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The Heart of the Atkins Diet System

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Written by James Beckett

Friday, 21 March 2008

by JamesBeckett

The Atkins diet is a controversial diet method that Dr. Robert Atkins originally wrote about in 1972. It is a high protein, low carb diet that became incredibly popular in the 1990s and is still practiced today. Here are some guidelines that will help you learn the secret behind the Atkins Diet.

Probably the core teaching of Atkins is also the most dramatic change in how you eat because taking Atkins calls for us to virtually take carbohydrates out of the diet entirely. The concept Atkins teaches is that the body will burn the sugar that comes from carbohydrates first, by the time that part of our diet is burnt off, the body is satisfied so it never gets around to burning off fats. So Adkins takes carbs out of the equation.

The Atkins diet emphasizes the importance of eating foods high in protein like red meats, pure cheeses, fish, poultry, and eggs. It also says that it's okay to eat meals high in fats and oils like butter, mayonnaise, and salad dressings since the body will burn it quickly.

There is a transition the body goes through when we pull carbohydrates out of the diet called "ketosis" which means the body starts burning other things for energy, mostly fats. This is the heart of Atkins because as the body turns to fats to compensate for the lack of carbohydrates to burn, not only does weight loss occur but visible fat disappears.

But the heart of why Atkins works is also in the attitude we are taught because to stay on the diet, we have to do what most diets don't ask us to do which is demand our diet requirements even when eating out. An Atkins dieter is forceful in a restaurant to tell the waiter exactly what can and cannot be served with his or her meal. This means that even in a hamburger joint, you speak up to insist you get your hamburger without the bun but with extra lettuce, pickles and tomato. And your strict observance of the carb free lifestyle also means no french fries, onion rings, potatoes or anything else that will introduce sugar to your system.

Many dieters will feel ashamed by these odd requests-those are the people who will not grasp the secret of the Atkins Diet. You have to be brave and forceful about your food plan to be successful at this diet. Just as with anything, you need to put in the effort if you want to succeed.

There is a lot to know about Atkins that we cannot cover here so be proactive and get a book or two so you can learn more details of how this plan really works day by day. A good Atkins book will show you some workable tips and insider tricks on how to be an Atkins success story and still enjoy the foods you love. And once you start networking with other Atkins disciplines, you will get lot of recipes from other dieters and from great web sites that spring up all the time with new ways to lose weight the low carb way.

It has been proven again and again that the Atkins diet can work for a broad range of people, there is a short transition period where your body adjusts - but isn't it worth it in the long run if you can find a diet that works in the long term? Start off strict with the diet and then ease off slightly when you have reached your target weight so it is easier to stick to.

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