Monday, January 12, 2009

Some Facts About the Atkins Diet

By Ricardo d Argence

It appears that everywhere you look someone claims to have diet that will make all your fantasies come true. There are some that have been proven to be good while others are downright dangerous to your overall health. This brings us to the Atkins diet, what is it and, can it work for you?

Dr. Robert Atkins finished medical at Cornell University in 1955. Some years later, he found himself overweight and looking for answers. He based his currently popular diet program on a diet something like what he saw in the Journal of American Medical Association. He first published Dr Atkins Diet Revolution in 1970.

Through the years, he changed his plan a little but he never got too far away from the diet's basic principals. The diets is focused on eliminating carbohydrates from the western diet.

The whole diet revolves around the idea that carbohydrates are the main cause of you being overweight. As you would imagine this means, the diet will restrict the intake of carbs. The diet is broken down into four phases each one building on the last.

Induction. The first phase is by far the most restrictive. The recommended duration of this phase is two weeks, but Atkins says that you can safely remain on this phase for months. Carbohydrates are limited to 15-20 grams per day of which 12-15 must come from leafy vegetables. This phase of the diet also allows for small amounts of cheese, generous amounts of meat and essential oils. The goal of this phase is to put the body into ketosis stage and had healthy amounts of fiber to the diet.

Ongoing Weight Loss. Phase 2 consists of slowly raising the carbohydrate intake until weight loss is being achieved at a more reasonable level, 1-2 pounds per week. Carbohydrates are to be increased at five grams per day and still from a safe list of foods, vegetables first determining how many carbs can be ingested without gaining weight. Dieters are to stay in this phase until they are five to ten pounds from goal weight.

Pre Maintenance. This is when the pounds don't fall off as quickly, Atkins says that the last 10 lbs or so should take 1-3 months to disappear. Dieters should use the method in phase 2 and add carbohydrates in at as much as ten grams per day again to the point that they are able without gaining weight, during this phase.

Maintenance. Consider everything that you learned from the past phases and be consistent with a healthy program to stay at your best weight. Make sure you don't return to your bad dietary habits when you reach the end of your diet.

But, you must be warned about ketosis. This condition happens when the blood levels of ketone are elevated. The liver's normal response to a low carbohydrate diet is to convert fat into fatty acids; expect this to happen. Usually the body relies on glucose taken from the carbohydrates that you eat, but when there are no carbohydrates the body starts to use stored fat in place of this. Your will be aware of ketosis in your body when your have a metallic taste on your tongue and your breath smells foul.

Medical professionals are divided in their opinion on ketosis. There is still some controversy, but there are those who believe that it needlessly stresses the liver and can destroy muscle tissue.

For many people the diet does work, the first phase alone can net a ten to fifteen pound loss in as little as a week. As with any diet, the results will be exponentially multiplied with exercise in order to increases the metabolism and help to prevent cardiovascular disease. - 16004

About the Author: