Atkins Diet Plan

Atkins Pre Maintenance Phase

2008-06-15T13:05:00.000-07:00

After experiencing the Induction and OWL phases of the Atkins diet, your next step is to enter the pre-maintenance phase. This phase will set you up for a lifetime of healthy and balanced eating and living. You should begin this phase as you come within 5 to 10 pounds of your target weight goal. Your weight loss will be slowed down even further but it is for a purpose. You want to learn the practices and habits that will determine your long-term success.

In the OWL phase, you will be adding carbohydrate grams to your daily count in the increment of 5 grams per week. During pre-maintenance you will increase that to 10 grams per week. As long as you are continuing to shed weight (no matter how slowly it is coming off) you will continue to add grams. Ideally, toward the end of the pre-maintenance phase you will be losing less than one pound per week.

According to the Atkins book, you should continue this phase until you get to your goal weight and can maintain it for a month. This process may take anywhere from 1 to 3 months. Your goal is to reach a state called "carbohydrate equilibrium." This is your ideal carbohydrate intake and it will cause you to maintain your weight perfectly.

During pre-maintenance you'll get to try a wider variety of foods. Make sure to introduce new foods slowly and increase your carbohydrate intake at a measured pace. Don't add 20 or 30 carb grams a week. Measuring out the increases in increments of 10 will give you a better idea of your personal carbohydrate count. Knowing this number will help set you up for long term weight management.

Make sure to check with a carbohydrate counter resource book or a trusted website before you add a new food to your diet. Some examples of 10 carbohydrate gram foods include 1/3 of a cup of legumes, ½ an apple, ¼ cup of potatoes and ½ cup of plain oatmeal. These foods can be included on a daily basis, and then increased the next week.

Pre-maintenance is not a perfect process. It takes a delicate balance of carbohydrate counting and exercise to slow weight loss yet still move it forward. You'll need to pay even closer attention than you have before to make sure that your carb gram increase is not resulting in an increase in weight. There is a fine line between gaining, maintaining and losing, and during pre-maintenance you are trying to find out just exactly where that line is.

If you aren't able to add carbohydrates without stalling your weight loss, you may have a high metabolic resistance. You will benefit from increasing your exercise regimen to get your metabolism burning at a higher level. For you, the pre-maintenance phase will resemble OWL more closely.

Some people do a variation on pre-maintenance that allows them to have a treat once a week. Instead of adding 10 grams per day, they allow themselves a 20 to 30-carbohydrate gram treat a few times a week. Examples of the treat could be a piece of a fruit or a serving of sweet potatoes. A glass of white wine or beer also qualifies for this treat. This is a fun way to reward yourself and still be on the plan.

Yet another way to do pre-maintenance is to average out your carbohydrate intake for the week. Since life is sometimes unpredictable, it can be helpful to have a bit of flexibility in your eating plan. For example, if your current carbohydrate level is at 70 grams, you can limit yourself to 50 grams one day. Then the next day, you can splurge a bit on a meal and have 90 grams for that day. However, only follow this method if it doesn't create carbohydrate cravings. Sometimes excess carb grams on one day can make you crave them even more the next day.

The pre-maintenance phase will give you the tools for long-term success. By learning to slowly increase your carbohydrate grams, you'll have a better hold on the amount of carbohydrates that is right for you.

Roger Mitchell has spent lots of years writing informative articles on atkins diet like atkins diet basics Other related subjects can also be found at http://www.HealthyCafe.org/sitemap/index.html

Atkins and Intestinal Problems

2008-02-05T20:43:00.001-08:00

The major complaint of those who use the Atkins diet is the intestinal problems that are associated with reducing carbohydrates. These problems can include constipation and diarrhea. These symptoms can happen to anybody at some point, but those who follow a low-carb diet are especially prone.

Most commonly dieters will experience diarrhea during the early days of induction. This is a result of the body getting rid of excess carbohydrates. It also marks the beginning of the ketosis process. So in actuality, experiencing diarrhea at the beginning of the diet is a good thing. It indicates that you are on the road to becoming a fat burning machine.

Constipation is a side effect of lack of fiber in the low carb diet. Whole grains, legumes and fruit are the normal sources of dietary fiber, and they are all restricted on the Atkins diet's initial phases.

However, you shouldn't be scared off from the low-carb way of life because of these issues. There are simple solutions that can prevent and help with these symptoms and allow you to continue with staying on the diet plan.

The first tip is to make sure to include the proper amount of low-carb vegetables in your daily diet. In the induction phase, you can eat up to 20 grams of carbohydrates per day. This is roughly equal to 3 cups of salad vegetables. Some people are tempted to use their carbohydrate grams on cheese or artificially sweetened soda. Eating acceptable vegetables is a vital part of maintaining intestinal health while following the Atkins plan. It's also important to drink a minimum of 8 eight-ounce glasses of water per day and get exercise. Both of these steps can help with intestinal programs.

If you are experiencing constipation specifically, then there are many methods for relief. When you switch from a diet full of processed and refined sugar products, your body will need some time to adjust to this new way of eating. You'll need to make sure to up your fiber intake with acceptable vegetables and fruits (certain fruits are allowed after the initial induction phase). You can also try a fiber supplement like sugar-free Metamucil.

Make sure you are eating enough fats and oils. Constipation can be a result of too little fat in your diet. Adding tablespoon of olive oil or flax oil to salads or other vegetables can help your intestinal health. Also, try to incorporate a variety of vegetables in your salad. Pale iceberg lettuce does not have much fiber in it. Try dark green lettuces or have a serving of dark green steamed veggies (broccoli, asparagus or spinach are good choices).

If these tips don't work, try cutting out all salt from your diet for a couple of days. This includes pickles, mustard, diet soda, ham, bacon and bottled salad dressing. This will decrease your fluid retention and sometimes helps with bowel movements.

Diarrhea should not be a problem after the first week of the Induction plan. However, on rare occasion, it does persist longer. First, analyze your diet. If you are eating low carb protein bars or other sugar free products, eliminate them. They may contain sweeteners like glycerine, sorbitol and malitol which are known to cause diarrhea and gas. Homemade low carb desserts may also be a cause of problems. Most of them use maltodextrin, an artificial sweetener used in baking. Maltodextrin is made from corn and can cause problems for some people.

If you are not used to eating raw vegetables everyday, this may be a cause of diarrhea. Understand that your body will adjust to the vegetables and the intestinal side effects won't last forever. Make sure you are chewing your raw vegetables thoroughly. Also, using lightly steamed vegetables rather than raw can be a solution to this problem.

Intestinal problems are common during the first portion of the Atkins diet. Keep in mind, however, that these problems will go away within the first few weeks of the new way of eating. If the problems persist, try the previously mentioned tips to get relief.

Roger Mitchell contributed this article. http://www.HealthyCafe.org has other well-written and helpful articles related to Atkins Diet like Lapband Surgery A Popular Weight Reduction Option and Crash Diets. This article may be used only in its entirety with all links included.

Exercise and Atkins - A Great Combo for Success!

2007-10-25T09:23:00.001-07:00

One of the key ways to succeed at the Atkins diet is to include exercise with your diet.

The Atkins diet folks themselves stress this as a key motivator for following and staying on the Atkins diet. Exercise makes you happy and happy about yourself. It is an important ingredient in the overall format of the Atkins diet and a crucial part of succeeding at the Atkins diet.

When you stay on an exercise regimen you can allow yourself more choices of Atkins food, which in turn keeps you from being bored with the meals and helps you succeed at the Atkins diet.

The key to your Atkins diet and exercise combination is choosing exercise you enjoy. If you are quiet, for example, you may enjoy the peace of a walk early in the morning. Or if you think you need to help yourself succeed at the Atkins diet in a more energized robust way join an exercise or fitness class or club.

If you've got a busy schedule and taking the time to go to the club or even the track is more than you can easily accomplish get yourself a home gym or DVD with your favorite form of exercise.

If moral support or companionship is important find a friend to work out or walk with.

Whatever form of exercise you choose to help you succeed at your Atkins diet set a goal and a schedule for yourself and follow it diligently. Don't let yourself get bogged down in "I should have worked out but I was so busy." If you do this you are cheating yourself and you're endangering your chances of succeeding at the Atkins diet.

Keep to your exercise schedule and you will succeed at the Atkins diet.

If you enjoyed this article on the Atkins diet, please visit http://bestatkinsdietinfo.com to find an extensive listing of Atkins diet related information, resources, and articles. Visit us today to discover how you can lose weight with the Atkins diet.

The Good and the Bad of the Atkins Diet

2007-09-25T14:12:00.001-07:00

Here is a break down of the Atkins diet, via three good points to the Atkins diet and three bad points of the Atkins diet.

The Atkins diet three good points.

1. The Atkins diet burns fat. When you begin the Atkins diet your body is switching from burning carbs for energy to burning ketones which come from fat for energy. The Atkins diet is designed to do this so your body becomes a fat burning machine.

Conventional diets use the concept of eat fewer calories than you use in a day which causes your body to burn fat reserves. The Atkins diet approach burns fat quicker because you take in less carbs and your body is forced into burning ketones.

2. You are not hungry on the Atkins diet. The Atkins diet has you eating your main source of protein from meats at each meal. By utilizing meat as your main source of protein your body feels full longer. Meat takes longer to digest which keeps you feeling full longer.

3. The Atkins diet has health benefits. In studies the Atkins diet has been shown in some people to reduce cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure. Also the Atkins diet may help to relieve the symptoms of acid reflux, diabetes and sleep apnea.

The Atkins diet three bad points.

1. The Atkins diet burns fat fast. Toxins that have built up in your body and stored in fat cells may be burned off too fast when you first begin the Atkins diet.

2. You may feel tired on the Atkins diet. When your body switches its fuel source from carbs to ketones in the first few days of the Atkins diet you may feel some form of fatigue. The tired feeling should begin to settle out as your body begins to adjust to the Atkins diet.

3. You eat fewer vegetables on the Atkins diet. The Atkins diet promotes more meat and fewer vegetables. Vegetables are an important source of minerals, fiber and calcium. When your body shifts to the Atkins diet you may suffer a loss in vegetable intake.

After you read the three good points of the Atkins diet and the three bad points of the Atkins diet it is up to you and your doctor to decide if the Atkins diet is the best choice for you.

Shauna Hanus is a work at home mother that discovered after having children she had gone from a slender size 8 to a size 16. Once she decided to do something about her weight she began to tell others what she has learned. Shauna’s site http://www.buydietfood.com is dedicated to real people who want to lose weight and lead a healthy life style. Shauna offers tips on weight loss, healthy diets and guides you through selecting a diet that will work for you. Visit http://www.buydietfood.com to see how you can start leading a healthy active life today.

Atkins Diet - How to Do It the Right Way?

2007-06-30T20:44:00.000-07:00

Obesity is the main reason for many diseases like cardiovascular problems, diabetes, depression, and sleep apnea. The only way out of this problem is to follow a strict and healthy diet. But that doesn’t mean avoiding food altogether for that it is not at all a good option since it would deprive our body of essential nutrients. Hence a controlled carbohydrate diet is advised for carbohydrate is mostly responsible for increasing one’s body weight.

The low carbohydrate Atkins Diet was first introduced in 1970’s by Dr. Robert Atkins. But it became popular almost 10 years later after the release of his book - ‘Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution’ which went one to become one of the bestsellers of that decade. In no time, millions of people in the United States and abroad began to follow Atkins diet specifications as their first diet choice.

What is Atkins Diet?

Atkins Diet is a high protein, low carbohydrate diet. It promotes using meat, eggs, and cheese while discouraging high carbohydrate-content foods such as bread and rice. If excess carbohydrates are taken in, excess enzymes should be generated to digest it. This may lead to disintegration of pancreatic cells in a long run, which may further lead to diabetes. According to Robert Atkins, on having a low carbohydrate diet, our body will enter into a state of ketosis, in which, instead of carbohydrates, fat is digested to release energy. This reduces the need for more insulin produced by the pancreatic cells and the fat deposits are subsided. Thus, the body weight is reduced to a considerable amount.

Advantages of Atkins Diet:

1. Considerable amount of body weight is reduced by the burning of fats which is the secondary source of energy.

2. Inter-meal diets could be avoided since you won’t be hungry between meals.

3. Could maintain constant blood sugar level.

4. Since most of the toxins contained in our body are removed along with the burning of fats, overall heath is improved.

Things to Note:

1. It is recommended to consult a doctor or physician before trying out Atkins diet meal plans.

2. Daily exercise is highly recommended along with Atkins diet foods.

3. People with kidney disorders, pregnancy, and diabetes are advised not to follow Atkins diet meal plans.

Phases of Atkins Diet:

1. Induction - In this phase, which includes first 14 days of the diet, it is said that you will lose up to 15 pounds of your body weight. During this time, the amount of carbohydrates consumed per day will be less than 20 grams. The only carbohydrates included in your Atkins diet recipes will be low carbohydrate-content vegetables like tomato.

2. Ongoing Weight Loss – During this second stage, the consumption of carbohydrates is raised up to 5 grams per day.

3. Pre-maintenance – During this stage of Atkins diet meal plans, the rate of fall of body weight will be slower. Also, you can experiment various other foods to see whether they add your body weight or not. If found safe, you could add it to your Atkins diet food products.

4. Maintenance – You enter this phase when you find that you have reduced the body weight to the desired level. Also you could add some more carbohydrates to your diet which do not raise your body weight, like full wheat bread.

Tail Piece: The ultimate result of Atkins diet program (other diet programs as well) depends solely on how well the person follows the recommendations. Hence make sure that you follow it religiously.

We offer the best Atkins Diet source. Check it out only on the Atkins Diet Food Products Guide. Find all about diets on http://www.leandernet.com/Diets/Diets.php

Dr Atkins Diet Plan - A Miraculous Fat Burning Tool

2007-04-06T01:29:00.000-07:00

Dr Atkins Diet Plan - A Miraculous Fat Burning Tool

Weight Loss Program - Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscles

Only lately, has Dr Atkins diet plan gain in reputation as every day more people becomes knowledgeable about the dangers of being over weight.

Because many individuals had a problem persisting with a low fat, low energy diet, they began to search for other ways to lose fat and they managed to find a very good one in a Dr Atkins diet plan.

As of late a considerable amount of people with weight problem have started using diet by Dr.Atkins, and the final results that majority of them achieved have produced a large exposure.

Atkins diet is based on a proposition of the reason why we grow extra fat. In theory by Dr. Atkins, ingesting high quantities of simple carbohydrates and sugars can result in weight gain.

The way in which our bodies manage the simple carbohydrates we include in our regular diet is more important then the calories we consume.

In an Atkins diet book, there are many references to occurrence called the insulin resistance. The basis of this theory is that people with weight problem have a trouble with their cells and that these cells cease to work as satisfactorily as they should.

In times when we consume excessive amount of sugars and carbohydrates, our bodies observe that levels of sugar are very high.

Insulin is produced by the pancreas gland as a method to gather sugar in a way of glycogen. That same sugar is then being accumulated in our liver and muscles for additional energy later in cases when we need it.

The difficulty is that our bodies have the limit in the amount of glycogen that can be stored at once. The second that we reach this limit our bodies commence storing it as fat, for emergency.

However insulin resistant individuals have a yet more difficult time storing carbohydrates. As your body is exposed to more and more insulin, it slowly becomes resistant to it.

Our body cells are essentially shielding them selves from large amounts of insulin in this way. Because of that, they create more fat and less amount of glycogen.

Accordingly insulin resistant man and woman start put on additional weight. Reason for this is that the carbohydrates are processed in fat instead of energy. Some common side effects are low blood sugar, high blood sugar, bloating, depression, lack of focus, fatigue, bad memory and sleepiness.

Furthermore insulin resistance has the ability to cause you a lot more health problems then simply having a few pounds more.

Very good cure for insulin resistant people is a diet low in carbohydrates. And that is the main part of Dr Atkins diet plan, reduced intake of carbohydrates. Some of the limited food groups are: any foods with high percentage of sugar and also some complex carbohydrates (grains, rice and bread).

In some cases even healthy carbohydrates such as whole grain bread and rice can be limited.

What Dr Atkins diet plan does is that it places a limit to your every day carb consumption to 40 grams of carbohydrates daily max. The result that this has on your body is that it places your body in a state of ketosis.

So what is a ketosis? Basically it is a situation when your body uses fat for fuel. One more significant ketosis consequence is that it has a very strong effect on an insulin production, which stops additional fat storing.

Together this will force your body to commence with using fat as a extremely efficient fuel resource and that will result in a weight loss.

Throughout ketosis, you will also suffer a good deal less carbohydrate cravings. This has happened to anyone of us, you start munching something sweet and there is no way for you to stop. Over time as you consume always more of carbohydrates you carb cravings will increase.

Many people who have tried diet by Dr.Atkins have conveyed significantly lesser craving for carbohydrates then previous to the diet. And yet you need to know that the earliest chapter of Dr Atkins diet plan is fairly restricted, and actually problematical for many individuals to stay on.

That is why many of them quit or do not achieve adequate results. You need to see it from the proper angle, Atkins diet is going to explain to you how to bring back the balance in your diet in the long run.

If you see it in this way you are going to accomplish something and will experience a significant decrease of body fat. Eventually as you make progress you are going to again start to reintroduce carbs to your everyday diet, the difference is you are now going to have the knowledge not to use them too much.

The original principles that are the basis of Atkins diet have since been used on several new low carb diets, nevertheless Dr Atkins diet plan was the original and it remains the most popular to these days.

Petter Solveig is an web based author and the owner of Atkins Diet Advice website. Drop in on us and learn all in relation to Atkins diet outline, get tons of tips and free Atkins diet recipes

Low Carb and Atkins Diet Tips

2007-03-16T01:53:00.001-07:00

When doing the Atkins Diet or other low carb diet, it's easy to get stuck in a rut and have the same old foods every day. And getting bored with your food choices is one of the quickest ways to fall off your diet! So it is helpful to get hold of some Atkins and low carb menu plans and a good low carb cookbook to ensure your diet is varied and enjoyable.

Atkins dieters and other low carbers often get fed up with packing a salad and cutlery for lunch at work or on a day out, and think wistfully back to the days of putting their ham and salad in a sandwich. Low carb breads are available on the Internet and in some shops, but even these may be too high in carbs for some people. However, low carb breads containing little more than a gram of net carbs per slice can be made from flax and other healthy ingredients. Low carb cookbooks which include bakery recipes (the minority) usually include recipes for flax bread.

If you are on the Atkins or other low carb diet, you may need to boost the fiber you get from your green vegetables and salads. There are various fiber supplements you can take in capsule form or mixed with water, but how much nicer to incorporate your added fiber into your cooking. For instance, fiber-rich flax seeds and soya bran can be used in making low carb bread, muffins, chocolate refrigerator cake and even fish cakes and ‘breaded’ fish or chicken.

When starting the Atkins or other low carb diet, many people find the most difficult thing is making the change to a whole new way of thinking in the kitchen. A low carb cookbook will help with this, but it's important to choose one which focuses on everyday, quick and easy recipes and shows you how to make low carb versions of the foods you miss most, be they bread, cookies, pies, quiche, sauces, ice cream, risotto, lasagna or whatever. Many of the so-called low carb or Atkins cookbooks just provide recipes for meals comprising meat, fish, eggs or cheese coupled with salad or green vegetables, which you can find in any cookbook.

Breakfast on the Atkins Diet isn’t just about bacon and eggs! Try porridge made with dessert-type ricotta cheese, flax seeds, soya bran and unsweetened desiccated coconut. Just put a teaspoonful of each dry ingredient into your bowl and cover with hot water, leaving for a few moments. Then mix in the ricotta and warm in the microwave, adding artificial sweetener and a pinch of cinnamon to taste. Or try making low carb crunchy breakfast cereal or granola.

High in vitamins, minerals and ‘good’ fats, nuts are making something of a comeback in healthy eating and their low carbohydrate content means they are also perfect for dieters on Atkins and other low carb diets. But don’t just think of them as something to nibble raw -- ground into nut flours, they’re also great for use in low carb bake mixes.

Dietary needs and preferences differ, so when considering which low carb or Atkins Diet cookbook to buy, why not think about getting an interactive one? For instance, you might want to be able to adjust the recipes to suit your likes and dislikes, and even recalculate the carb counts if you substitute ingredients or change serving sizes. Or you might want to add low carb recipes of your own. A good interactive cookbook will not only organize and index your own recipes along with the existing recipes, it will allow you to import recipes from elsewhere as well.

When choosing a low carb cookbook, be sure to check which ingredient measurement system it uses. The best cookbooks show ingredients in metric and imperial as well as cup measures, so that you do not have to spend time converting ounces into cups or cups into grams and so on.

Copyright LowCarbIsEasy.com and GoodDietGoodHealth.com 2007

Jackie Bushell is passionate about raising awareness of the role of diet and nutrition in good health and helping those who are affected by obesity. Via her website at GoodDietGoodHealth.com, she provides information, support, cookbooks, how-to guides and a newsletter for those wishing to understand more about how to improve their health and achieve a healthy weight in a natural way. Amongst the resources she has developed are a low carb/low GI diet cookbook and a book called 'Why Can't I Lose Weight' for those who experience common problems such as not losing weight on their diet or becoming stuck on a 'diet plateau'.

How To Be Atkins Diet And Gout Friendly

2007-03-07T20:57:00.000-08:00

Fat Smash Diet Info

One of the first recommendations a doctor will give for an overweight gout sufferer is to lose the extra weight, so one option the sufferer often looks at is a comparison between an Atkins diet and gout friendly diet.

Obesity is one of the main risk factors for gout, with around half of all gout sufferers being classed as obese or overweight. So, considering the best diet to adopt will make a large difference to the success of the gout treatment you choose.

The Atkins diet is based on the theory that we eat too many refined carbohydrates which is why so many people are struggling to maintain a healthy weight. The extra carbohydrates that don't get used as fuel by the body are turned to sugar and stored as fat. Our bodies will burn both carbs and fat, however, they will always start with the excess carbs first as they are easier to process.

So the idea behind the Atkins diet is to severely restrict carb intake, forcing the body to burn its stores of fat. It may be a way to lose weight, but be careful if you're considering this diet as a gout sufferer.

Atkins and other low carb diets rely heavily on protein based foods and this is where the problems for gout sufferers start.

Gout is caused when hyperuricema occurs, this is a medical term for when the body has elevated levels of uric acid in the blood stream. Uric acid is a natural waste by-product that we produce, and which is normally eliminated mainly by the kidneys via urine. When this elimination process encounters a problem, or there is an unusually elevated level of uric acid in the body, uric acid crystals are formed and deposited in the joints.

It is the build up of crystals that cause gout symptoms - hot-to-touch, red, swollen and extremely painful joints. One of the main causes of hyperuricemia is eating purine-rich foods. When ingested, purine, is turned into uric acid.Normally the body can cope with this natural process, however, should the kidneys have impaired function or the level of purine intake increases dramatically, gout can be the outcome.

The foods that have the highest purine levels are animal based proteins. The very foods that make up the largest portion of the Atkins diet plan. So, you can see the problem that a gout sufferer may have by following Atkins or other low/restricted carb diets.

The alternative for gout sufferers may take a little longer to see results in terms of weight loss, however, the added bonus is the risk of potential further gout attacks is greatly reduced. The answer is to adopt a gout-friendly diet, drink more water and introduce as much exercise as safely possible.

A gout sufferer's weight loss should be gradual as rapid weight loss can actually have the opposite effect and make gout symptoms worse. Extreme dieting and rapid weight loss have the effect of raising uric acid levels in the body.

Gout friendly diets tend to be made up of complex-carbohydrates, low fat and low protein foods and, of course, foods low in purine. Protein is usually limited to no more than 100grams a day and it is best to avoid or limit alcohol, as this can increase uric acid production within the body. Aim to drink 8 - 10 glasses of water a day to help dilute uric acid and speed up elimination.

By following a sensible gout diet you will be able to lose excess weight or maintain a healthy weight and avoid further gout attacks at the same time. For more information about low carb, Atkins diet and gout friendly diets sign up for the free newsletter on the site.

By Lisa McDowell. Sign up for a free newsletter & discover more about the pros and cons of an Atkins diet and gout friendly diets. Uncover the various proven natural cure for gout options that are available.

The Nutritional Legacy of the Atkins Plan

2007-02-24T00:07:00.000-08:00

Doctor Atkins was a real live cardiologist who was interested in alternative healthcare and in ways to help his patients lose weight. In the 1970s, he wrote a relatively famous book, “Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution”. In his book, he wrote of a diet recommendation that was completely different from the traditional diets of his day. His book was very popular and many sought “The Atkins’ Diet” as a way to keep eating protein and fat, while avoiding carbohydrates.

The Atkins Plan was very controversial. It was so high in fat and protein that other cardiologists often refused to use it as it was felt to raise the fat and cholesterol in the diet. Some doctors felt the diet was a “heart attack waiting to happen”. Even in the 1970s, doctors knew that cholesterol was bad and that it caused arterial plaques to form in the heart, resulting in a heart attack. While good ways to lower cholesterol weren’t known back then, a diet low in fat was felt to be a way to reverse the effects of heart disease.

The Atkins Plan was also high in protein. Protein isn’t inherently bad, especially for body builders, but few nutritionists recommend eating it in high amounts. A high protein diet can cause kidney disease and even gouty arthritis. The meat group used so much in the Atkins diet is actually recommended in limited amounts for those wanting to lose weight by most nutritionists.

Carbohydrates are to be limited, said Dr. Atkins. He felt dieters should count carbohydrates on his diet and eat very little bread or pasta. The only carbohydrates recommended were those found in fresh vegetables like salads, often served with fat rich salad dressing.

In one Atkins menu, it was recommended on one diet plan to eat as many pork rinds as you wanted, using a tuna salad as a dressing. When was the last time that a weight loss diet included unlimited pork rinds? Pork rinds are considered one of the worst snack foods out there, much less something you should eat for lunch.

There were those who waited to see what would happen to Atkins himself because of his own adherence to the Atkins diet. In fact, Dr. Atkins did develop a form of cardiomyopathy. While his family said it was unrelated to the diet, this is a fact that could never be proved. A year later, at the age of 72, he slipped on the ice in front of his office and diet of brain trauma. The status of his coronary arteries remains unknown.

In today’s time, it is well established that heart disease can be prevented by lowering cholesterol and fat. While we have medications for this condition, dieticians recommend a low fat diet for those at risk for heart disease, including diabetics. The Atkins diet plan flies in the face of these recommendations, and yet, there are still dieters today who use the Atkins diet for weight loss.

Atkins brings you the latest news on atkins. Atkins is gaining in popularity and we want to bring you the most up-to-date information online. Also check out our latest information page at atkinsinfosite.com

Weight Loss Program - Burn the Fat

Is Kimmer's New Diet Plan Really "Turning Fatties Into Hotties"?

2007-02-17T23:42:00.000-08:00

Is Kimmer's New Diet Plan Really "Turning Fatties Into Hotties"?

If you are the least bit familiar with healthy low carb eating you must have heard of a lady by the name of Kimmer by now.

Kimmer has, as her supportive followers would say, "cleverly developed a new form of low carb eating unlike any other." This new low carb plan has caused not only her own weight loss, but the weight loss of countless others she has personally coached to literally skyrocket with fat melting off their bodies at amazing speed! A plan that has been deemed "KIMKINS."

Floods of overweight people that claim they are sick and tired of the empty promises other weight loss plans dish out.. as well as those that had enough of waiting weeks, even months to shed just 1 pant size are flocking to Kimmer in hopes of finding out her secret on how they can "double their weight loss speed," in some cases even "triple it"! After all, she has proven her own plan successful (or is it) by shedding an incredible 198 pounds in less than 1 year! She has also managed to maintain that weight loss now for over 5 years, making her the role model that so many overweight Americans, (as well as others around the world) now look up to!

What makes this particular low carb weight loss plan different? It appears the secret has a lot to do with there being less fat than Atkins, fewer carbs than South Beach, and of course the lightening speed of weight loss.. something Weight Watchers does not promise.

Kimmer has different phases to her weight loss plan. The first known as "K/E" which means "The Kimmer Experiment." This is a very specific eating plan that lasts about 3-5 days with the purpose of achieving real ketosis. K/E has a carb count of nearly "0." The "experiment", basically, is to use this way of eating to determine whether or not you were over on carbs in your prior diet. If you drop a large amount of weight within a short period of time, that supposedly means you were over on carbs and should adjust your eating accordingly. Kimmer does not allow for net carb counting either, unlike the popular Atkins diet. She claims that being over on carbs is one of the biggest reason so many people fail on other popular low carb diet plans.

Once in ketosis she would then suggest you switch into what is called "Kimkins" way of eating for the remainder of your weight loss. The one main difference between the two plans is K/E does not allow any form of veggies to be eaten like Kimkins does. Basically, it is only lean meats and eggs and enough oil/fat to make your menu work. Because of this, as you can imagine.. the fat count is very low right along with the carbs.

She also has a suggested maintenance plan available that you can follow once goal is achieved. It appears this plan includes certain amounts and types of dairy, fruit and grains as well as an increased number of vegetables allowed.

I think it's important to say there is still much debate on whether or not this plan is the best approach for achieving total health. Those that support low fat/high carb eating continue to voice their fears and concerns about Kimkins low carb/low fat eating plan. Many claim it is dangerous to limited fats and carbs to such low levels as well as the number of calories being so low as a result of it. They also fear the speed of weight loss is not a healthy benefit.

However, Kimmer continues to stand her ground claiming her plan is not only effective but 100% SAFE. It's hard to tell who's telling the truth.

Today, with over 2,000 members already enrolled in her new online "secret club", with a rumored number of celebrities jumping on board and over 68 personal testimonies featured at the bottom of her front page alone, all I know is there are a bunch of happy people over there at Kimkins celebrating their dramatic "accelerated" weight loss success. Some even claiming they are transforming themselves from "Fatties to Hotties!" with the before and after pics to prove it.

Hard to believe you might say? Too good to be true? I guess that'll be for you to decide.

April Wend: A 34 year old single mother on a quest to shed 160+ pounds. She has lost 97 pounds using the Kimkins weight loss plan - with 63 to go! View her progress: http://www.spankysvoice.com/

Weight Loss Program - Burn the Fat , Feed the Muscles

What To Eat On Atkins Diet

2007-02-10T23:01:00.000-08:00

Atkins diet no cost informations are easy to get since it exists ever since the mid 70s. However only in recent years, has it grown in popularity for the reason that more and more people are aware of the dangers of being over weight.

Because a lot of individuals have a problem sticking with a diet low in fat, they began to search for alternative and they have gotten a very good one in a Dr.Atkins diet.

Recently a large amount of people with weight problem have started using Dr.Atkins diet, and the final results that a number of them achieved have as a result a lot of exposure.

Fundamentals of Atkins diet

The diet of Dr.Atkins is centered on a supposition of why we grow extra fat. In this theory proposed by Dr. Atkins, ingesting high quantities of simple sugars and carbohydrates causes gaining weight. The method in which our bodies treat the simple carbs that are a part of our average diet is much more significant then the amount of calories consumed.

In his book Dr.Atkins has many references to occurrence called the insulin resistance. The basis of this theory is that a lot of people with weight problem have a difficulty with their body cells and that those cells cease to work as well as they should.

In times when we eat excessive amount of carbs, our bodies observe that levels of sugar are very high. Insulin is being produced by the pancreas gland as a method to build up sugar in a way of glycogen. This same sugar is then being stockpiled in our muscles and liver for more energy afterward in case we need it.

The difficulty is that there is a limit to the amount of glycogen our bodies can store at once. The minute that we reach this threshold our bodies commence to store it as fat, for emergency.

Even so insulin resistant group of people have a yet more difficult time collecting carbohydrates. As your body is exposed to more and more insulin, it slowly becomes immune to it. Your body cells are in reality defending them selves from high amounts of insulin doing this. Because of that, they create more fat and smaller amount of glycogen.

Accordingly insulin resistant people start gain additional fat. Reason for this is that the carbohydrates are processed in fat instead of energy. Some common side effects are fatigue, lack of focus, sleepiness, bad memory, high blood sugar, low blood sugar.

What's more insulin resistance can cause you a great deal more health troubles then merely having too much weight.

Top treatment for insulin resistant individuals is a diet low in carbs. That is the main part of Atkins diet, restricted intake of carbohydrates. Some of the restricted foods are: any foods with high percentage of sugar and some carbohydrates that are usually the mainstay of food pyramid like grains, rice and bread.

In some cases even healthy carbohydrates such as whole wheat bread or rice can be limited.

What Dr.Atkins diet do is that it places a limit to your daily carb intake to maximum of 40 grams daily. The outcome that this has on your body is that it places your body in a ketosis state.

What exactly is a ketosis? Basically it is a situation when your body burns fat as fuel. One more important ketosis end result is that it has a very strong impact on an insulin production, which puts a stop to added fat stockpiling.

When combined this will force the body to start using fat as a highly useful fuel source and that will result in a weight loss.

During ketosis, you will as well experience much less sugar cravings. This can happen to anyone of us, you start eating candy bar and there is no way for you to stop. The more carbohydrates you eat the more you need them.

Lots of individuals who have used Dr.Atkins diet have described significantly lesser want for eating carbohydrates then before the diet. On the other hand you have to know that the initial stage of diet by Dr.Atkins is to a certain extent restricted, and incredibly demanding for most people to stay on. For that reason lots of them quit or do not achieve good results. What you need to do is to look at it from the right perspective, Atkins program will demonstrate to you how to restore the balance to your diet in the long run.

If you make an effort and look at Atkins diet this way you will surely achieve something and will experience a substantial decrease in body fat. Ultimately as you proceed you will again begin to reintroduce carbohydrates to your everyday diet, the difference is you are now going to have the knowledge how to use them properly.

The original principles that are the basis of Atkins diet have since then been used on a lot of new low carb diets, however the diet by Dr.Atkins was first and it remains one of the most popular weight loss diets ever since.

Want to start with weight loss program but do not know how? Visit us and get all the Atkins diet online info you need to lose weight.

Weight Loss Program - Burn the Fat

How Does The Atkins Diet Plan Work?

2007-02-04T02:24:00.000-08:00

The Atkins diet plan consists of three main phases. The first phase is called the Induction phase and is the introductory two-week period of the diet. During these two weeks, you must limit your intake of carbohydrates to 20 per day. This helps your body to readjust the way it produces energy and forces it to switch to the stores of fat instead of depending on the carbohydrates in your diet. You must consume liberal amounts of protein through eating meat, fish and poultry as well as fat.

The next phase of the Atkins diet plan is called the Ongoing Weight loss phase, often called the OWL phase. In this phase you continue to eat high amounts of protein, but you can gradually increase the number of carbohydrates by 5 per week, until you notice that you have reached a plateau in your weight loss. When this happens you can decrease the number of carbohydrates until you start losing weight again.

One thing you have to remember in the ongoing phase of the Atkins diet plan is not to undo all the weight loss you have experienced. You will obtain most of your carbs during this stage through vegetables that contain low amounts of carbohydrates so you are gradually increasing more foods into your diet. You will slowly be changing the ratio of carbs to that of fat and protein. This stage sets the parameters of the lifetime of change you want to bring to your diet and your weight. While it is not as strict as the Induction phase, you still have to watch what you eat.

Once you have reached your ideal weight using the Atkins diet plan, you can resume eating your normal foods. If you notice that the weight is starting to creep back on, you can simply go on the diet for a day or two until your shed those unwanted pounds. You also have to remember to drink lots of water because this contributes to the weight loss in a big way.

For lots of helpful information on the Dr. Phil Diet and related topics, visit A1 Weight Loss Info at http://www.a1-weight-loss-info.com/

Fat Smash Diet

Making the Atkins Diet Work for You

2007-01-25T18:35:00.000-08:00

Several years ago, I decided to go on the Atkins diet because I was a bit overweight. Now, this is the first time that I have done any dieting. I was able to drop 10 pounds on the first week so I could not understand why so many people are always saying that losing weight is difficult. Of course, I found it a bit challenging on the first two weeks because I was not used to eating low carbohydrate foods exclusively.

Fortunately, I found that it was an easy diet to follow once I got past that two week mark. The Atkins diet suggests that a dieter eat foods that are rich in protein. This was an easy part because I have always been a big meat eater. However, giving up the potatoes and bread that I usually eat along with my meat was more difficult for me. I decided that I need to find alternative foods that were allowed on the diet to cure my craving for those foods.

To solve my problem, I purchased an Atkins diet book which not only outlines the diet but also has recipes. I found it amazing how you can eat a lot of food on the Atkins diet and still lose weight. The main challenge with this diet is getting some variety into your meals. The dinner meal was very easy to prepare when I first started the diet. I would usually have some type of protein, fish, pork, chicken or beef and a large leafy salad with blue cheese dressing for my dinner. This meal was not very different than what I ate before it was just minus the potato and bread.

However, the lack of variety started to bore me after a few weeks. I was still motivated to continue the diet because I was losing weight but I was getting tired of eating the same meal every night. Fortunately, I discovered some of the recipes in the back of the Atkins diet book. Mashed cauliflower became my favorite recipe because it has the same texture as mashed potatoes. The Atkins diet book also had a recipe for a salad that has all the same ingredients as potato salad, minus the potatoes. I just substituted cooked cauliflower for the potato. It tastes wonderful although I was a bit skeptical at first.

I have added carbohydrates back into my diet over the years. I gained some of the weight back at first, but I have now found the right balance. I was able to take off excess pounds with the Atkins diet, even though long a term diet with very low carbohydrates did not fit my life style.

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning Atkins Diet. Visit our site for more helpful information about Atkins Diet Menu Plan and other similar topics

What Are Atkins Foods?

2006-12-26T18:18:00.000-08:00

Atkins foods are essentially ones that are low in carbohydrates, but high in protein. It is the restriction of the carbohydrates that you eat that helps you to lose weight. Your body converts the carbohydrates in the food you eat energy, and when this source of fuel is absent, the body starts to burn the fat enabling you to lose weight. Eating foods that are high in protein also helps to raise your metabolism by helping you to build more muscle, which in itself is a calorie burning mechanism in the body.

The list of Atkins foods that you can eat when you are on this diet is available in the Dr. Atkins diet books and through the sites on the Internet. The main thing to realize is that you should limit the carbohydrates you eat to about 20 per day until you get used to the diet. Then you can start to gradually increase this amount. Some of the foods which people love to eat, and can’t believe that they are included in the list, are bacon and eggs. Fish, meat and poultry are included in the food pyramid as important elements of a well-balanced diet, but people sometimes find it hard to believe that fried foods are acceptable.

Included in the list of Atkins foods that surprisingly enough will help you to lose weight is cream. You can add whipped cream to any dull food to spice it up. There are many specialized foods developed specifically for those on the Atkins diet, such as multi-grain breads, chocolate bars and candy. You don’t have to feel that you are missing out on anything when these foods are available. Because they are expensive, you will not usually find them in all supermarkets. The larger supermarket chains in major cities do carry them, though, because they have a larger base of customers looking for these foods. You have to be prepared to pay the price in order to keep eating foods that you love and still lose weight. For example, a package of 6 Atkins bagels may cost you about $6.00.

You can purchase Atkins foods that you never thought possible, such as the Atkins pancake mix and even the Atkins syrup. There are also a variety of sauces and salad dressings to add so much flavor to your food.

For lots of helpful information on low carb diets and related topics, visit A1 Weight Loss Info at http://www.a1-weight-loss-info.com/

Best Weight Loss Program - burn the fat , feed the muscles

The Atkins Diet - The Origin Of Low Carb Diets

2006-12-04T23:35:00.000-08:00

The Atkins Nutritional approach has been used nationally since the 1960’s. Long before Dr. Robert Atkins published his popular low-carbohydrate diet plan, his patients were reaping the benefits of the Atkins diet.

Dr. Atkins divided his meal plan into four phases. “Induction,” phase one, is designed to force the body into ketosis, a physical condition which occurs in response to starvation. The “ketogenic” diet is widely used in medicine not only to treat obesity, but also to treat conditions such as epilepsy and diabetes. During this particular two-week period, no alcohol or caffeine can be consumed.

The second phase, “Ongoing Weight Loss,” is geared toward finding the “Critical Carbohydrate Level for Losing.” This process involves increasing the carb intake by five grams per week until the subject a person is within 10 pounds of their target weight.

“Pre-maintenance” is the next step. Like phase two, this phase calls for an increase in carb intake, the difference between the two phases being that this phase is designed to find the “Critical Carbohydrate Level for Maintenance.”

Step four is “Lifetime Maintenance,” a phase intended to reinforce the habits learned through the diet plan so as not to regain the weight lost during the diet. Dr. Atkins also emphasizes making use of the option to jump back to any of the other phases if weight begins to return.

While many testimonials of success have been recorded, the Atkins diet has been under fire in recent years as more and more analysis is conducted. Recent studies have compared Atkins to other diet plans and found that it scores among the highest for short-term weight loss but ranks as the lowest for long-term weight loss. And after Atkins Nutrionals released their line of Atkins diet bars and meals, Forbes Magazine analyzed several diets and found that the average consumer would pay up to 80% more in food costs than people not on the diet. Even when faced with these facts, many still sing praises of the Atkins diet.

Both the New England Journal of Medicine and the American Journal of Medicine confirmed that Atkins is still the most effective published diet plan for short-term weight loss. They do, however, acknowledge that it does come at greater risk for coronary heart disease. As for weighing out the pros and cons to determine exactly how much more at risk those who participate in the Atkins diet are, all reports found that no evidence documented has yet to prove that the risks are greater than the benefits.

Nearly forty years later, the late Dr. Atkins is still recognized for his approach to weight loss. Thanks to the innovation of the internet, Atkins meal plans, Atkins diet bars, Atkins recipes, magazine articles and research regarding Atkins and virtually anything else associated with the Atkins diet has never been easier to access.

Charles Amith is a successful Webmaster and publisher of http://LowCarbDietSolutions.com.
Charles provides informative content on weight loss, as well as more information on the Atkins Diet.

Fat Smash Diet

The Staying Power of the Atkins Diet

2006-12-02T17:40:00.000-08:00

I have always wanted to get fitter and lose weight and I have tried lots of different weight loss programs. No matter what I did or what kind of products I bought, nothing seemed to be effective. Actually I have spent a small fortune on a large variety of weight loss products. Unfortunately, most of them were ineffective, while others worked only for few months. Let me be completely honest with you, there is nothing worse than giving my hopes up when I hear about the latest diet and a couple of months later see no change when I step on a scale.
I had almost given up any hope when the Atkins diet came out several years ago. I didn't really expect it to help me lose weight as I was afraid of experiencing another disappointment. I was considering not trying it because I thought it was just one of the many diet fads that would blow over in a few months. I wanted to save myself the heartache and some money, too. So, I decided to wait it out.

I was really surprised a couple of months later when the Atkins diet didn't go away. On the contrary, it got bigger and bigger. Every time I turned on my TV or radio I was hearing about people who had lost weight keeping the Atkins diet. I waited for some time before I changed my mind and decided to give the Atkins diet a try.

To be honest, it was very difficult at the beginning. The Atkins diet requires that people who keep it should limit their carbohydrate intake which meant not eating foods as bread, pasta, potatoes. I loved all these kinds of food, so it was quite tough on me. However, I wanted to give my best try, so I didn't hesitate to keep the diet plan precisely. With time I started to lose some weight. Of course, I expected to see it coming back on in a couple of months but it did not. I spent a year following the Atkins diet and I finally managed to achieve my weight loss goal for the first time in my life.

I should admit that what really helped me keep the Atkins diet was my decision to look for outside assistance. I chose to register with a meal service that catered to participants on the Atkins diet. What was really great about it was that I could pick different meals from a large menu and have them delivered to my office or home. This was it was much easier for me to keep ye weight loss plan as I didn't have to prepare my own meals.

In case you are considering giving the Atkins diet a shot it would be best if you learn everything about it and consult your doctor to make sure this diet is good for you. If you have already made up your mind to start the Atkins diet, then I would recommend you to sign up with a food delivery service. It is best if you have a few meals delivered to you at least several times a week if not every day. The Atkins diet really makes a difference and you can fully rely on the weight loss plan to finally stop struggling with obesity.

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning weight loss. Get the information you are seeking now by visiting Atkins Diet

Fat Smash Diet

Atkins Fans Claim False Victory

2006-11-30T18:20:00.000-08:00

Last week the New England Journal of Medicine published a study that caused low-carb diet fans to raise their arms in victory. However, a closer look at the study should put a damper on their festivities.

The study followed about 82,000 nurses over a 20-year period and looked at rates of heart disease amongst those that ate either a low-carb/high protein or a high-carb diet. The conclusions were that the rates of heart disease did not differ between the two groups. This led to all kinds of media claims that high protein, Atkins-like diets were good for the heart.
The Real Conclusions

Well, there are several problems here. The first and most blatant one is that a finding of ‘equal risk' for the high protein diet is certainly not the same as the claim that it is ‘heart healthy'. This is just over-hyping the findings.

The second major problem is that the study did not separate out good carbs from bad carbs in the group comparisons. So, nurses that ate a lot of white breads and cakes would be put in the same group as those that ate high fiber, whole grain carbohydrate sources. This is a major confound that cannot be overlooked. I have talked about the glycemic index in previous articles and putting low and high glycemic carbohydrates into the same category is sure to have a dramatic impact on the study's conclusions.

The Glycemic Index links to risk for Heart Disease

To revisit the glycemic index briefly, it is essentially a measure at how fast a food burns and increases your blood sugar. High glycemic foods that contain a lot of simple sugars or highly refined flours (white breads, white potatoes, sugary cereals, etc.) spike your blood sugar very fast. Atkins dieters are doing the right thing to avoid these. However, low glycemic foods that lack simple sugars and contain complex carbohydrates and high fiber (whole grain breads, fruits and vegetables, etc.) increase blood sugar very slowly. These should not be lumped into the same category as their high glycemic counterparts.

Another problem with many of the media reports is that they ignored a couple other findings within the study. First, although the study did not separate out high and low glycemic carbs for the point of the group analysis, it did associate overall glycemic index with heart disease risk for subjects overall. They found a strong correlation between the glycemic index of a subject's diet and their risk for heart disease. This supports the notion that low glycemic, fiber-rich carbohydrates are good for your heart. Second, the authors also found that people on a high protein diet who ate mostly vegetable sources of protein also had a reduced risk of heart disease. Vegetable protein is not accompanied by the saturated fats found in animal sources of protein. Again – points conveniently ignored by Atkins fans, given their advice of minimizing fiber-rich carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables.

The Good, the Bad and the Unwilling

The bottom line is that Dr. Atkins did a great thing by waking up the world to the dangers of high glycemic carbohydrates. However, we now understand that a carbohydrate is not a carbohydrate – there are good ones and bad ones. We also now know that fat is not fat - there are good fats and bad fats. And the source of protein you choose largely dictates which type of fat you are mostly getting. Atkins supporters would do well to acknowledge these recent understandings and moderate their high animal protein intake.

It all comes back to listening to your common sense. Don't buy into fad diets that go against a millennia of common sense. I had a problem with the Atkins diet from day 1 because it just didn't make sense to me to limit fiber, fruits and vegetables. Yes, people have lost weight on this diet but it is not a long-term healthy solution. It's unfortunate that this recent scientific report was over-interpreted and exploited to re-push the Atkins agenda.

Are you feeding your kids dreams or disaster? Learn how to guarantee your child achieves their mental and physical potential. Dr. Simon Evans is a Brain Research Scientist and a Youth Sports Coach. Visit his Website at http://www.thebraincode.com/

Fat Smash Diet

The Staying Power of the Atkins Diet

2006-11-23T13:29:00.000-08:00

I was really surprised a couple of months later when the Atkins diet didn't go away. On the contrary, it got bigger and bigger. Every time I turned on my TV or radio I was hearing about people who had lost weight keeping the Atkins diet. I waited for some time before I changed my mind and decided to give the Atkins diet a try.

To be honest, it was very difficult at the beginning. The Atkins diet requires that people who keep it should limit their carbohydrate intake which meant not eating foods as bread, pasta, potatoes. I loved all these kinds of food, so it was quite tough on me. However, I wanted to give my best try, so I didn't hesitate to keep the diet plan precisely. With time I started to lose some weight. Of course, I expected to see it coming back on in a couple of months but it did not. I spent a year following the Atkins diet and I finally managed to achieve my weight loss goal for the first time in my life.

I should admit that what really helped me keep the Atkins diet was my decision to look for outside assistance. I chose to register with a meal service that catered to participants on the Atkins diet. What was really great about it was that I could pick different meals from a large menu and have them delivered to my office or home. This was it was much easier for me to keep ye weight loss plan as I didn't have to prepare my own meals.

In case you are considering giving the Atkins diet a shot it would be best if you learn everything about it and consult your doctor to make sure this diet is good for you. If you have already made up your mind to start the Atkins diet, then I would recommend you to sign up with a food delivery service. It is best if you have a few meals delivered to you at least several times a week if not every day. The Atkins diet really makes a difference and you can fully rely on the weight loss plan to finally stop struggling with obesity.

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning weight loss. Get the information you are seeking now by visiting Atkins Diet

Fat Smash Diet

Atkins Diet - Does It Work

2006-11-22T11:08:00.000-08:00

We have all heard about the Atkins Diet. The plan basically calls for you to reduce your intake of carbohydrates. What this means is your intake is basically protein. The workings of the plan is - your body first burns carbohydrates, when it can not find any then it burns fat using stored fat to provide the protein energy.

In the Atkins Diet you have to be sure to drink a lot of water because your kidneys have a difficult time flushing all the burned fat out of your system. It uses a lot of water in this process. So if you do not drink water you can become dehydrated.

So what happens is that when you eliminate carbohydrates in your system your body looks to protein to burn to provide energy. And in the process use lots of fat. This causes you to lose weight and lose it fast.

I have seen many people that have tried the Atkins Diet and lose weight fast. But they also have to be careful not to completely eliminate carbohydrates. So it calls for balancing your diet as you proceed. The Atkins Diet plan actually has a menu suggestions and if you follow the plan it will work for you. After all the basic plan to lose weight is burn more calories then you take in. Can you imagine what this would do with just a little exercise?

The biggest problem, as with any diet plan, is that of discipline. Most people have a problem making a long term lifestyle change. The urge for sweets and breads soon drives people back to their old eating habits and when they go back to eating carbohydrates they gain the weight back.

Unfortunately, I have seen many people very excited about the weight they lost with the Atkins Diet. They look trim and healthy and you can tell they feel good about themselves. But soon you see them start gaining weight again. They could not resist the urge for sweets and breads and other foods rich in carbohydrates. So if you do not have that strong will to stick with this program what do you do?

Well there are other programs out there that are not as drastic as the Atkins Diet and where you lose weight at a slower pace. Many of this programs have different plans. Some require you measure calories, but to do this you have to look at portions and eat less, and only eat certain kinds of foods. But let's face it they too require a change in lifestyle.

It is difficult with all those hunger urgings to stay on the Atkins Diet or any other diet. We love to eat and have been condition, and in some cases addicted to certain foods. Maybe the best solution is some of the diet supplements that reduce those cravings. But here to you have to be careful because of all the scams out there in the diet supplement arena.

Al Villa is a retired Judge and internet entrepreneur. He loves to write articles and you can use them as free content provded you include the whole article and this resource box with this hot link: Lose Weight Fast

Fat Smash Diet

Atkins Diet - A Straight-up Review

2006-11-16T00:27:00.000-08:00

My husband and I went on the atkins diet several years ago. This is the first time my husband has done any dieting. I on the other hand have tried every diet know to mankind. Of course he dropped 10 pounds the first week, and could not understand why I am always saying that weight loss is difficult. I did lose 6 pounds the first week so I had to agree that the diet was working.

The first two weeks were difficult to get used to eating only low carbohydrate foods. Once we got past that two week mark we found that it was an easy diet for us to follow. On the atkins diet you eat mostly protein. My husband has always been a big meat eater so that part was easy. It was more difficult for him to give up the potatoes and bread that he ate along with his meat. We needed to find alternative foods that were allowed on the atkins diet.

I bought the atkins diet book which not only outlines the diet but also has recipes. It is amazing how you can eat a lot of food on the atkins diet and still lose weight. The main challenge is getting some variety into your meals. When we first started the atkins diet the dinner meal was very easy to prepare. We would have some type of protein, fish, animal protein, chicken or beef and a large leafy salad with bleu cheese dressing. This was not that different than what we ate before it was just minus the potato and bread.

After a few weeks the lack of variety started to bore us. We were both losing weight, so that helped keep us motivated, but we were getting tired of the same meal each night. Then I discovered some of the recipes in the back of the atkins diet book. Our favorite is mashed cauliflower. It is the same texture as mashed potatoes. The atkins diet book also had a recipe for a salad that has all the same ingredients as potato salad, minus the potatoes. You substitute cooked cauliflower. I was doubtful at first, but it tastes wonderful.

Over the years we have added carbohydrates back into out diet. Initially we both gained some of the weight back, but now we have found the right balance for each of us. Long term with very low carbohydrates did not fit our life style, or taste buds, but the atkins diet was an effective way for us to take off pounds.

John Wellington provides readers with up-to-date commentaries, articles on fitness, health and other related information.

Fat Smash Diet

Vitamin Supplement for the Atkins Diet

2006-11-05T21:49:00.000-08:00

Do you believe that an effective diet would purposefully keep us from eating foods rich in the nutrients and vitamins? NO!!! Although Dr.Atkins promoted his diet, he promoted vitamin supplement for the Atkins diet also.

At present we are in a position to brand vitamin supplement for the Atkins diet to replace those very nutrients. Chemical analysis of Atkins diet confirms that daily values for some of the vitamins and minerals are not up to the mark. But some of the daily values are even 400% in the Atkins diet. For example, Atkins diets analysis during induction period provides 37% of calcium but with 86% of the iron during the same period.

Once you include vitamin supplement for the Atkins diet, the lacunae have been filled up correctly. You ought to consume one of those delicious Atkins bars to fulfill your daily requirements of calcium, as the calcium is not present in the tablets also.

It is really amazing to note that you would be getting over 400% of the daily values for vitaminC during maintanence stage of the diet, but only 33% during the induction period. To whom we would blame for this deficit? Hence vitamin supplement for Atkins diet satisfies this needs.
It is really difficult to prepare a list of normal foods to be included in our diet to get enough RDA of minerals and vitamins for public use. Do you think eating a balanced diet is eyewash? You may ask -Why do we have to go to such ill-advised extremes? It is really doubtful about a diet which bears that it includes necessary vitamin and mineral supplements. More over it is not advisable to ask our people not to take the diet that holds the minerals and vitamins they need and also ask them to procure vitamin supplements for the Atkins diet separately.

If you have chosen these diets for your life style, then you need to include a vitamin supplement for the Akins diet. Still, I am willing to bet that you aren’t receiving all the minerals and vitamins you need on a daily basis. For example, protein and cholesterol are far too much to present in the Atkins diet. Balanced diet is the real key for any diet. As bottom line, we can conclude that unless your medical condition forces to prevent the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals, you’re not likely to need supplements. Hence please consult your physicians before taking a vitamin supplement for the Atkins Diet or any other diet.

If you'd like more information on dieting, supplements and nutrition visit our website at Nutrition Tips.

Vitamin Supplement for the Atkins Diet

Atkins Supplements And Low Carb Vitamins

2006-11-03T14:09:00.000-08:00

Vitamins and supplements are recommended as an integral part of the Atkins diet due to the severe restriction of nutrients found in regular carbohydrates like fruit and vegetables. Atkins recommends about 30 different supplements, and even has a chapter dedicated to why they are so important in his diet.

This is a cause for concern, and the reality is that without these supplements, malnutrition would be a big problem. Fruit and vegetables are an important source of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, as well as crucial phytonutrients and antioxidants, including lycopene, carotenoids, phytic acid, bioflavanoids, and others. Fiber is important in preventing heart disease, diabetes, and constipation. Phytonutrients have a range of benefits that include a cancer-protective effect, an anti-aging effect, and other specific health benefits.

Whilst it is possible to get vitamins and minerals in a bottle, the enzymes (that help with digestion), and these other phytochemicals, are not so easily represented. Supplements are also a poor source of fiber. To get any significant amount of these from supplements is going to be an expensive option, and there is always the risk that the broad spectrum is not well represented.
There are some negative consequences of the Atkins diet that can affect the level of certain vitamins and minerals in the body - even if we are still losing weight. So, whilst it may seem like the short term goal (weight loss) is being met, there may be a health cost that becomes more apparent over time.

For example, a diet with high amounts of calcium and cheese, such as is encouraged by the Atkins diet, will result in a loss of calcium in the urine. This calcium is taken from our store of it in our bones. The acidity in meat and cheese upsets our internal pH balance, which then causes our body to remove calcium from the deposits in our bones in an effort to rebalance it.

This is borne out in the Harvard Nurse's study, where those nurses that ate more animal protein had significantly increased risks of fracturing their forearms. Other studies have shown a link between meat consumption and hip fracture. And a rather interesting study from 2002 by researchers at the University of Chicago and Texas found that after two weeks on the Atkins diet, people were losing 258 mg of calcium a day, in their urine. This loss of calcium in the urine in such quantities can lead to kidney stones forming. To make matters worse, the Atkins diet is deficient in calcium anyway - even with most of the recommended supplements.
This makes it particularly dangerous for long term usage, especially if you are in a risk group for osteoporosis.

There are other risks of the Atkins diet, but it is definitely not something to be undertaken without all of the supplements. Whether the increased cost of these supplements makes it worthwhile - or sufficiently mitigates the risks - is another question.

References: Atkins Exposed (website)
To learn about some low carb food vitamin sources, click here. Other information on the Atkins diet, low carb, and vitamins, can be found here.

Atkins Supplements And Low Carb Vitamins

............

Drama Over Atkins Weight Loss Plan

2006-10-30T21:20:00.000-08:00

It all started when a doctor sparked on a topic within earshot of an ardent low-carb blogger. The doctor, an associate professor, Dr David Katz of Yale University was reported by Forbes to have claimed that the Atkins diet had resulted to the hospitalization of one of his patients. The blogger and also purveyor of low-carb diets Jimmy Moore of Livin La Vida Low-Carb Blog felt his feathers ruffled by this claim.
Moore, author of the weight loss book with a similar title to his blog, and the subtitle 'My Journey from Flabby Fat to Sensationally Skinny in One Year' claims to be living proof that low-carbs work. He says he has lost over 180 pound on a low-card diet in a year. In his blog on he posted an article titled 'Health experts gang up on Atkins Diet' where he criticized, first the media for a seemingly regular "orchestrated negative splash against low-carb diets". The article in contention was one appearing in Forbes titled "Atkins diet not safe for everyone" where Dr. Katz was reported to have had a patient that developed serious ketoacidosis which he linked to the Atkins diet the unnamed patient was on.
Secondly, Moore turned on the doctors cited in the article starting with Kartz. Moore went to the extent of calling the co-authored diet book by Dr Katz Flavor Point Diet "one of the biggest fad diet books you'll ever read". Disdainfully, but seemingly aggrieved, the good doctor responded to the posting by email. Moore went on to dissect the email in his blog.
Dr. David L. Katz is a clinical professor, division of Health Policy and Administration, Epidemiology and Public Health of Yale University. Even Moore, though sarcastically, thinks of him as a nutritional genius with his string of titles.
Katz asserted that Moore has no academic ground to differ with him. And on the doctor's bashing of the Atkins diet, Katz says he wasn't starting on bashing the diet rather he's "been beating up on Atkins for years, never wavered never will". He further criticized the diet as lacking in fundamentals of healthful eating and sustainable weight loss. Moore on the other hand defended it on grounds that he's 180 pounds lighter.
Atkins diet is a low-carb ketogenic diet designed for weight loss using significant changes in your dietary macro-nutrients. It recommends you eat fat and more proteins to replace the highly restricted carbohydrates. This is unconventional as carbohydrates are considered to be the primary source of calories for the body. Often this drastic change of dietary requirement is viewed with great suspicion. But the underlying question and continued basis of feuds such as this is how do we explain outstanding results by people like Jimmy Moore?
Lyn Steffan of the University of Minnesota school of Public Health was reported in the contentious Forbes article as saying that low-carb diets are not diets for life. She went on to recommend a healthy diet that results to weight loss and that can be used for life. But the question still remains unanswered. How do Moore and others who swear by low-carbs mange to shed off pound of body fat, improve their cholesterol and claim to be healthy.
Steffan seems to think it's not sustainable long-term. Then one wonders what she thinks of the massai diet that is low-carb, high fat and high protein like Atkins. Yet the East African massai, who are extremely lean, have lived with the diet for centuries.
So would this comparison vindicate Atkins diet?
It is best to view weight loss in the environment in which it occurs. A particular lifestyle is associated with obesity. Naturally, to deal conclusively with the menace one has to deal with the environment in which it occurs. Permanent weight loss is possible; it is also possible that it can be achieved relatively fast, safely as well as healthy. But this requires a holistic and long-term approach. Such a weight loss plan should deal with most of the reasons that result to weight gain.
© Mark Kimathi writes about Weight Loss at Health-eMark.com and related topics like weight loss surgery

Drama Over Atkins Weight Loss Plan

How The Dr. Atkins Diet Plan Works

2006-10-28T19:28:00.000-07:00

How The Dr. Atkins Diet Plan Works

The Dr. Atkins diet plan is one of the most popular weight loss methods in use today. Its approach to weight loss is different from so many other weight loss programs because it involves a change in lifestyle, not just a change in eating. Unlike other lifestyle changes, though, the Dr. Atkins diet plan is full of the foods you love so that making the changes necessary is easier than you might think.
What is the Dr. Atkins Diet Plan?
The plan works by reducing the amount of carbohydrates in your diet, which in turn prompts your body to start burning fat as its primary fuel. It is an approach to eating that emphasizes foods which are tasty, flavorful, and wide in variety. No starving yourself required, just eating the right foods as allowed within the low carb plan.
Phase 1 - Induction
The Induction phase is designed to “jump start” your weight loss by curtailing carbohydrates substantially for 14 days. The idea is to get your body’s metabolism switched over to burning fat. During the induction phase of Dr. Atkins’ diet plan you are allowed up to 20 grams of net carbs per day (defined as total carb grams minus fiber grams), mainly from leafy green salad and other vegetables that are low in starch.
The rules of induction are very specific and must be followed closely for the process to work. They may seem strict and for the first few days it can be hard to stick with them, but once your body starts to adapt it becomes much easier. It also helps to remember that Induction only lasts for 14 days, after which you are allowed to gradually increase your carbs.
Induction Rules Include:
• Eat three regular meals or four to five smaller meals each day• Do not go more than six hours (waking) without eating• No fruit, bread, grain, pasta, or starchy vegetables• No dairy products EXCEPT for cheese, cream or butter• No nuts, seeds• No chickpeas, kidney beans, or other legumes• Do not eat anything that is not on the allowed foods list – not even a single bite!• Cut down on or avoid caffeine as much as possible• Drink at least eight 8 oz. glasses of water each day
The results of induction are usually quite dramatic, as long as you follow the rules exactly. It’s a great way to get yourself going on a low carb lifestyle and enjoy immediate, visible success.
Remember – DO NOT eat any foods during the Induction phase that are not on the allowed foods list. Doing so will only slow down or stop your progress through the Induction process, and may even sabotage your efforts to the point where weight loss stops altogether. If you need help sticking with Induction, look for sources of support by connecting with other followers of the Dr. Atkins diet plan via web sites, online forums, or local community support groups.
Phase 2 – Ongoing Weight Loss
The second phase of the Dr. Atkins diet plan is known as Ongoing Weight Loss. In this phase your food choices increase somewhat and you are allowed to increase your net carbs intake each week in increments of five grams per day.
This means that after Induction is over you can add more variety to your diet, as long as you do so gradually and pay careful attention to how your body reacts. Your weight loss will gradually slow as you increase your net carbohydrate increase; how much it slows will depend on your body’s natural metabolism and resistance to carbohydrates.
Each person has a different level of carbohydrates that they can eat and maintain their weight. Above that level weight starts to rise, while below that level weight starts to drop again. During Ongoing Weight Loss as you gradually raise your carbohydrate intake you need to track the number of net carbs you are consuming and note at what level your weight loss levels off. You then know to stay below that level for the remainder of ongoing weight loss.
Phase 3 – Pre-Maintenance
Once you are within five to ten pounds of your goal weight you can move into the Pre-Maintenance phase of Dr. Atkins’ diet plan, where you increase your net carb intake in larger increments each week until you reach the level at which weight loss stops.
Pre-Maintenance is sort of like practice for the rest of your low carb life. By continuing to add carbs in increments and noting at what point your weight loss stops you can establish your Lifetime Maintenance intake of carbs. As tempting as it may be to skip right to the next phase, it is important to follow through on the Pre-Maintenance activities so that you are fully prepared for moving forward with a low carb lifestyle.
Phase 4 – Lifetime Maintenance
This phase of the Dr. Atkins diet plan is just what the name implies – a program of eating that maintains your desired weight for a lifetime. If you have been successful in establishing your maintenance level of carb intake and eating low carb has become and automatic habit, you are in great shape, both literally and figuratively.
Living low carb by now has become just a natural part of your everyday life, but that doesn’t mean you won’t occasionally indulge in an extra cookie, a slice of birthday cake, or some other high carb food. It does mean that when you take in a higher level of carbs than normal, you simply cut back for the next few days so that your body remains in balance.
Choosing Foods During Each Phase
Choosing the right foods is critical to the success of each phase of Dr. Atkins’ diet plan, especially during induction. It helps to keep a small notebook with a list of allowed foods during each phase, and also to write down the number of net carbs you consume each day. A good carb counter is a great help, too, so you can know at a glance the levels of net carbs in various foods.
There is a wide variety of Atkins foods available in pre-packaged form to help you with ongoing choice of foods. Atkins breakfast bars, snack bars, candy, ice cream and liquid shakes are good options to help add variety to your low carb lifestyle while making it easy to control your carb intake with the Dr. Atkins diet plan.
About the Author:
Kevin Urban is the editor at Atkins-Diet-Advisor.com, an easy-to-use guide on the Atkins Diet Plan. The site features all the information on Dr. Atkins' Diet Plan, including where to find recipes and Atkins diet snacks.