Atkins Diet
Dr. Robert Atkins first wrote about the Atkins diet in the 1970s, in his book The New Diet Revolution. Over recent years, the Atkins diet plan has become one of the most popular diet plans – with Time Magazine naming it “The most popular diet program”.
Food manufacturers quickly formulated low-carb food products, but during 2004 the diet rapidly fell out of favor. However it will always remain a very useful diet for many people.
In response to the negative press some aspects of the Atkins program received, the people at Atkins have revamped their program for 2010 so that it lines up with a healthier way of eating called “The New Atkins for a New You.” See how it has changed below.
Original Atkins Diet
Atkins has four phases – all with a carefully controlled level of carbohydrate intake.
Phase 1
The restrictive induction phases lasts for a minimum of two weeks and calls for a maximum of 20 grams of carbohydrate intake (no starchy vegetables, fruits, grains, bread).
Weight loss on the Atkins diet is based on the process of Ketosis:
“First, the main source of energy for our bodies is carbohydrates. When we have fewer carbs in our body, it must look elsewhere for another source of energy. Next in line is stored body fat. So reducing carbs forces the body to burn fat. This process is called Ketosis. Secondly, carbs stimulate the creation of insulin. Insulin is what converts excess carbs to fat. So when you have less carbs you have less insulin and therefore create less new fat.”
Phase 2
The Ongoing Weight Loss phase involves adding more fibrous vegetables (carbohydrates) until the “Critical Carbohydrate Level for Losing” is reached. The small increases in carbohydrates are carefully managed on a week-by-week basis.
Phase 3 and 4
These phases are maintenance phases – where carbohydrate intake can be increased – but only until the point that weight is maintained (Critical Carbohydrate Level for Maintenance). Any food that may lead to weight gain should be avoided.
Atkins recommends choosing unrefined or unprocessed carbohydrates.
The New Atkins
The New Atkins For a New You is designed to reflect a greater emphasis on healthy, nutritionally dense foods along with portion control. Atkins has recently strengthened their online diet program and is in the process of making their services international.
The New Atkins for a New You differs from the original in the following ways:
- More of an emphasis on wholesome foods.
- Stresses the importance of healthy fats.
- More focused on nutrition from fresh vegetables, lean protein, fruits, and whole grains.
- More flexible to appeal to people with busy lifestyles.
- More emphasis on portion and Calorie control.
- Special attention given to those who are diabetic as well as vegetarians.
- More emphasis on being active and exercise.
Pros
- Many have experienced success following the Atkins Plan.
- Quick results can be experienced.
- Many restaurants have adopted low-carb options on their menus.
- The New Atkins has been adapted to a broader range of dieters with special dietary considerations.
- Many Atkins approved snacks are available in the grocery store.
See our more extensive review of The New Atkins Diet Plan here.
Cons
- One of the most controversial issues with Atkins is that it is high-fat diet. Most government health agencies recommend no more than 30% fat in our diet – yet with Atkins you can easily consume more fat than this. However, the new Atkins has lined up with this percentage and recommends healthy fats.
- One must question how healthy the process of Ketosis is. In the short term it may have the desired effect – but in the long term? Some suggest that certain organs may be overworked to sustain the process of Ketosis.
- Promotion of their own line of processed meals and snacks.
Conclusion
Atkins has been very successful for many people and has resulted in not only significant weight loss – but also health improvement. Many people do find the diet demanding at first and need to make significant behavior modification to get the best out of Atkins. If you are thinking of beginning this diet, we strongly encourage you to research and read as much as possible before beginning the diet and consult with your health professional.
See Also:
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Catt of the Garage- dietitians today are clueless to the real facts about Carbs and Fat (read Good calorie Bad calorie by Taubes). Why? Because they would never have been allowed to graduate if they didn’t comply to the low fat high carb practices thats have been set since the 70′s and has been the cause of obesity and heart disease. Just review the stats since we went Low fat- A total shame. Pity.
Outstanding- The best and healthiest diet. Carbs from GRAINS are the last food you want to consume. Read Gary Taubes- Fat is not the enemy- it is the carbs (and has been proven- fat never was shown to be the cause of health problems, hard to believe but true). If you like Carbs too much- YOU have a major health problem arising in your life- SOON.
I have used this diet before and lost alot of weight (about thirty pounds in four-five months) on it. But after Christmas the year I started, I was “bad” and wasn’t on it and regained everything. I started Jenny Craig and had zero success on it. I’m restarting Atkins with my father. Maybe I’ll post my results.
Good luck all!
I am sorry, but did anyone tried just to practice a sport?
I read these words about how you can loose weight without doing anything, and it is so ridiculous! I don’t know why you should follow a diet when you can practice at least 20 minutes every day or an hour three times a week. and then you can eat everything you like and want. I think that this obsession for diets comes from the fact that all those people are just lazy, and don’t want to work at all. Nothing is coming easy, but you are not torturing yourself with diets,you don’t feel guilty about every product that according to this diet is not permited. Plus you loose weight it’s true, but don’t have muscles at all. You are just a scheleton covered with skin. I don’t think that this is the image that a woman wants. Just practice and eat not more food than the energie you consume.It’s better and for your body, and for your brain, and for your self-esteeme.
I have to speak up here. Somebody above was speaking as if “dietitian” was a made-up term. Dietitians are qualified professionals who train for years to get their title and are properly accredited and registered. “Nutritionist”, on the other hand, is a made-up term. it means nothing, and most ‘nutritionists’ are self-publicising quacks with no real qualifications. I am sorry to put it so strongly but it is true. If you want the truth about nutritional science, don’t read books by ‘nutritionists’, speak to a dietitian, like Lindsay Williams above. Everyone with an interest in dieting, weight loss or health NEEDS to know this.
this is the best diet for those with candida. it is addressed in his book. when i followed it to a “t” not only did i lose 30 pd in a month, my candida and other health problems deminish. while on it i took probotics instead of yogert which is full of sugar.
I love this diet! I am trying to lose 50 pounds and I have tried EVERY diet there is to try. I’m on my 3rd week an have already lost 16 pounds!!!!
Some of you who choose to follow this diet need to see a dietitian to learn more about what you’re doing to your body. As a registered dietitian (RD), I can tell you that low carbohydrate diets, while they may induce quick weight loss, are extremely dangerous for your body to remain on for extended periods of time. It worries me very much that some individuals stick with diets like this for years. Our bodies are built to require carbohydrates, especially for brain functioning. Without them, your body breaks down protein stores (muscle) to provide energy for the brain. This results in ketosis (which is mentioned in the article above). Ketosis is basically a mechanism your body puts to use during bouts of starvation, and is severely damaging to your heart and other vital organs. I wish individuals wanting to lose weight would just see an RD to get the appropriate recommendations. Food and nutrition may not seem that important, but what you eat has an enormous impact on how well your body functions… and how long you live.
I LOVE this diet — the weight comes off quickly – and stays off as long as you don’t go wild. I was on this about 5-1/2 years ago and lost 45 pounds (from 175 to 130) – tried to stay in the induction phase as much as I could. I have regained 30 pounds since then as I didn’t follow it at all. I deserved every one of them pounds. I am back on and just finished week one. My starting weight last week was nearing 160 and I am down over 5 pounds in the first week. I only have 20 more pounds to go! I have recommended this diet to anyone I know that is trying to lose weight. It has worked for everyone — they key is staying with it. You get use to eating like this so it gets better as time goes – (although I do miss my sweets) but nothing tastes as good as thin feels. I know that the loss slows down considerably after the first several weeks but will try different options when that happens. I already see the fat melting away!
OK, the criticisms. Do some research into the role of dietary fat in the body. Don’t just listen to the calorie-count idiots going on about the nine calories a gram–they act like we only burn fat for fuel and use it for nothing else. Also, the cholesterol theory is based on feeding cholesterol to rabbits, which are herbivorous animals. If you dig deep you’ll find that the “science” against high-fat eating and the consumption of cholesterol is nothing but a house of cards. Atkins knocked it down and the establishment will never forgive him. But I notice they’re prescribing low-carb for pre-diabetic and diabetic people now. Hm. Maybe it would make more sense to avoid carb overload BEFORE we go diabetic?
I ran into a site where this “dietician” was claiming that you can’t feel full on Atkins-style eating because you “need fiber” to feel full. Huh. Odd. I get full faster when I eat fat. I stay full for longer, too. Meanwhile, if I eat fiber without fat, I might sort of feel OK immediately but I get hungry again in a hurry. And if you eat too much fiber you’ll block your intestines. If I have any criticism of Atkins at all it’s that the good doctor thought people had to eat lots of fiber to stay regular, but if you eat enough fat, that works too, not to be too crass about it.
Ketosis: If you’re not eating a lot of carb you’ll go into ketosis by definition. It’s what happens when your body’s using fat for fuel, either your own or the stuff you eat. Perfectly normal. Drink enough water and you should be OK. If you think it’s detrimental to “organs” then tell us what those “organs” are. There is no evidence that ketosis damages anything if you drink enough water and don’t have terminal kidney disease. Even when a diabetic is in ketoacidosis, he’s in that state because he has high blood glucose and can’t respond to it, so his body thinks it’s starving and burns fat instead. The ketones are the symptom, not the cause.
I can’t believe people are still ignorant of how to follow this eating plan when they know darned well there is a book that tells you how to do it–or they would know, if they just used Google. Read the book!
The keto diet is a 1:1 calorie ratio of protein and fats. No cheating for 14 days, then a cheat meal once per week of at least 200g carbs. When doing cardio bpm should be between 120-130. Foods should consist of natty PB, extra virgin olive oil, almonds, green veggies (green beans, spinach, broccoli, asparagus, celery), macadamia nut oil, tuna, chicken, whey protein isolate, eggs, metamucil, black coffee, salmon.
If plateauing occurs, adjust the fats down
Training should not vary from offseason training and cardio should be done upon waking and/or PWO.
i hate this diet. its horrible, i gaind 20 pounds on this diet. atkins was an idiot no one try this diet.
This diet does work- i lost 60 lbs in 5months- I even cheated on Saturdays- But remember if you get off track don’t give up just go back on it
I have done Atkins for 4 years now…After having TWINS, I needed a way to loose weight, yet still eat!! I was tired of counting calories and weighing my portions….Atkins worked for me!! If you are in the same boat…wanting to loose and still enjoy food, this is the diet for you. I don’t refer to it as a diet anymore…its a way of life!!! For more support, check out lowcarbfriends.com…lots of ideas…recipes…and support for most any low carb diet plan!!! Good luck for a healthier and skinnier you!!!
I would love to do this diet but i have no idea how to do it. I heard the first 2 weeks cut all your carbs out and then after that slowly add them back in
If i am wrong please say something back to me
I have personally tried the atkins diet and it does make you lose weight. Just remember don’t cheat and you will see results. I have been on the induction diet and lost 18 pounds (yay)
i like carbs too much to follow this diet.
I use to work at the airport and 2 of my friends did the atkin’s diet and lost a lot of weight.For any one who needs proof i can testify to the fact.if you can stick to the diet you will loose the weight.
Atkins is the best diet i have ever tried. I use it here and there when i gain weight throughout the winter months. Everytime, i loose 10 pounds in 2 weeks! there is such a huge controversy over wether or not this diet is healthy.I do not see what is unhealthy about it. I know many nurses and doctors who have lost weight and improved thier health on Atkins. Once you start into induction you don’t crave all the sugar anymore. I think the biggest problem with this diet is the fact that people don’t follow it accurately…sure they say they do, but lets be real here. I have friends who decided to do induction for 3 months at a time. NOT GOOD!! Sure you loose weight, but you are compromising your health at that point… It certainly is not going to kill someone to stop eating Wheat( which was not something we ate years ago anyway) and fruit for 2 weeks. After that you add it back slowly. I also believe that high protien diets work for certain people and not others. I would like to suggest if it didn’t work for you, try Jillian Michaels book..it talks about 3 different types of metabolisms.Mine personally is a higher protien diet. I also eat nuts during induction and cream for my coffee and still burn fat quickly.Alot of people do experience depression on the diet, that is because carbohydrates produce serotonin in the brain.This is the chemical responsible for happy feelings. Women typically experience the depression more than men due to the fact women have less serotonin already.I personally didn’t experience that. I gain more energy! This diet is truly amazing!! The first time i used it was after my 2nd son was born and i lost 40 pounds in 3 months and had more energy then i knew what to do with!I am also huge on exercise to!And if you lift weights while on this diet you see fast results!
now now now… trust me ppl, this diet works wonders. lost 15kg in 3 months!!!!! beats 7 day diet, 3 day diet AND liquid. just give it a shot. least u dnt have to starve!
bein 16 and big, my motivation was obvious! boys! i lost abt 15 kilo’s in 3 months and by prom, a year later, i was below my goal weight and feelin great! its been two years since then, and the weight is still off. make carbs ur enemy, but dnt worry to indulge every nw n then. i dnt!
i have only been on it for 6 days but i have already lost 3.2kg (7 lbs 0.8 oz). all you need to do is stick to it. dont cheat and it will drop off of you. get to the weight you want to be at then maintaine it. and then treat yourself. but just dont go mad. cause it will go back on.but just keep jummping on the scales to check your weight after your treat and if you have gone up a few lbs. then do phase one again till its off, then maintain again.
This diet definitely works, but if you love bread, rice, potatoes, and sweets like me, then it will be a little difficult
i lost 40 lbs in 2 months it was easy to follow and really showed
im trying this diet and i defiantly feel no hunger im calorie counting aswell with the aktins high protien low carb idea and i can say no hunger pangs and no mood swings threw being so hungrey it defiantly numbs your appetite i also find im not so bloated all the time and feel lighter from water retention the aktins shakes r nice but exsepensive good short time havent weighed myself yet but defiantly loseing weight my clothes r looser and no hunger on a low calorie low carb high protien diet give it a try its easy
i love this i came in huge[fat] and came out ver little i lost 100 pounds
On day 7 of Atkins and its the first time in 8 years that I have managed to lose any weight. i had breast cancer 9 years ago and after chemo and radio and tamoxifen I had put on 7 kilos which I just couldnt lose – tried weight watchers and a couple of others. Bought the Atkins book on ebay and have lost 4 kilos already. I dont feel hungry and I like the idea of working out just how much carb you need to maintain your weight and sticking to it – very scientific and practical. So far so good!!!
i love tootsie rolls… and this diet made me hate them. i am now skinnyer than i ever was… thanks!
I did try atkins for 2 months and the results were tremendous. I lost a whopping 21 lbs in 2 weeks. I felt weak and hungry but it payed off seeing that i can wear almost anything and it looked good! The curves were all in the right places. Its kinda hard to STICK TO IT but im going to try my best to do Atkins again before december.