The Atkins diet is based on the ketogenic principle, a condition that occurs when your carbohydrate consumption is so low that your body doesn't have enough glucose to trigger the release the insulin. According to Atkins, insulin leads to weight gain, so by limiting its production, you should lose weight. When you don't eat enough carbohydrates, your body uses fat as an energy source, increasing weight loss.
Eliminate Carbs
The Atkins Diet starts with a two-week period known as induction phase. During these two weeks, you cut down your carbohydrate intake to 20 g or less per day. This means eliminating all grains, starchy vegetables, fruits and fruits juices, nuts, beans and all dairy products, except for some cheeses. After the first phase you move to phase two, in which you introduce nuts and seeds, berries and tomato and lime juice. Legumes, a few other fruits, starchy vegetables and a few grains, such as brown rice and oatmeal, can be reintroduced in phase three. Many carbs, including sweets, juices, bread and baked goods must be avoided completely.
Increase Protein Intake
Atkins is all about protein -- eat as much as you want, any time you want and lose weight. Since vegetable proteins such as beans and tofu contain some carbs, Atkins is not a very vegetarian-friendly diet; instead, the diet advocates eating lots of meat, eggs, cheese and fats such as mayonnaise and butter. Proteins high in fat, such as bacon, are also acceptable.
Don't Worry About Calorie Counting
With Atkins, you don't need to count calories or grams of fat. This means that as long as you are staying away from the forbidden foods, you can eat until you feel full, without worrying about quantities. If you eat processed foods, you will need to count carbohydrates, as they can be part of seemingly innocent food such as sauces, salad dressing and canned foods. If you cook most of your food at home and use few add-ons, eliminating grains, fruits and starchy vegetables is likely to be enough to get rid of most of the carbs on your diet.
Other Recommendations
Atkins includes a few basic recommendations that should be followed for success. For example, the official website recommends taking a multivitamin and a fish oil or omega-3 fatty acid supplement. The diet also requires you to eat regularly throughout the day, without skipping meals. This helps control hunger and stabilize blood sugar, so you don't experience cravings.
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