What Is The Atkins Diet? What Are The Benefits Of The Atkins Diet?

The Atkins Diet 

The Atkins Diet is a low carbohydrate lifestyle, it was the first low carb weight loss program created by Dr. Robert Atkins, an American cardiologist. The Atkins Diet restricts carbohydrates while emphasizing protein and fats.

The purpose of the Atkins Diet is to change your eating habits to help you lose weight and keep it off. The Atkins Diet also says it's a healthy lifelong approach to eating, whether you want to lose weight, boost your energy or help improve certain health problems, such as high blood pressure or metabolic syndrome.

The Atkins Diet has several phases for weight loss and maintenance, starting out with a very low carbohydrate eating plan.

Phases of the Atkins Diet:

1. Induction: Calorie consumption from carbs limited to 20 grams each day. Carb sources are mainly from salad and vegetables which are low in starch.
2. OWL (Ongoing Weight Loss): Carbs are slowly added back into the diet, weight loss continues at a slower rate while discovering which foods work for your body.
3. Pre-Maintenance: Increase your carb intake by 10 grams each week until your weight loss is very gradual.
4. Lifetime Maintenance: You are at goal weight with the knowledge of what foods you can / cant eat. Continue on this WOE/WOL (Way-of-Eating/Way-of-Life).

Benefit of Atkins Diets:

The Atkins Diet can prevent or improve serious health conditions, such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. In fact, almost any diet that helps you shed excess weight can reduce or even reverse risks factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. And most weight-loss diets — not just low-carb diets — may improve blood cholesterol or blood sugar levels, at least temporarily. One study showed that people who followed Atkins had improved triglycerides, suggesting better heart health. But there have been no major studies to show whether such benefits hold up for the long term or increase how long you live.

Side Effects:

The Atkins Diet acknowledges that drastically cutting carbs in the early phase of the program can result in some side effects, including:

•     Headache
•     Dizziness
•     Weakness
•     Fatigue
•     Constipation

The Atkins Diet isn't appropriate for everyone. For example, people with severe kidney disease should not follow the diet. It also cautions that the weight-loss phases of the diet aren't suitable for women who are pregnant or breast feeding. Consult your doctor before starting the diet, especially if you have diabetes or gout or take diuretics, insulin or oral diabetes medications.