Atkins Diet
The Atkins diet stresses limiting carbohydrates and increasing the use of protein rich foods. It has sometimes been unfairly called an “all cheeseburgers, no vegetables” plan.
The Atkins diet plan is made up of four phases:
- Induction or first phase
- phase 2 or ongoing weight loss
- phase 3 pre-maintenance
- phase 4 post-maintenance.
The induction phase of the Atkins diet is the most restrictive as far as carbohydrates are concerned, but this period lasts for only two weeks. As the diet moves into the second and ongoing phases more carbohydrates are allowed so that within 6 months you will probably be eating a more normal amount of carbohydrates. However, the Adkins diet counsels you to avoid certain carbohydrate foods like white bread, white potatoes, and white rice, forever.
While most diets make consuming fat a major issue, the Atkins diet helps you understand that fat is not just a sign of overweight, but that it is a reserve energy or back up fuel system. The body burns both fats and carbohydrates to provide energy. Dr. Atkins premise is that by reducing our intake of carbohydrates significantly, our body will convert from burning carbohydrates to using fat as fuel.
Atkins diet emphasizes eating more meats and cheeses than breads and pasta and even fruits and vegetables. The diet specifically recommends animal protein, thus making this a very difficult diet for vegetarians. The unlimited amount of most meats and fats allowed (actually required) is what has made the Atkins Diet appealing to a great many people.
Though the Atkins diet allows you to pick and chose the foods you eat, you will need some knowledge about how to determine how many grams of carbohydrate are in the carbohydrate foods you choose and careful measurement of quantity is necessary.
There seem to be four main benefits to the Atkins diet.
- weight loss—when carbohydrates are cut the body converts to burning fat which results in losing weight
- weight maintenance—the Atkins diet plan gradually increases carbohydrates to the point where you no longer lose weight but, also don’t begin to gain again
- good health—Atkins dieters eat nutrition-rich foods and use nutritional supplements as needed
- disease prevention—lowering carbohydrates may help prevent diseases like diabetes by lowering insulin production
For the most part the amount of foods you eat are unrestricted on the Atkins Diet, although it is not likely you would be overeating because cravings are reduced and protein-rich and high-fat foods are more filling
Nutritionists and the medical community are still concerned that the
Atkins diet may be only a temporary fix for permanent weight loss because the severe restriction of carbohydrates may be hard for most people to maintain. Some concern has also been voiced over the long term health effects. But while leading diet experts continue to criticize the Atkins diet calling it just another fad diet, recent small-scale studies suggest that the Atkins diet may be less harmful and more beneficial than was previously thought. And there are more long-term studies underway to determine if this is true.
In the end, deciding to go on a diet, including the Atkins diet plan, is a personal decision. And, as is the case with any radical change in diet, it's a good idea to first discuss this with your physician.