The Atkins Diet

In recent years, the Atkins Diet has gained a great deal of popularity.  The diet is based upon the idea that the root of weight problems lies in over consumption of carbohydrates.  In other words, according to Atkins, you gain weight because of the method in which the body processes carbohydrates, not how much fat you consume. 

A number of individuals who are overweight may be insulin-resistant, meaning that the cells that convert carbohydrates into glucose do not function correctly.  It should be noted, however, that some medical experts dispute this idea, saying that not everyone who has a weight problem is insulin-resistant. 

With Atkins, you trade in processed, pre-packaged junk food such as cookies and sodas and embrace high-protein foods instead.  In this way, you can cut your consumption of carbohydrates, leading to weight loss.   Atkins recommends reducing your carbohydrate intake to less than 40 grams each day, thereby initiating a process known as ketosis.  In this state, the body burns fat as fuel and prevents additional fat from being formed.  Atkins claims that, once you begin ketosis, your carb cravings will lessen and you will no longer be missing junk food.  

If you follow Atkins, you’ll be passing through four stages:  Induction, Ongoing Weight Loss, Pre-maintenance, and Maintenance.  The Induction stage consists of the first 14 days of the plan, when you can lose up to 15 pounds (usually fluid).  You will lose weight quickly because your carb intake is limited to 20 grams a day. You will also be limited in the types of carbs you can consume.  For instance, you can only partake of low-carb veggies such as broccoli and lettuce.   In the Ongoing Weight Loss stage, you can heighten your carb intake by five grams, while, during the Pre-maintenance stage, you can expect your weight loss to taper off a bit.  After you have achieved your ideal weight, you begin the Maintenance stage in which you can begin eating some carbohydrates such as whole wheat bread again.  

  
A 2000 article in U.S. News and World Report suggested that Atkins is the most severe diet in the high-protein, low-carb line of meal plans.  Also, if you don’t particularly care for meat, you might have difficulty sticking with the program.  You may also find the diet to be too rich for your tastes.

Before beginning Atkins, there are a few key facts you should know.  For instance, the diet is nothing new—it was first published in the early ‘70s, and its safety was questioned by the American Medical Association.  One of the advantages to the Atkins plan is that exercise is recommended, which means that the program promotes healthy lifestyle changes.  Still, once you have lost weight with Atkins, you cannot return to eating carbs freely.  

Nevertheless, some medical experts say that, if you lose weight with Atkins, it is due to the fact that you are cutting calories—not because you’re bypassing certain foods.  Atkins is not recommended for people with kidney disease or diabetes, or women who are pregnant.