The Atkins diet was created by the now deceased
Dr Atkins but way before he passed away the diet was so popular that
it had taken on a life of it's own. It is based on a low-carbohydrate
- high fat diet and in most cases has worked wonders for people that
have tried it, in the short-term anyway.
The basic science behind the Atkins diet is that by keeping the intake
of carbohydrates low the body doesn't store so much fat while at the
same time the little fat that is stored in the body is burned to produce
energy resulting in quite an impressive loss in weight in the first
few weeks.
The Four Atkins Nutritional Principles
Atkins diet veterans swear by it's effectiveness
but health professionals have been up in arms and slamming it at ever
possible opportunity, labelling it as "bad dietary advice".
 |
| Jennifer Anniston
is just one of many celebrities who has the Atkins diet to thank
for her beautiful body. |
Atkins dieters must first follow a 14 day Induction
phase with a limit of 20g of carbohydrate each day, and basically
consists of meat, chicken, fish, eggs or cheese with some green and
salad vegetables, butter and oil.
All foods containing high levels of carbohydrates are strictly not
allowed including such foods as most fruits, many vegetables, bread,
cereals, rice, potatoes, pasta, biscuits, sugar and so on must be
avoided, as must milk and yogurt.
That means a full English breakfast minus the toast is in but a traditional
English Sunday roast is out unless you dump the spuds, gravy, stuffing,
apple sauce, certain veggies and Yorkshire puds.
One of the other main contentious issues about the Atkins diet is
the absence of most fresh fruit from the eating regime, which goes
completely against everything science has taught us about eating a
healthy and balanced diet.
The Atkins diet stipulates that new dieters must only eat 20 grams
of carbohydrates a day for the first couple of weeks, which means
even a single banana which contains approximately 22 grams of carbohydrates
would have to be ruled out completely.
Once the dieters reach their desired weight they are advised to slightly
increase their carbohydrate intake until their weight stabilises -
but it should not go over 90g a day.
A proper balanced diet is supposed to consist of around 250g of carbohydrates
a day.
The Atkins diet has dismissed any claims by medical professionals
that suggest the diet is dangerous and they say as long as their advice
is followed properly there are no known health risks.
However, medical professionals say although it seems to work in the
short-term, prolonged use of the diet could result in major problems
such as kidney failure and even increased risk of bowel cancer.
Medical professionals say that the best way to lose weight is to
adopt a calorie controlled diet and take regular exercise. Before
embarking on any type of diet you should consult your local GP or
a qualified medical professional. |
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