The Atkins Diet has swept across the world with people swapping their low fat diets for the low carb, high protein Atkins diet.

Any diet that allows you to eat until you are not hungry would be guaranteed to be popular but what is it about the Atkins diet that made
it such a huge success?
It seems to be the results. Millions of people have won their battle with obesity through the Atkins Diet Plan

According to Dr Atkins the diet is also good for managing many health disorders although the main reason why people turn to Atkins Diet is because it provides fast weight loss.

The Atkins diet philosophy states that up to two thirds of calories could come from fat and people should eat meats and cheeses rather than breads, pastas, and even fruits and vegetables. Instead of carbohydrate and sugar, the Atkins Diet Plan recommends plenty of fat and protein. The diet specifically recommends animal proteins; therefore vegetarians and vegans will have a hard time following the diet.

How the Atkins Diet helps you lose weight

The Atkins Diet is a system that enables our body to lose weight in a natural way by inducing a change in metabolism. Carbohydrate, in the form of glucose, is the primary fuel used to provide energy to our body. Dr Atkins suggests that when we reduce our intake of carbohydrates significantly, our body converts from burning carbohydrates to burning fat as fuel. This process is known as lipolysis. The secondary result of this process is ketosis, however many doctors say that ketosis is bad because it puts a strain on your kidneys and in prolonged ketosis muscle tissue is broken down.

The Atkins Diet Plan

The Atkins Diet has been split into four phases. It is advisable to keep a copy of Dr Atkins' book with you when starting a new phase so you know what you can and cannot eat.

In phase one - Induction Phase - carbohydrate consumption is restricted to 20 grams per day. Most carbohydrate can be obtained from salad and other non-starchy vegetables.

In phase two - Ongoing Weight Loss - you add carbohydrate, in the form of nutrient-dense and fibre-rich foods, by increasing to 25 grams daily the first week, 30 grams daily the next week and so on until your weight loss stops. Then subtract 5 grams of carbohydrate from your daily intake so that you continue sustained, moderate weight loss.

Phase three's - Pre-Maintenance - objective is to make the transition from weight loss to weight maintenance by increasing the daily carbohydrate intake in 10-gram increments each week so long as very gradual weight loss is maintained.

And the final phase - Lifetime Maintenance - is the foundation for a lifetime of better health. In this phase you can select from a wide variety of foods while controlling carbohydrate intake to ensure weight maintenance and a sense of well-being.

Atkins Diet: Reasons for

• There is a large initial weight loss
• Can eat as much protein and fat as you want

Atkins Diet: Reasons against

• Has a high drop out rate for the induction phase
• Can cause bad breath
• Ketosis strains the liver
• Constipation can be experienced due to lack of fibre
• High cholesterol in the diet
• Associated with heart disease. High in saturated fat