PHASE ONE

To begin, I tried to limit myself to about 20 to 30 carbohydrates per day.

I stuck  with this phase of the plan for approximately 2 weeks.

In my first week, I ate strictly cheeses, meat, eggs, lettuce and dressing.  I used my diet soda as a buffer to help me with my sweet cravings and  when it was an absolute MUST......I made sugar-free Jell-O.  

I really hate the taste of water, so I used about 3 Tablespoons of concentrated lemon juice to 2 quarts of water.  I also used that with 8 packets of sweetener to make a very mild lemonade.  I called it my "disguised water."  It worked and I found myself drinking more water then I ever had in my life.  That is a good thing.  You must get your water every day.  

PERSONAL HINTS, TIPS, & EXPERIENCES

The best way to keep track of how many carbs and what foods you have eaten during the course of the day, is to keep a journal.   Write EVERYTHING down.  Every bite every nibble, every munch.  Everything counts, and if you aren't honest with yourself about what you have eaten, you won't make the journey you had hoped for.

I found this program to be the easiest for me, because of that fact that I love meat, cheese and veggies.  I really like all the protein foods.  It was also a very hard program for me to follow because I just LOVE potatoes, rice and bread.  Those were really hard for me to give up.  But I found when I go on to maintaining, that I can put small portions of this back into my regular eating habits.

I'm Carb Addicted, and find that when I do allow myself the chocolate or sweet goodies binge, it is REALLY hard to get back on program.  Now whether or not there is scientific research or not........for me personally......I find that when I keep the sugar out, or at least, to a minimum, my arthritis is MUCH better.   My joints are in less pain, and the stiffness is also less.  

It is always advisable for a speedier weight loss, to incorporate a routine of exercise into your program.  Whether you exercise every day or once a week, making the body move is definitely a benefit.  Exercise can be anything from a walk around the block, exercising to TV programs or tapes, or joining a sporting club.

Remember to NOT have any foods containing sugar, flour, or starch.

That pretty much cuts out all cookies, cakes, candies and other goodies.

No chips, potatoes in any form, bread, meal or flour coated foods.

Rice and all forms of pasta are also cut out of this phase of the program.

There are some GREAT commercial high protein, low carb foods on the market now.  Atkins, Suzanne Sommers, and Wal-mart to name a few.  You might want to check out their websites to find out where you can get these foods and beverages.  Just remember.........check the carb content.  

There are many many books and lists on the market of foods and their fat, calorie and carb values.  I have about 4 lists, and found that all of them present different values.  

Here is a list of acceptable foods for Phase One from the Atkins site.

Please note that I have included my thoughts and finds within these statements.

MEATS

*Oysters and mussels are higher in carbs than other shellfish, so limit them to four ounces per day.

**Processed meats, such as ham, bacon, pepperoni, salami, hot dogs and other luncheon meats—and some fish—may be cured with added sugar and will contribute carbs. Try to avoid meat and fish products cured with nitrates, which are known carcinogens.  Read the labels.  

My Note: I found that Cure 81 ham was excellent.  No sugar and no carbs.  It is very tasty and can be used in unlimited ways.  

Also beware of products that are not exclusively meat, fish or fowl, such as imitation fish, meatloaf and breaded foods.   

My Note:  I stayed away from all imitation fish.  That was way hard to do since I really love the imitation crab meat.  

If you are a wild game meat eater, any and all meats are excellent.  Just about anything, from snake to polar bear, is allowable.

Finally, do not consume more than four ounces of organ meats a day.  

My Note:  This was NOT difficult for me.  I don't like organ meat.

CHEESES

You can consume three to four ounces daily of the following full-fat, firm, soft and semi soft aged cheeses*, including:

* cheddar
* cow, sheep and goat cheese
* cream cheese
* Gouda
* mozzarella
* Roquefort and other blue cheeses
* Swiss

*All cheeses have some carbohydrate content. The quantity you eat should be governed by that knowledge. The rule of thumb is to count 1 ounce of cheese as equivalent to 1 gram of carbohydrate.  

My Note:  However, I found it is possible to find cheeses that do not have a carb content, but they are few and far between.  Ok........so I only found one.  But at least I found it!    Again.......read the labels.

Note that cottage cheese, farmer’s cheese and other fresh cheeses are not permitted during Phase One.. No "diet" cheese, cheese spreads or whey cheeses are permitted. Individuals with known yeast symptoms, dairy allergy or cheese intolerance must avoid cheese. Imitation cheese products are not allowed, except for soy or rice cheese—but check the carbohydrate content.

VEGETABLES

You can have two to three cups per day of:

* alfalfa sprouts
* daikon
* mushrooms
* arugula
* endive
* parsley
* bok choy
* escarole
* peppers
* celery
* fennel
* radicchio
* chicory
* jicama
* radishes
* chives
* lettuce
* romaine lettuce
* cucumber
* mâche
* sorrel
These salad vegetables are high in phytonutrients and provide a good source of fiber.

My Note:  According to another source.....these vegetables were able to be eaten pretty much on the unlimited side.  I love lettuce with tuna or any kind of meat.  I added a chopped egg and salad dressing and it was great.  You can eat an awful lot of salad for practically no carbs.

OTHER VEGETABLES

You can have one cup per day of these veggies if salad does not exceed two cups. The following vegetables are slightly higher in carbohydrate content than the salad vegetables:

* artichoke
* celery root
* pumpkin
* artichoke hearts
* rhubarb
* asparagus
* chard
* sauerkraut
* bamboo shoots
* collard greens
* scallions
* dandelion
* snow peas
* bean sprouts
* dandelion greens
* spaghetti squash
* beet greens
* eggplant
* spinach
* broccoli
* hearts of palm
* string or wax beans
* broccoli rabe
* kale
* summer squash
* brussels
* kohlrabi
* tomato
* bean sprouts
* leeks
* turnips
* cabbage
* okra
* water chestnuts
* cauliflower
* onion
* zucchini

If a vegetable, such as spinach or tomato, cooks down significantly, it must be measured raw so as not to underestimate its carb count.  

My Note:  Remember.............with all these wonderful veggies, you can make some great salads, and feel VERY full from them.  

SALAD GARNISHES

* crumbled crisp bacon
* grated cheese
* minced hard-boiled egg
* sautéed mushrooms
* sour cream

SPICES

All spices to taste, but make sure none contain added sugar.

HERBS

* basil
* garlic
* rosemary
* cayenne pepper
* ginger
* sage
* cilantro
* oregano
* tarragon
* dill
* pepper
* thyme

For salad dressing, use oil and vinegar (but not balsamic vinegar, which contains sugar) or lemon juice and herbs and spices. Prepared salad dressings without added sugar and no more than two carbs per tablespoon serving are also fine.

ACCEPTABLE FATS AND OILS

Many fats, especially certain oils, are essential to good nutrition. Olive oil is particularly valuable. All other vegetable oils are allowed, the best being canola, walnut, soybean, grape seed, sesame, sunflower and safflower oils, especially if they are labeled "cold-pressed" or "expeller-pressed." Do not cook polyunsaturated oils, such as corn, soybean and sunflower oil, at high temperatures or allow to brown or smoke.

Butter is allowed. Margarine should be avoided, not because of its carbohydrate content, but because it is usually made of trans fats (hydrogenated oils), which are a serious health hazard. (Some non-hydrogenated margarines are available in health-food stores.)

You don't have to remove the skin and fat from meat or fowl. Salmon and other cold-water fish are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids.

ACCEPTABLE BEVERAGES

Be sure to drink a minimum of eight eight-ounce glasses (or 1.89 liters) of water each day, including:

* Filtered water
* Mineral water
* Spring water
* Tap water

Additionally, you can have the following:

* Clear broth/bouillon (not all brands; read the label)
* Club soda
* Cream, heavy or light (limit to two to three tablespoons a day; note carbohydrate content)
* Decaffeinated coffee or tea*
* Diet soda made with sucralose (Splenda™); be sure to count the carbs
* Essence-flavored seltzer (must say "no calories" and should not contain aspartame)
* Herb tea (without barley or any fruit sugar added)
* Lemon juice or lime juice (note that each contains 2.8 grams carbohydrate per ounce); limit to two to three tablespoons

Grain beverages (coffee substitutes) are not allowed. Alcoholic beverages are also not permitted during Phase One; those low in carbohydrates are an option, in moderation, in later phases.

My Note:

While it is advised not to use aspartame sweeteners, I found they have the nicest taste, and it didn't seem to slow my weight loss down.   I also found that most diet sodas are made with aspartame, so there wasn't a real way for me to get around it.  It was a personal decision and a concession on my part, that I was not sorry for having done.  I also found that the particular brand of Concentrated Lemon juice that I used did not have any carbs or sugar in it.  At least that is what the label said.  

Trying to do a low-fat version of the High Protein Low Carb  system will interfere with fat burning and derail your weight loss.  

My Note:  Don't worry about low-fat when working with high protein.  This is my understanding............ It is the combination of carbohydrates, sugars AND fats, that cause our general weight gain.   It's kind of a "one or the other" choice.  If you are using high carbs, you must also use low fat.  If you are using high protein, you must use low carbs.  It seems, by my observations, that refined sugar is something that should definitely be avoided either way.

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