sauces are often thickened with cornstarch and sweetened with sugar, both of which are not allowed on Induction. That doesnt mean you cant eat Chinese food; simply ask to have your food prepared without either ingredient. Or you can order your food steamed, with the sauce on the side (a little chili, peanut, garlic or sesame sauce is best; hold the hoisin). Spare ribs are okay, since most of the sweet sauce gets burned away during cooking. Other safe bets: Peking or crispy duck, whole steamed fish and broiled beef or poultry. Have your moo-shu dishes without the pancakes or rice. If you are now maintaining your weight and can handle grains, be sure to order brown rice rather than nutrient-empty white rice.  For more information about how to eat ethnic cuisine while doing Atkins, please see the Eating Out section of Food & Recipes on this Web site.

There are two answers to this question. First, although their diets are high in carbohydrates, they are generally not overly processed and Asian portions tend to be smaller when compared to American portions. Sweets and junk food were not traditionally staples of the diet. Moreover, Asians typically worked outdoors instead of sitting behind desks all day and walked or rode bicycles instead of driving cars, so they were able to burn off the glucose from carbohydrates. If people in Western cultures did the same, they too could remain slim. Unfortunately, as Asian cultures are becoming more Westernized, they too are beginning to suffer from the Western diseases of obesity and diabetes.

To a large extent your personal maintenance regimen will be regulated by your carbohydrate threshold, which in turn is a result of your metabolism and your activity level. Younger people and men tend to have higher metabolisms than older people and women. If you have a high carbohydrate threshold and do vigorous exercise on a regular basis, you may be able to regularly eat starchy vegetables, beans and other legumes, whole grains and fruit in moderation. On the other hand, if you have a low carb threshold and are not very active, you may have to stay away from many of these foods or have them only as an occasional treat. In either case, your nutrition program will continue to stress whole foods and avoid sugar, white flour, hydrogenated fats and any processed foods.

The simple answer is that it takes more energy to burn fat for energy than it does to burn carbohydrate. Conventional thinking had been that the number of calories you consume (and expend) determines the use or storage of that energy. Eat fewer calories and use up more of them and you will lose weight. However, such low-fat diets are hard to stay on and their high carbohydrate content often leads to food cravings and bingeing. In contrast, by controlling the intake of carbohydrates and thus burning body fat for energy, individuals on Atkins can eat high fat, satisfying foods that contain more calories and still lose weight. That edge is called the metabolic advantage.

Although natural fats are encouraged on the Atkins Nutritional Approach, some fats contain compounds that do not melt at body temperature and therefore can contribute to plaque formation in the blood vessels, increasing the risk of stroke and heart disease. These processed fats, called trans fats, are found in hydrogenated oil, which includes most margarines, as well as shortening and many processed baked goods and snack foods. You can now find margarines without trans fats (the label will say non-hydrogenated or no trans fats). Even partially hydrogenated oils should be avoided. But since the Atkins approach is based on a diet of whole, natural foods, we recommend you select butter over margarine. Other healthy fat selections include olives and olive oil, avocado, flaxseeds and flax oil, sunflower seeds and its oil and oily fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel. Walnut oil, which is expensive, is a nice treat for salad dressings. Safflower and corn oil are acceptable but not as healthful as the preferred oils and fats.

Nitrates and nitrites are added to meats (such as bacon and cured ham) and smoked fish to produce an appealing color and inhibit growth of germs and poisons. While these chemical compounds are not themselves carcinogens, they can yield byproducts such as nitrosamines, which have been implicated in higher rates of cancer--particularly colon and gastric cancer--in animals. For this reason, we feel it is prudent to limit your intake of foods containing nitrates or nitrites. You can find nitrate-free products in health food stores and some supermarkets. Fortunately, an increasing number of nitrate-free meat products are available in stores or by mail-order including Coleman Beef (800-442-8666). Your local butcher or health food store may also carry nitrate-free products or stock them for you upon request.

By the time you reach your goal weight, you will have added many foods back into your diet. If you have a relatively high threshold for carbohydrate intake and are someone who is relatively active, you may be someone who can reincorporate moderate portions of pasta by the time you are in Pre-Maintenance or Lifetime Maintenance. If you occasionally want pasta or another carb-filled food, plan for it. Go back on Induction for a day and then have the pasta meal that night, returning to Induction again the next day. If you want to eat pasta on a regular basis, have a small portion (half a cup) and have it with enough fat and protein so that the sugars are released at a slower, steadier pace.

If possible, have whole-wheat or soy-based pasta instead of conventional pasta made from white flour. But if you cannot eat regular pasta without gaining weight, try one of the controlled carbohydrate pastas available. A serving of Atkins Pasta Cuts, made from soy, has only 3 Net Carbs, the only carbs that you need to count when you do Atkins, per cup compared to an average of 40 grams for a comparable serving of regular white-flour pasta.

Atkins Tip: A typical portion of pasta in a restaurant is five cups, which adds up to a whopping 200 grams of carbs!

These are two of the most popular myths perpetuated about Atkins. There are no studies showing that Atkins causes kidney or liver problems in healthy individuals.  In fact, at The Atkins Center, we constantly monitor our patients lab results for changes in kidney and liver function. There are research trials that looked at liver and kidney and heart function, with participants on ketogenic diets similar to the Atkins approach in which no negative effects were observed. Also, when we did a follow-up of more than a year on patients at The Atkins Center, including checking their kidney and liver functions, there was no adverse effect. Of course patients in kidney failure are extremely restricted in everything they consume, including water, so Atkins would not be appropriate for them.

You should avoid fruit completely during Induction, because most people find it interferes with lipolysis/ketosis. When you move to Ongoing Weight Loss, you can try introducing berries, which are relatively low in carbohydrates, as long as they dont slow or stop your weight loss. Recent research shows blueberries are loaded with antioxidants and other phytochemical nutrients. A quarter of a cup of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or blackberries contains approximately 5 grams of carbs (check the Carbohydrate Gram Counter in our Food & Recipes section for exact numbers).  When you reach Pre-Maintenance, most people can also enjoy low-glycemic fruits such as plums, nectarines, green apples, cherries and kiwi in moderate amounts. Again, continue to count carbs and refer to the Carb Counter.

You can also eat up to one cup of berries each day. Have high-sugar citrus fruits only occasionallygrapefruit is lowest--and bananas only once in a while. Avoid fruit juices, which provide huge doses of sugar (a splash to flavor seltzer is okay). Choose whole, fiber-rich fruit instead.  As a general rule, limit your fruit servings to two or a maximum of three a day. After you have tested your tolerance to fruit sugar and are still able to gradually lose or maintain your weight, depending upon your phase of the program, you can try the higher glycemic fruits such as pears, mangos, melons, pineapple and so forth.

Eating fruit with nuts will slow down the release of the sugars into the blood stream. Eating fruit with animal protein may cause flatulence in some individuals.

Most nutritional recommendations lump together fruits and vegetables. While there is no question that fruits are loaded with phytonutrients and fiber, you cannot ignore the impact they have on blood sugar and insulin levels. Ounce for ounce, veggies--and the greener the bettercan offer more of the same benefits with less of a blood sugar spike. Research has shown that a diet that includes sufficient vegetables can reduce the risk of colon and rectal cancer.

If you're hungry, eat; if you're starving, you should have eaten 30 minutes ago. Just as overeating can cause your body to resist weight loss so can under-eating because it slows down your metabolism. Eat adequate amounts of food and eat regularly. Also, be sure to eat enough fat (the natural kinds); foods containing fat and protein are the most satiating. Not eating enough fat will also interfere with your body's ability to burn its own fat for energy.

Most of us spend hours at the dinner table during the holidays.  It's easy to overdo itand combining protein and fats with too many carbohydrates can lead to indigestion. The key to feeling well after holiday meals is to create an eating strategy.

• Stick to fats and protein-rich foods: They are far more satiating than carbohydrates, and can help you avoid overeating. Sugary foods and other refined carbs are more apt to cause indigestion. So load up on turkeybut pass on the stuffing; or if you simply can't resist it, have a small portion. Instead, focus on the nutrient-dense carbs such as leafy green veggies.

• Odd as it sounds, a good strategy is to eat a small meal before attending holiday dinners or other parties. All too often, people skip lunch because they know they will be sitting down to a big dinner. But youre much better off having a meal or a filling snack so you can get your blood sugar under control before you face an array of tempting carbohydrates. Drink plenty of water: Not only will drinking water help you feel full, it also helps Youll flush toxins from your body.

• Dont deny yourself completely: Giving yourself an occasional treatwithin your carbohydrate thresholdis part of the Atkins approach.

If you do feel an attack of indigestion, avoid antacidsthey can interfere with protein digestion. Instead, try a digestive enzyme formula, available in most health food stores (be sure you use one that contains proteases and lipases). Or try Atkins Basic Enzymes Formula.

Fat is the mechanism that makes controlled carbohydrate weight loss work. The Atkins Nutritional Approach teaches you how to use fat to your advantage. When you are doing Atkins, fat is your friend not only because it is satiating but because it slows down the release of glucose into the blood. By moderating blood sugar swings, fat reduces carbohydrate cravings. Dietary fat, in combination with controlled carbohydrate consumption, accelerates the burning of stored body fat. When your body uses fat, rather than glucose for fuel, the metabolic process is called lipolysis.

However, you do want to eat good fat, Natural, healthy fat is found in olives and olive oil, seeds, nuts, seed and nut oils and butters, avocado, and oily fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel and butter. Saturated fat, found in meats, butter and coconut oil, poses no health risk in the Induction and Ongoing Weight Loss phases of the program. You will burn both dietary and body for energy. However, when you reach Pre-Maintenance and Maintenance and are no longer in a primarily fat-burning mode, it may be prudent to curtail the amount of saturated fat until more research is done.

The kinds of fat you should avoid are chemically altered, processed hydrogenated oils, such as margarine and shortening. Look for cold-pressed or expeller-pressed oils, and store them in a dark, cool place to keep them from going rancid or oxidizing. High heat changes the molecular structure of the cell and will transform even a good fat into a trans fat so be sure not to burn oil or allow it to smoke while cooking.

People who try to do their own low-fat version of Atkins will not only find themselves hungry, they also will not achieve the weight loss results of those who consume healthy fats.

Atkins is not about eating no carbs. It is about controlling carb intake and eating those that are most nutrient-dense. Different nuts and seeds have different percentages of fat, protein and carbohydrate. We dont recommend eating them during the first two weeks of Induction. But after that if you are continuing to lose steadily, you can try introducing some. Note, however, that nuts and seeds may contain mold, which could trigger an allergic response.

However, it is worth mentioning that nuts are notoriously hard to eat in moderation. One leads to another until you may have eaten several ounces. Try buying the one- or two-ounce packets so you wont be tempted to over indulge.

First of all, Atkins provides a lifetime eating plan you can live with. Most people become overweight because they eat sugary and other processed, refined foods and their bodies aren't able to use up these empty calories. Eating high fat foods such as eggs, cheese and a couple of pieces of bacon is fine only in the absence of refined carbs in your diet. During Induction, when carbohydrates are most severely limited, you can indeed eat plenty of fat, all the while losing weight and improving your blood cholesterol and triglyceride markers. However, once your weight loss slows and you are no longer primarily burning fat for energy, you will naturally start to replace some of the fat in your diet with nutrient-dense carbohydrates.

In all phases of Atkins, it is a good idea to get much of your fat from fatty fish such as salmon, tuna and sardines, nuts and seeds and olive oil which has well-documented health benefits. If you do eat bacon--and no one should eat it every day--look for products that are not cured with nitrates.

Secondly, if a person does Atkins, loses weight and then returns to his old way of high carbohydrate eating, whether or not he incorporates bacon and eggs, he will likely regain the weight. And eating a high fat, high carbohydrate diet, which is the typical American diet, is a recipe for health disaster. The point is that Atkins is a way of eating for a lifetime. The gradual process by which you learn new healthy eating habits actually reinforces healthy habits.

All the studies that state that high fat intake is detrimental to your health have been done in mixed diet settings where there was enough carbohydrate for the body to burn glucose (not fat) for energy. When fat is the primary fuel source, you metabolize fat instead of storing it, and it poses no health risk. There are no studies that have linked low carbohydrate, high fat eating programs to any health risk.

This is an excellent program for someone who has struggled with anorexia or bulimia because it establishes healthy eating habits. However, a few precautions need to be addressed:

Do not skip meals (if you prefer, you can have four or five small meals instead of three larger ones) and keep your total caloric intake at approximately 1,500 to 1,800 calories daily. While most individuals do not need to count calories when they do Atkins, this recommendation will help you avoid under eating or overeating--with its consequences. You will find your appetite diminishes after four days, meaning you will not have to rely totally on willpower.

If you have a lot of weight to lose, you can start with the Induction Phase. If not or if you are presently at your goal weight, start with the more liberal phase two, known as Ongoing Weight Loss, which allows approximately 40 to 60 grams of carbohydrate daily.

Be sure to drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day and take a good multivitamin/mineral supplement. You will be amazed at how much more you can eat while losing or maintaining weight on a controlled carbohydrate regimen, compared to following a low-fat diet. As a bonus to following this lifestyle, you will lose fat instead of lean body mass and gain even more lean body mass.

While some of those who do Atkins may eat fewer calories than before, it is not because the program is restrictive or unduly limits food intake. They may be eating fewer calories because they are generally less hungry and less obsessed with food. On the other hand, studies show that someone doing Atkins can eat more calories than does a low-fat dieterand lose more weight. For example, a recent study of overweight and obese teens at Schneider Childrens Hospital in New Hyde Park, New York, found that those on a high-protein, high-fat diet of 1,800 calories a day lost 10.5 more pounds on average than did those in a group eating a typical low-fat, 1,100-calorie diet. And in the high-protein group, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels dropped while HDL good cholesterol increased. 

Wrong, if you are addicted to sugar, it merely makes you aware of that addiction. And the surefire way to cure any addiction is abstinence. Atkins eliminates sugar from your diet, breaking that addiction. Meanwhile, fat and protein lend a feeling of satiety, which makes you feel fuller and satisfied for longer periods. The byproducts of lipolysis are ketones, which have a natural appetite-suppressing effect. Cravings for sweets usually disappear after the third or fourth day on Induction, so people find they have more control over what they eat. For additional support, the supplements chromium and glutamine can help you overcome your addiction to sugar.

Fried foods allow you to enjoy Atkins more and do not adversely affect the metabolic state of lipolysis, or "fat burning. However, we do agree that given a choice, broiling or roasting meat is preferable; both of these cooking methods eliminate the "trans fats" that are created by the ultra-high heat required for frying.

Animal proteins are a vital component of doing Atkins and it is difficult to follow the program without them. Meat, fish and poultry contain many essential fatty acids that cannot be found in any other sources. However, if you are willing to eat eggs, cheese and tofu for protein, it is possible to do Atkins. Nonetheless, the limited options would make it a boring program to follow and most vegetarians do not stay with it long term. If you are willing to also eat fish, doing Atkins becomes more enjoyable.

A vegan cannot follow Atkins. A pure vegan diet could never be low enough in carbohydrates, because there are no plants that are carbohydrate free.