How Does the Atkins Diet Work?

The Atkins diet was created in the 1970’s by cardiologist, Dr. Robert Atkins and was developed to help heart patients shed pounds quickly in an effort to improve their overall health and quality of life.

Working on the premise that carbohydrates make you fat, Dr. Atkins set out to develop a low-carb diet plan high in proteins that would eliminate intake of almost all carbohydrates. Dr. Atkins firmly believed that by depriving the body of carbohydrates, patients could achieve accelerated fat burn and weight loss.

Dr. Atkins achieved success with patient after patient eventually sparking a widespread program known as the Atkins Diet Revolution.

The Atkins diet is a distinct four-phase weight loss program where dieters are encouraged to eat high protein foods such as meat including fish and poultry, nuts, eggs, creams and oils as well as rich dairy products high in fat such cheese and butter. At the same time dieters are discouraged from eating carbohydrates with extreme limitations on foods such as bread, beans and grains, vegetables, sugar in any form, and fruits.

First Phase - Induction

The induction phase is the most restrictive of all four and lasts for two weeks. The key role of the induction phase is to send the body into a state of ketosis. Ketosis is a metabolic state whereby the body rapidly turns fat into fatty acids and ketone bodies that the body then uses as a source of energy. Foods allowed during the induction phase include an unlimited amount of meat, seafood, eggs, and low carbohydrate vegetables. Hydration of the body is crucial to the success of this phase. Drinking eight glasses of water is required per day, avoiding caffeine and alcohol. Weight losses of up to 10 pounds per week are common during the induction phase.

Second Phase – Ongoing Weight Loss, (OWL for short)

The OWL phase allows for an increase in carbohydrates as long as weight loss is still occurring and lasts until you are within ten pounds of your goal weight. During this phase, you are introduced to the carbohydrate ladder and learn how to gradually add foods to your diet from each ladder rung in the appropriate order. You will also start to understand how the glycemic content of foods control cravings.

Carbohydrate Ladder:

· Induction Vegetables

· Dairy

· Nuts

· Berries

· Alcohol

· Legumes

· Other Fruits

· Starchy Vegetables

· Grains

Third Phase – Pre-Maintenance

The pre-maintenance phase, designed to prepare you for long-term weight maintenance. Carbohydrate levels are increased again a little per week until you reach the critical carbohydrate level for maintenance, which is the maximum number of carbohydrates you can consume without gaining any weight.

Fourth Phase – Lifetime Maintenance

The lifetime maintenance phase, meant to carry you throughout life helping to maintain your weight without reverting to old habits that would only serve to pack the pounds back on. Should you have a problem with weight gain, you should go back to previous phases until you have returned to your goal weight.

Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • Bumpzee
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Furl
  • Mixx
  • NewsVine
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • YahooMyWeb
  • Google

    Subscribe

  • Admin

    Atkins News
    'New' Atkins diet review from two experts - Ale...
    About.com: Health
    'New' Atkins diet review from two experts
    Alexandria Town Talk
    I wouldn't put kids on the Atkins diet." Gary Foster, director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University in Philadelphia and the ...
    Dieting by DNA? Popular diets work...

    Digesting the facts on the 'New Atkins' low-car...
    The Jacksonville Observer
    Digesting the facts on the 'New Atkins' low-carb diet
    USA Today
    By Sara D. Davis for USA TODAY By Nanci Hellmich, USA TODAY The Atkins diet has changed little since 1972, slashing carbohydrates such as pasta and potatoes ...
    Switch to 'New Atkins' Lo...

    Dietary Fat and Prostate Cancer Risk - Renal an...
    Renal and Urology News
    Dietary Fat and Prostate Cancer Risk
    Renal and Urology News
    People have actually gone on [high-fat] Atkins diets and don't raise their cholesterol levels at all. If anything, they tend to lower their bad cholesterol ...

    and more »

  • Blogroll