What Is The Atkins Diet?

The Atkins high protein diet was designed by Dr. Atkins as a way to help his obese heart patients. This technique allowed his patients to lose large amounts of weight in a short period of time, thus saving their lives.

How Does A High Protein Diet Work?

*The process is based on the prime directive in the human body, "the survival instinct".

*Realizing the drop in glucose levels, the body goes into a "starvation" mode. Initially the metabolism slows down to conserve glycogen for use by the organs that depend on it. When deprived of carbohydrates, as in a high protein low carbohydrate diet, the body reverts to a condition known as ketosis.

Ketosis is a state characterized by elevated levels of ketone bodies in the blood, occurring when the liver converts fat into fatty acids and ketone bodies.

*Ketones are produced when fats are burned incompletely in the absence of sufficient glucose.

This process results in three different molecules:

Acetoacetate and ß-hydroxybutyrate which can be utilized by most body tissues for fuel. For example,the heart muscle prefers ketones to glucose.

*The third ketone, Acetone, cannot be used by the body and is excreted in the urine and breath. The Atkins approach monitors this process by testing their urine with a strip called Ketostix.

Lipolysis can be defined as the process in the body of breaking down stored triglycerides in adipose tissue (fat cells) releasing glycerol (capable of being converted to glucose) and fatty acids into the blood stream.

*The good news is that once Triglycerides are broken down and released, they can not recombine as stored fat.

*The bad news is that when a fat cell grows to about three times its normal size, it can divide and make new fat cells.

*You can shrink the size of your fat cells but you can’t shrink the number.

*The Atkins diet will allow most people to lose incredible amounts of weight using this system, but one can not live on pork rinds and steak for the rest of their lives.

*The diet does introduce low amounts of carbohydrates following the initiation phase, but one must stick to the diet closely.

*Remember that fat cells are ready to store excess triglycerides at a moments notice, which is the reason why most people can not keep the weight off that they initially lose.

Rules For The Induction Diet:

The induction phase is designed to jump start your diet into ketosis and therefore you can not introduce any carbohydrates. The objective eat food that doesn't trigger insulin.

1.You can not consume more than 20 grams of carbohydrates a day.

2. You should eat when hungry, but just enough to satisfy your hunger.

3. The diet consists of pure protein and pure fat.

4. You are not allowed any caffeine.

The Following Are A Few Examples Of Foods You Can Eat Freely:

*Meat: beef, lamb, bacon and pork.

*Fish: tuna, salmon, trout and sardines.

*Fowl: such as chicken, turkey, duck and quail.

*Shellfish: such as shrimp, lobster, oysters and mussels.

*Eggs: such as fried, boiled, omelets and deviled eggs.

*Cheese: such as cream cheese, cheddar, mozzarella and cottage cheese..

*Vegetables: such as lettuce, cucumbers, celery and olives.

*Beverages: such as water, decaffeinated coffee, diet soda and iced tea.

*Fats and Oils: canola, soybean, sunflower, real butter (no margarine) and mayonnaise.

For the 14 days of induction you can not have any fruit, breads, grains, starchy vegetables such as carrots or dairy products other than cheese, cream or butter.

If you stick to the diet, most people will lose great deals of weight in a short period of time, however be cautious when you begin to introduce other foods. Remember that the fat cells do not go away.