What Is The Atkins Diet?
By Kirsten Hawkins, Thu Dec 8th

The Atkins weight loss diet is based on one simple principle:Your body burns both carbohydrates and fat for calories. If youreduce the amounts of carbohydrates available, it will burn morefat and you will lose weight. According to Atkins, calories areunimportant. The key to losing weight is to restrict thecarbohydrates that you eat and force the body to turn to itsstored fat as an energy source. As proof of this, proponents ofthe point to the following facts derived fromresearch: * When the body doesn't have enough carbohydrate, itwill use ketenes derived from fat as energy. * You can eat morefood and lose more weight on a low carbohydrate diet than youcan on a low fat diet. * You crave less food when you eat fewercarbohydrates. * By eating fewer carbohydrates, people tend toeat fewer calories without counting them. * The greater thedifference between fat and carbohydrate, the greater the weightloss. In short, if you restrict your intake of carbohydrates,you will most likely also restrict your intake of calories. Bylowering your carbohydrate intake, you will encourage your bodyto turn to fat for energy. The has provoked stormsof controversy since it was first published. The recommendationto eat a high-protein, low-carbohydrate flew in the face of allthe dietary recommendations by established medical institutions.The diet was denounced as unsafe, particularly if used as alife-long weight maintenance plan. Over the past five to tenyears, there have been numerous studies that come down on bothsides of the equation, and Atkins last version of the dietincluded the admission that calories do matter, and the adviceto 'eat only enough to satisfy hunger'. A typical menu for ameal on the might include: Portobello and RicottaCrostini Chicken Milanese over Spring Salad Lemon Vinaigrettedressing Warm Lentils and Celery Raspberry Cheesecake in a CupThe eating plan recommended by the contains very lowportions of carbohydrates, deriving the majority ofcarbohydrates from vegetables high in fiber and low in carbs,and unrestricted portions of proteins, including high fatproteins like beef, pork and cheese. Follow up research onpeople who have used the to lose weight show a fastinitial weight loss that eventually levels off. The Atkins Diethas four phases to account for it:

1. The Induction Phase, which restricts carbohydrates severely.

2. The OWL (Ongoing Weight Loss) Phase, in which you add inlimited carbs and tailor the eating plan to your tastes 3.Pre-maintenance, with ten pounds or less to the target goal,deliberately

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slows weight loss to begin adjusting the body toafter-weight-loss diet. 4. Lifetime Maintenance, a long-termeating plan that emphasizes low carbohydrates and healthy,long-term eating Who should use the Atkins Diet?

While the seems on the surface to be directlycounter to what is recommended by most medical institutions,many of the principles are actually the same. Unless you areunder the care of a physician for a chronic medical conditionlike diabetes, high blood pressure or coronary problems, you canuse the Atkins Diet. Do pay attention to the portionsrecommended in the menus and plans at http://www.atkins.com, despitethe reassurances that you can 'eat all you want and still loseweight.'

About the author:Kirsten Hawkins is a nutrition and health expert from Nashville,TN. Visit http://www.popular-diets.com/ for more greatnutrition, well-being, and vitamin tips as well as reviews andcomments on popular diets.