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Achieve Health
Better Eating
The Atkins Diet - Good or Bad?
The Atkins diet, without a doubt, has been the most
controversial diet of all time. Seldom does a week go by
that the news media does not mention the Atkins diet.
The Atkins diet, first introduced in 1972 by
cardiologist Dr. Robert Atkins, is considered the most
extreme of the low carb diets. Hundreds of research
studies by universities and research teams throughout
North America, Europe, and Asia have been conducted on
the Atkins diet.
The Atkins diet, as with any diet program, has its good
and bad points - but, whatever side you are on, one
thing is for sure. Dr. Atkins, and the Atkins diet, has
done for the diet and nutrition industry what Mohammad
Ali did for the boxing industry. Dr. Atkins created new
awareness and introduced new concepts that will forever
affect how we look at diets for weight loss as well as
diets for health. Although the low carb diet was first
written about in the late 1800's, low carb dieting truly
came to life with the birth of the Atkins diet.
Let's take a look at three good and bad points of the
Atkins diet.
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The Atkins diet approaches fat burning a different way.
It limits the glucose (carb) intake so the body adjusts
itself to using ketones (fat) as its primary fuel.
Normally within three to four days of starting, your
body is literally a fat burning machine on the Atkins
diet.
2. The Atkins Diet Doesn't Leave You Hungry
Unlike most conventional diets, the Atkins diet is not
based so much on calorie intake. Dr. Atkins does,
however, warn that you should not stuff yourself but
only eat until satisfied. Also, since you are replacing
carbs with protein, and the main protein source is meat,
a high percentage of each meal will consist of meat and
fat. Meat and fat are more fulfilling and much slower to
digest. Not only do you feel more satisfied at dinner,
but it will stay with you longer on the Atkins diet.
3. The Atkins Diet Is Safe And Healthy
The vast majority of studies show the Atkins diet to be
extremely healthy, in comparison to other conventional
weight loss and lifestyle diets. Nearly every study
shows the Atkins diet the winner in reducing
cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure. In
addition, many cases of acid reflux, sleep apnea, and
diabetes have either had the symptoms reduced or
completely disappear while on the Atkins diet.
Also, you'll often hear "we have no way of knowing the
long term safety of low carb diets". Fact is, the Atkins
diet has been around for over 30 years - longer than
most other weight loss programs. Although first written
about at the end of the 19th century, the low carb diet
has actually been around for centuries prior to that.
How so? The North American Eskimo. Their diet has
primarily been no or very low carbs. Yet chronic
diseases that are epidemic today, such as diabetes and
heart disease, were practically unknown among the
Eskimos. At least this was true until they were
introduced to sugar and white flour. The Eskimos have
been well studied and found to be a healthy and hardy
bunch, even after centuries of living on a low carb
diet. Yes - a low carb diet much more extreme than even
the Atkins diet.
Atkins Diet - The Bad Stuff.
1. The Atkins Diet Burns Fat Too Quickly
The primary concern here is toxic overload. When toxins
enter you body, either from environmental sources or
from additives in prepared foods, your body's defense
mechanism will quickly try to eliminate them through the
liver and kidneys. Quite often the overload is such that
the body will also hide some of these toxins in your fat
cells. When burning fat these toxins are released again
into your bloodstream. You can experience toxic overload
when you burn fat too fast, as in the first weeks or
months of the Atkins diet.
2. The Atkins Diet Causes Fatigue
Yes, initially it does - for a couple of reasons. First,
switching fuels from glucose to ketones is stressful to
the body. It's a drastic change in your metabolism. You
might say it's similar to mild drug withdrawal. Many
people actually do have a "carb addiction" and not even
realize it. Secondly, as we learned a minute ago, your
body will quite likely be working hard dealing with
toxic overload if burning fat too fast, as early in the
Atkins diet.
3. The Atkins Diet Lacks Good Nutrition
Plant life is the basic nutritional source for all
living creatures, including humans. When an animal eats
plants, some of the nutrients, such as calcium and other
minerals, are sent to different parts of the body where
needed. And even if we eat an animal from nose to tail,
including the bones, we are still missing some of these
nutrients and essential enzymes that are burned up in
the metabolic process. Good nutrition suffers when we
drastically limit carbs, particularly with the induction
phase of the Atkins diet.
Atkins Diet - Is It Right for You?
The Atkins diet has been proven safe, effective and Dr.
Atkins' nutritional concepts are basically sound. This
is probably the best choice for fast weight loss for an
upcoming wedding or cruise - or to jump start your new
life. A lot of water and a GOOD vitamin supplement are
strongly recommended with ANY diet, but particularly
with the Atkins diet.
The Atkins diet can be adjusted to a less aggressive
program if you have a lot of weight to lose and wisely
choose to lose the pounds more slowly over a longer
period of time. This would be less stressful, much
healthier and give the stretched skin a chance to
shrink. Skipping the induction phase is one way. You may
find this more sustainable over the long haul using the
Atkins diet.
One important key to health and success with any low
carb diet is to make every carb count by choosing
nutrient dense live carbs. These include fresh
vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, spinach, and green
beans. This is critical where total carbs are very
limited - such as with the first two stages of the
Atkins diet.
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