Atkins Diet

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The Atkins diet (officially termed the Atkins Nutritional Approach) is a low-carb approach to eating that limits hunger and eliminates carbohydrate cravings. The Atkins diet consist of four phases, which become increasingly less restrictive. Unlike other diets, which focus on counting calories and limiting fat intake, the Atkins diet focuses on counting net carbs (total carbohydrates minus fiber) and allows dieters to consume moderate amounts of fat.

During the initial phase (induction), followers lose up to 15 pounds in just two weeks, but then weight loss slows, allowing dieters to learn healthy habits that help them maintain their weight loss. Since this diet was introduced by Dr. Robert C. Atkins in 1972, it has had its fair share of critics, but it now has over 50 scientific studies backing up the low-carb approach. In addition, the Atkins diet has thousands of followers that swear by the program as a way to lose weight and keep it off.

What is the Atkins Diet?

by Ryan Labouve

What is the Atkins diet? Quite simply, it is a popular low-carb diet that claims to incur rapid weight lose. Are you still curious about the Atkins diet? Let's look at this diet's history and applicat...More>
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How the Atkins Diet works

by R. Drum

Dr. Robert Atkins stormed into the dieting world when he published his original book, "Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution," in 1972. It advocated a low-carbohydrate eating program, sometimes called the...More>
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How to make the most of the Atkins diet

by Trisha Orlando

How to Make the Most of the Atkins Diet You can get the most of the Atkins diet and even improve on it in a healthier manner. Instead of having prime rib for dinner, try baked salmon or trout. ...More>
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How to start the Atkins diet

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When needing to fit into an evening gown or planning a vacation, the low-carb diet has become the diet of choice. Low-carb diets have become attractive to so many because of the rapid weight loss whi...More>
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Drawbacks of the Atkins Diet

by Sandra Piddock

The high protein, low carbohydrate Atkins Diet is still popular, almost 40 years after it was first developed by cardiologist Dr Robert Atkins in an attempt to solve his own weight problem. Like all diet programmes, it has its devotees and detractor... More>

How to start the Atkins diet

by Amber Hilton

The Atkins diet (officially called the Atkins Nutritional Approach) is not only a great way to lose weight quickly, but also a permanent lifestyle change. If you want to know how to start the Atkins diet right, it’s a good idea to get your han... More>

The Four Phases of the Atkins Diet

The Atkins diet consists of four phases. Which phase you start in depends upon your current weight and health condition, how much weight you want to lose and how quickly you'd like to lose it. Working through these phases as instructed is essential to losing weight and keeping it off. One of the major reasons that the Atkins diet is so successful is because these phases give you the tools to lose weight and keep it off for life, versus other programs that help you shed the pounds and then leave you hanging.

Phase 1: Induction: Typically lasting for two weeks, this phase is the most restrictive. Dieters are limited to 20 grams of net carbs daily and acceptable foods include meat, poultry, fish, eggs and low-carb vegetables. Small amounts of cheese and low-carb dressings can also be eaten. Dieters lose up to 15 pounds during Induction, but this figure depends upon other factors as well, such as your starting weight, age and level of health.

Phase 2: Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL): During OWL, dieters slowly start to add more carbs to their diet, typically in increments of 5 net grams per week, as they begin to experiment with their body's carb tolerance. New foods introduced during this phase include nuts and seeds, additional vegetables, select fruits and cottage cheese. Weight loss slows as more carbs are introduced, but should continue at a steady pace.

Phase 3: Pre-maintenance: During this phase, dieters continue to experiment with how many carbs their body can tolerate without gaining back weight or hitting a major plateau. In pre-maintenance, net carbs are increased by 10 grams per week, as dieters experiment with different types of carbs. A wider variety of fruits are added during this phase, as well as whole grains.

Phase 4: Lifetime Maintenance: This final phase of the Atkins diet is basically an extension of Pre-maintenance. During this phase, dieters continue to experiment with how many carbs (and what types of carbs) they can eat while maintaining weight loss.

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Quick Facts

The Atkins diet was first introduced in 1972, when Dr. Robert C. Atkins published his first book, entitled Diet Revolution.

The Atkins diet is officially titled "The Atkins Nutritional Approach."

It is a common misconception that the Atkins diet is a no-carb diet, when in fact it is a low-carb diet.

The Atkins diet consists of four progressively less restrictive phases: Phase 1: Induction; Phase 2: Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL); Phase 3: Pre-maintenance; Phase 4: Lifetime Maintenance.

Atkins provides fast results - followers lose up to 15 pounds in the first two weeks!

Atkins now sells a variety of yummy bars and shakes that help curb your initial carb cravings.

Some dieters experience fatigue during the first few weeks of the Atkins program. However, after the initial slump, most followers report higher levels of energy than before starting the program.

The Atkins diet turns your body into a fat-burning machine. On a high-carb diet, your body is trained to survive on carbs, rarely dipping into your fat stores. When you take away the majority of these carbs, your body is forced to retrain itself to run on fat, which includes your stored body fat.

Low-carb diets can lead to bad breath, thanks to chemicals called ketones that are released when the body burns fat. So, if you're experiencing bad breath on Atkins, its kind of a mixed blessing, because it means that the diet is working. Drinking lots of water can help flush out the ketones and sugar free gum can also help in a pinch.