An Overview of the Atkins Diet and How It Works

The Atkins diet was introduced by Dr. Robert C. Atkins. He was influenced by information he read in the Journal of the American Medical Association. He concluded that eating too many high carb foods was the reason for people being overweight. He felt that by limiting the amount of carbohydrates one could effectively loose weight. Most in the medical field were promoting a low fat, high carbohydrate diet at the time. What Dr. Atkins recommended for weight loss was just the opposite. He encouraged eating more proteins (meats, eggs and cheeses) and drastically reducing breads, pastas and some vegetables.

The Atkins diet helps a person loose weight through changes in metabolism. The body burns carbohydrates and fat for energy. The carbohydrates are burned first. By reducing the carbohydrates, and eating more protein, the body begins burning the stored fat. This is the beginning of the weight loss journey.

The idea that a person can eat as much protein as they want on the Atkins diet is false. Remember, it is a diet. Atkins is about changing one's eating habits. You need to be aware of what you are eating, so you don't overeat.

The Atkins diet doesn't count calories. But, they suggest women need 1500-1800 per day. Men need 1800-2000 per day. You should speak with your health professional before beginning any diet plan.

Dr. Atkins has two helpful books-the first is Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution and the second is Atkins for Life. These would both be good resources to read before (or during) your weight loss experience. They can be purchased on line from websites such as Barnes and Noble or Amazon.

The Atkins diet is divided into four phases. Each phase contains certain objectives, so weight is lost in stages. By the time a person reaches the end of the program, one should know their Carbohydrate Consumption Level of Maintenance-CCLM. That number is a guide for daily carbohydrate consumption to maintain your weight loss. A brief outline of each phase is below:

Induction Phase-The first two weeks of eating are very restricted. Your are reduced to only 20 grams of net carbs per day. In this phase you eat a lot of lean protein such as chicken, eggs, fish and some cuts of beef. You can also have some leafy vegetables (salads). Olive oil is recommended for cooking. Pastas, breads, baked goods, fruits and nuts are almost non-existent in this phase of the program.
Ongoing Weight Loss-This is the second phase. More varieties of food (vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds) are added into the diet in this phase, while still controlling your carbohydrate intake. You stay in this phase of the program until you are within 10 pounds of your weight loss goal. Obviously, weight loss is slower in this phase.
Pre-Maintenance-You are almost to the end of your weight loss journey! Eating healthy should come naturally. More good carbs are added in this phase. This phase could take a few months to complete.
Lifetime Maintenance-This is the last step of the Atkins diet. You have mastered a realistic eating plan to maintain your current weight. If, you continue to follow the steps you've taken thus far, you should be able to stay within 5 pounds of your weight goal.

Planning your meals before you begin the Atkins diet would be beneficial to you. Especially during the first several weeks. That way if you get a sudden feeling of hunger, you should have good foods on hand to eat. The Atkins website has a wonderful section with recipes. The carbs are already counted and the recipe states in which phases of the program you can use it.

There is also an excellent carb counter on the Atkins website. This tool is very helpful in determining how many net carbs are in the foods/condiments that you consume. With time you will automatically know what foods are high in carbs and what your recommended allotments are. Three regular meals and two snacks per day are considered normal with this diet. Drinking plenty of water, at least 8-8oz glasses per day is advisable. Remember sometimes when a person thinks they are hungry they are simply thirsty. Taking multivitamins every day is also recommended.

Here are a couple favorite recipes:

Chicken Breast

1/2 t pepper
1 t Lawry's Seasoning Salt
2 T chopped green onion
2 chopped garlic cloves
2 T lemon juice
1/2 c water

Place thawed chicken breast in 9x13 Pyrex baking dish. Pour water in bottom of dish. Sprinkle seasonings over chicken. Bake covered at 275 degrees for 1 hour. Leftovers can be chopped up and eaten at another meal over salad or used in quesadillas.

Chicken Quesadillas

1 1/4 c chopped chicken breast (cooked)
1 c shredded Monterey cheese
1 1/2 T Dijon Mustard
2 1/2 T cream cheese (softened)
3 T chopped green onion
Tortilla shells (small)
2 1/2 T butter (divide into four parts)

Mix mustard and cream cheese together with a fork. Spread mustard and cream cheese mixture evenly between four shells. Stay at least 1/2 to 3/4 inch from the edge of the shell. Sprinkle each shell with part of Monterey cheese. Top with chicken and green onion. Then, add the rest of the Monterey cheese. Cover with another tortilla. Melt 1 piece of butter in skillet and place one tortilla at a time in skillet. Cook until cheese is melted, turning once during cook time. It only takes a couple minutes per tortilla. Cut tortillas into slices before eating.