The Atkins Diet is a low-carb diet created by Dr. Robert Atkins from a diet published in the “Journal of the American Medical Association” and used by him to treat successfully his own overweight condition. Later popularized the Atkins Diet in several books, the first of which was “Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution”, published in 1972. In further editions, “Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution”, he changed some of his ideas, but kept the basics of to the original design. Dr. Atkins died in 2003 and the company founded by him filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July of 2005. In January 2006 the company was refloated. Today Atkins is a franchise that distributes food products and related merchandise through licensed-proprietary branding.

How is the Atkins Diet?

When born, the Atkins Diet was a completely new conception of a diet. Nobody had dared to recommend a dietary pattern that were considered completely unhealthy. Atkins Diet allowed to eat any amount of proteins and fats, including animal fats, but reducing drastically carbohydrates, specially the refined ones. Atkins said that there was two important unknown factors in “civilized” diets which lead to obesity. The first one, the carbohydrates, particularly sugar, flour, and high-fructose corn syrups. The second, that saturated fat were considered an important nutritional problem. The reality was – according to Atkins -that saturated fats were not very important in developing vascular diseases, obesity and cholesterol. That the real problem (this came later) is the “trans fats” derived from hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils are much more important in developing these diseases. According to that, Dr. Atkins changed the most important diet habits (and food pyramids), claiming that the huge increase of obesity and metabolic disorders of the 20th century had its cause in the carbohydrates consumption , specially the refined ones.

Consequently, The Atkins Diet means restriction of carbohydrates in order to force the body’s metabolism to switch from burning glucose as fuel to use for this purpose the fat stored in our body. This process is called ketosis and can be easily recognize by the intense odour of ketone in the breath. To reach this, our level of insulin must be low.

How to start the Atkins Diet?

There are four phases of the Atkins Diet:

Induction,

Ongoing weight loss,

pre-maintenance and

Lifetime maintenance.

Induction

The Induction phase is the first one of the Atkins Nutritional Approach. It is very restrictive and intends to cause the body to enter the state of ketosis. Carbohydrate consumption is limited to 20 net grams per day (you have to discount the fiber), most of which should consist of green salads and other vegetables as broccoli, spinach, chard, green beans and asparagus. Atkins Diet allows you can eat any amount of meat, fish, shellfish, fowl, and eggs; up to 4 ounces (113 g) of soft or semi-soft cheese, butter and vegetable oils. You have to drink at least 2 liters of water per day during this phase. Alcoholic beverages are banned and caffeine is allowed in moderation or prohibited in case of clear addiction. A daily multivitamin with minerals is also recommended.

The Induction Phase is when can be seen the most drastic weight loss specially when combined with daily exercise. Multivitamins should be taken.

Ongoing weight loss

The Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL) phase of Atkins Diet consists of an increase in carbohydrate intake, increasing each week by 5 net grams daily. A goal in OWL is to find the “Critical Carbohydrate Level for Losing” and to learn in how to control the craving, the desire in developed by different how food groups. The OWL phase lasts until weight is within 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of the target weight.

During this phase, more of the induction acceptable vegetables should be added. For example, asparagus, salad, cauliflower and a little bit of avocado. One must follow Dr Atkins carbohydrate ladder and add fresh dairy. The ladder has 9 rungs and one of them should be added every week in order given.

The rungs are as follows:

• Induction acceptable vegetables

• Fresh dairy

• Nuts

• Berries

• Alcohol

• Legumes

• Other fruits

• Starchy vegetables

• Grains

Pre-maintenance

Carbohydrate intake is increased again by 5 grams. net every week from the ladder. The goal in this phase of Atkins Diet is to find the “Critical Carbohydrate Level for Maintenance”, the maximum amount of carbohydrates you can eat without gaining weight. This may well be above the level of carbohydrates inducing ketosis. Therefore, it is not necessary to maintain a ketosis.

Lifetime maintenance

This phase of Atkins Diet, lasting the rest of you life, is intended to carry on the habits acquired in the previous phases, and avoid returning to the previous weight.

Atkins Diet

What is the Atkins Induction Phase?

The Atkins Diet stars with the Induction Phase. It is very strict and is used to oblige the body to induct the ketosis (fat burn). Carbohydrate intake is restricted to 20 net grams per day (discounting the fiber), most of which should come from green salads and other low carb vegetables as green beans, broccoli, spinach, chard, asparagus and lettuce.

During induction phase you can eat:

•  Any amount of proteins in the form of meat, fish, shellfish, fowl, eggs and so on.

• Up to 4 ounces (113 g) of soft or semi-soft cheese, butter (not margarine or semi fluid margarine) and unsaturated vegetable oils, specially olive oil.

• You have to drink at least 2 liters of water per day.

• Alcoholic beverages are banned and caffeine is allowed in moderation or prohibited in case of clear addiction.

• A daily multivitamin with minerals is also recommended.

• In the Induction Phase you will see the most drastic weight loss specially when combined with daily exercise.

Medical advice is extremely important. Note that during the Induction Phase the weight loss is due more to the water loss that to the fat loss. It can be dangerous not to be controlled!

The study was done in a controlled environment: an isolated facility in Israel. 322 people participated in it.