Foods You Can Eat On the Atkins Diet

Foods You Can Eat On the Atkins Diet


My wife and I went off our diet. I'm ready to start again on Monday, October 11th. I packed the freezer with meat and I'm ready to get started again.

I need to re-train my brain about what I can or cannot eat. Here is a list of foods you can eat on the Atkins Diet.
All fish including:

* Flounder
* Herring
* Salmon
* Sardines
* Sole
* Tuna
* Trout

All fowl including:

* Cornish Hen
* Chicken
* Duck
* Goose
* Pheasant
* Quail
* Turkey

All shellfish including:

* Clams
* Crabmeat
* Mussels*
* Oysters*
* Shrimp
* Squid

*Oysters and mussels are higher in carbs so limit to about 4 ounces per day.

All meat including:

* Bacon*
* Beef
* Ham*
* Lamb
* Pork
* Veal
* Venison

*Be aware of processed meat and that some may be cured with sugar, which will add to the carbohydrate count. Also steer clear of meats with added nitrates.

Eggs are one of nature's most nutritious creations. That’s why eggs are a staple breakfast foods You Can Eat On the Atkins Diet

Feel free to get creative with your eggs, add mushrooms and onions, or even green pepper. Top them off with feta cheese or add spices like basil and oregano.

All Eggs including:

* Deviled
* Fried
* Hard-boiled
* Omelets
* Poached
* Scrambled
* Soft-boiled

Keep in mind that cheese does contain carbs, about 1 gram per once. You may have about 3 to 4 ounces of cheese per day. An ounce is about the size of an individually wrapped slice of American cheese.

Cheese including:
Type Serving Size Net Carbs
Blue cheeses 1 oz 0.7
Cheddar ½ cup 0.0
Cow, sheep and goat 1 oz 0.3
Cream cheese 1 oz 0.8
Feta 1 oz 1.2
Gouda 1 oz 0.6
Mozzarella 1 oz 0.6
Parmesan 1 tbs 0.2
Swiss 1 oz 1.0

Vegetables:

You should be eating approximately 12 to 15 net carbs a day from vegetables, which is equivalent to several cups depending on the Net Carb count of vegetable used.

1 cup is equal to approximately the size of a baseball
Vegetable Serving Size/Prep Net Carbs
Alfalfa sprouts 1 cup/raw 0.4
Argula ½ cup/raw 0.2
Bok choy 1 cup/raw 0.8
Celery 1 stalk 0.8
Chicory Greens ½ cup/raw 0.6
Chives 1 tablespoon 0.1
Cucumber ½ cup 1.0
Daikon ½ cup 1.0
Endive ½ cup 0.0
Escarole ½ cup 0.0
Fennel 1 cup 3.6
Jicama ½ cup 2.5
Lettuce Iceberg ½ cup 0.1
Mushrooms ½ cup 1.2
Parsley 1 tablespoon 0.1
Peppers ½ cup/raw 2.3
Radicchio ½ cup/raw 0.7
Radishes 10/raw 0.9
Romaine lettuce ½ cup 0.2



The following vegetables are slightly higher than the salad vegetables listed above; they also provide important nutrients and add variety to your daily foods. Make sure you stay within the 12-15 grams net carbs.
Vegetable Serving Size/ Prep Net Carbs
Artichoke ¼ of medium/boiled 4.0
Asparagus 6 spears/boiled 2.4
Artichoke hearts 1 canned in water 1.0
Avocadoes 1 whole/raw 3.5
Bamboo shoots 1 cup/boiled 1.1
Broccoli boiled ½ cup 1.6
Broccoli raw ½ cup 1.0
Broccoli rabe 1 ounce 1.3
Broccoflower ½ cup 1.4
Brussels sprouts ¼ cup boiled 2.4
Cabbage ½ cup boiled or raw 2.0
Cauliflower ½ cup boiled or raw 1.0
Chard ½ cup swiss/boiled 1.8
Collard greens ½ cup boiled 4.2
Eggplant ½ cup boiled/raw 1.8
Hearts of palm 1 heart 0.7
Kale ½ cup 2.4
Kohlrabi ½ cup 4.6
Leeks ¼ cup boiled 1.7
Okra ½ cup boiled/raw 2.4
Olives green 5 2.5
Olives black 5 0.7
Onion ¼ cup raw 2.8
Pumpkin ¼ cup boiled 2.4
Rhubarb ½ cup unsweetened 1.7
Sauerkraut ½ cup canned/drained 1.2
Peas ½ cup edible podded 3.4
Spaghetti squash ½ cup boiled 2.0
Spinach ½ cup raw 0.2
Summer squash ½ cup boiled 2.0
Tomato 1 raw 4.3
Turnips ½ cup boiled 2.2
Water chestnuts ½ cup canned 6.9
Zucchini ½ cup sautéed 2.0


Salad Garnishes
Crumbled bacon 3 slices 0.0
Diced hard-boiled egg 1 egg 0.0
Grated cheeses (see above carb counts)



Herbs and Spices (make sure they contain no added sugar)
Basil 1 tbs 0.0
Cayenne pepper 1 tbs 0.0
Cilantro 1 tbs 0.0
Dill 1 tbs 0.0
Garlic 1 clove 0.9
Ginger 1 tbs sliced root 0.8
Oregano 1 tbs 0.0
Pepper 1 tbs 0.0
Rosemary 1 tbs 0.0
Sage 1 tbs 0.0
Tarragon 1 tbs 0.0
Sautéed mushrooms ½ cup 1.0
Sour cream 2 tbs 1.2



Salad Dressings - Any prepared salad dressing with no added sugar and no more then two net carbs per serving (1 - 2 tablespoons is a serving)
Blue Cheese 2 tbs 2.3
Caesar 2 tbs 0.5
Italian 2 tbs 3.0
Lemon juice 2 tbs 2.8
Oil and vinegar 2 tbs 1.0
Ranch 2 tbs 1.4



Fats and Oils – No net carbs here, but keep in mind the serving size is approximately 1 tablespoon.

* Butter
* Mayonnaise – make sure there is no added sugar
* Olive oil
* Vegetable oils – especially good if they are labeled “cold pressed” or “expeller pressed” One of the best oil to use is olive oil.
o Canola
o Walnut
o Soybean*
o Grape seed
o Sesame
o Sunflower*
o Safflower

*Do not allow these oils to reach high temperatures when cooking. Use olive oil for sautéing.

Artificial Sweeteners

* Splenda – one packet equals 1 carb

Beverages

* Clear broth/ bouillon (make sure there are no sugars added)
* Club soda
* Cream – heavy or light, be sure to note the carb count
* Decaffeinated or regular coffee and tea*
* Diet soda - be sure to note the carbs
* Flavored Seltzer (must say no calories)
* Herb tea (no barley or fruit sugar added)
* Water – at least 8 eight ounce glasses per day including...
o Filtered water
o Mineral water
o Spring water
o Tap water

* One to two cups of caffeinated tea or coffee is allowed as desired and tolerated by each individual. If you experience symptoms of hypoglycemia or cravings as a result, do not use caffeine. If you have a true caffeine addiction, it is best to break that habit during the induction phase.

Alcohol – Alcohol is not allowed during induction but it can be consumed in phase 2 in moderate amounts as long as an individual is still able to lose weight, although it may occur at a slower pace. Limit consumption to a maximum of one glass of wine per night.

Foods You Can Eat On the Atkins Diet

Lo Carb Beer That is Tastey.

Here's a low carb beer for all of you dieters that love those designer beers. It's called Michelob Tuscan Orange.

Grocery Store Etiquette Top 10 List

The Daily Bragger - Top 10 ways to improve your grocery store etiquette. By following these simple tips, you will make your shopping experience pleasant for you and for the other people behind you in the checkout line.

read more | digg story

How I lost 100lbs last year.

I actually went off the wagon for a while. However, I'd like to share a story of mine on how I lost over 100 lbs last year.

How I lost over 100 lbs.

High blood pressure, pre diabetes, trouble climbing stairs and depression. They were all conditions that were due to my weight. I was almost 400 lbs in January of 2007. I couldn’t take it anymore. My doctor said that I had to control my blood pressure and weight or I would die of a stroke. All I could think about was my son after the doctor had told me this. My son was 4 at the time.

The first thing I did was go on a low carb- low salt diet for about a month. I ate only salads with homemade dressing that I had made out of Mrs. Dash Italian Blend and Apple Cider Vinegar. After about a month of sticking to this rabbit food diet, I lost over 40 lbs and my blood pressure was almost in the normal range.

I joined the local YMCA and walked on the treadmill for about 20 minutes a day. I didn’t kill myself, I just cranked up the music on my MP3 player and walked, and walked and walked.

I then when on a strict version of the Atkins diet and only drank water. This melted more weight away and in a matter of 5 months I was under 300 lbs. I felt better but I was no where near my goal.

So this is where I am at now. I have pretty much maintained my current weight, but I still have a lot of work to do. I haven’t been to the gym in a while and need to get that motivation back.

In my opinion, loosing weight is 90% mental, 5% what you eat, and 5% of how you use your body.

If you are struggling with a weight problem, I know how you feel. I’m about to go back on the Adkins diet and take off the last 100 lbs.

If you want to join me or follow my progress drop subscribe to this blolg. I’ll share my experiences or if you need some guidance I’ll give you a tip or two.

I want to lose 5 pounds in a week - Been there done that!

I have been on the Atkins diet (full-go) since Monday. It's Thursday night and I sneaked a peek at the scale. To my amazement, I have lost 5 lbs!!! I know it's probably water weight because with any diet you usually lose water the first couple of days. However, this is a step forward and a big ego booster.

I was strict with my diet, eating only meat. I ate three meals a day. (That way I wouldn't feel deprived during the day.

I have been peeing a lot but that is good because I'm flushing the fat out. I was constipated for a little bit but I drank some sugar free orange flavored fiber powder and that seemed to help.

Overall, I have been feeling pretty good. I just need to get my behind to the gym and do some exercice.

Gastric Bypass is not an option for me. (Tom)

I have had a few friends that have had gastric bypass surgery to loose weight. This isn’t an option for me. Gastric bypass surgery is a bad phrase in my vocabulary. I couldn’t imagine being cut open just to have my stomach smaller.
My mother had the surgery about 7 years ago and it wasn’t too successful for her. She initially lost 70 lbs in the first few months and then she actually started gaining weight. One reason I think she gained weight was that she didn’t go to any follow up appointments. I have seen success and failure with this approach.

So why am I doing the Atkins diet? I think it’s simple. The science behind it is incredible. If you deplete your body of carbs or sugar, the next fuel source for your body is fat. It’s the opposite of a marathon runner. A marathon runner doesn’t have a lot of fat to burn. Therefore, they have to load their body with lots of carbs for energy. That is why they have “carb loading” parties before a big race. As a big guy, I don’t want the carbs. Carbs will be used as energy in my body as long as I have carbs floating around in my blood. Take away the carbs and you take away the fat. This is why I like the Atkins diet.

From LIZ - Day One

Hi everyone!! Well, before I give information on how my first day of this challenge went, I feel I should properly introduce myself, and explain a little about the challenges I may face along the way. Well, as Tommy already explained, we have been together for over 7years, and we have a wonderful son together. My life can be easily described in that it revolves around my family. First and foremost, I am here for them. And that being said, is the main reason for my weight loss, as well as my weight gain!! lol. I want to be able to join my son in all that he chooses to take on. I also spend the day as a preschool teacher, so I am pretty much surrounded by kids daily. But also being a preschool teacher, I deal with birthday parties, treats, snacks, etc. Its super tempting!! I have recently taken on the coach position for my son's t-ball team. All this, while being a part time college student! So, lets go over this again; here are my many hats - loving wife, super mom, energetic preschool teacher, champion t-ball coach, and forever learning college student!! As if that wasn't enough, I am now a contender in this weight loss challenge!!! So hopefully, you can relate to my roller coaster life and back me 100% as I beat the PANTS off my dear husband in this weight loss challenge!
ok, well enough for the introductions.. lol. Today, I started off really good. I started the day with half a cup of raisin bran cereal, half a cup of 2% milk and a half an orange. My lunch was a turkey and cheese rollup, a double serving of fresh vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, zucchini and celery), and a small serving of canned pineapples. i know its not exactly south beach approved, but I like to take my diet approach slowly. Kind of like stepping into a pool, I like to test the water first. But then, I picked my son up from summer camp, and had 1 hour to feed him before dropping him off to his grandpa and heading off to school, so where do we go? the nearest McDonalds!!! Bad move!! so, ok I ended up the night with 2 bratwursts and a garlic and cheese biscuit after finding out that I got a lousy grade on my poetry quiz.
so you see, the day started off good, but as my daily roller coaster swerves and dips, so does my eating habits. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day - and stay a better day! Wish me luck!!

From Tom -PODCAST -Day One of theWeight Loss Challenge

I did okay for the first day. I made a podcast if you would like to hear more about it. The first day went well for me.

Once again check out the podcast. Feel free to leave comments or suggestions.

Click here for the PODCAST.

Thank you...
Tom

Weight Loss Challenge Between Husband and Wife.

Meet Tom and Liz. They have been together for over 7 years. When they met, they were both fit, were at an ideal weight and didn't have any children. For the past 7 years they have grown together. Literally, they have gained a lot of weight. Liz and Tom had a baby. That added to the weight problem. After 7 years of unhealthy living they want to lose the weight.

Hi, I'm Tom, Liz's better half. We are both going to start a diet and exercise program and are going to document everything we do. Liz is going to choose a "South Beach" style diet with exercises and I (Tom) am going to gear my diet towards the "Atkins" approach combined with exercises. We are going to post videos, podcast, and weekly photos of ourselves.


Liz is going to use supplements for her weight loss as well such as fatburners like hydroxycut or xenadrine.

I'm going to use a stimulant free fat burner because too much caffeine or stimulants make me nervous.

I'm going to post my weight on this blog, I'm sure that Liz will post her percentage. (She really doesn't want to reveal her weight.

We hope that you will join us on our quest to healthy living. Subscribe to this blog and feel free to leave comments or suggestions.

So who will win this diet challenge? Him or her?