Summer vacation is soon approaching, which means a lot of people are hoping to slim down. One popular diet that has been popular over the years among several celebrities is the Atkins Diet. The Atkins diet restricts carbohydrates in order to promote weight loss. Kim Kardashian is known to have used this diet to help shed off post-baby pounds, and as we can see from her recent perfume launch, it clearly worked.
Unlike other diets, the Atkins diet includes 4 different phases to control your carbohydrate intake. Phase 1, also known as the induction phase, is the most intense. During this phase, you are required to cut your daily carb intake to only 20 grams. This phase lasts for about two weeks and is usually when the most dramatic weight loss is seen. If you have ever counted your carb intake, you know that this process could be difficult. After all, a simple Macchiato at Starbucks usually exceeds the 20 gram limit. Being a carb lover myself, I was intimidated by the requirements of this diet. However, once I realized how many unnecessary carbs I was putting into my body every day, the process became much easier. I cut out pasta and sugary fruits, ate salads instead of sandwiches and ordered my burgers as lettuce wraps. Even by just doing this, I noticed significant weight loss within weeks. Not only that, but I felt more energetic and less hungry throughout the day.
Phase 2 is when you can begin to introduce more carbs into your diet, such as nuts and small amounts of fruits and vegetables. At this point, you are allowed to eat up to 25 grams of carbs a day. As you begin to lose weight, you can choose how you want to continue this diet, as it is very flexible. Phase 3 is when you can begin to personalize your diet and figure out where you want to go from there. For example, if you still are not at your goal weight, you can remain on a strict low carb diet. However, if you have reached, or are close to your goal weight, then you can slowly add more carbohydrates into your diet. Once you are happy with your results, you enter Phase 4, or the maintenance phase. This is essentially the phase where you decide for yourself how you want to continue on the diet. For more information on food suggestions for this diet, click here.
Overall, the Atkins diet is pretty flexible, as it allows your body to get used to cutting carbohydrates through the different phases. Other low carb diets include the Ketogenic diet, the LCHF (Low Carb High Fat), and the low carb Paleo diet. While all these diets have their differences, they all aim at the same goal of cutting carbs and shedding pounds.
Of course, every diet has its pros and cons, and not everyone’s body will react the same way. With that being said, if you are looking to go on any sort of diet, it’s important to speak with your doctor to ensure that you’re making a healthy decision.