The Atkins Diet
Atkins Diet Summary
You've all heard of the Atkins diet. But what are the facts? Well, the diet is about cutting down on carbs. Why? Because, according to Dr Atkins, overweight people eat too many carbohydrates. Our bodies burn both fat and carbohydrates for energy, but carbs are used first - a similar insulin hormone issue that is behind the Zone, GI and South Beach diets. By drastically reducing carbs, especially in the first two weeks, and eating more protein and fat, you'll lose weight by burning the fat you've stored more efficiently.
What's great about the Atkin nutritional approach is that it allows you to eat lots of fat and protein-rich foods that are banned on other diets. However, there are health concerns about Atkins, including risks of cutting carbs, not enough fibre and that eating more fat may be bad for your heart.
History of the Atkins Diet Program
Dr Robert Atkins wrote his original book, Dr Atkins' Diet Revolution
, in 1972, but it wasn't until the 1990s that the Atkins fad took off. At the height of its popularity in 2004, it was reported that 1 in eleven adults were on Atkins and that sales of pasta, rice and slimfast were crashing. Dr Atkins himself died in 2003, and the popularity of his diet fell away in 2005, leading to his company filing for bankruptcy in July 2005.
Foods to Eat
- Meat
- Fish
- Eggs
- Cheese
- After the first 2 weeks, a limited amount of whole-grain carbs and fruit and vegetables
Foods to Avoid
- Carbohydrates
- Refined foods like white sugar, white flour, white rice
Other relevant pages on Fit and Trim:
Top Tips to Succeed on the Atkins Plan
- Make sure you keep up your fibre intake, perhaps by taking supplements
- Don't forget to take some exercise too
- Cutting carbs can make you moody - watch out in the first 2 weeks
- Slowly increase carbs as the diet goes on, but make sure you don't go back to bad habits
Watch Outs and Health Risks
The Atkins approach has come in for some serious scientific criticism, most about its impact on health by cutting healthy fibre, essential carbohydrates, and fruit and vegetable intake, while encouraging people to eat fatty foods that can cause heart disease.
Some tests have shown that Atkins is actually less successful than some other diets in terms of weight loss, too - for example that most weight loss is due to water loss, or that it is not sustained. If that's not enough, Atkins can also cause bad breath. Most experts agree that any diet that ultimately reduces your calorie intake or increase calorie burning will work!
Celebrities on The Atkins Diet
Hundreds were on Atkins in 2003. Rumours have included Britney Spears, Brad Pitt and Geri Halliwell.
More info: Links and Atkins Diet Books
Discuss the Atkins approach on our Diet Forums
Read more about the Atkins Diet at Wikipedia
Buy Dr Atkins books from Amazon.co.uk on the Atkins Diet
