The Atkins Diet: Everything You Need to Know
The Atkins Diet is a popular low-carbohydrate eating plan developed in the 1960s by cardiologist Robert C. Atkins. The Atkins Diet restricts carbs (carbohydrates) while emphasizing protein and fats.
The Atkins Diet has several phases for weight loss and maintenance, starting out with a very low carbohydrate eating plan. The Atkins Diet, formally called the Atkins Nutritional Approach, has been detailed in many books and is credited with launching the low-carb diet trend.
Purpose
The purpose of the Atkins Diet is to change your eating habits to help you lose weight and keep it off. The Atkins Diet also says it's a healthy lifelong approach to eating, whether you want to lose weight, boost your energy or help improve certain health problems, such as high blood pressure or metabolic syndrome.
The main dietary focus of the Atkins Diet is eating the right balance of carbohydrates, protein and fats for optimal weight loss and health. According to the Atkins Diet, obesity and related health problems, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, are the fault of the typical low-fat, high-carbohydrate American diet. The Atkins Diet says that you don't need to avoid fatty cuts of meat or trim off excess fat. Rather, controlling carbs is what's important.
The Atkins diet is split into 4 different phases:
Phase 1 (induction): Under 20 grams of carbs per day for 2 weeks. Eat high-fat, high-protein, with low-carb vegetables like leafy greens. This kick-starts the weight loss.
Phase 2 (balancing): Slowly add more nuts, low-carb vegetables and small amounts of fruit back to your diet.
Phase 3 (fine-tuning): When you’re very close to your goal weight, add more carbs to your diet until weight loss slows down.
Phase 4 (maintenance): Here you can eat as many healthy carbs as your body can tolerate without regaining weight.
Monday
Breakfast: Eggs and vegetables, fried in coconut oil.
Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil, and a handful of nuts.
Dinner: Steak and veggies.
Tuesday
Breakfast: Bacon and eggs.
Lunch: Leftover chicken and veggies from the night before.
Dinner: Bunless cheeseburger, with vegetables and butter.
Wednesday
Breakfast: Omelet with veggies, fried in butter.
Lunch: Shrimp salad with some olive oil.
Dinner: Ground-beef stir fry, with veggies.
Thursday
Breakfast: Eggs and veggies, fried in coconut oil.
Lunch: Leftover stir fry from dinner the night before.
Dinner: Salmon with butter and vegetables.
Friday
Breakfast: Bacon and eggs.
Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil and a handful of nuts.
Dinner: Meatballs with vegetables.
Saturday
Breakfast: Omelet with various vegetables, fried in butter.
Lunch: Leftover meatballs from the night before.
Dinner: Pork chops with vegetables.
Sunday
Breakfast: Bacon and eggs.
Lunch: Leftover pork chops from the night before.
Dinner: Grilled chicken wings, with some salsa and veggies.
Results:
Most people can lose weight on almost any diet plan that restricts calories — at least in the short term. Over the long term, though, studies show that low-carb diets like the Atkins Diet are no more effective for weight loss than are standard weight-loss diets and that most people regain the weight they lost regardless of diet plan.
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