Atkins Diet Basics

 

The Atkins diet is not a new phenomenon. The diet first appeared in the late 1970s and has gained popularity in recent years in response to the trend for low-fat diets.

As dieters struggled with low-fat plans, they sought a new solution, and Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution book found a new audience.

Many people have jumped on the Atkins bandwagon and there has been a lot of excitement as a result. But what are the basic principles of the Atkins diet?

The Atkins diet is based on a theory of why we get fat. According to Dr. Atkins, excessive consumption of carbohydrates and simple sugars leads to weight gain.

How your body processes the carbohydrates you eat has more to do with your waistline than the amount of fat or calories you eat. In his book, Atkins describes a phenomenon called "insulin resistance." He theorizes that many overweight people have cells that are not working properly.

When you eat excess carbohydrates and sugar, your body notices that your sugar levels are elevated. Insulin is released from the pancreas to store sugar as glycogen in the liver and muscle cells for additional energy later on.

However, your body can only store a limited amount of glycogen at a time. As soon as your body reaches its glycogen storage limit, the excess carbohydrates are stored as fat. This happens to all people who eat too many carbohydrates.

However, insulin resistant people have even more difficulty using and storing excess carbohydrates. The more insulin your body is exposed to, the more resistant it becomes.

Over time, the pancreas releases more insulin and the cells become resistant to insulin. Cells are trying to protect themselves from the toxic effects of high insulin. They create less glycogen and more fat.

As a result, insulin resistant people gain weight. Carbohydrates turn into fat instead of energy. Other side effects include fatigue, brain "fog" (inability to concentrate, poor memory, loss of creativity), low blood sugar (which can lead to hypoglycemia), intestinal bloating, drowsiness, depression, and increased blood sugar.

There is much more than weight at stake when you are insulin resistant.

The remedy for insulin resistant people is a carbohydrate restricted diet. The crux of the Atkins diet is the limitation of carbohydrates in all its forms.

Restricted foods on the Atkins plan include simple sugars (like cookies, soda, and candy) and complex carbohydrates (like bread, rice, and grains). Even carbohydrates that are considered healthy, such as oatmeal, brown rice, and whole wheat bread, are restricted in the program.

The diet forces you to restrict your carbohydrate intake to less than 40 grams a day. This will put your body in a state of ketosis. While in ketosis, your body will burn fat for fuel.

According to Dr. Atkins research, the state of ketosis will also affect insulin production and prevent more fat from being formed. Your body will start using stored fat as an efficient form of fuel and you will lose weight.

Another benefit of the Atkins plan is that ketosis will kill your carbohydrate cravings.

If you've been living on a high-carb diet, you may have found that you just can't get enough carbs. With carbohydrate restriction and ketosis, carbohydrate cravings are reduced. People who have been on the Atkins diet for some time report that they do not crave carbohydrates like they used to.

Although the initial phases of the Atkins diet are quite strict, the program teaches you how to restore balance to your diet in the long run.

Dieters slowly reintroduce trace amounts of carbohydrates into their diets until they find a comfortable balance between their health and carbohydrate use.

The basic principles of the Atkins diet have been adapted into many other low carb diet plans. However, the popularity of Atkins remains strong as one of the most effective low carb solutions for those who are insulin resistant.