Atkins diet

By Weight Loss Consultant • Related • Filed Under

Obesity has become one of the world’s fastest growing health concerns. In the United States alone, approximately two-third of adults are categorized as overweight and 35% of adults are classified as obese. Obesity is generally the result of prolonged over eating, generic factors and modern lifestyles. Obesity is usually accompanied by diabetics, hypertension and high blood pressure. If neglected obesity can even result in even more severe health issues, such as heart attacks and strokes. Studies show that severe cases of obesity can result in reproductive issues in women and can lead to a decrease in overall life expectancy.

Whatever the cause may be, it has become certain that it is very important to address obesity for a healthier lifestyle. Surgery has offered as a solution, however, it is like pulling the leaves of a weed instead of pulling it by the root. In 1963, Dr. Robert C. Atkins started working on producing a solution to obesity and came up with a solution that is easy to implement, flexible and most importantly effective – this solution was coined, “The Atkins Diet”.

What is the Atkins diet and how does it work? In our typical day-to-day life, we eat carbohydrates in form of grains in our food. Our body uses these carbohydrates to generate energy, which in turn helps us maintain our life cycle and perform our day-to-day functions. The excess amount of carbohydrates left over from this burn process is stored in our body as fat and this is the main culprit that causes obesity. But when we are on Atkins Diet, we are supposed to eat fewer carbohydrates and more proteins and other nutrients required by the body. This results in fewer carbohydrates available for our body, which is not sufficient to provide the required amount of energy for our daily activity, so our body starts burning stored fats. The more fat it burns, the more weight you lose. So basically, it turns the body from a carbohydrate-burning machine to a fat-burning machine. The result become pretty clear that you lose weight quick and naturally and without adverse side effects.

The Atkins Diet is basically represented in a food pyramid. The food pyramid is based on the results of research and extensive studies and consists of 5 food levels. As you move up the pyramid, the size of each level decreases and this indicates the foods from that particular level should be consumed in less quantity. The more you adhere to this food guide, the faster you lose weight.

The base level or the foundation level food items should basically make up the most of your diet. This level consists of fish, eggs, poultry, beef, pork and soy products. These elements are at the base level because they are rich in proteins and low in carbohydrates, which is the whole premise of the Atkins diet program.

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The next level is made up of vegetables, especially broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, salad greens, and so on. Vegetables are placed second in the food pyramid because they are exceptional in their nutritional values. They contain high levels of vitamins and minerals and huge amounts of fibers. All these strengthen the human immunity and the placement at the second level means that theses vegetables should constitute a secondary source of the food within their diet.

The next level is made up of fruits, such as apples, oranges, blueberries and strawberries. The smaller levels indicate that these foods should be consumed in lesser quantities. As we move up the pyramid, we find oils, nuts and dairy in the next level. These should be consumed in smaller quantities because of their high calorific value which can interfere with the entire diet process if consumed in quantity.

The highest level constitutes of grain foods such as brown rice, barley, and oats. The smallest size of this level indicates that people should think twice before consuming these foods. The reason they are in the top-most level is that they are very rich in carbohydrates and this is the key-regulating factor in the Atkins diet.

What makes the Atkins diet a user-friendly diet and easily implemented diet is the extended list of items within each level. As an individual exercises more, they have a freedom to choose items from an extended list offering more variety. For example, with more exercise, bread can also be included in the top-most level. Similarly with more exercise, you can choose from a larger variety of fruits and nuts.

Another restriction is that the entire diet should contain ‘no added sugar’ and ‘no hydrogenated oils’ across the board. Additional sugar is a huge depositary of carbohydrates and is also a well-known obesity and diabetes causing element. Hydrogenated oils are supposed to cause heart diseases, weight gain and even cancer. Hydrogenated oils are presented in almost all baked food items and can ruin your weight loss strategies if neglected.

There are some additional instructions related to the food guide pyramid. All the elements mentioned in the food guide are raw elements. If you are allowed to eat fruits you can’t opt for canned fruit juices. You also can’t select packed meat or canned vegetables. All references are to unprocessed food. The reason is that processed foods lose much of their health benefits once they are processed. Moreover, canned and processed foods are added with preservatives and other additives, which are not considered good for your health. Many people tend to bend their regular diet a little bit and they think that they are following the Atkins diet. For example canned fruits contain high amounts of added sugars, which surely doesn’t have any place in the Atkins diet. So if you are following Atkins diet, eat only the foods recommended and don’t cheat yourself by manipulating the food guide.

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