The Atkins Diet program is based on eating foods low in carbohydrates. The program has four phases: The Induction phase, which lasts two weeks and your net carbohydrate intake is reduced to 15 g or less; Phase 2, where you add more carbs; Pre-Maintenance, which brings you within 10 lbs. of goal weight; and Maintenance. While the Atkins Diet has its advantages, consult your doctor before staring any weight loss program.
No Calorie Counting
The Atkins Diet does not require you to count calories. Portions are not critical, either. What the plan does require is keeping track of the net carbohydrates you consume. The Atkins Diet plan works on the premise that carbohydrates increase your blood sugar level, which increase your insulin levels, which may lead to weight gain and cardiovascular problems. Reducing your carb intake requires you to keep track of the number of net carbs you eat. Net carbs are calculated as the total grams of carbs in a particular portion of food, minus its total grams of fiber, equals its total carb content, or net carbs.
Quick and Higher Weight Loss
The controlled intake of carbohydrates may allow a quicker weight loss, resulting in more weight being lost, claims the Atkins program. The diet is designed to burn fat stores. It may also assist in regulating insulin levels and keeping hunger at bay by providing satiety sooner and for longer. Once you reach your goal weight, you find the number of carbs you need to maintain that weight, and stick to that number. In a 2007 study published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association," which compared four popular diet plans, findings concluded that over 12 weeks, the Atkins plan resulted in the highest weight loss.
Grocery Food
Although the Atkins franchise offers ready-to-eat snacks and shakes, the food you eat is right off the grocery shelf and out of your refrigerator. You don't have to buy special foods, and you can also feed your family with the foods, with little or no substitution. Low-carb foods, such as cold meats, salads and crudites can go easily in your lunch bag with little fuss, or extra time in the kitchen.
Possible Positive Health Effects
Some women affected by polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition that makes weight loss challenging, find that following a low-carb diet, such as the Atkins plan, may help them reduce weight, notes the University of Chicago Medical Center. Also, a 2003 critique in the "Journal of the American College of Cardiology" states that a low-carb, high-protein diet may be beneficial if you're obese or have high cholesterol, metabolic syndrome or Type 2 diabetes.
References
- Atkins: Home
- MayoClinic.com; Atkins Diet: What's Behind the Claims?; Jul. 16, 2009
- "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: The A to Z Weight Loss Study: A Randomized Trial; C.D.Gardner, et al.; March 2007
- University of Chicago Medical Center: PCOS Treatment
- "Journal of the American College of Cardiology"; The Diet--heart Hypothesis: A Critique; Sylvan Lee Weinberg; October 2003
Member Comments