Atkins Diet Review

Fad diets come and go. There's a variation of dieting for just about everything. But most eat-this-not-that diet fads don't last. Why? Mainly because they don't deliver results. But every once in a while, someone develops a dieting strategy that stands the test of time. One of those happens to be the Atkins Diet.

When Dr. Atkins was a practicing cardiologist, he regularly provided patients with an eating plan to control blood sugar levels, burn fat, improve heart health, and aid in weight loss with a diet low in carbohydrates. And that's how the Atkins Diet was born. Here's how the Atkins diet works:

Phase 1 – Start by cutting way  back on carbohydrates. 20 grams a day is ideal. It's a tall order, if you've been used to pounding a lot of carbs. It's pretty much means placing a temporary ban on bread, crackers, cereal, soda, and anything else high in carbohydrates, including fruits and many vegetables. But stick with it, and it's a fast way to shed unwanted pounds.

Phase 2 – Introduce a modest amount of carbs back into your diet. Low-calorie options are best like berries, vegetables, nuts and seeds.

Phase 3 – When you're about 10 pounds from your ideal weight, add 10 grams of carbs per day to your diet. It's still enough of a carb deficit to help you continue losing weight to reach your goal. Now you can eat a few starchy vegetables and some whole grains. If you start gaining weight, cut back on carbs a little.

Phase 4 – Once you achieve your ideal weight, you should be able to handle 45 to 100 grams of carbohydrates per day without tipping the scale in the wrong direction.

Does the Atkins diet work? The Atkins Diet has gained a massive following since it debuted in 1972. And low-carb dieting has been modeled by countless health and fitness professionals since then. It's a proven and effective eating strategy to help you lose weight. Achieve and maintain a healthy weight, and it's good for your heart too, the original objective of the Atkins diet.

The downside: We live in a carb-crazed society. Canned food, processed meals, burgers and fries, pizza, and soda practically make up the American diet. And that kind of food is loaded with carbohydrates. If you've been eating this way, making the switch to the Atkins Diet can be hard to stick with, because you'll experience strong cravings for carbs. However, as countless Atkins believers have found, it's possible to change your eating habits for the better. Need a little help in the kitchen cooking up Low-Carbohydrate meals? We can help.