The First Two Weeks

The first two weeks of your low-carb eating is a little different than the rest.

In order to get your body off its sugar-addiction, and shifted to where it is burning your fat for energy, and free of possible allergens you're taking in without even knowing it, and clear of the worst toxins your fat cells are storing, the first two weeks of lowcarb are considered a "de-tox" period.

This is where the food is simple, "clean eating". You can still eat a LOT of filling food--you should never be hungry!--but you will be avoiding all but the most basic food stuffs. In particular, what you are avoiding is sugar, and that includes most carbohydrates, which are sugar once they're inside the body. (To the body, there is no real difference.)

Now, there are a few things you should know about this two-week period, which is called "Induction" on the Atkins plan.

1. This isn't the only way to do low-carb. This is the Approach that Dr. Richard Atkins (The Atkins Diet) recommended. However, Drs. Michael and Mary Dan Eades for example, have a lowcarb plan (The Protein Power Life Plan), that does not have this 'induction' period. But for the sake of truly cleaning out your body and dropping water weight and toxins fast, we recommend you at least try this at least once.

2. When it comes to counting carbohydrates, some people deduct the grams of "fiber" from the grams of carbohydrate. Fiber IS a carb, but it is not digestible, so it passes through your system. (This does not mean that fiber carbs have no effect on the body; some science implies otherwise.) In some lowcarb plans, fiber is deducted, and the result ("equivalent carbohydrate count" called "ECC" for short) is the number used. In others, this is not done. Gahhhh! Does it have to be so complicated? NO! Forget that. We recommend that for your first two weeks on lowcarb, at least, you do not "deduct" anything. Whatever a "carbohydrate count" is, is what it IS. If you are eating cleanly, you should be able to eat a ton of food and still be eating super low-carb.

3. You must understand that the first point of avoiding carbohydrates is to stabilize your blood sugar. If your blood sugar is unstable, you are likely to have energy problems (hyper and then exhausted), and crave sugar/carby foods. It's not fair to do this to yourself. Sugar in all forms is a potent drug addiction. The only way you can kick it, is to get OFF that drug and fill yourself with good food. Cravings are "withdrawal symptoms" from sugar. If you eat well and hang on for a little while, they will vanish, and your energy will increase greatly and you will feel a lot better.

4. There are two kinds of energy-forms that your body can use. One is carbohydrates, which come from outside the body. The other is ketones, which are produced inside the body. When you eat lots of carbs, your body keeps its own fat stores safe and sound, thinking that food is plentiful, and relies on energy from outside. When you don't eat many carbs, your body spends a few days 'waiting' for them, during which you may feel a bit weak or tired. Then your body shifts gears, and starts using your fat cells for energy instead. At that point, you will feel a LOT more energy all the sudden.

5. "Detox" means that your body is going to release a lot of toxins when it first shifts into fat-burning mode. Fat cells store toxins! As fat cells first start dumping their contents to get rid of them, you may very well feel ill, like you have the flu. It's called "Induction Flu". It's not a real flu (like a virus), it is a "detox withdrawal symptom". Both the energy and flu detox-symptoms only last a few days, and then they are past, and your body will have a big energy-storage to access.

"When" this detox period and "ketogenic shift" happen is different for different people. Some people, they feel it on the 3rd or 5th day, some people not until the 10th. In any case, by day 14 -- your two weeks in -- you should have fully detox'd from sugar, resolved cravings, released many nasty fat-cell toxins, dropped water bloating, and be feeling good!

At that point, your eating can expand a GREAT deal, to cover nearly every "real food" that is not sugar/starch-laden. Your carbohydrates can increase as well, although we hope you will believe us when we say that sticking to 'real food' for your carbs, and not additives or processed foods, can make a real difference in how you feel and the weight you lose.

Onward! Go to WHAT MATTERS MOST

Happy Lowcarbing,

PJ Age 42. She lost 140 lbs, as well as "lost" her asthma, allergies, acid reflux, acne, brain-fog, exhaustion, and helplessness thanks to Lowcarb eating! She has a blog called The Divine Low Carb.

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