The Atkins Diet

The Atkins Diet, developed in the 1970's by leading cardiologist Robert C. Atkins, was the first of the "low carbs" diets and is still one of the most extreme of this kind.For many people the main attraction of the diet is the fact that foods traditionally forbidden on a low calorie regime can be eaten and are even encouraged! Beef tenderloin, creamy sauces and 'blue cheese and bacon soup', all approved Atkins recipes, whet the appetite and seem too good to be true. Dr Atkins claims that his diet cuts out the junk food and increases energy and 'zest for living'.

Atkins diet plan

So how does it work? The science behind the Atkins diet is based on changing the body's metabolism. When we eat a balanced diet containing carbohydrates, fats and proteins, the body uses the carbohydrates as fuel, protein builds muscle, and fats, according to Dr Atkins, are laid down in the fat cells and stored as long term deposits.Because the body 'prefers' to use carbohydrates, even a small amount in the diet can prevent fat burning and slow weight loss, according to this theory. But when a low calorie, low carbohydrate diet is started, the body has no choice. After an initial period in which the change over to a fat burning metabolism is carried out, fats in the diet are broken down and digested. Then, because the diet is low in calories, fats stored in the fat cells are used up, and the dieter loses weight.

Atkins diet foods

The Atkins diet starts with an initial two week induction phase, in which carbohydrates are kept at extremely low levels. In this phase, no bread, pasta, pastries, cake,sweets or starchy vegetables like potatoes are allowed.No beans, rice or other pulses can be eaten, and even fruit is off limits. The 20 grams of carbohydrate per day allowed is usually part of foods rich in fats or protein which contain some carbohydrates,as almost all foods contain a certain percentage of each group. In this phase the metabolism is changing to a fat burning mode.For this reason the restriction in carbohydrates is quite tight, and the daily menu is more controlled than in later stages,but even so the approved menus seem sumptuous for a low calorie diet.

A typical menu in this stage is a breakfast of two scrambled eggs, three slices of bacon and one slice of protein rich bread substitute. Lunch could be tuna salad with celery, radishes and tomato, and a green salad with an oily dressing. Dinner is the real treat of the day, with grilled veal chops with butter and chopped sage, sauteed yellow squash and tomatoes,a green salad, and for an after dinner snack, a "chocolate mudslide".

After this jump start to the diet,three more stages gradually increase carbohydrate levels in the diet. These are less well defined than the induction phase, and basically just consist of 5 gram increases in carbohydrates each week, until weight loss stabilises and an individual balance is attained.Phase four, called "Lifetime Maintenance" is meant to be carried on indefinitely,as the appetite becomes re-educated and the low carbohydrate diet becomes natural.

So is the Atkins diet we have all been waiting for? Medical opinion is divided on the merits of low carbohydrate diets, with some experts warning of potential kidney problems caused by high protein levels. The food pyramid used by Dr Atkins is not approved by official bodies such as the American Heart Association, because of its high animal fat content. So far, however, long term studies are inconclusive, and studies funded by the National Institute of Health and the American Heart Association have shown no increased health risks.Of course, before starting any diet, you should consult your doctor.