Home | Health | Diet & Nutrition | Atkins Diet | What Is the Atkins Diet?

What Is the Atkins Diet?

by Nicole Canfora

Overview

The Atkins diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-protein, high-fat diet that became popularized in 1972 by Dr. Robert C. Atkins, who used the diet himself to lose weight. Weight loss occurs by depriving the body of most carbohydrates and putting the body into ketosis, which causes it to burn fat stores instead of carbohydrates for energy. While the Atkins diet may not be healthy for those who are on a fat- or sodium-restricted diet, it can be modified to include lower-fat, lower-salt foods.
Function

The diet is touted as a low-carbohydrate, high-fat and high-protein diet that involves drastically cutting your consumption of carbohydrates in order to lose weight and maintain that loss. Cutting out most carbohydrates results in the body going into ketosis, where the body's fat stores are burned for fuel instead of carbs. As the fat is burned, the body loses mass. The diet restricts many foods such as fruit, refined sugars, white rice, white flour and milk, while allowing certain vegetables and unlimited amounts of meats, cheeses, eggs and other foods that may be high in fat.

Features

The diet features four phases: induction, ongoing weight loss, pre-maintenance and lifetime maintenance. Each one prescribes the dieter to consume a specific amount of carbohydrates in order to facilitate weight loss through the fat-burning state of ketosis. Each successive phase allows for the additional consumption of carbohydrates. The Atkins diet differs from other low-carbohydrate diets, such as the South Beach diet, because of the lax restrictions of higher-fat foods such as meat and dairy.
Benefits

The obvious benefit of following the Atkins diet is weight loss, which can be drastic in the first two weeks while following the first phase. Getting to and maintaining a healthy weight takes stress off the body and reduces the chance of developing heart disease and diabetes.
Time Frame

The first two weeks of the diet, called the induction phase, involve eating the least amount of carbohydrates and is intended to immediately put the body into ketosis. The next phase is ongoing weight loss, followed until you're within 10 pounds of your goal weight and involves upping your carb intake in increments of 5 net carbs (grams of carbohydrates minus grams of fiber) weekly by eating Atkins diet-approved foods while still maintaining weight loss. Pre-maintenance again consists of increasing carbohydrates in your diet by 5 net grams weekly, until you reach the amount you can eat without gaining weight. The lifetime maintenance phase is following this last amount of carbs to ensure you do not gain back the weight.
Warning

If you are on a doctor-directed low-fat or low-salt diet for heart or circulation problems, carefully consider what foods you eat on the Atkins diet and consult your doctor prior to starting the regimen. It is possible to stick with lean meats and low-fat items, or low-sodium foods, and still be able to follow this diet. Side effects from the diet can include bad breath and constipation.
History

The diet was orignially promoted in a book published in 1972, "Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution," by Dr. Robert C. Atkins, who personally followed an early version of his diet to lose weight. The diet became extremely popular in 2003, but by 2005 it was considered a passing fad and that year the company founded by Dr. Atkins filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.