The Atkins Diet: A Low Carb Approach

photo credit: ulfklose 

The “Lots of bacon, eggs and sausage” Diet

Dr. Robert Atkins

The Atkins diet is a very well known dieting approach developed by Dr. Robert Atkins. He developed this approach to solve his own issues with being overweight once he graduated from his medical studies. He revealed his concepts in his first book, Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution in 1972. While the diet has been revised over time, the original concepts remain intact.

This diet has definitely stood the test of time as over 35 years later, people are still turning to it for fast effective weight loss.

All About The Atkins Diet

The Atkins diet consists of four phases. Induction, On-Going Weight Loss, Pre-Maintenance, and Lifetime Maintenance.

• The Induction Phase emphasizes protein and fats while carbohydrates are severely restricted. Only 20 grams of carbohydrates per day are allowed during this phase of the diet. These carbohydrate sources should be from leafy green veggies to ensure adequate fiber intake. Since carbs are out of the picture, the food choices are somewhat limited to meat, eggs, low carb cheese and high(er) fat food choices such as cream, butter and oils. It is not uncommon to see large amounts of weight loss during this phase. Heavier individuals have reported 10+ pounds per week.
• The On-Going Weight Loss Phase consists of slowly adding carbohydrates back into the diet. Usually around 5 grams per week, which is minimal at best. During this phase, the diet becomes a bit more interesting regarding food choices, as dairy, fruits, grains, legumes and alcohol are now allowed into the diet. Dieters are encouraged to add as many carbs whilst still being able to lose weight at a reasonable weight. One will continue this phase until they are within 10lbs of their desired bodyweight.
• The Pre-Maintenance Phase consists of adding more carbs each week to find a level that will maintain ones weight easily.
• The Lifetime Maintenance Phase is the period in the diet where the sole focus is on keeping the weight off and returning to a fairly normal diet. A controlled carbohydrate intake is emphasized with a focus on consuming whole unprocessed sources such as fruits, legumes, and veggies.

Reasons to Apply the Atkins Diet

The diet can be extremely effective when following the guidelines carefully. The initial phase is by far the most beneficial mentally as the quick drop in weight is very motivating. A few key points as to why this diet can be very effective:

• Satiety – A diet low in carbohydrates (especially processed carbs) and high(er) in fat tends to make one feel full a lot faster than when eating lots of carbs. On this diet, one will be eating plenty of protein which is also the most satiating of all three macro nutrients.
• Energy – People tend to report more energy on low carb diets due to more steady blood sugar levels. Since carbohydrates are kept to a minimum, this diet can be very beneficial to diabetics trying to lose weight.
• Simplicity – Lets face it, a diet that is complicated to follow will most likely be abandoned. Making a diet simple raises adherence exponentially.

My Thoughts

Plainly, this approach is a simple way to put someone on a ketogenic diet without them knowing. Also removing carbohydrates sometimes allows non calorie counting individuals to lose weight as this naturally makes them eat less. The first phase will quickly get them into ketosis, drop a ton of water weight and get the scale moving downward very quickly. Mentally this is very satisfying for someone who is desperate to see some progress.

As with any diet, calories are the biggest determinant when fat or weight loss is the goal. The Atkins diet advocates used to spout a “metabolic advantage” to slashing carb intake drastically. However this has been proven to be false and that calories expended versus calories consumed is all that matters. In stating that, many folks get hung up on this diet being an excuse to eat as much fatty meat as possible because it “fits into the diet.” I will state it again: calories MUST be controlled.

I personally am a fan of dieting in this fashion, especially when it comes to teaching people better eating habits. So many have gotten lazy with their food choices and over time have become obese due to calorie dense fast food and lack of time to prepare healthier choices. As the diet progresses through the phases they are able to learn about focusing on natural foods rather than processed carbohydrates. They often find that the whole foods provide better satiety on lower calories while improving their health and well being. The maintenance phase is great when one commits to life-long changes in their diet. IF they decide to go back to old eating habits, they will indeed become overweight and will have to repeat the entire weight loss process again.

Have any of your experienced great weight loss on the Atkins diet? How was your experience on the diet?