The Dr Atkins Diet emphasizes a low amount of carbohydrates in the diet. Dr. Robert Atkins created this diet after he got out of medical school because he wanted to lose weight himself, but felt that the current dietary knowledge was part of what was contributing to the obesity problem in America. At the time, it was widely held that carbohydrates from bread, pasta and other starches should comprise most of a person's daily food intake. Atkins decided to create a diet that relied less on carbohydrates (low carb diet), and more on fat and protein (learn more here).

During the early part of the new millennium, Dr Atkins diet was one of the most popular weight loss programs in the United States, But It diminished in success following the death of its founder in 2005.

The theory behind the Dr Atkins diet is that the lowered intake of carbohydrates will cause the body to switch from burning glucose to burning stored body fat as fuel to power its functions. In other word, the Dr Atkins diet encourages ketones production. Ketones are produced in the body from fats and proteins, respectively and in this case, used as energy instead of glucose (comes from starches and sugars).

A lowered amount of carbohydrates in the Dr Atkins diet means low levels of insulin which translate in a stable blood sugar levels. This will help prevent body fat storage (since the hormone insulin is known for storing body fat). The Dr Atkins diet advocates a higher intake of fat and proteins which can help suppress your appetite and prevent more fat from being formed by promoting ketones production as we said before.

The Dr Atkins diet consists of four phases. First, the restrictive/induction phase requires cutting down on carbohydrates to only 20 grams per day. The next phases are ongoing weight loss, pre-maintenance, and lifetime maintenance. During these phases, the carbohydrate intake is increased slowly. During the last phase of the Dr Atkins diet (lifetime maintenance) you’re allowed to eat a wider variety of foods as long as you keep the weight off (learn more here).

It must be said, though, that the Dr Atkins diet doesn't advocate eating unrestricted amounts of protein-rich foods. Calories are calories no matter where they come from, and it's important to watch intake of fatty foods like meats and cheeses. There is no set limit on the amount, but Dr. Atkins was reported as saying that the diet was not simply an "all-the-steak-you-can-eat-diet." 

If you're really serious about weight loss and you want to know which diet is right for you, we recommend the award winning site eDiets (winner of both PC and Forbes Magazine award).

Please help us serve you better: feel free to contact us here if you have any thoughts, questions, information, requests, or recommendations about the Dr Atkins diet.

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