The Atkins Diet, notoriously known for its low-carbohydrate intake, can be a quick solution for losing weight. Yet unwanted side effects may accompany the rapid weight loss, leaving you sleepy, lethargic and fatigued. Before embarking on the diet, determine what goals you're working towards, and if weight loss is one of them, consider taking a tried-and-true, well-balanced approach.
The Atkins Diet
The Atkins Diet, created by Dr. Robert C. Atkins, is a high-fat, high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet. It consists of four phases. The first phase, dubbed the "induction phase," is where you can lose up to 15 pounds in two weeks, according to the Atkins website. It begins by allowing a mere 20 g of carbs a day for two weeks straight. This is when your body switches over to burning energy from fat instead of carbohydrates. The second and third phases slowly add more carbohydrates into your diet, until you determine the proper amount of carbs your body needs to maintain the weight you would like. The fourth phase is where you commit to this carb intake for the rest of your lifetime.
Considerations
The Atkins Diet is controversial. Allowing only 20 g of carbs a day is many steps away from the 250 g the average person needs per day on a 2,000-calorie diet. Good carbohydrates, also known as complex carbs, consist of whole grains, veggies and oatmeal. These types of carbs provide enough fiber to keep your gastrointestinal tract healthy as well as protect you against heart disease and cancer. Carbs are the fuel source that keeps your body running. They provide glucose, which helps your muscles, brain and central nervous system function.
Science and Benefits
Carbohydrates, when eaten in moderation and not full of sugar, are a nutritious, necessary part of your diet. By cutting carbs, Dr. Atkins claims that your body turns from a carb-burning machine into a fat-burning machine, causing you to lose weight and improve many weight-related issues. The Atkins website actually claims that this diet approach provides a more balanced energy level, void of cravings and hunger.
Sleepiness
While Dr. Atkins may claim higher energy levels and metabolism, a 2008 study at the University of Sydney suggests otherwise. The study followed a group of people on the Atkins Diet and a control group on a mixed diet. Those on Atkins logged a much higher report of daytime sleepiness, depressed mood and fatigue, due to mild hypoglycemia occurring from the diet. Another study in Sydney suggests that dieters often have two and a half times more dreams than non-dieters, many of them being bad or unpleasant. The researcher of this 2006 study, Chin Moi Chow, also reported that unwanted side effects of the Atkins Diet included "a slow start to the day, being tired or sleepy during the day, irritability, craving sugar, difficulty with concentration and making decisions."
Conclusion
The American Heart Association does not recommend high-protein diets as a route for weight loss. To lose weight, keep it off, avoid sleepiness and keep your daytime energy levels up, AHA recommends a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables, monitoring portion sizes and knowing the right amount of calories for your body per day.
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