All about Atkins Diet

Over the years, the Atkins diet has come to be known as the low carbs diet and has inspired many similar diet plans.

It recommends meeting up to two-third of the calorie requirement of the body from fats and proteins and cutting down the intake of carbohydrates. Thus, people on this diet can include large portions of meat and cheese in their diet while staying away from breads and pastas. 

Since the earlier version of this diet stressed on the intake of animal proteins, it posed a problem for vegetarians and vegans. However, the latest version of this diet that is known as "The New Atkins for a New You" has been planned keeping the eating habits of vegetarians in mind. It makes provision for including more vegetables in the diet in comparison to the original version and is a perfect weight loss and weight management solution for everyone.

History of Atkins diet

This weight loss plan was introduced in the year 1972 by Dr. Atkins and has been adopted by millions of people around the world in their fight against obesity. This meal plan not only helps in losing excess weight but aids in managing various health problems such as blood sugar disorder, headaches, intolerance to certain types of food and allergies. Thus, while a majority of people follow this diet in a bid to drop a few pounds, following this eating plan has proved extremely beneficial for those suffering from hypertension, polycystic ovarian syndrome, high cholesterol and diabetes as well. 

Science behind Atkins diet

This diet follows a controlled carbohydrate approach to induce a change in the metabolism process of the body and to transform it into a fat-burning machine to meet all its energy requirements. By limiting the intake of carbohydrate that is the first fuel used by the body to provide energy for various functions, it is forced to burn the fat stores to derive energy. This process of using fat as the fuel for the body is known as lipolysis and helps in losing weight. Ketosis, a secondary process that is triggered off by lipolysis, affects the insulin production by the body and prevents the formation of fat by the body. Once this process sets in, it also works to reduce the cravings for carbohydrates.

Atkins diet tips for quicker results

In order to get faster results from this diet, you can follow some useful weight loss tips that will help you keep your calorie intake in check and keep you motivated during the initial phase of this eating plan. These include the following:

• Keep Atkins ready-food handy so that you can avoid the temptation of indulging in carbohydrates laden snacks such as French fries or potato wafers

• Use lipolysis testing strips (LTS) on a daily basis to keep a track of your progress 

• Maximize your physical activity during the day

• Carry a small-sized carb gram counter with you at the time of grocery shopping.

Benefits of Atkins diet

There are multiple benefits of following this diet, which range from losing weight to maintaining good health as well as preventing diseases. Moreover, it is easy to adopt this diet plan in everyday life so that there is no risk of relapsing into old eating habits that can trigger weight gain and other associated health problems. Since this eating plan offers lifelong maintenance, you can be sure that weight will not return even though you are consuming almost as much calories as before. 

This diet helps in understanding how body uses fat and aids in kicking the habit of binge eating. In fact, it is a perfect choice for those who want to get rid of food addiction and wish to follow a healthy eating plan that they can follow for the rest of their lives. To sum up, the Atkins diet offers a wholesome eating plan that has a sound scientific basis and is ideal for a healthy life.