An Overview Of The Atkins Diet

Did you ever think of going to a cardiologist for advice on an obesity problem? Would you prefer a dietician for this? You might want to avoid all of this once you have finished reading this article. This is because there is a world famous diet program called the Atkins Diet that was invented by an American cardiologist named Dr. Robert Atkins.

There is a small story behind this diet program. Dr. Atkins once came across a diet article in the JAMA (Journal of American Medical Association) and was inspired by it. Later, he applied the method to himself and he got a positive outcome. Then, he started applying this method to his patients whenever applicable and it was successful. He gained confidence on this dietary solution so much that he wrote a series of books about it. Initially his book focused on the original idea from the JAMA article that told people about high protein, high fat and low carbohydrates. Later, he modified the diet program by blending some of his own observations over decades of using and observing it in practice.

Dr Atkins emphasized ketosis, a process of changing the source of energy in our body which prefers burning stored body fat as fuel for producing energy rather than burning glucose. Ketosis helps us keep our insulin level low, thus reducing the chance of gaining weight. It is obviously a fruitful diet solution for diabetic patients with type 2 diabetes because it really controls the insulin level.

Atkins introduced good carbohydrates in the diet program rather than restricting all types of carbohydrate rich food. He also concentrated on high fiber, vitamins and mineral contained in foods which can eat in order to keep ourselves feeling full for a longer amount of time. Dr. Atkins divided the whole diet program into four different phases. Set a goal fist. Where do you want to be with your weight? Let's say you want to get an optimum weight that works for you or you want to see yourself in certain size clothing.

During phase one you will eat 20 grams of carbohydrates a day. Yes, that's the only amount of carbohydrates you are allowed in your day. Your plate can be full of salad, vegetables and others that are low in starch. Surprisingly, unlike other diet programs, you can make your taste buds happy with fish, chicken, cheese and egg in any form. This is an induction phase which goes on for two weeks. Alcohol is strictly prohibited at this phase. People generally start loosing weight rapidly at this phase.

At phase two you will have a slower rate of weight loss. Here you can increase the carbohydrates that you eat (5 grams/week) as well as the fiber percentage in your diet. You can happily add fruit juices, more dairy products, nuts and seeds to your diet list as well. When you are left with ten more pounds to lose to reach your goal, then move on to the next phase.

Phase three is the pre-maintenance phase. Here you have to increase your carbohydrate intake by 10 grams/week until you see yourself losing weight very gradually. Then you will enter phase four. By this time you have full control of your body's weight management process. You can control it by decreasing or increasing the carbohydrate content in your diet according to your wishes. Do not let this power go. Maintain it for rest of life. This phase is called the lifetime maintenance phase. Stick to this diet plan and you do not need to worry about obesity or weight gain ever again.

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