In the section to follow we offer more than 200 meal plans. The 45 ACE (Atkins Carbohydrate Equilibrium) meal plan (45 grams of Net Carbs) is the core of each plan. Subsequent meal plans at higher ACE levels build on the core through the addition of higher carb foods and substitutions. It is important to note that these meal plans are meant to give you an idea of what a typical day looks like at different carb levels. These four Net Carb gram levels were selected to show the range of possibilities. Since your own ACE may be lower, higher, or somewhere within the 15-to 20-gram span between levels, you may have to add or subtract foods to create an individual plan that fits your ACE to a tee. We have also provided you with 80 different holiday and ethnic menus.
The meal plans also stress healthy choices and showcase the wide variety of foods you can eat when doing Atkins for life. While you certainly may follow them to the letter, we encourage you to make your own substitutions based on personal tastes, budget, and seasonality of produce. If we suggest, for example, whole-grain bread at breakfast, and you prefer whole-grain cereal instead, that’s fine. To make comparable substitutions, select similar items from other menus, follow the mix and match lists in Carb Counting Made Easy (page 199), or use the Atkins Glycemic Ranking (AGR) and a carb-gram counter as guides. This will actually give you literally hundreds of menu alternatives. Note that we have been careful not to use too many items with high AGR on a single day. Meal plans don’t need to be followed in any particular order, and comparable (in terms of Net Carb counts) breakfasts, lunches, and dinners may be exchanged. And, if you are doing Atkins but your spouse or the rest of the family is not, you may find the higher ACE meal plans helpful in suggesting what you might also prepare to meet the needs of the other members of your family.
There is a 10 percent spread in either direction for total Net Carb counts for a given meal plan for a day because at this point in your dietary regimen a certain amount of flexibility will be the norm. So, if your ACE is 80, you might well consume 70 grams of Net Carbs on one day and 90 the following day. To a certain extent, the numbers in these pages are approximations. The grapefruit half you eat may actually contain 6 grams of Net Carbs or it might be 8, or even more, depending on size and variety.
The meal plans are another of the many tools we have given you to assist you in making intelligent decisions about what foods to eat and when to eat them. Items in bold, blue type indicate recipes found in this book.
At 45 grams of Net Carbs, a daily meal plan generally includes at least five servings of vegetables and fruits. You can typically include one slice of 100-percent whole-grain bread, or the equivalent, a few times a week. You should probably not be eating more than one serving of an “eat sparingly” food on one day.
At 60 grams of Net Carbs, we recommend adding more vegetables first, then legumes and grains. If you want to have a double-face instead of an open-face sandwich, do not use grains at other meals.
At 80 grams of Net Carbs, two slices of whole-grain breads is usually okay for sandwiches so long as you stay away from other “eat sparingly” foods that day. But don’t eat bread and other grains to the exclusion of other “eat sparingly” foods. At this level, you may also be able to add another piece of fruit for three servings (preferably eaten with nuts or cheese).
At 100 grams of Net Carbs, you can comfortably eat more “eat sparingly” foods, spacing them out throughout the day. You can also substitute whole wheat pasta for soy (low carb) pasta or enjoy a small portion of brown rice.
You can also add a glass of dry wine with dinner a few times a week on all levels.
Besides adding more foods to each meal plan as we increase the ACE, we also provide substitutions, which are indicated in bold type and preceded by the word “or.” Remember that you should read across as the substitution refers to the food listed on the same line at a lower ACE. When a food item appears for the first time, say at the 45 ACE level, and we often offer substitutes at higher levels, the carb count number from that original food item is carried through. Therefore, a plum, for example, might be listed as 3 in one place or 4 in another. Don’t worry about such inconsistencies. In Lifetime Maintenance, a gram or two of carbs here or there will not impact your weight control efforts. The foods on any given day may be eaten at the suggested mealtimes or at another time in the day. Some people do better on three meals a day; others prefer four, five, or even six mini-meals. Likewise, desserts can be eaten as snacks or snacks can be moved to a meal. This is why we don’t list snacks every day.
Unlike the meal plans, the 40 ethnic and 40 holiday menus include a single meal that is generally higher in grams of carbs than the equivalent meal on the daily meal plans. Again, the 45 ACE holiday or ethnic meal is the core of each plan; subsequent menus at higher ACE levels build upon it.
The single meals typically comprise about two-thirds the day’s intake of carbohydrates: about 30 grams of Net Carbs at an ACE of 45; about 35 grams of Net Carbs at an ACE of 60; about 55 grams of Net Carbs at an ACE of 80; and about 60 grams of Net Carbs at an ACE of 100. To compensate, make sure the other foods that you choose on a day that you prepare one of these meals are somewhat lower in carbs or make adjustments in the days before such a meal.
Certain cuisines are based in large part on foods that are relatively high in carbs—for example, the rice, beans, and corn that are staples of many Latin cultures. To enjoy such food without consuming too many carbs, we suggest that you eat a higher proportion of protein to beans and rice, substitute brown rice for white rice, have small portions of rice and beans—and substitute low carb tortillas for regular tortillas.
Remember that now that you are eating more carbohydrates, your intake of fat should have diminished comparably so that you are eating not more food but a different balance of foods.
When it comes to carb foods, a serving of salad greens is typically 1 cup; a serving of cooked vegetables is ½ cup; a serving of vegetable juice is ¾ cup. A serving of fruit is generally ½ cup of berries or chunks of fruit, one small to medium fruit, or half a large one. A quarter cup of cooked legumes is a typical serving. One 1-ounce slice of bread is a serving, as is an ounce of ready-to-eat cereal or a ½ cup of cooked cereals or grains. Consult the food lists in chapter 3 and a carb-gram counter for more specifics.
We have noted serving sizes for most carbohydrate-rich foods on the meal plans and in the holiday and ethnic menus. In most cases, when the item is from a recipe in the book, we have not specified the measurement. Instead, refer to the recipe to see the serving size. Obviously, grams of Net Carbs are based upon the same serving size as the one listed in the recipe. In certain cases, such as muffins or cookies, where, depending upon your ACE, you might have more than one portion, we will list the number for perfect clarity. We do not list portions for foods that are primarily protein foods, such as poultry, fish, or red meat. Instead, have moderate-sized portions as discussed earlier. For example, you might eat one small can of tuna with your salad at lunch and a 6- to 8-ounce piece of poultry, meat, or fish for dinner. We do give serving sizes for foods such as cheese that contain both carbs and protein.
Here are a few more pointers to keep in mind.
Yogurt, milk, cottage cheese, sour cream, and other dairy products are assumed to be the full-fat type. Yogurt and soy milk should be both unflavored and unsweetened.
All pasta and legume serving sizes are for cooked food.
Tuna, egg, chicken, salmon, and other protein salads contain just mayonnaise. Add extra grams of carbs for celery, onions, or other additions.
Products such as granola should have no added sugar or other caloric sweeteners including honey, molasses, and the like.
All grains are whole grains, not “instant” or processed grains. Portions are for cooked, not raw, grains and cereals.
All whole-grain breads are 100-percent whole grain.
When there is a range in carb counts for different brands or flavors within a brand, we use the higher number. So, for example, while we list flatbread as having 8 grams of Net Carbs per piece, certain brands may have as few as 4 grams of Net Carbs.
We specify scallions in many recipes because they are lower in carbs than yellow or white onions. They also have a more delicate flavor.