Atkins Diet

Background Of The Atkins Diet

There are so many diets to choose from, and one of the most popular diet plans is the Atkins diet which has inspired thousands of people to lose weight.  The Atkins diet is one of the pioneers of weight loss programs as it was introduced by Dr. Robert Atkins.  Dr. Robert Atkins, was a physician who specialized in complementary medicine and cardiology, and started his private practice in 1960 in New York.  Having weight issues himself, he began studying ways of losing weight through a low-starch diet. He practiced what he preached and started formulating diets for his patients through the curbing of carbohydrate intake and consuming more protein and fat including saturated fat.  He believed that a diet with high-carbohydrate intake was the main culprit for people to have unnatural cravings which would make mean more food intake. He is also known for his combining conventional medicine  and alternative techniques.   His first book “Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution” was first published in 1972 and introduced the Atkins Nutritional Approach which became very controversial at that time.  This book became a hot topic in the medical field as it espoused an unconventional approach to weight loss, although he based his diet program on articles from the Journal of the American Medical Association.

What is The Atkins Diet

The Atkins Diet is based on the premise that overweight people’s meals are rich in carbohydrates which one has to burn or else it converts into sugar fat which means more pounds and weight gain.  In lay man’s turn, the unburned carbohydrate  is the reason why we have belly fat, jiggling thighs and humongous hips and flapping arms!  These parts of our body are where most of our fats are stored.  Consuming less carbohydrates would mean that our body will now burn its own stored fat. This body state is called Ketosis which implies that our energy source comes from our own stored fat.  Now, our own bodies become a fat burning machine  instead of a carbohydrate burning one.  This will result into weight loss,  less cravings,  lower caloric intake and suppressed appetite.   You will have to follow the diet strictly and make a lifestyle change for you to achieve results.

The Atkins Diet Plan

The Atkins diet starts with the two weeks induction period wherein you are allowed to consume unlimited meats, poultry, seafood, eggs, cheeses, oils, butter, margarine, bacon and sausages,  and restricting your carbohydrates to 20 grams a day.  You are not allowed to consume milk, pastas, fruits, grains, cereals, breads or vegetables such as potatoes, peas, corn and carrots  and other starchy vegetables with high glycemic  components. You cannot eat food that are a combination of protein and carbohydrates like kidney beans, chick peas and other legumes.   You will also have to take off any form of sugar including artificial sugar like aspartame,  and if you have to use sucralose or saccahrin, you must count it as 1 gram of carbohydrate. You must also avoid caffeine in your diet in any form such as tea, coffee or soda which can be a cause for you to have low blood sugar and result into food cravings.  The allowable 20 grams of carbohydrates a day can come from other sources such as dressing, sauces and cheeses but be careful when eating out as these sauces and dressing might have been made using sugar, cornstarch and flour which must strictly be avoided. You are advised to take multi-vitamins daily and drink as 8 glasses of water a day.

After the induction period, you are into the maintenance period which means you can increase your carbohydrate intake to 5 more grams weekly until you reach a minimum of 40 grams or a maximum of 90 grams of carbohydrates daily which is still very meager.  This phase is quite complicated as you can now add more carbohydrate and more protein variety in your diet.  This phase will allow you to lose more weight by burning more fat if you do so desire or maintain the weight you have lost.  This phase also means you are more in control of your diet as you are presented with more options.   At this stage, you are encourage to add more variety of protein in your diet such as lamb, venison, duck or goose and fish such as salmon, trout and cold water fish which are a rich source of protein. You can also enjoy shellfish like oyster, crab, shrimp and oyster.  An increase in the amount of cheese and vegetable is recommended and you can now add seeds and nuts to your diet.  It is also advisable to introduce one food at a time until you can incorporate all the allowable food in your diet.  Fruits are now allowed but do remember to pick fruits that are low in sugar and are not preserved.  At this point in time, you can also include high protein bars, shakes and beverages.  You will still have to be aware of the carbohydrate content of each food source  and if you are not sure about the carbohydrate content, it would be better to skip the food entirely.

The next phase of this diet is the pre-maintenance period which is a very critical phase in your quest of losing that weight and keeping it off.  The ultimate goal of this phase is to maintain the weight you desire.  The deliberate slowing down of weight loss will give you the opportunity to change your lifestyle and eating habits albeit losing those last few pounds.  This phase can last from a month to three months and you can now increase your carbohydrate consumption by adding 10 grams of carbohydrates weekly.  Although additional foods can be introduced, you have to be careful and make sure that the food does not cause weight gain or any manifestations of an increase in cravings and appetite which is presumed to have decreased during the first phase.  If this happens, remove that food from your food list immediately.  Even if you are now allowed more carbohydrates, make sure that you still consume the same amount of protein and fat.

The last phase of this diet is the lifetime maintenance period which means that your battle in losing that weight is now over and you are now ready to maintain that weight loss. It is often said that it is very easy to lose weight but maintaining that weight loss can be very hard and be a struggle.  You have to make sure that you are always below your critical carbohydrate level for maintenance, which allows you to maintain your weight at a certain level.  Do not be discourage if you gain a pound or two are there are underlying factors that can promote weight gain such as hormonal changes and daily fluctuations. When you are in this period, you are still allowed to eat your favorite food in moderation but you are not allowed to consume any form of sugar such as cornstarch, flour and corn syrup.  It is better to eat everything fresh and avoid foods that are preserved or packed with refined carbohydrates that can do damage to your diet and body.  Too add variety to your diet plan and make sure that you can maintain this for a lifetime, you are allowed to individualize your menu or diet plan that can be satisfying and enticing.  You are permitted to drink caffeine laden drinks and alcohol but in moderation.  If you do gain a significant number of pounds, revert back to the first and second phase to lose the weight.   By this time, it is also recommended that you engage yourself in regular physical activity which will increase your stamina and build muscles.

Reviews Of The Atkins Diet

The Atkins diet has its pros and cons.  Majority of those who have undergone this diet strictly, lost a considerable amount of weight.  Most of those who tried the Atkins diet considered it as the last resort after trying all kinds of diet.  The abrupt weight loss experienced by most dieters, inspired them to continue with the diet and maintain its program.  If you are carnivorous and love cheese, then this diet will work perfectly for you.   Food groups that are forbidden in other diet programs are the foods you are encouraged to eat in this diet.  It is actually a very easy diet to follow and eliminates the bad carbohydrates from your diet which is actually very beneficial to your health and can prevent lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, and can even result in a marked improvement in your cholesterol level.  At a certain point, you will be able to gauge the carbohydrate maintenance level which you must adhere to, to be able to maintain your weight loss.  The best thing about this diet is that you do not crave for food and you never feel hungry.  Meat or protein is longer to digest, thus you feel full most of the time. This will refrain dieters from binging as they do not feel deprived.

Like any other diet, it also has its negative points.  Depending on your metabolic system, this diet might not work for some.   It can be harmful for those who are susceptible to kidney problems due to its high protein diet.  It also deprives dieters of the much needed fibers found in fruits and vegetables that are needed for good digestion   Proteins cannot provide all the essential and vital nutrients that our bodies need which is important and crucial to our bodies.  The diet also generates harmful toxins which can get into our blood stream.  These harmful toxins are produced by accelerated rate of which fat is burned due to the diet.  This effect is experienced by dieters during the first few months of the diet which also includes extreme fatigue, sluggishness and tiredness.

Conclusion

Before undergoing any diet, you must first consult your personal physician.  Remember that a diet that works perfectly for one person, might not work for someone else.  Your physician might have to do a complete physical examination and other tests to make sure that this diet will not be harmful to you in any way.  You and your physician can decide what is best for you and what will suit your needs.  You must also remember not to disregard the other factors that can be a partner in your quest to lose weight like a regular exercise program, lots of sleep, drinking lots of water and  taking  vitamin supplements that  can provide you with the necessary vitamins, minerals and nutrients which you will be deprived of while undergoing the Atkins diet.   Although the Atkins diet does work, and there are thousands testimonial you can read about and how people achieved their weight loss through thethe program, going on a diet and maintaining the weight loss is not that easy.  In fact, there have been studies that show a lot of people dropping out of the program and regaining the initial weight loss as they were not physically, mentally and emotionally prepared to undergo such a rigid change.  It is also recommended that you join forums and groups for Atkins dieters so you can be inspired and encouraged by dieters who are undergoing the program. This will surely give you that much needed encouragement and inspiration to start and finish the diet.  The support group can boost your morale when you feel like giving up and cheer you on as you observe significant changes in your body and weight . You must also inform your family and friends before undergoing the Atkins diet so that they can also  make necessary adjustments in their lives to  accommodate and help you in your diet.

The Atkins diet will only work if you are determined, disciplined, resolute,   and most importantly, willing to change your lifestyle and embrace a new one.

Sources:

worldwideweightloss.com.

webmd.com/diet/atkins-diet-what-it-is

thedietchannel.com

aboutatkinsdiet.com

wightlossabout.com

livestrong.com

associatedcontent.com