Atkins Diet Plan

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The Atkins Diet Plan has received a lot of press recently. Here it is laid out for you. Questions and answers about the Atkins Diet.

The Atkins Diet Review

The basis of the Atkins diet involves cutting out all carbohydrates from your diet.  You are allowed a small amount of carbohydrates which consist of the natural carbs found in vegetables.

The diet has been around since the 1970s and The Atkins Diet books have become best sellers.  The Atkins diet has also sparked a lot of controversy and debate amongst health care professionals.  Here’s a little more information on the Atkins Diet.

The Atkins Diet is broken into four phases:

Atkins Diet Induction Phase: 

This is the first phase and the most difficult to stick with.  It last for 14 days and is designed to throw your body into a state of “ketosis”.  This means your body starts producing ketones from fat which is used as a fuel source instead of carbohydrates.  This allows you to lose weight very quickly since your body is burning away through your stored carbohydrate reserves.

You are allowed 20 grams of carbs a day consisting of certain types of vegetables.  You are allowed to eat many types of meat, eggs, oil, butter, cheese and cream.

Atkins Diet Ongoing Weight Loss Phase:

In this phase you are allowed to add a few more carbs to your diet, about 40 grams per day.  You are told to monitor your weight loss and adjust your carb intake accordingly.  You are also only allowed to eat certain types of carbs and a full list is included in The Atkins Diet Book.

Atkins Diet Pre-Maintenance Diet Phase:

You go into this phase when you are almost at your weightloss goal (about 10 pounds away from target).  You are allowed to slightly increase your carb intake a little further according to the Atkins diet guidelines.

Atkins Diet Phase Maintenance Diet Phase:

This is the phase you start once you hit your target weight.  You are told to remain at this phase for lifetime to maintain your weight.

Your carb intake is increased slightly further and you are allowed a little more variety.

Benefits: Without sounding too stereotypical, this is an easier diet for many men to follow.

Drawbacks: There are questions about the effects of the Atkins diet on your internal organs, especially your heart. The Atkins Diet plan does not follow the American Heart Association's guidelines. As with all diets, stay under your doctor's supervision during your diet.

• Top 10 Questions and Answers on Atkins Diet
  10 of your Top Questions about the Atkins Diet Plan.
  
  
• What You Can Do To Get Better Results From The Atkins Diet
  The key to any diet being successful is discipline and sticking to the outlines of the program. This has never been truer than with the Atkins Diet.