Phase 4 of Atkins Diet

Phase 4 of Atkins Diet: the Low Carb Lifestyle

I never thought I would do it, but I did.  I reached my ideal weight and when I did I was bound and determined to never let those pounds creep back again. I owe it all to the guidance from the Atkins low carb diet. I don’t think I have to review with you what you have accomplished. The bells should be ringing and you should be rejoicing: You’re there! Whether you needed to lose 10 pounds or 50, the main thing is you did it.

You’ve Found Your Atkins Carbohydrate Equilibrium (ACE)

You’ve stuck to your personal Atkins low carbs regime. This is your ACE: Atkins Carbohydrate Equilibrium. You can now use your ACE as your guide for the amount of carbs you can eat each day.

Your ACE is the point where you don’t lose or gain any more weight. This number is dependent on a variety of factors, including age, activity level, fitness level, and more. Most people will find their ACE falls somewhere between 40-120 grams of Net Carbs per day; however, some people that have an extremely difficult time losing and maintaining weight, might find their range even higher.  Remember, these are ranges.

This is a chart that compares your ACE Range to metabolic resistance.  For example, if you’ve never had much weight to lose, your metabolic resistance is probably fairly low.  If you’ve always had difficulty maintaining or losing weight, your metabolic resistance is most likely high.

Tip: To increase your ACE range, raise your exercise/activity.

 Life Commitment to Atkins Low Carb Lifestyle

Your ACE will make eating low carbs a habit. This is a good habit, one you don’t ever want to kick. Instead you will continue to focus on eating fats and proteins to keep you satisfied and avoid the cravings to chow down on a box of cookies or a family sized bag of chips. Your eating habits have changed and you know what low carb foods you can turn to for snacking and what carbs to avoid. You can now complete your Atkins low carb diet by adding:

•          Starchy Vegetables: ½ cup Acorn Squash or White Potatoes, ¾ cup Carrots or ½ cooked Yam

•          Legumes: ½  cup Black, Great Northern , Kidney, Lima, or Pinto Beans , Chickpeas or Lentils
•          Fruit Serving: ½ Apple or Grapefruit, 1 small Banana,  ¼ cup Cherries, Grapes or Mango, 1 medium Guava,1 Kiwi, Peach or Plum or ½ cup Watermelon

•          Grains: ½ cup Oatmeal or ¼ cup Pasta (whole wheat) or Rice (brown)

Final Tips for Atkins Low Carb Maintenance

Follow these Atkins tips and stay healthy:

•          Treat yourself, only occasionally
•          Avoid your bad carbs
•          Experiment with my low carb recipes and create your own
•          Stay within 2-3 pounds of your ideal weight
•          Stick to your low carb diet at home or away

Explore with Low Carb Recipes

Now comes the time for you to really explore your new Atkins low carb lifestyle and try out new recipes using all of the healthy ingredients that keep you on track with the Atkins low carb diet. Plenty of veggies, protein and fats create wonderful, flavourful meals and I can teach you the tips and tricks of low carb cooking to keep you satisfied. Enjoy wonderful fresh berries with my Breakfast Strawberry Shake or snack on seeds with my Low Carb Flax Seed Chips and delicious Low Carb Creamy Garlic Dip. Keep visiting my site or sign up and receive new recipes as I discover more and more flavourful ways to enjoy this varied, healthy low carb diet.

Stay healthy and live well,

Gayle