The Atkins diet has been criticized by many healthcare professionals, which caused many dieters to stay away from this popular low-carb eating plan. However, any diet plan, whether it is a low-carb diet or a low-fat diet, can lead to similar result after a year, as demonstrated in a study published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" in January 2005. Therefore, if you want to successfully lose weight, you need to pick the diet plan that will work best for you, depending on your own tastes, preferences and lifestyle.
Atkins Program
Atkins is divided into four phases. The first one consists in the induction phase, when carbs are restricted to 20g of net carbs a day. Net carbs refer to the amount of carbohydrates in a food after its fiber content has been subtracted. The objective of the induction phase is to jumpstart your weight loss by helping your body switch more rapidly from using carbs to burning fat. The second phase, called the ongoing weight loss phase, aims at finding the optimal amount of carbs that will allow you to continue losing weight while giving you a little bit more flexibility by gradually increasing your daily carb intake by 5g each week. The third phase is the pre-maintenance phase and is conducted when you are about 10 lbs away from your goal. It aims at slowing down your weight loss by increasing your daily carb intake by 10g each week until you find the right amount of carbs that works for you. Finally, during the fourth phase, called the maintenance phase, you continue eating your own optimal amount of carbs found in the third phase to help you stay within 5 lbs of your target weight, although some adjustments may sometimes be required as your physical activity level or age change.
Atkins Meals
Following the Atkins diet means eating meals that are quite different from the typical American meals, especially in the first phases when the daily carb intake is restricted more severely. For example, a meal during the induction phase will be based on an adequate amount of protein from fish, chicken, meat, eggs or cheese, accompanied or prepared with fats, such as avocado, olive oil, butter or coconut oil. Non-starchy vegetables can be consumed in controlled portions, but any grains, starchy vegetables, fruits, sugar and sweetened beverages need to be avoided. As you progress with the Atkins program, you will be able to add a little bit more carbohydrate-rich foods each week, slowly introducing larger amounts of non-starchy vegetables, some fruits and even grains in small quantities.
Atkins and Side Effects
The first phase of the Atkins diet can cause side effects to some dieters as the body adapts to burning fat instead of using carbs and sugar for energy. Dehydration and constipation are common side effects of the Atkins diet. Dehydration can occur because of the diuretic effect of low-carb diets, especially at the beginning, as your body get rid of the excess water accumulated in your body and is usually accompanied with dizziness and fatigue. Taking in enough fluids and adding a bit of salt to your diet can help avoid these symptoms. As for constipation, it usually is the result of the reduced fiber intake following the elimination of grains and fruits. To prevent this problem and other related gastrointestinal problems, it is recommended to drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water daily. In addition, being active and adding some extra fiber from ground flax seeds or wheat bran can help.
Atkins and Health
Many critics of the Atkins diet claim that eating this way is dangerous for your heart health because of the higher total and saturated fat intake. However, many studies comparing low-carb diets, such as the Atkins diet, to low-fat diets have shown that following a low-carb diet could actually result in significant improvement in their cardiovascular risk profile. For example, a study published in 2004 in the "Annals of Internal Medicine" showed that the low-carb group had higher levels of good HDL cholesterol and lower triglycerides levels after 24 weeks when compared to the low-fat group.
References
- Atkins: The Program
- MayoClinic.com: Low-Carb Diet
- Medical News Today: What Is Ketosis? What Causes Ketosis?
- Annals of Internal Medicine: A Low-Carbohydrate, Ketogenic Diet versus a Low-Fat Diet To Treat Obesity and Hyperlipidemia
- Journal of the American Medical Association: Comparison of the Atkins, Zone, Ornish, and LEARN Diets for Change in Weight and Related Risk Factors Among Overweight Premenopausal Women
Member Comments