The Atkins Diet is a popular low-carbohydrate eating plan created in 1972 by cardiologist Robert

C. Atkins. The Atkins Diet restricts carbs (carbohydrates) while emphasizing protein and fats.
The Atkins Diet has several phases for weight loss and maintenance, starting out with a very low
carbohydrate eating plan. The Atkins Diet, formally called the Atkins Nutritional Approach, has
been detailed in many books and is credited with launching the low-carb diet trend.

Purpose
The purpose of the Atkins Diet is to change your eating habits to help you lose weight and keep
it off. The Atkins Diet also says it's a healthy lifelong approach to eating, whether you want to
lose weight, boost your energy or help improve certain health problems, such as high blood
pressure or metabolic syndrome.
Why you might follow the Atkins Diet
You might choose to follow the Atkins Diet because you:

Enjoy the types and amounts of food featured in the diet

Want a diet that restricts certain carbs to help you lose weight

Want to change your overall eating habits

Have medical concerns you think the diet can help improve

Like the related Atkins Diet products, such as cookbooks, shakes and bars
Check with your doctor or health care provider before starting any weight-loss diet, especially if
you have any health conditions, such as diabetes or kidney disease.

Diet details
The main dietary focus of the Atkins Diet is eating the right balance of carbohydrates, protein
and fats for optimal weight loss and health. According to the Atkins Diet, obesity and related
health problems, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, are the fault of the typical low-fat,
high-carbohydrate American diet. The Atkins Diet says that you don't need to avoid fatty cuts of
meat or trim off excess fat. Rather, controlling carbs is what's important.
The Atkins Diet holds that eating too many carbohydrates especially sugar, white flour and
other refined carbs leads to blood sugar imbalances, weight gain and cardiovascular
problems. To that end, the Atkins Diet restricts carbohydrates and encourages eating more
protein and fat. However, the Atkins Diet says it is not a high-protein diet.

Like many diet plans, the Atkins Diet continues to evolve. It now encourages eating more highfiber vegetables, accommodates vegetarian and vegan needs, and addresses health problems
that may arise when initially starting a low-carb diet.
Carbohydrates
The Atkins Diet doesn't require calorie counting or portion control. It does require you to track
your carbs, though. It uses a system called net carbs, which is the total carbohydrate content of
an item minus its fiber content. For example, a half-cup of raw broccoli has 2.3 grams of total
carbs and 1.3 grams of fiber, putting its net carb value at 1 gram.
The Atkins Diet says its approach to carbs will burn off your body's fat stores, regulate your
blood sugar and help you achieve optimal health, while not leaving you feeling hungry or
deprived. Once you're at your goal weight, the Atkins Diet also says it will help you identify your
personal carbohydrate tolerance the number of grams of net carbs you can eat each day
without gaining or losing weight.
Exercise
Although the Atkins Diet originally said that exercise wasn't vital for weight loss, it now
acknowledges that exercise is important to weight loss and maintenance, as well as for
achieving other health benefits.
Phases of the Atkins Diet
The Atkins Diet has four phases. Depending on your weight-loss goals, you can start at any of
the first three phases.

Phase 1: Induction. In this strict phase, you cut out almost all carbohydrates from your
diet, eating just 20 grams of net carbs a day, mainly from vegetables. Instead of getting 45 to
65 percent of your daily calories from carbohydrates, as recommended by most nutrition
guidelines, you get only about 10 percent. "Foundation" vegetables, such as asparagus,
broccoli, celery, cucumber, green beans and peppers, should account for 12-15 grams of
your daily net carbs. You should eat protein, such as fish and shellfish, poultry, meat, eggs
and cheese, at every meal. You don't need to restrict oils and fats, but you can't have most
fruits, sugary baked goods, breads, pastas, grains, nuts or alcohol. You should drink eight
glasses of water a day. You stay in this phase for at least two weeks, depending on your
weight loss.

Phase 2: Balancing. In this phase, you continue to eat a minimum of 12-15 grams of
net carbs as foundation vegetables. You also continue to avoid foods with added sugar. You
can slowly add back in some nutrient-rich carbs, such as more vegetables and berries, nuts
and seeds, as you continue to lose weight. You stay in this phase until you're about 10
pounds (4.5 kilograms) from your goal weight.

Phase 3: Pre-maintenance. In this phase, you continue to gradually increase the range
of foods you can eat, including fruits, starchy vegetables and whole grains. You can add
about 10 grams of carbs to your diet each week, but you must cut back if your weight loss
stops. You stay in this phase until you reach your weight goal.

Phase 4: Lifetime maintenance. You move into this phase when you reach your goal
weight, and then you continue this way of eating for life.
A typical day's menu on the Atkins Diet

Here's a look at what you might eat during a typical day on phase 1 of the Atkins Diet:

Breakfast. Scrambled eggs with sauteed onions and cheddar cheese. Acceptable
beverages include coffee, tea, water, diet soda and herbal tea.

Lunch. Chef salad with chicken, bacon and avocado dressing, along with an allowable
beverage.

Dinner. Baked salmon steak, asparagus, and arugula salad with cherry tomatoes and
cucumbers, along with an allowable beverage.

Snacks. You typically can have two snacks a day. Snacks may include an Atkins Diet
product, such as a chocolate shake or granola bar, or a simple snack such as celery and
cheddar cheese.

Not everyone's body responds the same way to different approaches

to losing weight. The key is to find a match for your body and
metabolism.
Dr. Atkins, a well-known cardiologist, limited his patients' intake of
sugar and carbohydrates. As a result, many of his patients
successfully lost weight and kept it off even though they had
previously been unsuccessful on regular low-calorie diets!
The key was understanding that everyone's metabolism can use two
different types of fuel for energy either sugar (and carbs that are
quickly turned into sugar by the body), or fat. But the type of fuel
you burn can have a big difference in losing or maintaining weight. A
typical diet reduces calories, but is still high in carbohydrates (and
thus sugar). As a result, many people constantly cycle between
sugar "highs" (where excess sugar is actually stored as fat in the
body) and sugar "lows" (where you feel fatigued and ravenously

hungry for more carbs and sugar). For many, it's really hard to
lose weight that way.
Atkins, on the other hand, limits carbohydrates (sugar), so the body
burns fat, including body fat, for fuel. This approach leaves the body
steadily fueled, and weight is lost, even when more calories are
being consumed. Steady fueling also means more constant energy
levels all day long, and less hunger and cravings! You can actually
lose weight while feeling full! The science behind the Atkins
principles has been proven by over 80 clinical studies!
If counting calories hasn't worked for you in the past try Atkins
it may be the perfect approach for you!
http://www.atkins.com/how-it-works
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/atkins-diet/art20048485
http://www.healthyweightforum.org/eng/diets/atkins_diet/
Dr. Atkins revolutionalized the dieting world when he introduced the Atkins diet, a low-carb eating
program. The Atkins diet or the "Atkins Nutritional Approach" is a lifetime nutritional philosophy. The diet
claims that you can lose weight on a high-fat, high-protein diet. It works on the premise that a healthy
lifestyle requires a limited amount of simple carbohydrates, protein, exercise and proper portion control.
The diet plan works on 4 general principles; weight loss, weight maintenance, good health and
disease prevention. Today, the Atkins diet is the most popular, longstanding approach to weight loss in
America. Over 40 million people around the world have joined in on the Atkins revolution and more than
15 million overweight men and women have bought Dr. Atkins' best selling book "New Diet Revolution".
There is even a professional body (The Atkins Centre for Complimentary Medicine) devoted to educating
Atkins followers.

How does the diet work?

The Atkins diet holds the controversial belief that low fat is not the only way to go for a healthier lifestyle
and weight control. Dr. Atkins blamed carbohydrates (grains, pastas, fruits, potatoes) for weight gain.
He believed that if you reduced your carbohydrate intake then you would lose weight. Too many
carbohydrates in your diet encourage your body to retain fat. When the body absorbs simple
carbohydrates quickly, it causes an insulin response that speeds the conversion of calories to fat.

The plan focuses on the consumption of nutrient-dense, unprocessed foods and vita-nutrient
supplementation. It also restricts processed and refined carbohydrates (which make up to approximately
more then 50 per cent of people's diets). It encourages you to eliminate sugar from your diet as this
contributes to a slower metabolism.
The Atkins diet is designed to be a program on which you can maintain a healthy weight for a lifetime and
it is highly suitable (but not restricted) to those who prefer eating animal protein. The diet offers people
who have failed on a low-fat diet a healthy, effective and safe alternative. Instead of carbs and sugar,
eaters are allowed plenty of fat and protein.

The four phases

There are four phases to the Atkins diet, they are; 1) Induction, 2) Ongoing Weight Loss, 3) PreMaintenance and 4) Lifetime Maintenance.
1. Phase 1 (Induction) you restrict carbohydrate consumption to 20 grams each day, obtaining
carbohydrate primarily from salad and other non-starchy vegetables.
2. Phase 2 (Ongoing Weight Loss) you increase carbohydrate in the form of nutrient-dense and
fibre-rich foods by 20 grams daily in the first week and then 30 grams daily in the next week until
you gradually lose weight. Then you subtract 5 grams of carbohydrate from your daily intake so
that you continue sustained weight loss.
3. Phase 3 (Pre-Maintenance) you make the transition from weight loss to weight maintenance by
increasing the daily carbohydrate intake in 10 gram increments each week.
4. Phase 4 Lifetime Maintenance) you select from a wide variety of foods while controlling
carbohydrate intake to ensure weight maintenance.
There are mixed views on the Atkins diet amongst health experts and dieticians. Many experts are critical
of low-carb diets but have not totally discounted the Atkins diet as an effective method of losing weight.
Although they do assert that it is too early to adopt the low-carb diet, health experts do concede that it is
worth exploring.
One main criticism of the Atkins diet is that it does entail frequent meat consumption. However,
followers argue that the program can be tailored for different preferences and metabolisms. After the first
phase (known as the "Induction phase") the Atkins diet plan can be modified.
Despite the immense popularity of the diet, the Atkins diet plan continues to have many sceptics. Another
criticism of the diet purports that a person is unlikely to keep the weight off over the long term. However,
this claim could just as easily be applied to many low-fat or low-calorie weight loss plans, on which dieters
are likely to feel hungry.

The Atkins Diet: Against

Not ideal for vegetarians or vegans as it is a meat-heavy (protein) diet.

Linked to osteoporosis, heart disease, colon cancer and renal disease.

High in saturated fats and cholesterol.

Low on fibre.

Is sometimes below the recommended daily values for several vitamins and minerals such as
calcium, potassium and magnesium.

The Atkins Diet: For:

Allowed to eat fat and protein.

Steady (and sometimes rapid) weight loss.

Reduces intake of sugars and processed grains.

Reduces appetite.

Life-time approach to dieting.

A never be hungry approach to dieting.

Critics of the Atkins Diet

The American Heart Association (AHA) does not recommend high-protein diets for weight loss. They
argue that the Atkins diet has not been proven effective for long term weight loss. They are critical of the
Atkins diet's focus on a high-protein diet that emphasises foods like meat and eggs that are rich in protein
and/or saturated fats.
The diet is not recommended because it restricts healthy foods that provide essential nutrients.
They also criticise the Atkins plan for its high cholesterol, fat and protein content and its low-fibre intake.
The AHA asserts that most people already eat more protein and fat than their bodies need, and eating a
high-protein, high-fat diet raises the risk of many types of disease. The most serious claim against the
Atkins plan is that it's linked to a number of potential health risks such as osteoporosis, stroke,
coronary heart disease, a propensity to form kidney stones, liver disorders and diabetes.

Advocates of the Atkins Diet

There are a number of misconceptions surrounding the Atkins diet plan, the most popular of these is the
misconception that you consume mostly red meat and can never eat carbs. Many people view the diet as
a bacon, burger and butter diet, however one of the benefits of the Atkins program is that it gets you
away from eating too much sugar and processed foods.
The Atkins plan reduces (rather than excludes) your carbohydrate intake (like sugar, white flour and white
rice).
Another misconception is that you can eat all you want while following the Atkins program. Although the
program refuses to accept hunger as a way of life, it does believe in the philosophy of moderation. Eating
a well-portioned and satisfying meal is an extremely important part of the Atkins diet. The Atkins plan
teaches you to control your portion sizes.
In response to criticisms that the Atkins diet is linked to disease - contrary studies have shown that over a
four month period, the Atkins diet helped a group of people drop an average of 21 pounds, lower their
cholesterol and triglyceride levels and raise HDL ("good" cholesterol).
Advocates of the diet argue that people at high risk for chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease,
hypertension and diabetes will see a marked improvement. They go even further to claim that by following
this plan you are actually laying a permanent groundwork for disease prevention.
Generally, critics are sceptical of how a high-protein, high-fat diet can result in weight loss. Research
shows that people can keep off weight lost with the Atkins plan as long as they don't go back to eating the
way they used to eat. People have successfully lost weight with this approach for over thirty years.
Several studies have shown that men and women lost twice the weight on the Atkins plan, compared to
those individuals following a "high-respected" low-fat diet.
Studies show that dieters typically lose more weight when they linked up with the Internet - a virtual
dieting community where dieters can obtain weight loss information, Atkins diet recipes and contact other
dieters who are sharing the same goals.
On the Internet, followers can also get a personalised Atkins meal plan and 24/7 peer and professional
support without leaving their home.

Diet Atkins adalah program diet rendah karbohidrat yang membatasi konsumsi karbohidrat
untuk menurunkan berat badan.
Diet penurunan berat badan ini dirancang oleh Dr. Robert Atkins pda tahun 1972.
Pada diet ini, makanan tinggi karbohidrat akan diganti dengan makanan tinggi protein dan
lemak.
Berkurangnya asupan kalori dari karbohidrat akan dikompensasi oleh kalori dari lemak dan
protein.
Diet ini tidak hanya digunakan untuk mengatasi obesitas, tetapi juga untuk mengobati epilepsi
atau diabetes.
Tetap akan ada efek samping tertentu yang mungkin muncul akibat diet ini.
Berikut akan dipaparkan tetang fakta dan efek samping diet Atkins.

Fakta tentang Diet Atkins

1. Diet Atkins adalah diet rendah karbohidrat yang didasarkan pada asumsi bahwa karbohidrat
bertanggung jawab terhadap kenaikan berat badan.
2. Oleh karena itu, menghilangkan karbohidrat dari diet Atkins sangat penting.
Namun kalori dari karbohidrat akan diganti dengan kalori yang berasal dari protein dan lemak.
3. Hal pertama yang perlu dilakukan adalah membatasi konsumsi karbohidrat, misalnya asupan
karbohidrat hanya 40 gram dalam sehari.
4. Bila asupan karbohidrat dibatasi, tubuh akan mengalami ketosis.
Saat terjadi ketosis, tubuh akan membakar lemak dan menggunakannya sebagai bahan bakar
untuk mendapatkan energi.
5. Ketika mengalami ketosis, tubuh akan mulai membakar lemak untuk mendapatkan energi
dan meredakan keinginan untuk mendapat asupan karbohidrat.

6. Ada empat fase dalam diet Atkins, yaitu fase induksi, fase ongoing, fase pra-pemeliharaan,
dan fase pemeliharaan.
7. Fase induksi berlangsung selama 14 hari pertama. Pada fase ini akan mulai terlihat
terjadinya penurunan badan.
Penurunan berat badan yang cepat terjadi karena asupan karbohidrat dibatasi hanya sampai 20
gram/hari.
Makanan yang termasuk dalam fase induksi meliputi brokoli, selada, tomat, dan sayuran
lainnya.
Makanan bertepung seperti kentang, yoghurt, nasi, dan lainnya dikeluarkan dari menu makanan
sehari-hari.
8. Pada tahap berikutnya, fase ongoing, asupan karbohidrat ditingkatkan sebanyak 5 gram
setiap minggunya.
9. Pre-maintenance adalah tahap dimana penurunan berat badan mulai melambat.
10. Setelah mencapai target berat badan yang diinginkan, maka masuklah ke fase
pemeliharaan. Karbohidrat terus meningkat tapi dijaga jangan sampai meningkatkan berat
badan.

Efek Samping Diet Atkins

Efek samping yang mungkin timbul dari diet Atkins misalnya nafas tidak segar, pusing, mual,
kelelahan, dan kelemahan.
Berikut penjelasan lengkapnya:
1. Karena konsumsi karbohidrat rendah, tubuh akan mengalami ketosis dimana keton akan
diproduksi oleh tubuh.
2. Keton yang dihasilkan tubuh akan dikeluarkan melalui urin dan napas.
Inilah yang menjadi penyebab napas tidak segar yang biasa terjadi pada ketosis.

Untuk mengatasinya, minumlah banyak air sehingga keton dapat dikeluarkan dari tubuh melalui
urin.
3. Menurut teori Atkins, orang biasanya kecanduan makanan dengan kadar gula tinggi.
Ketika mengikuti diet Atkins, asupan karbohidrat diturunkan secara mendadak sehingga
menyebabkan gejala ketagihan.
Gejalanya meliputi kelelahan, pusing, jantung berdebar, keluar keringat dingin, dan kelemahan.
Biasanya gejala-gejala di atas akan hilang dalam tiga hari.
Namun jika gejala-gejala tersebut menetap selama lebih dari tiga hari dan semakin parah, diet
harus segera dihentikan.
4. Sembelit merupakan efek samping utama dari diet Atkins.
Dalam diet ini, asupan makanan tinggi serat dibatasai sehingga menimbulkan sembelit.
Untuk mengatasinya, buatlah salad sayuran dengan bahan-bahan sesuai diet. Mengonsumsi
banyak salad berguna untuk menghindari sembelit.
5. Sebagian orang yang menjalani diet Atkins mungkin mengalami kram. Kurangnya mineral
merupakan penyebab utama terjadinya kram.
Konsumsi banyak cairan serta mengambil suplemen kalium dan magnesium sesuai kebutuhan
dapat membantu mengatasi kondisi tersebut.
Jika salah satu efek samping di atas semakin parah, segeralah berkonsultasi dengan dokter
dan hentikan diet.
Sebelum memulai program diet, sebaiknya berkonsultasi dengan dokter serta ahli gizi yang
berlisensi.