The Atkins diet has endured much controversy over the past fifteen or twenty years. Experts that recommend low fat diets were shocked that someone could propose a plan that was so high in fat. The Atkins diet has brought results to many, but has it been at the cost of their health?
The Atkins diet is a low carbohydrate, high protein diet plan that was developed by Dr. Richard Atkins. The first two weeks are the hardest as just about every carbohydrate is eliminated. Some vegetables are permitted, but the carbohydrate count each day must remain low.
On the other hand, during those first two weeks, dieters are allowed to eat eggs, bacon, and butter in huge quantities. Fatty cuts of meat in whatever cream sauce you can find are encouraged. This sounds like a heart attack waiting to happen but this was felt to be harmless and necessary to rid the body of its craving for carbohydrates.
The premise of the diet is to eliminate sugars, fast foods, and other undesirable foods. The restrictive phase of the diet is in place to train the body to burn stored fat instead of protein for fuel. No carbohydrates in the diet mean that the body will have to look to its own stores for energy.
Not all of the foods on the restricted list are bad for you. Fruits provide natural sugars that give a boost of energy. Green vegetables are sources of carbohydrates but they also supply the body with healthy nutrients for proper function.
Dieters can jumpstart their weight loss by reducing the carbohydrates they eat says the plan. If you like a lot of meat, then you won’t mind a diet with no significant carbohydrate consumption. The Atkins diet is similar to quitting something cold turkey. This method of eliminating carbs works for some, but others need a gradual approach to be successful.
Atkins’ dieters eat every few hours to keep their metabolism high. Drinking plenty of water is good for flushing out the system. Exercise regularly, but wait until after the first two weeks since you will consume a lot of fat during this time. All that fat floating around in your system is not compatible with high intensity workouts.
Regular foods are eaten on this plan, so no special grocery list needs to be made. For those are in love with bread, it is a good idea to remove all of the carbohydrates that are prohibited by the diet from the home removing the temptation to sneak. For those with children or other family members who are not participating in the Atkins diet this can be a huge challenge of willpower.
