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Atkins Diet
Atkins Diet is a system that enables our body to lose weight in a natural way by inducing a change in metabolism.
Free Atkins Diet Plan, Atkins Diet Menu, Atkins Diet Food list, Atkins Diet Recipes!
Calorie Restricted Diet
Calorie restriction or Caloric restriction (CR) is the practice of limiting dietary energy intake in the hope that it will improve health and retard aging.FREE low calorie diet, low calorie food
Diabetic Diet
The diet most often recommended for people who suffer from diabetes mellitus is high in dietary fiber, especially soluble fiber, but low in fat (especially saturated fat). FREE diabetic diet plan, diabetic diet menu.
Atkins Diet Positives and Negatives
Note:
This discussion of the positives and negatives of Atkins is apart from those of low-carb diets in general. People whose bodies are suited to low-carb eating tend to feel better on them, be less hungry, and have positive health responses (lower triglyercides and blood glucose; lower blood pressure, higher HDL, among others ).
Positives of The Atkins Diet:
The thrill of eating "forbidden foods" - Atkins dieters are often very happy to find that steak, butter, and cream are back in their diets. They should note, however, that Dr. Atkins advocates eating a variety of fats, and not neglect olive oil and Omega-3's.
It`s relatively simple to catch on to - After you learn what foods to eat and some basic carb counts, you donï ½t have to think about it much.It emphasizes finding your own carb level ½ To me, this is the biggest strength of the diet. I do think it`s clear that different people have different levels of sensitivity to carbohydrates, and it ½s a big plus to attempt to help people zero in on that.
It`s popular and therefore easy to find support and information. There are a lot of Web sites devoted to Atkins, and your library probably has quite a few of the books.
Negatives of the Atkins Diet:
It`s popular. Everyone has heard of it and almost everyone seems to have misconceptions about it. If you talk about your diet, you may get to feel that you`re defending it a lot.
It requires counting the carbs in everything your eat.
Induction - The most controversial aspect of the diet is the Induction phase, and it has become so identified with Atkins that many people think it IS the diet. Induction has several difficulties Carb Crash Some people have a negative reaction to the diet around days 3-5. Although the cure is easy (eat more carbs) and the reaction would transient in any case, people have a lasting memory of this feeling I have met many people who were turned off low-carb diets altogether by this reaction. More on Carb Crash Getting all necessary nutrients on an extremely low amount of carbohydrate. This wouldn`t be so bad if Induction truly only lasted two weeks, but many people extend it, and Atkins says that some people who are extremely metabolically resistant`swill need to stay on a very low-carb diet permanently to lose weight or maintain weight loss. Although vitamins and minerals can be replaced with supplements, phytonutrients cannot, to the detriment of long-term health.Boredom - For all but the most creative, a very low-carb diet such as Induction gets very boring very quickly another thing that turns a lot of people away from low-carb diets.After Induction, the main negative is that it takes a lot of fiddling to figure out what carb level is going to work for each person. I don`t know many who actually stick precisely to the rulesï adding exactly 5 daily carbs every week, for example. On the other hand, it really does take some experimentation for many of us to figure out what works best of us, and it`s nice that Atkins provides some guidance.
"Beginning with Induction is your choice -- you can begin Atkins at any of the four phases. However, Induction will jump start your weight loss as you cut back significantly on carb consumption."
In Dr. Robert C. Atkins' original books, he makes it clear that the Induction Phase is an essential part of the Atkins Nutritional Approach (also known as The Atkins Diet). Now, Atkins materials are making statements such as the one above, indicating that the Induction Phase is not absolutely necessary. Is this because Induction seems to draw a lot of criticism from anti low-carb health professionals and other critics? I don't know, but I do have some thoughts on the whole question of Atkins Induction.
What Is Atkins Induction?
Induction is the first phase of the Atkins Diet and is meant to last for two weeks. It is highly restrictive, limiting food choices mainly to proteins and low-carb vegetables. A maximum of 20 grams of net carbs is allowed. (Note that the books and the website even differ in the amount of vegetables allowed during Induction.)
The Positive Side of Atkins Induction
This phase is meant to kick start the diet by forcing the body to convert from using carbohydrates for energy to using fat. It also tends to cause a large amount of weight loss. Untold numbers of people have found this to be helpful in starting them onto a new low-carb way of eating, and I am not going to be one to question their experience. Anything that helps people make a healthy change to healthy eating is wonderful in my book.
The Negative Side of Atkins Induction
On the other hand, it's clear to me that Induction isn't for everyone. My heart sinks every time I hear someone say that they tried Atkins but quit because it was "too hard." I think, "there goes someone else who could have been helped by cutting carbs but was turned off by an approach that is very restrictive." The fact is that most people don't need to cut carbs this much to get the benefits, and there is nothing wrong with starting the Atkins Diet at a higher carb level, as the quote at the top of this page attests.
Further, I think that the way Induction is described in some of the books is even more restrictive, and even confusing, than need be. For example, the books usually restrict vegetables to three cups of salad, or two cups of salad and one cup of non-starchy vegetables. Without further explanation, this could be unnecessarily low in carbohydrates, as one cup of shredded lettuce contains about half a gram of net carbs. The new instructions on the Atkins website say to get 12 to 15 grams of net carbs from vegetables, which is much clearer.
How Long Should You Stay on the Atkins Diet
For those who are concerned about conflicting reports of the side effects of a high protein diet plan, those following Atkins Diet often ask, "How long should you stay on the Atkins Diet?"
Is Akins a Healthy Eating Plan?
Many people think of the Atkins Diet as one loaded with plenty of red meat, fried in butter with a side of bacon. Well, maybe not quite that drastic. However, when consuming the amount of protein found on the Atkins plan (30 – 35 percent of total kilojoules come from protein), there hasn't been a single study or research review that shows it causes any kidney problems or any suggestion of liver problems often said to be associated with a high protein diet.
The fundamental principles and idea of the Atkins Diets is permanent weight control. Unlike most other diets, it takes advantage of the role that fat plays in our bodies, and switches it from the backup energy fuel system and makes it the primary system. This means that when carbs are limited, fat is the fuel burned for energy. During the induction phase, the diet starts off allowing an extremely low amount of carbohydrates. Little by little, healthy carbohydrates like vegetables are added. So for the most part, the diet includes protein and vegetables.
Is it Safe to Stay on the Induction Phase?
People often love the rapid weight loss experienced on the Induction Phase and want to continue it. The induction phase limits your intake of carbs to 20 grams a day. The longer you follow this phase of the diet, the more weight you'll drop. It is safe and easy to follow as long as you meet the following conditions:
- Have your doctor check that your blood chemistries, lipid values, blood pressure or blood sugar levels continue to improve or remain stable and within normal limits.
- You have a feeling of well being and experience: high energy, normal sleep patterns and stable moods.
- You're not bored with the diet. (Otherwise this will lead to cheating and failure).
However, even though it is easy to follow the Induction Phase and the weight loss is exciting, it is not recommended. Remember that the Atkins approach is to bring you through the Induction and Weight Loss Phases and eventually into Lifetime Maintenance. People who stay on the Induction Phase without making the transitions through the Weight Loss Phases, often return to their old eating habits and put the weight back on.
How Long Should You Stay on the Atkins Diet Plan?
As you grow older, your metabolism changes. Because of this, when a woman goes through menopause, there's a good chance that her carbohydrate threshold will be lower than when she was younger. If you're wondering how long should you stay on the Atkins Diet, a variety factors play into how fast you lose weight, how long it will take to reach your goal, and what you'll have to do as an individual to keep it off. These factors include things like:
- metabolism
- age
- gender
- medications you’re taking
With that said, it is also important to point out that Atkins isn't just about losing weight. It is also about maintaining the weight loss you achieve. The entire Atkins Diet program is designed to establish a lifestyle of eating to achieve both good health and your optimal weight. With this in mind, you'll soon find the answer for, "How long should you stay on the Atkins Diet?" If you do it right, it is for the rest of your life.
Exercise and the Atkins Diet
Speaking of doing it right, what about exercise and the Atkins plan? It is so easy for dieters to want to diet without exercise, but in reality for the best results and health, exercise is an important component of any diet. Regularly walking will help you determine your individualized level of carbohydrate tolerance. This is an important factor in the Atkins Diet because when you go above this amount, you will gain weight. If you stay below it you'll maintain your weight.
Consult Your Doctor
You may think we sound like a broken record, but it is best for you to consult your doctor before starting the Atkins or any other diet plan. No one diet program is safe for every individual. As you follow this or any diet plan, pay attention to how you feel and check with your doctor with any concerns or questions.
If you are on the Atkins diet or planning to adopt it then you should know that Atkins diet would help you shed off your extra pounds, but you will have to stick to it rigorously in order to maintain reduced weight.
What is the Atkins Diet?
The Atkins Diet is a well-known low-carb diet, which was created by Dr.Robert Atkins. There are four basic phases in the Atkins diet: The Induction phase, ongoing weight loss, pre-maintenance phase and life maintenance phase. The induction phase involves restriction of carbohydrate consumption. The ongoing weight loss phase involves steady weight loss owing to the carbohydrate cut-down. The pre-maintenance phase includes increasing carbohydrate intake and maintaining the gradual weight loss. The lifetime maintenance phase is adapting the Atkins diet as a way of life and maintaining a constant body weight.
How long should you stay on the Atkins Diet?
So the question is: How long should you stay on the Atkins diet? Well, ideally the answer to this question depends on your own goal in terms of body weight and the time you will require to reach the goal. The answer also depends on several other factors like the metabolism rate, age, gender and overall fitness of an individual. Ideally, after about 6-12 months of Atkins diet you tend to obtain your weight-loss goal and are following a balanced diet. Having achieved your goal doesn’t however mean abandoning the healthy diet and switching back to unhealthy eating habits. The Atkins diet should ideally be adapted as a way of life thereafter. Atkins’ diet is not only about shedding the extra pounds, but also achieving a healthy body weight and maintaining by following a healthy and balanced diet.
Well in addition to this if you have any more questions about the Atkins diet, then you might want to have a look at more articles about the Atkins Diet.