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| Having trouble getting through Atkins Induction? This Back Door Approach is the perfect solution! |
Most folks who start the Atkins Diet, begin by walking through the front door. They have no need for the Back Door Approach.
Maybe, that's you, too.
Did you read the Atkins or Phinney book, study the first phase of Atkins Induction or Keto thoroughly, and then just do it?
On the other hand, you might have taken a more haphazard approach. Read the book, but skipped over the boring information to get to the food list and rules.
If so, you might not have cared how low carb works, or why. You just wanted to know what to eat, and what not to.You may, or may not have stocked up on allowable foods, and you may, or may not have thought about what to do if you found your self in a tight situation.
Both dieting styles can lead to problems sticking to a new diet because no matter what your degree of motivation, switching to a low-carb eating style brings drastic change.
If you're stumbling on your low-carb eating plan, and can't seem to make it through Atkins Induction without cheating, this post is for you!
Initially, you might have enough determination to get you through the first few weeks of dieting while your body busies itself switching from predominantly burning glucose to burning fats.
You might even have enough strength to wait it out until the body understands that you want the brain to burn ketones for its fuel.
But that doesn’t hold true for everyone.
If you're stumbling on your low-carb eating plan, and can't seem to make it through Atkins Induction without cheating, this post is for you!
Is it Too Difficult to Get Into Ketosis?
Initially, you might have enough determination to get you through the first few weeks of dieting while your body busies itself switching from predominantly burning glucose to burning fats.
You might even have enough strength to wait it out until the body understands that you want the brain to burn ketones for its fuel.
But that doesn’t hold true for everyone.
When excess hunger and cravings arise, you may choose to eat more fats and protein. You may ignore what your mind tells you, and continue eating normal-sized portions until the craving goes away.
Some people are able to make it through on sheer determination alone.
A few cave into the homemade chocolate chip cookies (or slice of bread, or scoop of ice cream, or whatever your favorite carbohydrate is) because you believe you need those foods to ease the migraine or nausea.
If you did this unconsciously, you might not wake up until it was too late.
Some people are able to make it through on sheer determination alone.
A few cave into the homemade chocolate chip cookies (or slice of bread, or scoop of ice cream, or whatever your favorite carbohydrate is) because you believe you need those foods to ease the migraine or nausea.
If you did this unconsciously, you might not wake up until it was too late.
Basic theories for why you can't stay on plan vary, but most believe cravings come from:
- detoxing from carbohydrates or sugar
- wheat or sugar withdrawal
- erratic or quickly falling blood sugar levels
- high insulin levels
- liver glycogen stores getting too low
It doesn’t really matter why you have trouble sticking to your plan.
Whatever the truth about the above theories actually is, that knowledge doesn’t keep your hand from reaching out for cookies and blindly shoving them into your mouth.
So, if you keep finding yourself cheating on Induction, or if you’ve been following a low-carb eating plan for awhile but keep stumbling – take heart.
An easier way exists.
There actually is a good work around for stumbling that solves the problem of cheating. You don't have to white knuckle yourself through Induction or fight against your will ever again.
The Back Door Approach is here to show you the way.
How Sensory Integration Affects a Low-Carb Eating Plan
Your first or second time on Atkins, burning fat comes easier and quicker than it will for those who have popped in-and-out of the Atkins plan for several years.
And yes, I’m talking about the One Golden Shot Theory.
This theory is true, but not for the reason most people think.
Nor are the consequences of returning to the Atkins Diet for a second or third time impossible to overcome, for most people. All behavior results from sensory integration that takes place within the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord).
As part of that integration process, the brain interprets the sensory data it receives, organizes a reaction, and then commands the body to carry out the plan.
This reaction takes only a second or two, and occurs at the unconscious level.
For that reason, change is difficult.
The body literally fights for survival by protecting its fat stores.
A low-carb diet places the body in survival mode. Everything you think and do while low carbing unfolds because the alternative energy pathway is called into play when carbohydrates suddenly drop during Induction.
If you are brand new to a low-carb diet, the body won’t have experience burning ketones for fuel, so it won’t know how many you’ll need to stay alive.
As a result, many partially burned ketones eventually are flushed out of the body -- if you drink enough water.
But if you are not new to low-carb eating, and your body knows how many ketones it takes to fuel the brain, it will remember how many ketones it takes to replace the missing glucose, so you won’t ever overproduce ketones again.
As a result, many partially burned ketones eventually are flushed out of the body -- if you drink enough water.
But if you are not new to low-carb eating, and your body knows how many ketones it takes to fuel the brain, it will remember how many ketones it takes to replace the missing glucose, so you won’t ever overproduce ketones again.
However, you will still have to suffer through the adaption process.
This means, the body and mind will likely fight harder since you caved in to its desires before.
But all is not lost.
You can simply use The Back Door Approach.
This means, the body and mind will likely fight harder since you caved in to its desires before.
But all is not lost.
You can simply use The Back Door Approach.
What is the Back Door Approach?
The hindbrain is the first part of the brain to develop. For that reason, some people call it your animal brain. This animal brain is mechanical and controls your unconscious body functions like:
When you enter a low-carb diet, which restricts the body’s fuel source, this hindbrain’s program for survival kicks into play.
Since glucose is scarce, it believes you are starving, so it will do whatever needs to be done to survive the famine. When you drastically cut carbs, you bring that survival instinct to life.
When you expose your senses to:
- heartbeat
- breathing
- digestion
When you enter a low-carb diet, which restricts the body’s fuel source, this hindbrain’s program for survival kicks into play.
Since glucose is scarce, it believes you are starving, so it will do whatever needs to be done to survive the famine. When you drastically cut carbs, you bring that survival instinct to life.
When you expose your senses to:
- smells
- pictures
- imaginative images of food you miss
The Back Door Approach slowly introduces the mind and body to a low-carb eating plan.
It doesn’t do that by drastically dropping your carbohydrate consumption to only 20 grams per day. It doesn't shock the body into ketosis for survival.
Instead, it gently creates an energy imbalance.
It doesn’t do that by drastically dropping your carbohydrate consumption to only 20 grams per day. It doesn't shock the body into ketosis for survival.
Instead, it gently creates an energy imbalance.
According to Dr. Michael Eades, the body needs about 120 grams of carbohydrate per day to meet the needs of the brain and other glucose-dependent tissues. How much it actually needs differs from person to person, depending on your:
At 4 calories per gram, the 120 carbohydrates the brain needs would only provide 480 calories – that’s only about 25 percent of your calories if you need about 2,000 calories a day to maintain your current weight.
- activity level
- metabolic rate
- and body size
At 4 calories per gram, the 120 carbohydrates the brain needs would only provide 480 calories – that’s only about 25 percent of your calories if you need about 2,000 calories a day to maintain your current weight.
Most individuals on a standard American Diet eat about 300 to 400 grams of carbohydrate a day, or even more. Those 300 to 400 grams of carbohydrate cost you 1,200 to 1,600 calories.
If you only have 2,000 calories to work with, a lot of the fat you eat will be stored as fat because you'll end up eating too many calories.
It takes a little less than 100 grams of carbohydrates per day to get into the beginning stages of ketosis, so entering Nuteritional Ketosis is not the initial aim of using the Back Door Approach.
That comes much later on.
The aim of the Back Door Approach is to simply begin to make changes in that direction.
Instead of going down to biologically zero, as Atkins 72 advises, you can pick a more comfortable carbohydrate level to begin your new life.
Whether you choose 200 grams, 150, 100, or 60 doesn’t matter. Just make it less than you currently eat.
If you only have 2,000 calories to work with, a lot of the fat you eat will be stored as fat because you'll end up eating too many calories.
It takes a little less than 100 grams of carbohydrates per day to get into the beginning stages of ketosis, so entering Nuteritional Ketosis is not the initial aim of using the Back Door Approach.
That comes much later on.
The aim of the Back Door Approach is to simply begin to make changes in that direction.
Instead of going down to biologically zero, as Atkins 72 advises, you can pick a more comfortable carbohydrate level to begin your new life.
Whether you choose 200 grams, 150, 100, or 60 doesn’t matter. Just make it less than you currently eat.
Give yourself a month or two at that lower carbohydrate level to adjust, and then begin taking additional steps to lower the carbohydrate level, again.
And again.
Rinse and repeat for as long as that takes to reach a point where the weight starts coming off.
How much lower will you have to go?
And how quickly will the weight come off?
That depends.
The Back Door Approach doesn’t require you to go down to Induction levels, ever.
Instead, you slowly incorporate carbohydrate restriction only to the point where you reach a level of carbohydrate and calorie intake that allows you to start losing body fat.
When I tried this for myself, I discovered that my carbohydrate tolerance level was much higher than I anticipated. Much higher than the low-carb community believes is healthy.
Higher than I was eating when I was trying to force the weight to come off fast.
The Back Door Approach takes a low-carb diet and actually puts it into practice, but in reverse. You travel down the Atkins Carbohydrate Ladder (if so inclined) rather than up.
And again.
Rinse and repeat for as long as that takes to reach a point where the weight starts coming off.
How much lower will you have to go?
And how quickly will the weight come off?
That depends.
The Back Door Approach doesn’t require you to go down to Induction levels, ever.
Instead, you slowly incorporate carbohydrate restriction only to the point where you reach a level of carbohydrate and calorie intake that allows you to start losing body fat.
When I tried this for myself, I discovered that my carbohydrate tolerance level was much higher than I anticipated. Much higher than the low-carb community believes is healthy.
Higher than I was eating when I was trying to force the weight to come off fast.
The Back Door Approach Puts Carb Restriction in Reverse
The Back Door Approach takes a low-carb diet and actually puts it into practice, but in reverse. You travel down the Atkins Carbohydrate Ladder (if so inclined) rather than up.
By following a low-carb eating plan backward, you avoid shocking the body, and give yourself time to adjust to giving up your favorite carbohydrates, perhaps even one at a time.
How you implement this method isn't that important.
What's important is that you allow your body to adapt to the energy imbalance in a gentle way.
Using the Back Door Approach will also give yourself more time to find healthy and satisfying ways to replace your favorite foods.
In addition, you never have to suffer through the initial deprivation that has so far been working against you.
How you implement this method isn't that important.
What's important is that you allow your body to adapt to the energy imbalance in a gentle way.
Using the Back Door Approach will also give yourself more time to find healthy and satisfying ways to replace your favorite foods.
In addition, you never have to suffer through the initial deprivation that has so far been working against you.
But for those who can’t seem to make it through Atkins Induction, or those who keep stumbling on their low-carb diet plan because you just can’t give up your favorite treats right now, knocking on the backdoor can offer a chance to make your weight-loss goals become a reality, rather than just a dream.
This article has encouraged me tonight. Bad eating day but reading over this article has reminded me how I've lost 50 pounds and how to get back on track. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI think that after I get my thyroid problems straightened out that this is the approach I'm going to use. It's a much more gentle approach that might not spook the body as much as I have spooked it in the past.
ReplyDeleteyou dont spook your body, thats all in your head. get some will power
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your opinion. I'm speaking biologically. The body is hard-wired to survive, and hyperthyroidism gets worse and puts the body in starvation mode if you try to go too low on carbs.
ReplyDelete