Atkins Diet

The theory behind the hugely popular Atkins Diet is that your body uses both carbohydrates (starches and sugars) and fat as its main energy source, therefore the cutting down of carbohydrates will result you burning off fat and losing weight. The diet plan recommends a lot of meat eating with salads and helps cut out cravings and snackings.

Pros Cons
  • Eat as much fat and protein as you wish
  • Increase in protein – decrease in food cravings
  • Feel fuller for longer
  • Weight loss
  • Easy to follow
  • Not suitable for vegetarians
  • Limits carb intake - may cause dehydration & fatigue
  • Lack of important nutrients
  • Not suitable for anyone with diabetes, heart, or kidney problems
  • Increased risk of heart disease


Daily Meal Plan

Breakfast: Fried egg with bacon and cup of decaff coffee with single cream.

Lunch: Chicken breast with melted mozzarella with mixed lettuce leaves and olive oil.

Snack: 2 slices ham

Dinner: 8oz pan-fried rump steak with spinach and soured cream


Phase I: Induction

During the Induction phase, you reduce your consumption of carbohydrates to 20 grams per day, and eliminate simple sugars and unrefined grains. (By way of comparison, a medium apple contains about 20 grams of carbohydrates.) You compensate for the loss of carbohydrates by eating more protein.

Phase II: Ongoing Weight Loss

n Phase II, you begin to add carbohydrates back into your diet eating 25 grams of carbohydrates per day in the first week, 30 grams per day in the second week, and continuing until you stop losing weight. You then reduce your daily carbohydrate consumption by 5 grams, and continue losing weight although much slower than you were in Phase I.

Phase III: Pre-Maintenance

In phase III, you add 10 carbohydrates per day back to your diet, as long as you continue to lose weight.

Phase IV: Lifetime Maintenance

In Phase IV you begin the eating habits that Dr. Atkins recommends you continue for the rest of your life. Participants gear their eating habits towards meats (including poultry and fish), nuts, seeds and vegetables. Fruits and starches are eaten occassionally. Participants also take nutritional supplements to ensure that they ingest adequate vitamins and minerals.

Who created the Atkins diet?

Dr. Robert Atkins first released the diet in 1972, in the book Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution.

Medical Studies

No long-term studies of the health effects of the Atkins diet have been published. There is currently a 2-year study underway that puts 360 men and women on the Atkins diet or the US Department of Agriculture's standard low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet.

However, several short-term studies have recently been published that suggest that low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets (such as Atkins) may help their participants lose weight at least as well as high-carb, low-fat diets.

 

Read More about Atkins Diet Plan on : www.dietforyou.net