Atkins diet overview:
When you follow the Atkins diet,
you learn to control your intake of carbohydrates. In addition to the Atkins
diet, you also learn that much depends upon your metabolism, gender, age and
also activity level. As you do this weight loss plan over time, you'll learn
your Atkin’s Carbohydrate Equilibrium (ACE), which defines your threshold for
carbohydrate consumption, or the amount of carbs that you can eat each day
without a change in body weight. Your ACE is actually the goal that you will be
aiming for. However, you may have to lose a little bit of excess baggage around
your waist before you learn how to determine the number of carbohydrates you
think it takes each day to achieve your weight goals using the Atkins diet plan.
Your objective will be at first
to eliminate virtually all "bad" carbohydrates from your diet and eat as many
"good" carbohydrates, as you work your way through the various phases of the
Atkins diet. It usually means eliminating foods such as pasta, baked goods,
conventional bread and most food items made with added sugar. Even nutritious
carbohydrate foods such as sweet potatoes, lentils, brown rice and many other
food items will not be allowed until you get closer to your weight-loss goal. At
that point in time, many people will be able to reintroduce a significant amount
of variety to their menu. This should not lead to going hungry. When losing
weight, you should replace as many empty calories with a wide assortment of
delicious, nutritious and fiber rich vegetables, and protein packed foods such
as poultry, eggs, cheese, meat and fish.
Once you have began to maintain a
healthy weight level on the Atkins diet, you will then be able to enjoy some of
the foods that you were previously not allowed to have, as long as you eat them
in moderation. The Atkins diet relies upon quality, eating highly nutritious
fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, nuts and seeds, virtually all
vegetables and even moderate portions of beans and whole grains, rather than
eating empty carbohydrates in the form of sugar and white flour.
If you plan to do the Atkins diet
for your entire life, things are not quite as black-and-white as in the early
phases of the program. Instead of "good" and "bad" carbohydrates, you will learn
more subtle distinctions between better food choices. You will find that some
carbohydrates are much better for you than others. Obviously, the better and
more nutritious foods, will be able to be eaten in larger quantities. Eating
carbohydrates in a more controlled way will usually lead to weight loss if
you're overweight. The Atkins diet is hardly a crash diet or fad. It is actually
just the opposite in that it is a lifetime commitment to good nutrition and
improved health, that works well in the real world of family meals, social and
business activities, eating at restaurants and even traveling. Not only will you
be able to slim down, but you'll also be able to keep off the extra weight for
life. If you need to lose a lot of weight, you should probably begin the Atkins
diet program with the first phase, which is referred to as the induction phase.
See the four phases of the Atkins Diet
Information from Atkins for Life by Robert C.
Atkins M.D.
