1. Good Carbs vs. Bad Carbs
The Atkins diet tries to eliminate carbohydrates from the menu. The truth is that there are good and bad carbohydrates. The good carbs increase energy, reduce blood pressure and lower cholesterol, among many other benefits. Examples of good carb sources are beans, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. The bad carbs come from foods that are refined and processed. Sources of bad carbs include but are not limited to candy, products made with refined white flour, most fast food and sodas. The Atkins diet mistakenly treats all carbohydrates the same.
2. Balance is Key
Balance is the key to healthy living and a proper diet. A diet such as Atkins that completely restricts a portion of a healthy diet leads to more dietary and health problems than solutions. The American Heart Association does not recommend any diet that restricts intake of necessary fuels to the body such as carbohydrates. They found that people who participate in these diets for an extended period might not get enough vitamins and face potential long-term health risks. Please partake in all the food groups in a balanced and judicious manner for optimal dietary health.
3. No Replacement for Exercise
Go for a walk, join a gym, take a dance class or just start moving for a better and healthier body. The Atkins diet is not a replacement for good old-fashioned exercise. The best path to proper and healthy weight loss will always be to exercise and eat healthy foods like fruits and vegetables in moderation. Exercise creates muscle mass and muscles burn fat twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. According to fitness expert Pete Sisco, adding ten pounds of muscle will burn sixty-two pounds of fat per year.
4. Weight Loss Mirage
A significant portion of weight loss on the Atkins diet is loss of fluids due to its dietary restrictions. Moreover, when a person returns to his normal eating patterns, that fluid lost on the Atkins diet will quickly return, negating the apparent weight loss.
5. Slowing Metabolism
The Atkins diet can actually slow metabolism, which is the rate at which our body burns fat, according to the American Diabetic Association, and can disrupt and slow our body's normal metabolic rate. According to the ADA, the body needs a minimum of 150 grams of carbohydrates a day to maintain a normal metabolic rate.
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