The Atkins Diet and the 3-Day Diet offer different methods for losing weight. The Atkins Diet follows four phases of dieting that claim to help you lose weight by metabolizing fat in your body without the need for counting calories. On the other hand, the 3-Day Diet is a low-calorie fad diet that follows a portion specific diet menu including healthy and unhealthy food choices. As with any new diet, speak to your doctor before starting a program to prevent any health complications.
History
Dr. Robert Atkins introduced the Atkins Diet in the 1960's. The diet was then popularized in the 1970's with the book, "Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution" and further in the 1990's with the book, "Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution." Since the 1960's, the Atkins Diet has been highly controversial because of its low carbohydrate, high protein and high fat weight loss model. The 3-Day Diet has received similar controversy because of it unhealthy food choices, unclear origins and lack of scientific backing. The 3-Day Diet has circulated the Internet for many years under such names as the Cleveland Clinic Diet and the Birmingham Heart Hospital Diet. The diet has no affiliation with either organization.
Features
The basis of the Atkins Diet is a process called ketosis, where your body metabolizes fat to produce energy, rather than metabolizing glucose for energy. Dr. Atkins claims that restricting carbohydrates in your diet encourages weight loss because you expend more calories when you burn fat. The Atkins Diet also promotes exercise in the diet program, while the 3-Day Diet does not incorporate exercise. The 3-Day Diet claims you will lose 10 lbs. during the initial three days because of a low intake of calories, specific food choices and the timing of when you eat.
Phases and Food Choices
The Atkins diet has four phases with different food restrictions and goals. Phase 1 is the introductory phase, and the goal is to burn mostly fat, rather than carbohydrates in the form of glucose. Phase 2 involves gradually increasing carb intake and controlling weight loss. Phase 3 is a pre-maintenance phase and begins when dieters are only 10 lbs. from their goal weights. Dieters introduce new foods during phase 3 and control their weights. Phase 4 is a lifetime-maintenance phase where dieters control their weights and adjust their eating habits over the long-term. Throughout the four phases, dieters gradually increase their food choices and consume such foods as red meat, poultry, eggs, vegetables, oils and limited amounts of non-starchy vegetables. The 3-Day Diet lasts for three days at a time, followed by four days of normal eating. After the four days pass, dieters can choose whether to follow the same dieting format as the previous week or stop dieting. Dieters must eat only specific foods during each day of the three-day diet period; they must also measure out specific portion sizes and eat only at specific times of the day. Some food choices include carrots, broccoli, apples, tuna fish, peanut butter, hot dogs and vanilla ice cream.
Risks
No diet is appropriate for everyone, so you should consult your doctor before beginning any new program. Both the Atkins and 3-Day diets can pose risks to your health. The Atkins Diet generally doesn't provide the nutrients needed for athletes, children, pregnant women and those dealing with health problems, such as kidney disease. MayoClinic.com also notes that some health experts believe that eating a large amount of fat and protein from animal sources, as allowed on the Atkins Diet, can increase your risk of heart disease or some cancers. Similarly, the University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System notes that the 3-Day Diet promotes unhealthy weight loss, high sodium and high amounts of unhealthy fats and cholesterol, which can lead to heart disease.
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