How Atkins Diet Help In Losing Weight

Atkins Diet is a system that enables our body to lose weight in a natural way by inducing a change in metabolism. Our body is capable of burning both fat and carbohydrates to provide the energy required to function properly. Carbohydrate, in the form of glucose, is the first fuel used to provide energy to our body. Dr Atkins suggests that when we reduce our intake of carbohydrates significantly, our body convert from burning carbohydrates to burning fat as fuel. This process is known as lipolysis. The secondary result of this process is ketosis. When fat is burned for fuel, ketones are released through the breath and urine, and their quantities can be measured with ketone strips. This is how we lose weight through Atkins Diet Plan. Dr Atkins also says that ketosis will affect insulin production which will prevent more fat from being formed. Once we enter ketosis, our body begins efficiently using the fat as fuel and our cravings for carbohydrate will subside.

Atkins Diet Plan

Atkins Diet plan is based around four important phases. Each individual phase allows you to knowledgeably select which foods to eat based on your need to achieve weight loss, enjoy good health and prevent disease. Food selections will differ to varying degrees depending upon the phase you are in and your individual metabolism. In phase one (Atkins Diet Induction Phase), carbohydrate consumption is restricted to 20 grams per day. Most carbohydrate can be obtained from salad and other non-starchy vegetables. In Atkins Diet phase two (Ongoing Weight Loss) you add carbohydrate, in the form of nutrient-dense and fibre-rich foods, by increasing to 25 grams daily the first week, 30 grams daily the next week and so on until your weight loss stops. Then subtract 5 grams of carbohydrate from your daily intake so that you continue sustained, moderate weight loss. Atkins Diet Phase three's (Pre-Maintenance) objective is to make the transition from weight loss to weight maintenance by increasing the daily carbohydrate intake in 10-gram increments each week so long as very gradual weight loss is maintained. And the Atkins Diet final phase (Lifetime Maintenance) is the foundation for a lifetime of better health. In this phase you can select from a wide variety of foods while controlling carbohydrate intake to ensure weight maintenance and a sense of well-being.

History of Atkins Diet

Since its first debut in 1972, millions of people have won their battle with obesity and heart disease through Dr Atkins Diet Plan. According to Dr Atkins the diet is also good for managing many health disorders including headaches, blood sugar disorders, slow or sluggish metabolism, food intolerance's, allergies, and many other health problems. Although the main reason why people turn to Atkins Diet is because it provides fast weight loss, many with high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes and polycystic ovarian syndrome had reported that they feel more energetic than they have had in years after one week on Atkins Diet.

While medical experts were recommending low fat, high carbohydrate diets, Dr Atkins suggested people who wanted to lose weight should do the exact opposite. The latest Atkins Diet concept "The New Atkins for a New You" has been revamped to allows dieters to eat more vegetables than the original version. But the diet's original ideal that carbohydrates are the one that makes us fat remain unchanged. Dr Atkins diet philosophy was that up to two thirds of calories could come from fat - more than double the usual recommendation - and people should eat meats and cheeses rather than breads, pastas, and even fruits and vegetables. Instead of carbohydrate and sugar, Atkins Diet Plan highly recommends plenty of fat and protein. The diet specifically recommends animal proteins; therefore vegetarians and vegans will have a hard time following the diet.