With more and more health complications and ailments related to being overweight now being exposed, more and more people are becoming conscious of their weight and trying to shed off those excess pounds. For many people, this is much easier said than done. There are a number of people that have tried numerous weight-watchers programs and exercise regimens to lose weight, only to quickly gain the weight back. To combat this, the Atkins diet was reintroduced.
Although it was only recently that the Atkins diet program has become a popular choice for many people trying to lose weight, it was actually developed back in the early 1970s. The concept of the diet program is to cut back on the intake of carbohydrates to induce the body to use up stored energy in the body in the form of fatty tissues. By doing so, the amount of fatty tissues is reduced in the body, causing the person to lose weight.
How Does the Atkins Diet Program Work?
The diet program involves three phases. The first phase is to cut back the amount of carbohydrates taken in by the body. During this phase, one is only allowed to consume a maximum of 25 grams of carbohydrates a day. This is to allow the body to enter a phase called ketosis where the body uses the fatty tissues as a source of energy instead of carbohydrates. This would deplete the amount of stored fat in the body, allowing you to lose weight.
The second phase of the program increases your carbohydrate intake to 30 grams a day. The reason why this is increased is because of the fact that the body is already attuned to burning fat more effectively. This phase is continued until the weight loss reaches a plateau, which is whenever you stop losing weight. From there, you steadily increase the level of carbohydrates that your body takes in by 5 grams a day.
The last phase is the slow but steady increase of carbohydrate levels back into the body. Since much of your body fat has already been depleted, the increased intake of carbohydrates will prevent your body from decreasing muscle mass. The muscle mass can then be used as a source of energy in the event that the amount of carbohydrates are already consumed.
The Pros of the Atkins Diet
The Atkins diet is currently being followed by as much as 20 million people all over the world. Apart from being able to help people lose weight more effectively, many physicians have recommended the Atkins diet for a variety of health benefits including the reduction of bad cholesterol in the body and the regulation of the amount of glucose in the blood stream that is commonly found among diabetics and obese individuals.
The Cons of the Atkins Diet
Like all diet programs, the Atkins diet is not perfect. Many people who have followed the Atkins diet have experienced a variety of side effects such as bad breath brought about by the ketosis process, along with headaches and nausea. For this reason, it is important to first consult with your physician prior to starting the Atkins diet to make sure that this diet is best suited for you.
