VIDEO: The Atkins Diet
The Atkins Diet is popular among celebrities; these include Jennifer Aniston, Geri Halliwell, Sarah Jessica Parker and Robbie Williams.
Partly the reason why the Atkins Diet is so accepted is that most of the other diet plans that people follow diminish protein and fat but with this one they are encouraged to eat these foods. In order to pursue the Atkins plan, you must monitor and control the amount of carbs you take in. These are distinct foods that are not allowed and are allowed in this diet. During certain portions of the plan in particular you must withhold from consuming bad carbs such as junk food, processed and pre packaged food in favor of a diet rich in protein.
The Atkins Diet works by condensing how many carbohydrates you take in, which will be less than 40g a day, your body will then insinuate a process called Ketosis, this is when your body burns fat as fuel.
The Atkins Diet is made up of four stages:
The Induction Stage: (Length- 2 Weeks) This is in which Atkins says you can lose up to 15 pounds in the first 14 days of the plan. This swift Weight Loss can be credited to limiting the amount of carbs you take in down to 20g a day. The only carbs that are allowed during the induction part are low carb vegetables such as Tomatoes, Lettuce and Broccoli. You must annihilate a number of other foods which can include some that are deemed as healthy such as fruit and starchy veg like potatoes and also yoghurt. During this stage you can eat Lean Protein such as Chicken, Fish, Lean cuts of Beef, Eggs and more.
The Ongoing Weight-Loss Stage: (Stop this stage when you are within 10lbs of your weight-loss goal) This is the part where you can raise the amount of carbs you take in by 5g but you will sometimes hit a stage where you will need to reduce your intake of carbs once again.
Pre-Maintenance Stage: (In place to lose the 10lbs to achieve your goal) By this stage the rate at which you lose weight will slow down. This is where you will be able to test certain foods to see if you are able to add these to your diet without gaining weight.
Maintenance Stage: (For a Lifetime) This is where you may be able to introduce more of those carbs back into your diet, however not the ‘bad ones’ as they will only result in you gaining that weight back. For this you will need to choose the right healthy carbs instead of the refined carbs like white bread from now on. If however you do gain weight you can restart the plan all over again at any time.
Atkins Food List-
Low Carb Vegetables
You can eat many vegetables on this diet including;
- Sprouts
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Cabbage
- Celery
- Cucumbers
- Mushrooms
- Avocado
- Asparagus
- Herbs (Parsley, Basil & Rosemary)
- Cheeses
Most of the cheeses have less than a gram of carbohydrate per ounce, but still check the labels of the cheese very carefully as some do actually have more. Atkins allows 3-4 ounces per day during the induction period; cottage cheese, farmer’s cheese or other fresh cheeses should not be included but cream cheese can be.
Fat and Oils
Butter and other sauces of saturated fat (e.g. Coconut) are acceptable but should be eaten in balance with the other fats. Only use margarine if it’s trans-fat-free. When choosing to have mayonnaise choose the regular full-fat mayonnaise, preferably using the guidelines for the types of oils used. This also applies to salad dressings and watch out for the sugars. Consume plenty of cold water fish and many other foods containing Omega 3 fatty acids. However if you are pregnant then do be aware of the FDA guidelines for the amount of fish consumption.
Avoid oils that have a high amount of Omega 6 polyunsaturated fat, this includes Corn, Safflower, Soy and Sunflower oil except if using in small amounts and are not heated. Cold pressed and expeller-pressed oils are recommended. Olive oil labelled virgin or extra virgin should be emphasized. For Stir-frying grapeseed, peanut and Canola oil are all recommended.
Drinks
Water is the majorly approved beverage to be drinking in this diet, if you are a bit peckish and it’s not a meal time then opt for drinking water first as you may just be thirsty. Atkins advises 8-9 8oz glasses of water per day. If not preferred then carbonated or soda water with sugar free flavourings are Ok. Herbal teas, decaffeinated coffee or tea are good choices, however some people can get away with drinking caffeine.
