Free The New Atkins Made Easy by Colette Heimowitz Page B

hot drink, perhaps a cup of broth.
    Q. What is water weight loss?
    A. The first few pounds you lose on any weight-loss program are primarily water, and Atkins has a particularly diuretic effect. That’s why it’s essential to drink plenty of water and other fluids, eat your foundation veggies, and take a multivitamin-mineral supplement to replace the electrolytes you’ll be flushing out of your body along with the excess fluid. After the first few days you’ll be losing primarily body fat.
    Q. Can I eat as much protein and fat as I wish?
    A. No. Eating excessive protein will make you sluggish and interfere with weight loss. Overeat fat and you’ll burn it and not body fat for energy. Follow the guidelines on pages 57 and 58.
    Q. Why do I have to drink so much water?
    A. Most people are borderline dehydrated all the time. Drinking enough fluid helps flush toxins from your body, combats constipation and bad breath, lubricates your joints, and is important to your overall health. Staying hydrated also assists with weight loss. Remember,some of your water requirement can be satisfied with coffee, tea, or other clear beverages, including broth.
    Q. Most bacon is sugar or maple cured. Does that mean I can’t eat bacon?
    A. Bacon is fine in moderation. Any residual sugar from the curing process in bacon, ham, or other pork products is burned off when you cook it.
    Q. Why do the carb counts for some vegetables differ depending upon whether they’re raw or cooked?
    A. Cooking compacts vegetables such as spinach or cabbage significantly. Carb counts reflect the cooked amount. Chopping or grating a vegetable also compacts it more than slicing does, and that impacts the carb count as well.
    Q. Can I have dessert in Phase 1?
    A. Yes, as long as you get your quota of foundation vegetables and don’t exceed your Net Carb daily limit. A dessert should contain no more than 3 grams of Net Carbs per serving. An Atkins Endulge bar or one of our dessert recipes is a good choice.
TIME TO EVALUATE YOUR PROGRESS
    After seven days in Phase 1 (Kick-Start), weigh and measure yourself. If you’ve lost several pounds and inches, you’ve almost certainly lost fat in addition to the initial fluid loss. If you’ve lost only inches or more inches than pounds, don’t worry. Inches often show up first and the pounds are sure to follow. Keep doing what you’re doing!
    What if you lost just a pound or two? That’s still nothing to sneeze at. Check your measurements too. You may have made more progress there. And try to see the glass as half full. After all, you weigh lessthan you did a week ago. Also think about how your clothes are fitting. If you’re disappointed with your rate of loss, ask yourself whether your expectations were reasonable. While some people can lose up to 15 pounds in two weeks, weight-loss patterns differ significantly from one person to another. And even if you could banish a pound a day when you were in your twenties, it’s unlikely you can do so in your forties. On the other hand, the heavier you are, the more quickly you’ll lose weight. Men usually lose faster than women, as do physically active people. Hormonal issues can make weight loss difficult.
    If you’re sure that you were doing everything by the book your first week on Atkins, take this dietary reality test:
    1.  Are you counting grams of Net Carbs? If you’re just estimating or you’re not taking serving size into consideration, there’s a good chance you’re overdoing the carbs and haven’t kick-started your fat-burning engine. Use your Atkins Carb Counter and track in your journal everything you eat.
    2.  Are you skipping meals or going too long without eating? If so, you may get ravenous and overeat. Be sure to eat a meal or snack every three or four hours.
    3.  Did you consume less than 18 or more than 22 grams of Net Carbs each day? Having too few or too many carbs can