What Is The Atkins Diet?

What is the Atkins diet you may ask. Actually Atkins Nutritionals would probably say “it isn’t a diet at all but a nutritional approach to weight loss and optimum health”. The Atkins diet method flies in the face of traditional diet routines which have you counting calories and greatly reducing the amount of fats you consume. This method has the dieter consuming more fruits, vegetables and grains. As you can see this is diametrically opposed to the Atkins way of dieting.

What the Atkins diet is, is a lifetime “nutritional philosophy” that severely restricts the consumption of processed and refined carbs while promoting the eating of nutrient rich unprocessed foods like meat. Atkins also recommends the use of nutritional supplements. There are 4 steps or phases to the Atkins diet plan.

The induction phase limits you to only 20 carbs a day, and during this time you eat only meat, fish, eggs, cream, butter and cheese. Atkins insists this phase be followed for at least 2 weeks but it can be longer. In the following phases of the Atkins diet you gradually add more carbs in increments of 5 to 10 grams added to your daily carb count until your are at goal weight. On the Atkins diet you are not permitted milk, starchy vegetables, white flour, or white rice.

Contrary to what most people think, Atkins dieters do not have to give up things like bread, pancakes, pasta and waffles. There are low carb flours made from soy, rye and oats and low carb diet bake mixes to use if you really want your waffles. Atkins and some other companies make products like bread, bagels, and ice cream that you can use while doing the Atkins diet.

People on Atkins lose weight at a faster rate than those on other diets and tend to keep it off. The Atkins dieters usually see and improvements in cholesterol and triglycerides levels.

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About The Author:

Martin Smith is a successful author and publisher of http://www.atkins-diet-plan-n-books.com. Information about the Atkins Diet plan and long term weight loss.