All You Need to Know about The Atkins Diet

Is Atkins Diet Good for You?

Dieting has become an essential part of life for everyone. Irregular working hours, less sleep, and that overstressed feelings are adding inches to the waistline. Excess weight is bound to bog you down; therefore, daily exercise along with a planned diet is the need of the hour. Daily exercise habits are essential for a healthy lifestyle. But would that help you lose weight & make you healthier? A good weight loss cannot be initiated through exercise alone but possibly with the help of a proper diet. Usually, dieting means shying away or cutting down on your favourite food. Would you not love it if you come across a diet which will not make you starve but eat and yet lose weight. Welcome to the Atkins Diet.

What Is The Atkins Diet?

The Atkins diet was developed by cardiologist Robert C Atkins in 1960, a low-carbohydrate eating plan which could trigger weight loss in overweight men & women. The low-carbohydrate Atkins diet plan stressed eating more protein & fats in several phases while consuming fewer carbs, initiating weight loss. The top-rated Atkins diet plan paves the way for a healthier eating approach in becoming healthier & a stronger you. 

Atkins Diet Characteristics

The diet mainly focuses on consuming more proteins & fats while restricting the intake of carbs. This diet fringes on the most minimal intake of carbs which is the prime culprit for a person’s weight gain & health problems arising due to it. Therefore, eating sugar, white flour & other refined carbs are to be avoided. The Atkin diet does not restrict you from eating your stomach complete but tells you to count your carbs intakes daily. This will help limit weight gain, while the high-fibre protein & fat intake will slowly generate weight loss.

Four Phases of the Atkins Diet

There are four phases in the Atkins diet. Depending on your weight loss goal, any of the first 3 phases can be used to begin. 

• Phase 1 – Induction: In this phase, you are nearly cut off from eating carbs except for eating just 20 grams of carbs a day that too sourced from vegetables. By doing that you are restricting the intake of carbs down to 10% instead of the average daily calorie intake of 45-60% when not dieting. Vegetables such as broccoli, green beans, peppers, etc., are the preferred source for the carbs in the Atkins diet. Eating more proteins from fish, poultry products, cheese, etc., are encouraged while eating pastries, sugary products, grains, nuts, or alcohol a strict no-no. Remain in phase 1 diet plan at least for 2 weeks for maximum weight loss.

• Phase 2 – Balancing: In phase 2 follow the same routine of phase 1 & restrict carbs intake by eating the recommended vegetables. Sugar products to be strictly avoided in phase 2. But in this phase, you will slowly start adding nutrient-rich carbs such as berries, nuts, seeds & vegetables while continuing to lose weight. Protein & fat-rich intake to continue & to remain in this phase till you are near your anticipated goal weight.

• Phase 3 – Maintenance: Increase the range of foods you can eat in phase 3 such as starchy vegetables, fruits & whole grains. Increase carb intake by another 10 grams but keep an eye on weight loss & cut down if weight loss has stopped. Remain in phase 3 till you reach your desired goal weight.

• Phase 4 – Lifetime Maintenance: You have reached this phase if you have achieved your desired goal weight. Accept & continue to eat in this method for a healthier & stronger you.

The main weight loss in the Atkins diet happens in phase 1, where an expected 15 pounds is lost in the first two weeks. After that, weight loss continues with the other phases, too but much lesser when compared to phase1. 

The Atkins diet eating plan helps you recover from bad health conditions & other ailments caused due to excess weight. 

You do not have to fret over eating things you don’t like because the Atkins diet is flexible. For example, you can choose from a range of poultry products & vegetables. 

Regain a healthier you by following the low-carb Atkins diet way of eating for life.