What is Atkins diet?

What is Atkins diet?

The Atkins diet is a low-carbohydrate diet, usually recommended for weight loss.

The Atkins diet is split into 4 different phases:

Phase 1 (Induction): Under 20 grams carbs per day for 2 weeks. Eat high-fat, high-protein, with low-carb vegetables like leafy greens. This kick-starts the weight loss.

Phase 2 (Balancing): Slowly add more nuts, low-carb vegetables and small amounts of fruit back to your diet.

Phase 3 (Fine-Tuning): When you are very close to your goal weight, add more carbs to your diet until weight loss slows down.

Phase 4 (Maintenance): Here you can eat as many healthy carbs as your body can tolerate without regaining weight.

How it works?

Studies suggest that it's not cutting carbs that leads to weight loss with Atkins. Instead, you may shed pounds because your food choices are limited, and you eat less since the extra protein and fat keep you feeling full longer.

Most people can lose weight on almost any diet plan that restricts calories — at least in the short term. Also any low carb diet may improve blood cholesterol or blood sugar levels, at least temporarily. However over the long term, though, studies show that low-carb diets like Atkins are no more effective for weight loss than are standard weight-loss diets and that most people regain the weight they lost regardless of diet plan.

It's also possible that restricting carbohydrates to less than 20 grams a day — the level recommended for phase 1 of the diet — can result in ketosis. Ketosis occurs when you don't have enough sugar (glucose) for energy, so your body breaks down stored fat, causing ketones to build up in your body. Side effects from ketosis can include nausea, headache, mental fatigue and bad breath.

With these understanding of the risks involved in Atkins diet its always wise to adapt a healthier lifestyle instead.

Healthier diet suggestions

1. Reduce carbs
We certainly can make adopt the reduction of carbs in our diet as suggested by the Atkins diet, however in a much easier way.
2. Eat carbs at the right time
Also we need to remember the importance of having carbs in the first half of the day and also before workouts to give us energy.
3. Eat at frequent intervals
Too much of carbs taken together are the main source of weight gain.
4. Have more protiens post workout and at dinner
So lets try to reduce the carbs to its minimum during our dinner and have a protein rich diet which helps the body repair and rejuvenate itself during sleep.
5. Add fiber to every meal
Include fiber before each meal to help us feel fuller and reduce carb intake in the form of salads and sprouts.
6. Reduce salt intake
Salt is found to be the major cause of water retention in our body so cut down salt to a minimum of 3.75 -6 grams per day and increase the water intake to 3 litres per day
7. Sleep and Stress
Apart from these reducing stress and sleeping for atleast 7 hours a day are very much necessary for the body to function optimally.

AS A COACH I WOULD SUGGEST EATING HEALTHY DAILY GETTING A RIGHT MIX OF ALL THE NUTRIENTS AND MICRONUTRIENTS FROM OUR FOOD AND MAINTAINING IT AS A LIFELONG HABIT IS A HEALTHIER WAY TO ACHIEVE PERMANENT WEIGHT LOSS!!!