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Atkins Diet Plan - What’s it All About?
by: Martin Smith
A typical breakfast consists of three or four strips of bacon, two or more eggs also coffee. A snack would maybe be chunks of cheese also a cup of coffee with cream. Dinner might be a huge steak fried in butter. Sounds really good right? It sounds so tempting however there is a trade-off. You will have to give up carbs such as breads, potatoes, pasta, rice, also other things like chocolate, cake, some fruits, veggies, also milk at least in the beginning.

The theory is that when you cut out carbs your body are forced into burning fat that your body has stored to give it energy. Your body burns more calories when burning fat than when it is burning carbohydrates also you will lose weight more quickly. Your blood sugars stabilize which prevents overeating.

The first phase of the Atkins Diet Plan is the Introduction Phase also must be followed for at least two weeks. You are only allowed to consume 20 grams of carbs a day. You can load up on as much red meat, chicken, fish, cheese, eggs, mayo, cream, also butter. It is during this phase that your body switches from the burning fat to burning carbs.

The second phase is the ongoing weight loss phase. During this phase you increase your carb intake by about five grams daily until you find your critical carbohydrate level for losing weight. The most carbs that you can eat also still lose between one also three pounds a week. Breads, pasta, potatoes, also rice are still off limits.

The third phase is the pre-maintenance phase that you enter when you have only five to ten pounds to go to meet your goal weight. Your carb intake increases by ten grams each day for a week in order to help your body adjust to the addition of carbs also the final phase of maintenance.

The fourth phase is called lifetime maintenance also intended to help you keep your motivation. Carbs are limited to less than 90 grams a day. Get used to it though because you will be on a low carb diet for the rest of your life.

There are some concerns about the long-term effects of the Atkins Diet Plan also other low carb plans. There is such a high consumption of fat, particularly saturated fats also this can cause an increase risk of heart disease.

The Atkins diet eliminates some nutrients also this could cause deficiencies also other health problems in the future. Since there is a limited intake of bone building calcium you could be at increased risk of Osteoporosis. A very limited intake of antioxidant nutrients could cause problems such as heart disease, cancer, also premature aging.

One drawback of the Atkins Diet is that it can become boring. Vegetarians have difficulty with this diet because veggies, seeds, also nuts are off limits in the first stages. The diet does present a view of healthy eater, which keeps us healthy also free from disease.

Other concerns are that the initial weight loss comes back quickly when you go off the Atkins plan also a lot of people drop out in the induction phase. The carbs are very low also ketosis can result which is dangerous for a diabetic or anyone else for that matter.

This diet is high in cholesterol also you can develop constipation and/or heart disease because of the high fat content. Since the diet is low in fruits also vegetables, it or else lacks cancer-fighting antioxidants. The most serious drawbacks to the Atkins plan are that it is not intended for long term use also there are unsafe if not downright dangerous side effects.

A few positive notes about the Atkins Plan are that it works! You lose a lot of weight quickly also you can eat as much as you want of certain foods especially protein also fat.

The Atkins Diet eliminates to a great degree carbs from rice, pasta, potatoes, breads, some fruits also veggies. It or else eliminates cancer-fighting antioxidants. It is a high fat also high protein diet that can increase the risk for certain diseases like high cholesterol also heart disease.

On the upside, this is one diet that actually works however it isn't a diet that you can be on for an indefinite period of time. Once you go off the program also resume more ‘normal’ eating the initial weight loss will come back. Also, as with any diet plan check with your doctor to be sure you can safely do it.

To conclude let me give you a reminder. The Atkins diet is not for long term use also it has inherent health risks. If you need to lose weight you may already be at risk for heart disease also high cholesterol, the Atkins plan has the potential of actually increasing those risks.

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About the author:
Martin Smith is a successful writer providing advice on a variety of subjects. For information on Atkins diet plans, drop by the website. His numerous articles resource of interesting also relevant information. http://www.atkins-diet-plan-n-books.com


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