What is Atkins diet ?
The goal of the Atkins plan is to have the body use fat for sustenance instead of carbohydrates. Overall, I was favorably surprised by the quality of many of the goods, and I appreciated the fact that they helped with issues like gas and appetite.
How It Works
The Atkins Plan is a low-carb eating plan that emphasizes a few key food groups and sensible quantity management to promote weight reduction. The Atkins 20, 40, and 100 day plans are available. Different plans recommend varying amounts and types of macronutrients.
Those with more than 40 pounds to shed should try Atkins 20, while those with less than 40 pounds to lose and an emphasis on upkeep should try Atkins 40 or 100.
The plan is predicated on the idea that carbohydrates are particularly fattening and that cutting back on them will lead to weight loss. Depending on the diet plan you select, you may consume as few as 20 total grams of carbohydrates per day. Carbohydrate intake is restricted while the emphasis is placed on fiber, protein, and healthful lipids.
Beginning, sustained weight reduction, transition to maintenance, and lifelong maintenance are the four stages of the plan outlined by the manufacturer.
- To kickstart weight loss, the most limited period is called induction, and it consists of eating only 40 net grams of carbohydrates per day (Atkins 40).
- The second part, Continued Weight Reduction, is where you figure out your glucose threshold, or how many carbohydrates you can consume while still dropping weight.
- The business says that in Pre-Maintenance, you gradually reintroduce carbohydrates into your diet until you reach your Glucose Equilibrium.
- The concluding stage, called Lifelong Management, is aimed at ensuring that you maintain your ideal weight through consistent, healthful behavior.
The Atkins Plan is based on the idea that reducing calorie intake will force the body to use fat stores as an energy source, resulting in weight reduction. The glycemic index, which determines how fast a meal causes blood sugar levels to increase, serves as the basis for this diet. Foods with a low glycemic index are preferred for weight reduction because they do not cause a rapid increase in blood sugar levels.
High-glycemic diets, such as those high in bakery products and packed munchies, can cause blood sugar spikes and following energy declines, which in turn can stimulate appetite for even more harmful, high-glycemic foods. Maintaining healthy weight and regular blood sugar levels are two benefits of eating a low-glycemic diet.
Price Tag
The Atkins plan is unique in that it combines a concentration on instruction with an emphasis on ready-to-eat dietary choices. The snacks, smoothies, and prepared dinners that the business offers are not required to complete the regimen. Atkins can be expensive if you buy the company’s food items or other purchased tools (like literature) about the diet.
On its website, Atkins offers a plethora of complimentary tools, such as recipes, advice, and a progress counter. You can talk to other people who are following the Atkins plan in the site’s discussions and online support groups.
Atkins’s website lists prices that can, depending on the item, vary from:
- $5 for a frozen meal
- $8 for a five-count box of dessert bars
- $8 for a four-count box of cookies
- $9 for a four-pack of iced-coffee protein shakes
- $10 for a four-pack of meal shakes
- $10 for a five-count box of meal bars
- $22 for an eight-count box of protein chips
When you buy from the company’s website, you can often take advantage of special discounts. Sign up for the mailing list and receive a discount coupon for 10% off your next purchase. The bars and smoothies are discounted by fifteen percent for the military and first responders. If you sign up for regular deliveries, you can save 8% on every purchase and get free delivery on orders over $50 with the membership deal.
The Product
Your online interface grants you cost-free access to recipes, advice, a progress counter, and the Atkins communities after you sign up for a free account and select your plan based on your weight reduction objectives. You can either stick to the recipes provided or use the dietary information provided to come up with your own delicious meals.
Atkins food items can be found in many major retailers, such as Walmart, Target, Publix, Amazon, and many more, both online and in-store. You can use these ready-made alternatives as dinner substitutes or healthy treats.
Informed Opinions
Raman Ashta, M.D., a family medicine and obesity medicine specialist at Nasa Primary Care in Melbourne, Florida, defines a low-carb diet as one in which total carbs make up less than 130 grams per day (or less than 26% of total daily calories).
As Dr. Ashta points out, “the secret is to consume healthful whole carbohydrates like whole cereals, whole fruit, beans, veggies, and nuts—and avoid refined carbs like desserts, drinks, fruit beverages, added sugar, spaghetti, and bread.”
Registered dietitian and former supervisor of education and research at The Atkins Center For Complementary Medicine and A.T. Still University Valerie Goldstein says, “Research has supported the efficacy of low-carb diets for general health and chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), gut and mental health issues, cancer, and much more.” Goldstein claims that the Atkins diet is highly successful for weight reduction and general health improvement if it is followed as directed.
Low-carb plans like the Atkins diet, which Goldstein and Dr. Ashta both concur on, can be safe and less limiting than other weight-loss diets, but the National Library of Medicine warns that they are not appropriate for everyone due to potential heart and blood issues. The National Library of Medicine, echoing the concerns of Dr. Ashta, warns that “the quality of food matters” when it comes to low-carb diets. This means that it is possible for a low-carb diet to be harmful if the foods selected contain an excessive amount of unhealthy fat and do not provide the necessary nutrients.
Always consult your physician or a certified dietitian before beginning any new diet to ensure that the diet’s parameters are appropriate for your current health status and your goals.
