It has been reported on most news channels that obesity is becoming a huge problem in the United States and other countries. People are not exercising enough and many are looking for diets that can produce weight loss very quickly. It should be pointed out that most doctors recommend a well balanced diet coupled with regular exercise involving the cardiovascular system. Obesity is being reported to be the cause of many health problems. Among them are sleep apnea, heart problems, circulation problems, depression, diabetes and many more. Proper dieting should not involve the avoidance of food and starvation. The body requires certain nutrients that are essential for overall health and longevity. A controlled carbohydrate diet is more advised in order not to deprive the body of the nutrients it requires.
The Atkins diet is essentially a diet that involves the intake of a low number of carbohydrates under controlled conditions. The Atkins diet was invented by Dr. Robert Atkins. He first unveiled his diet in the ’70s but it did not become popular until the 80’s. That was when he released his book called “Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution.” It was a best seller and people still use this diet today with amazing results. I personally lost over 70 pounds in about 7 months on a modified version of this diet. After his book was available to the public, millions made the choice to use his Atkins Diet Plan. That is how it came into its own as a one of the diets that works.
So, what is the Atkins diet all about? The Atkins diet involves a consumption of a low amount of carbohydrates and a high amount of protein. Meats, eggs and cheese are the main protein foods that it promotes as protein. The main carbohydrates that a person on the Atkins Diet has to cut down on or avoid are ones such as bread and rice.
The whole essence of this diet is to drive the body into a state of ketosis. Dr. Atkins reported that this forces the body to digest fat for energy. Body fat is reduced by this and the subsiding of fat deposits. Weight loss is achieved as the desired result. It was my experience that a distinct odor could be noticed on my breath during ketosis and also urine secretions were of a different color and with a slight odor also.
So, what are the advantages of the Atkins Diet?
1. You lose the weight that you desire.
2. You are not hungry in between meals once well into the diet.
3. According to Dr. Atkins a constant sugar level can be maintained.
4. Toxins are removed from the body.
It is recommended that you consult your doctor before starting on the Atkins Diet or following any diet guides available on the subject. Exercise is a part of this diet and people with the following problems/conditions have been advised not to use the Atkins Diet.
1. Kidney Problems
2. Pregnant Women
3. Diabetes
There are different phases involved with the Atkins Diet. It is said that in the 1st fourteen days of the diet, you should lose as much as fifteen pounds. You will be eating no more than 20 grams of carbs per day during this phase. In stage 2 of the diet a person would consume only up to 5 grams per day. Once one is well into the diet, one can introduce foods such as vegetables to see if it adds to your body weight or not. Once the weight desired has been achieved, the dieter can gradually introduce more carbs such as bread (being careful to monitor weight gain or loss upon each carb introduction). The idea is to maintain the desired weight and gradually add back foods high in nutrients that the body needs without stimulating weight gain. A person has to follow the diet plan almost exactly for it to work well for most individuals. There are many diet guides on the market.
These are the basics and it is recommended that you do further research before starting the Atkins Diet.
By: John Bennett
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