The New Atkins Diet

The original Atkins diet, developed by Dr. Robert C. Atkins in the 1970s, started a low-carbohydrate diet trend that is still popular today. After nearly four decades, "The New Atkins for a New You: The Ultimate Diet for Shedding Weight and Feeling Great" provides additional information and clarification for today's dieters. Reworked by three medical doctors, the new version of the Atkins diet emphasizes more flexibility and is now "better than ever," according to the "New York Daily News." Visit with your doctor before starting any new diet.

Revision and Update

Medical doctors Eric Westman, Stephen Phinney and Jeff Volek collaborated on revising the Atkins diet to make it more flexible and to support the inclusion of more vegetables. Dr. Westman, a Duke University professor, tells the "New York Daily News" that the new Atkins diet "includes all the updates in science," and that they've added a "whole new element of flexibility."

Support and Criticism

Since Dr. Atkins published the first version of his revolutionary diet, it has attracted its share of staunch fans as well as critics. Because the new Atkins diet is still based on low-carbs and high fat and protein, it still draws criticism that it's unhealthy. Dr. Volek, a University of Connecticut professor, disputes the idea that fats are always bad for you. Volek tells HealthAndFitnessTimes.com that fat is a more stable energy source than carbohydrates, which increase the need for insulin. Because the carbs are reduced, insulin levels are lower and fat burns more easily.

Function

Like the original diet, the new Atkins diet features four diet phases, including an induction phase, an ongoing weight loss phase, a pre-maintenance phase and a lifetime maintenance phase. The diet depends upon restricting carbohydrates and eating foods that contain protein and natural fats. Dieters do not eat sugary treats.

Net Carbs

The new Atkins diet teaches the dieter how to figure the amount of net carbs in foods. Dr. Westman explains how many Atkins dieters shun vegetables because they looked at the total carb count, which is often higher than the net carbs. To arrive at the net carbs, the number of grams of fiber in a food is subtracted from the number of carbohydrate grams, leaving only the net carbs, which count toward the dieter's total carb limit for each day.

Salt

Salt is restricted on many diets, but Dr. Stephen Phinney, a UC Davis School of Medicine professor, tells "The Sacramento Bee" that adding a small amount of salt in the diet may help the Atkins dieter feel better during the first few weeks of the diet. Dr. Phinney explains that a low-carb diet reduces the amount of salt retained by the kidneys, which can make you feel lousy until you adapt. By adding up to 2 g of salt per day, the New Atkins diet may be easier to follow.