The Atkins diet is the famous low-carb diet created by Dr Robert Atkins and it came from a diet which he himself used to lose his extra weight. Later, the Atkins diet became available to the masses in a series of books, including “Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution” in 1972 and the revised book, Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution.” To remind you, the Atkins Diet involves restricted carbs in order to switch the body’s metabolism from burning glucose as fuel to burning stored body fat. The process is called ketosis and begins when insulin levels are low; like when blood glucose levels are low before eating. High calorie carbs like glucose or starch create most of the blood sugar after meals and can be calculated to even determine the insulin needs of people with diabetes. Fiber is not really digestible, and it provides no food energy nor does it significantly impact glucose and insulin levels.
Lots of folks believe that the Atkins Diet promotes eating tons of fatty meats and cheeses but Dr. Atkins points out in the more recent revisions of his book that the plan is “not a license to gorge” even though there are not specific calorie restrictions. Another common misconception comes from the confusion between the Induction Phase and rest of the diet. Its true that the first two weeks of the Atkins Diet are strict, with only 20g of carbohydrates allowed each day; a dieter supposedly can safely stay at the Induction Phase for several months if the person has a lot of weight to lose but it is merely a stage to get the body used to fat, and cure cravings for unacceptable foods. Carbohydrate levels are then increased to slow weight loss and more wholesome foods are added such as berries, more dairy, and nuts. When a person reaches his or her weight loss goal, carbohydrate levels are raised to a state where no weight is lost or gained. Interestingly the final carb level may or may not be below USDA norms, depending on the individual’s metabolism, age, and their exercise level, which once again reminds us that maybe Uncle Sam’s guidelines are not right for everyone!
