If you’ve tried losing weight before, then you’ve probably heard of or read about the Atkins Diet. This diet has been around for quite a while now, and there are people who love it and others who hate it. Which side should you be on? Perhaps the details below can help you decide.
What is the Atkins Diet?
The Atkins Diet is a low-carbohydrate diet that has four phases: the induction phase, the ongoing weight loss phase, the pre-maintenance phase, and the lifetime maintenance phase.
- The induction phase focuses on getting the body into the ketosis state (which will be explained later) by limiting carbohydrates to less than 20 grams a day, with about 15 grams of those carbs coming from fruit or vegetable sources. This phase lasts for two weeks.
- The ongoing weight loss phase is similar to the induction phase, but at this phase the dieter can slightly increase their carbohydrate intake to a certain level.
- The last two phases prepare the dieter for a more “normal” diet that they can keep up forever, but encourages dieters to keep their carb intake to a certain level and to eat more unprocessed foods.
The Concept Behind the Atkins Diet
The Atkins diet is rooted in the concept that a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet sends the body into a ketosis mode, where the body uses ketone bodies produced from fat as a source of energy due to the lack of glucose. This results in fat loss.
Atkins Diet advocates also claim that this diet is one of the few that does not involve being hungry, as dieters are allowed to eat adequate protein, fiber, and fat to stay satisfied.
The Effectiveness of the Atkins Diet
Most people will lose weight on the Atkins diet, and some will even be able to break some of the carbohydrate addictions they have (pasta, bread, pastries, sugar). The Atkins diet does teach dieters to choose proper foods to eat, which can lead to long-term success if dieters can maintain their clean and healthy eating habits.
However, some experts say that the Atkins diet does not promote a balanced diet, and that severely restricting carbohydrates will only set many people up for failure once they go back on a regular diet.
Before you go on any diet, it’s important to assess whether the diet suits you as an individual. The Atkins diet is suitable for those who want to break a sugar or carb addiction, those who love protein-based meals, and those who are willing to restrict their carbs to a healthy amount as long as they live. If you are in any of these categories, then you will probably benefit from trying this diet.
