Is The Atkins Diet Right for You?

Does Atkins work? Of course it does but that doesn't mean it's right for you. Below is a summary of the Atkins 4 phase approach and what to consider before going on it.

The Atkins 4 Phase Approach

Phase 1: Induction - Restrict carbohydrate consumption to 20 grams each day, obtaining carbohydrate primarily from salad and other non-starchy vegetables.
Phase 2: Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL) - Add carbohydrate, in the form of nutrient-dense and fiber-rich foods, by increasing to 25 grams daily the first week, 30 grams daily the next week and so on until weight loss stops. Then subtract 5 grams of carbohydrate from your daily intake so that you continue sustained, moderate weight loss.
Phase 3: Pre-Maintenance - Make the transition from weight loss to weight maintenance by increasing the daily carbohydrate intake in 10-gram increments each week so long as very gradual weight loss is maintained.
Phase 4: Lifetime Maintenance - Select from a wide variety of foods while controlling carbohydrate intake to ensure weight maintenance and a sense of well-being. This lifestyle is the foundation for a lifetime of better health.

Sounds easy enough? Induction lasts 14 days and is fairly difficult for some people while others claim that it's the best they've ever felt in their life. Your reaction is highly dependent on your level of physical activity. If you're a couch potato who's daily activity consists of surfing the net, watching t.v. and taking trips to the fridge then you'll only experience slight discomfort. If you have a physical job (u.p.s. workers, construction workers, massage therapists, etc.), exercise on a regular basis, or play sports, be prepared to experience an energy drain and brain fog like you've never experienced before. Even though Atkins forces your body to use fat for energy, your body's prefered source of energy is carbs which means your body is not running on optimum fuel. Once you get past induction you will still be eating hardly any carbs; 25g, 30g, and so on. Do you think you can handle that? You will eventually be able to eat more of the foods you love but how much carb deprivation will you have to endure until you reach your goal weight?

According to Tom Venuto, CSCS, NSCA, ACSM certified trainer, regular contributor to fitness magazines, and competitive bodybuilder, "Nutrition is a highly individual issue. Some people can’t seem to lose weight unless they reduce their carbohydrate intake. Other people can eat bagels and pasta all day long and they have six pack abs. How many carbs you eat therefore, depends on your body type. Are you an endormorph or an ectomorph? Do you have a fast metabolism or a slow metabolism? Are you naturally lean or naturally heavy? Depending on your genetics, you might thrive on high carbs or you might need a high protein, low carb diet to get results. But beware: even if you think you are the carb sensitive, slow-metabolism type, the middle path (moderate carb restiction) is the most sensible way to go. The only way to determine how many grams of carbs is right for YOU is to experiment until you find your "critical level." If you start dropping body fat rapidly at 200 grams a day, then why on earth would you subject yourself to the torture of going even lower and doing one of those 30-40 grams a day "ketogenic" diets? Why kill yourself?". This is an excellent point and one that many people don't bother to explore. Every person has a unique metabolism so it's naive to believe that one diet is suitable for everyone. A better option would be to try the Atkins diet but modify it to your needs. You can still follow the 4 phase process but start with 50g or 100g of carbs instead. If you're a very active individual check out Should You Go Low Carb? and consider those important factors before cutting carbs.

The Junk Way or The Healthy Way
Another important consideration is that there are two ways to do Atkins. Some people take the saturated fat, junky carb(cheese) approach while others rely on lean meats and vegetables. If you're interested in health as well as weightloss choose your foods wisely. Stay away from foods that are high in saturated fats like red meat, butter, mayonaise, full fat cheeses, peanuts, etc. Better choices include fish, skinless chicken breast, lean ground beef and turkey, flaxseed oil, olive oil, almonds, walnuts, etc. Adapt Atkins diet to your needs and you'll get much better results.

What To Expect
Other than low energy you may experience headaches since carbs are also your brain's preferred source of energy. You will lose lean muscle mass whether you like it or not and you will plateau, sometimes quicker than you expect, since Atkins tends to decrease your calorie intake considerably, resulting in decreased metabolism. If you decide that this is not the diet for you and go back to eating carbs expect to gain back the pounds plus extra and fast. Other side effects include bad breath and don't forget about ketosis.

Other Options
You do have other options. Just check out the list below for other low carb plans that might be better suited to your needs and don't forget to read all about carbs & weightloss to find out how to moderate carbs for weightloss.

Try Atkins:

Dr. Atkins' Three-Book Package: New Diet Revolution; New Diet Cookbook; New Carb Gram Counter