Atkins Diet - What is it?
The Atkins diet to lose weight is based on one simple action: limitation of carbohydrates.
You see, to produce energy (often measured in calories) your body burns both carbohydrates and fat.
Atkins says, that if you reduce the carbohydrates intake, your body will automatically use the stored body fat as an energy resource and thus you will lose weight.
So, in the Atkins diet, calories are unimportant.
The only factor that counts when it comes to losing weight is to restrict the carbs that you consume, thus forcing your body to turn to its stored fat as an energy source. Hence, the Atkins diet is a low carb diet!
The Atkins Diet has four phases to account for it:
- The Induction Phase, which restricts carbohydrates severely.
- The OWL (Ongoing Weight Loss) Phase, in which you add in limited carbs and tailor the eating plan to your tastes.
- Pre-maintenance, with ten pounds or less to the target goal, deliberately slows weight loss to begin adjusting the body to after-weight-loss diet.
- Lifetime Maintenance, a long-term eating plan that emphasizes low carbohydrates and healthy, long-term eating.
The Atkins regime contains very low portions of carbohydrates, most of them deriving from vegetables high in fiber and low in carbs, and unrestricted portions of proteins, including high fat proteins like beef, pork and cheese.
Follow up research on people who have used the Atkins Diet to lose weight show a fast initial weight loss that eventually levels off.
The Atkins diet has many (fanatic) proponents. They point to the facts below saying they were derived from research:
- You can eat more food and lose more weight on a low carbohydrate diet than you can on a low fat diet.
- You crave less food when you eat fewer carbohydrates.
- By eating fewer carbohydrates, people tend to eat fewer calories without counting them.
- The greater the difference between fat and carbohydrate, the greater the weight loss.
In short, limiting carbohydrates intake will most likely also restrict your intake of calories. And by lowering your amount of carbohydrates, you will force your body to turn to fat for energy.
Since its first publication the Atkins diet has provoked heavy debates. The recommendation to diet on high-protein, low-carbohydrate flew in the face of all the dietary recommendations by established medical institutions. The diet was branded as unsafe, especially if used as a long term weight loss plan.
Over the past decade, there have been numerous studies that come down on both sides of the equation. The latest Atkins diet version included the admission that calories do matter. Also the advice to 'eat only enough to satisfy hunger' was included.
Who should use the Atkins Diet?
While the Atkins Diet seems on the surface to be directly counter to what is recommended by most medical institutions, many of the principles are actually the same.
Unless you are under the care of a physician for a chronic medical condition like diabetes, high blood pressure or coronary problems, you can use the Atkins Diet.
Do pay attention to the portions recommended in the many Atikins menus and plans, despite the reassurances that you can 'eat all you want and still lose weight'.
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