How to Use Protein Shakes to Jump Start Atkins

The Atkins diet was once thought to cause a huge list of heart problems and elevated cholesterol. Today, those myths are busted and more people are losing weight on low carb diets than ever before. If you don't like meat, you can jump start Atkins without ever tasting a single steak. 

Things You'll Need

• Zero Carb Protein
• Vegetable Oil

Tips For You

1. Choose a zero carb protein powder. There are protein powders that contain carbs and those that do not. For the Atkins diet low carb jump start, you will need to find a zero carb protein. General Nutrition Centers, GNC, offers a great option that tastes great and mixes well.
2. Measure the shake. You will need to figure out how much protein you need to consume each day. Excess protein will be converted to carbohydrates in the body and that is the last thing you want on Atkins or a low carb diet. Generally speaking, 0.4 grams of protein per pound is good.
3. Add the fat. At the heart of a low carb weight loss diet is the fat. The body will use up all the carbohydrate stores and start burning fat for fuel. Adding two to four tablespoons of fat to each shake will jump start the low carb diet and shove the body into ketosis faster.

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How to Switch From Atkins to Weight Watchers

The battle to manage your weight through dieting trends, including Atkins and Weight Watchers, requires careful planning, as your body reacts to dramatic changes in your food intake through weight fluctuation. The Atkins diet, designed by Dr. Robert C. Atkins, focuses on low-carbohydrate and high-fat consumption, while the Weight Watchers plan follows a high-fiber, low-fat diet that regulates calorie consumption. When transitioning between these two extremes you may temporarily feel sluggish as your body acclimates to the new diet. As with any diet, you should talk to your doctor to determine the safety prior to adhering to the new diet guidelines.

Tips For You

1. Slowly integrate more complex carbohydrates into your meals. Whereas the Atkins diet limits your daily intake of carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates found in whole-grain breads and vegetables are the focus of Weight Watchers due to the amount of fiber in complex carbohydrates. Fiber-rich foods provide satiety and decrease the need to continuously snack throughout the day.
2. Choose low-fat meats. Lean meats are low in saturated fat and total fat, which prevents weight gain while providing protein and other healthy nutrients. Lean meats include beef and pork tenderloin, skinless chicken and fish.
3. Join the Weight Watchers group. Online or face-to-face meetings provide encouragement and helpful advice from others who are also striving to lose or maintain their weight. The online program provides recipes and food choices that allows you to stay within the allocated points that are used to control weight. Known as PointsPlus, the online program includes a food journal to track your progress and, according to the official Weight Watchers site, it is accessible from any computer or mobile device that supports web browsing .
4. Stay within your points. Food is categorized by points, which makes it easier to choose healthy food options rather than blindly make food decisions.

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How to Combat Constipation on Atkins

Many people complain of constipation when they begin the Atkins diet. This constipation often results from two causes. First, you're eliminating many possible sources of fiber from your diet, such as fruits, legumes and all kinds of grain, including whole grains. Second, a low-carb diet often begins with several pounds of water loss. If you don't drink plenty of water on this diet, and you're eating a lot less fiber, constipation can result. Atkins recommends several ways to combat this constipation, but if constipation is persistent or severe, consult your doctor.

Things You'll Need

• Fiber Supplements
• High Fiber Vegetables
• Avocados

Tips For You

1. Eat all the vegetables that the Atkins diet allows. Induction, the most carbohydrate-restricted phase of the diet, allows several cups of vegetables a day. If you eat all your veggies, you're much less likely to be constipated.
2. Drink all the water that the diet recommends. Atkins recommends at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily. Staying hydrated increases your chances of avoiding constipation.
3. Consider a sugar-free natural laxative, such as psyllium or ground flax seed husks, and follow the instructions on the label. If constipation persists, consult a doctor.

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How to Calculate Net Carbs on Atkins

The Atkins diet is one that focuses on cutting a substantial amount of carbohydrates out of the diet. The Atkins website states that unused carbohydrates in foods turn into sugar, which can raise glucose levels in the body. Therefore, when you consume a minimal amount of carbohydrates, your body uses the fat consumed for energy instead, which can help you lose weight. Not all carbohydrates, however, are created equal. The Atkins diets states that when a food contains fiber, you are actually eating fewer carbohydrates overall per serving.

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Pencil
• Calculator, if necessary

Tips For You

1. Find the nutritional information for a food item. You can usually find the nutrition label on the back or side of a food product's packaging. If the food does not have a label, such as a piece of fruit, the supermarket you purchased it at may have the nutritional information displayed in the produce section.
2. Locate where it says "total carbohydrates per serving" on the nutrition label. Record that number.
3. Search for the amount of fiber the food has in it per serving. Record this figure.
4. See how many grams of polydextrose, glycerin and/or sugar alcohol the food contains per serving and record it.
5. Figure out the amount of net carbs in a food. Add up the total amount of fiber, polydextrose, glycerin and/or sugar alcohol. Subtract the sum from the total amount of carbohydrates to find the net amount of carbohydrates in a food.

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How to Use Atkins Shakes

Consuming meal replacement drinks can help you lose weight, but it takes more than chugging a shake whenever hunger strikes to help you shed pounds. Diet shakes, such as Atkins Advantage Shakes, have the nutrition of a healthy meal but significantly fewer calories and less fat. When combined with exercise and healthy meals, drinking Atkins shakes can help you reach your weight loss goals or maintain your current weight.

Tips For You

1. Determine your daily caloric intake needs by following advice from a medical professional and by using a calorie calculator, such as the one found on Mayo Clinic's website.
2. Set up a weekly meal plan to ensure that you meet your caloric needs. The makers of Atkins suggest replacing breakfast and lunch with a shake. For more variety in your diet, alternate between shake flavors. Atkins shakes are available in a variety of flavors.
3. Consume two snacks less than 200 calories each between meals. Examples of healthy snacks include light yogurt, tuna on a few crackers, baked potato chips, granola bar or trail mix. Atkins Advantage Snack Bars are also available.
4. Plan ahead for dinner to avoid consuming excess calories and fat at a time of day when many people are needing stress-relief. A healthy dinner could be 4 to 5 oz. of lean protein, a medium baked potato or 1/2 cup of cooked rice and 1 cup of cooked vegetables.
5. Supplement your diet with exercise. Make sure to get at least 200 minutes of exercise a week. If you are a beginner, start with 50 minutes a week and eventually move up to 200 minutes. Choose a type of exercise that you enjoy doing. You will be less likely to stick with an exercise routine you do not enjoy.

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How to Figure Net Carbs on Atkins Diet

The Atkins diet is based on reducing the consumption of carbohydrates that have a significant impact on blood sugar, such as sugar, white flour and hydrogenated oils. Although the Atkins diet is referred to as a low-carb diet, the trick to successfully following it is to distinguish the "good" carbs from the "bad." To do so, dieters count net carbs.

Tips For You

1. Look at the information on the food label. Take note of the total grams of carbohydrates per serving in the selected food.
2. Look for the total grams of fiber per serving in the selected food.
3. Subtract the number of grams of fiber per serving from the total grams of carbohydrates per serving. The resulting number of grams equals the net carbs per serving.

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Atkins 14-Day Diet Plan

Robert Atkins, M.D., developed the popular Atkins Diet in the early 1970s in order to control his own weight. The theory behind the diet is that by consuming minimal carbohydrate, the body burns more calories and expels unused calories. The 14-day diet plan is the introductory phase of the Atkins weight-loss program.

Function

• The Induction Phase (14 days) is the most restrictive phase of the Atkins diet and serves two purposes: alter the body's chemistry to burn fat for energy and enter the ketosis phase, in which the body begins to burn stored fats for energy.

Allowed Foods

• The 14-day plan limits carbohydrates to 20 grams per day, 12 to 15 grams of which must come from vegetables. This phase allows only 54 vegetables, with liberal amounts of fish, meat and up to 4 ounces of dairy products and fats.

Restricted Foods

• The Atkins plan does not allow legumes and other starchy vegetables, yogurt, fruits, caffeinated drinks or alcohol during this phase.

Results

• Due to the limited amount of carbohydrate and the increased metabolism of burning fats, some followers will lose from five to 15 pounds during this phase.

Misconception

• The program is not just a food prescription: It also includes proper, regular exercise and dietary supplements.

Warning

• Side effects may include constipation, fatigue, bad breath, headaches and hair loss.

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