Is the Atkins Diet For You? Low-Carb Diet Answers

Raspberries with whipped cream, steak, bacon and eggs, lobster, coffee with cream…diet foods they’re not, right?

Wrong. The foods listed above are actually part of an effective low carbohydrate diet regimen leading to permanent weight loss.

Weight loss without deprivation is what the Atkins Diet is all about and unsurprisingly, this very attractive concept is what has made it such a hugely popular diet plan.

Colette Heimowitz, Nutritional Director of Education and Research at Atkins Health and Medical Information Services, says that the key to saying goodbye to fat for good is in doing the low-carb diet the way it should be.

Going back to one’s old eating habits will bring back all the pounds pronto!

According to Heimowitz it is essential that dieters master the four phases of the Atkins Nutritional Approach which include: the Induction Phase, Ongoing Weight Loss, Pre-Maintenance and Lifetime Maintenance.

Aside from the fact that good foods are not disallowed in the diet, the other great thing about the Atkins plan is that it does not focus on calorie counting. This diet proclaims that keeping track of one’s carbohydrate intake is the key to lasting weight loss. The Atkins diet considers white flour and white sugar as public enemies No. 1 and No. 2 respectively. These substances are also believed to be the two major causes of the epidemic of obesity in America. In fact, according to most experts, as many as six in ten Americans are overweight.

Dr. Robert Atkins, creator of the eponymous diet, first made his presence known in the field of weight loss in 1972 with the release of his book, Diet Revolution, which became a bestseller. As expected, he received a barrage of criticisms with his innovative diet approach, but in the end his plan not only survived, it thrived. Studies show that people who follow the Atkins philosophy may be able to lose from 6 to 20 pounds over the first two weeks eating foods that are normally excluded from most weight loss diet plans.

Most people mistakenly assume the plan to be meat-based. Actually, the diet also includes cheeses, whole grains, fresh fish, poultry, fruits, and vegetables. In other words, the Atkins approach can be easily adapted to one’s low carb diet lifestyle.

What's so appealing about the program is that you don't have to count calories. You only have to count carbohydrates. People find they're not as obsessed with food.

Heimowitz further claims that this is the most direct way of burning fat. When there are not enough carbohydrates available to be converted into energy, the body uses fat instead. Thus, by following the Atkins Nutritional Approach, the body is made to burn fat for fuel before they get the chance to accumulate in the arteries or fat cells. For this reason, the Atkins plan reduces dieters’ risk for serious health problems such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Now this great diet has gone online with a link up with the world’s No. 1 weight loss website. The Atkins Nutritional Approach as powered by eDiets provides a personalized meal plan tailored to your needs and access to professional support 24/7.

According to Horowitz, "It's a valuable tool for information and support. Recent research has shown that people will maintain weight loss and succeed for longer periods of time when they have support, which is what the book alone cannot offer. eDiets offers 24/7 support and information and helps you personalize your program to suit your needs and tastes. This is effective and permanent weight control."

The site also has support boards in the Community through which those who follow the Atkins approach may be able to interact with fellow dieters on the same plan. This provides them with the benefit of having a network of steady supporters undergoing the same experience.

Apart from the support, dieters will be guided as they go through the four phases of the Atkins Nutritional Approach. Some may find the Induction Phase to be quite restrictive in that the amount carbs you consume is limited (no fruit, nuts or seeds during the first two weeks) although as they move into the maintenance phase, healthy carbs will be added into the diet.

To sum up Heimowitz says, "The Atkins Nutritional Approach works for people, who need to control carbohydrate consumption in order to access their fat storage and burn fat. It's for people who suffer from carbohydrate addiction, for people who are overweight and for those not as physically active.