What to Eat on Phase One of the Atkins Diet

The first phase of the Atkins Diet is called the Induction Phase. This phase can jumpstart your metabolism and start you on your weight loss journey. The Induction Phase can last anywhere from a minimum of two weeks to a maximum of one year. It is recommended that you continue with the Induction Phase until you have lost at least half of the weight that you want to lose. Atkins recommends that you take in no more than 20 net carbs per day. Read on to find out what foods are acceptable for Phase One of the Atkins Diet.

Lean Protein

During the Induction Phase, you will eat a lot of lean protein. This includes foods such as chicken, fish, lean beef, seafood and eggs. Make sure to avoid breaded meats and dishes prepared with high carb sauces. Luncheon meats sometimes have hidden sugars, so check the labels before you eat them.

Cheeses

The Atkins diet allows three to four ounces of cheese to be eaten each day on the Induction Phase. While most cheeses have less than one gram of carbohydrate per ounce, make sure you check the labels to be positive. While cream cheese is allowed, cottage cheese and farmer's cheeses are not.

Vegetables

Many of the carbohydrates allowed on the Atkins Induction Phase come from vegetables. Between 12 and 15 grams of carbohydrates per day should come from vegetables. While leafy greens are best, there are other vegetables that are also low in carbs such as radishes, cabbage, mushrooms, avocado and peppers.

Fats and Oils

The Atkins Diet advocates eating a balance of natural fats while staying away from trans fats. As for oils, olive oil, peanut oil, canola and grapeseed oil are acceptable. As for mayonnaise, choose full-fat regular mayo instead of the fat free or light versions. The same goes with salad dressings. You want to choose the full fat bottle instead of anything with added sugars. Margarine is acceptable as long as it is free of trans fats.

Beverages

Water is of course the best choice of beverage for this diet. The Atkins Diet says that you should drink eight 8-oz. glasses per day. However, if water isn't all you want to drink, you may also choose diet soda or carbonated water. Make sure to check the carb counts on anything you drink, and be sure to add it in to your daily intake of carbs. Decaf coffee or tea is also good, but make sure you don't add anything to it or check the label if you do.