Information AboutAtkins Diet |
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The Atkins Nutritional Approach, popularly known as the '''Atkins Diet''' or just '''Atkins''', is the most marketed and well-known of the Low-carbohydrate Diet s. It was created by Dr. Robert Atkins ( 1930 - 2003 ) and popularized in a series of books, starting with ''Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution'' in 1972. In his revised book, ''Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution'', Atkins updated some of his ideas, but remained faithful to the original concepts. The Atkins franchise (i.e., the business formed to provide products serving people "doing Atkins") had been highly successful due to the popularity of the diet, and is considered the iconic and driving entity of the larger "low-carb craze". However, various factors have led to its dwindling in success, and the company Atkins Nutritionals of Ronkonkoma, New York , founded by Dr. Atkins in 1989, filed for Bankruptcy in July of 2005. The Atkins logo is still highly visible through Licensed-proprietary Branding for food products and related merchandise. NATURE OF THE DIET The Atkins Diet represents a radical departure from prevailing theories. Atkins claimed there are two main unrecognized factors about Western eating habits, arguing firstly that the main cause of Obesity is eating refined Carbohydrates particularly Sugar , Flour , and High-fructose Corn Syrup s; and secondly, that Saturated Fat is overrated as a nutritional problem, and that only Trans Fats from sources such as Hydrogenated Oil s need to be avoided. Consequently, Dr. Atkins rejects the advice of the Food Pyramid , instead asserting that the tremendous increase in refined carbohydrates is responsible for the rise in metabolic disorders of the 20th century, and that the focus on the detrimental effects of dietary fat has actually contributed to the obesity problem by increasing the proportion of Insulin -inducing foods in the diet. Dr. Atkins argued that many eating disorders are the result of '' Hyperinsulinism '', or excessive secretion of insulin which comes through eating too many carbohydrates. According to Dr. Atkins, this causes food cravings and unstable blood sugar levels, which can cause Mood Swing s, Depression , and Sleeping Problems . He claimed that his diet stabilizes insulin and Blood Sugar levels, eliminating cravings and often reducing appetite. While most of the emphasis in Atkins is on the diet, Nutritional Supplements and exercise are considered equally important elements. Atkins involves restriction of the intake of carbohydrates in order to switch the body's Metabolism from burning Glucose to burning Fat (chiefly, stored fat). This process (called '' Lipolysis '') begins when the body enters the state of '' Ketosis '' as a consequence of running out of carbohydrates to burn. Atkins restricts "net carbs", or carbs that have an effect on Blood Sugar . Net carbohydrates can be calculated from a food source by subtracting Sugar Alcohol s and fiber (which are shown to have a negligible effect on blood sugar levels) from total carbohydrates. Sugar alcohols need to be treated with caution, because while they may be slower to convert to glucose, they can be a significant source of Glycemic Load and can stall weight loss. Preferred foods in all categories are whole, unprocessed foods with a low glycemic load. PHASES There are four phases of the Atkins diet. Induction The ''Induction'' phase is the first, and most restrictive, phase of the Atkins Nutritional Approach. It is intended to cause the body to quickly enter a state of Ketosis . Carbohydrate intake is limited to 20 net Gram s per day. The allowed foods include a liberal amount of most meats, a good bit of Cheese and cream, two cups of Salad , and one cup of other vegetables. Caffeine and Alcohol ic beverages are not allowed. The Induction Phase is usually when many see the most significant weight loss - reports of losses up to six or eight pounds (3 or 4 kg) per week are not uncommon. Atkins suggests the use of Ketostix , small chemically reactive strips used by Diabetics . These let the dieter monitor when they enter the ketosis, or fat burning, phase. Ongoing weight loss The Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL) phase of Atkins consists of an increase in carbohydrate intake, but remaining at levels where weight loss occurs. Carb intake increases by 5 grams of carbs per day each week. A goal in OWL is to find the "Critical Carbohydrate Level for Losing". The OWL phase lasts until weight is within 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of the target weight. Pre-maintenance Carbohydrate intake is increased again, and the key goal in this phase is to find the "Critical Carbohydrate Level for Maintenance", this is the maximum number of carbohydrates you can eat each day without gaining weight. This may well be above the level of carbohydrates inducing Ketosis . So it is not necessary to maintain ketosis forever. Lifetime maintenance This phase is intended to carry on the habits acquired in the previous phases, and avoid the common end-of-diet mindset that can return people to their previous habits and previous weight. Whole, unprocessed food choices are emphasised, with the option to drop back to an earlier phase if you begin to gain weight. POPULARITY The Atkins Nutritional Approach gained widespread popularity in 2003 and 2004. At the height of its popularity one in eleven adults were on the diet This large following was blamed for large declines in the sales of carb-heavy foods like released C2 and Pepsi-Cola created Pepsi Edge , which was scheduled to be discontinued later in 2005 [http://www.carbwire.com/2005/06/08/pepsi-edge-one-coke-zero-c2-discontinued . (These products seem to have been little more than marketing gimmicks designed to capitalize on carb-consciousness. Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi, both of which have been available for decades, contain no carbohydrates.) When Robert Atkins died from a fatal head injury sustained in a fall on ice in 2003, the nutritional plan suffered from rumors and allegations that he had died from a heart condition brought about because of his weight. On July 31 , 2005 , the Atkins Nutritional company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after the percentage of adults on the diet declined to two percent and sales of Atkins brand product fell steeply in the second half of 2004 {Link without Title} . CRITICISM An analysis conducted by Forbes Magazine found that the Atkins Nutritional Approach is one of the five most expensive diet plans of the ten plans Forbes analyzed. Although Forbes found that Atkins diet was significantly less expensive than Jenny Craig and only slightly more expensive than Weight Watchers, the Atkins diet nevertheless involved more than an 80% premium over average American food expenses. {Link without Title} Low-carbohydrate diets have been the subject of heated debate in medical circles for three decades {Link without Title} . They are still controversial and only recently has any serious research supported some aspects of Atkins' claims, especially for short-term weight-loss (6 months or less). But many in the scientific community also raise serious concerns:
Opponents of the diet also point out that the initial Weight Loss upon starting the diet is a phenomenon common with most diets, and is due to reduction in stored Glycogen and related water in muscles, not fat loss. They claim that no evidence has surfaced that any diet will cause weight loss unless it reduces Food Energy below the maintenance level, and reports have indicated that successful weight loss due to the Atkins diet may be the result of less food energy being consumed by the dieter, rather than the lack of carbohydrates. {Link without Title} They further point out that weight loss on fad diets, which typically restrict or prohibit certain foods, is often due to the fact that the dieter has less food choices available. Also, a diet of low-carb foods may quickly become dull to many people, meaning that their appetite is somewhat naturally suppressed as they become hungry for carbs, but the dieter either has none handy or resists this hunger. It is claimed that there is bad breath and fatigue under the Atkins diet: [http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/columnnn/nn000905.html , and Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine 68(2001): p.761 On May 27 , 2004 , Jody Gorran, a 53-year-old Florida businessman with a family history of heart disease, filed a lawsuit against Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. and the Estate of Dr. Robert Atkins, claiming that the Atkins diet regimen caused severe heart disease, making it necessary for him to undergo Angioplasty . As of 28 May , he has been seeking a court Injunction banning Atkins Nutritionals from marketing its products without a warning of potential health risks, and asking for Compensatory Damages . Dr. Robert Eckel of the American Heart Association says that high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets put people at risk for heart disease. {Link without Title} The Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine , which is opposed to the Atkins diet, has noted that in East Asia n countries such as Thailand or Japan , the average person's diet consists of mainly carbohydrates such as Rice and Noodles , yet these groups have very low rates of Obesity . The average Asian person is also thinner and slimmer than the average Western er. This example seems to contradict the Atkin's claim that low-carbohydrate diets help to lose weight. VIEWS IN FAVOR OF THE DIET When the Atkins diet was introduced in the 1970s, it was immediately attacked by existing experts, who claimed it was unhealthy and would fail. Those claims persist today, even though there are now studies indicating the contrary:
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