The Atkins Diet – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

. Robert Atkins’ weight loss program has been all at once the subject of derision,
admiration, controversy and scrutiny. It easily ranks among one of the most hyped
up diets in history, but not many sources will tell you what’s so good – and so bad –
about it. Here are the pros, cons and a few other critical tidbits you should know
before you join the melee – or try the diet for yourself.

The Good

No matter what critics might say, there are still some positive things to Dr. Atkins’
program, otherwise it shouldn’t have gotten so many adherents in the first place.
While medical professionals might scoff at these advantages, they’re still pretty
attractive if you’re the typical person just looking to lose weight.

It works quickly – One of the biggest factors in the worldwide appeal of the Atkins
diet is that it can deliver results in a relatively short time. Dieters under the Atkins
program report considerably greater weight loss in six months than traditional
dieters did in the same amount of time.

Meat and fats are allowed – Even if your doctors say that greens and veggies are
the best food for your body, you’re probably not very eager about turning herbivore.
Under the Atkins diet, eating meat isn’t just allowed; it’s required.

Stick to it! One of a dieter’s biggest problems is to adhere to the program at all
times. While that’s usually a tall order with bland, vegetable-heavy diets, it’s much
easier given all the flavor and variety allowed by the Atkins program. And because
you have a wider range of food allowed, you’re less likely to fall off the path and
restart from square one.

The Bad and The Ugly

This is the part that your doctor probably tells you about. Medical professionals
usually don’t prescribe low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets to anyone other than
epileptics. But these aren’t just dire, pro-vegetable warnings; there are a few things
here that might interest you as well, even if you’ve already started.

It’s not worth sustaining – Although the Atkins diet does give huge results quickly,
the law of diminishing returns kicks in just as rapidly. Within 12 months, the
difference between losses under the Atkins diet and traditional diets will have
become insignificant.

There are risks - Because you’re drastically reducing one part of your diet and then
ramping up the quantity in another, extremes are possible – and dangerous. The
Atkins diet places greater pressure on the liver in particular because it facilitates the
breakdown of fat, which serves as your primary energy source in the absence of
carbohydrates.

Social life may be at risk. There have also been quite a number of rather
embarrassing effects of the Atkins diet like bad breath, smelly urine and body odor.
As a modified ketogenic diet, the Atkins program gets a higher amount of ketones
circulating in your body. The higher amounts tend to manifest as an unpleasant smell
when expressed through glands like the salivary or sweat glands.

The Atkins program isn’t necessarily for everyone, and it will all depend on what kind
of results you’re looking for in your diet. If you think that the advantages are worth
suffering the disadvantages, and then by all means try the program. Just don’t forget
to see your doctor or a medical professional before trying anything out.

Atkins Diet

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