Atkins 20®, Phase 2: Balancing Your Diet

Phase 2 typically lasts until you’re within 10 pounds of your goal weight. However, depending on your personal weight loss goals, you may choose to transition into Phase 3 sooner. Early transitioning is best for those who are vegetarian or looking to slow the rate of their weight loss.

The goal of Phase 2 is to gradually introduce a broader array of carbs into your diet, helping you find your personal carb balance. You’ll start Phase 2 by eating 25 grams of net carbs daily, and then begin to increase overall carb intake in 5 gram increments. By the end of this phase, you may find that your personal carb balance sits between 30 and 80 daily grams of net carbs.

Vegetables are the foundation of the Atkins way of eating. Vegetables do contain carbohydrates but, in most cases, these are exactly the kinds of carbs you should be consuming.

For example, reintroduce walnuts but gauge their impact, if any, before reintroducing almonds.

This can be done in 5 gram increments at weekly, bi-weekly or even monthly intervals, whichever works best for you

We recommend doing this on a weekly basis as your daily weight will fluctuate based on water weight.

First of all, don’t beat yourself up. We all have moments of weakness, and maybe that plate of French fries your friend was eating was more than you could resist. Second, don’t play the game of “Well, since I’ve already messed up, I might as well go whole hog.” For the rest of the day eat appropriately. Don’t wait until tomorrow to get back on the wagon.

Without realizing it, as you gradually add back foods, you may be consuming far more carbs than you think you are. This can make you complacent about your intake until your weight loss stalls. Once again, tracking your carbs and portion sizes should help you avoid carb creep.

Usually cravings vanish by the end of the first week on Phase 1/Induction when you convert to burning primarily fat for energy. There are several reasons they may return. Women sometimes experience cravings a few days before their menstrual period. Going too long between meals or adding foods such as dairy products or peanuts may stimulate cravings. Stress can also destabilize blood sugar, triggering cravings for comfort foods. Adding a bit more fat, in the form of olives, half an avocado, or some cream cheese in a celery stick, can help you feel more satisfied, minimizing cravings.

Of course not. If you don’t like yogurt or chickpeas or tomato juice, so be it. Or if a whole rung on the Carb Ladder holds no appeal for you, just skip it. There’s still plenty of variety inherent in the whole foods you can eat on Atkins.

As discussed in regard to plateaus, your body has its own schedule and won’t share it with anyone. The important thing is to follow the program faithfully and the pounds will come off. Again, adding exercise helps some people lose weight, but not everyone. Be sure to take your measurements weekly. If you’ve lost inches, the scale is bound to catch up.

The reason we recommend that you not weigh yourself daily is that your weight can vary by as much as 5 pounds even within a day. As long as you’re following the program, you should see some weight loss every week or so, unless you’re on a plateau. If you stayed on track but gained a pound or two since the previous week, you’re probably retaining water or are constipated.