Atkins Diet Basics
A lot of people have jumped on the Atkins bandwagon and there has been a lot of hype as a result. But what are the basic principles of the Atkins diet?
The Atkins diet is based on a theory of why we get fat. According to Dr. Atkins, the over-consumption of carbohydrates and simple sugars leads to weight gain. The way your body processes the carbohydrates you eat have more to do with your waistline than the amount of fat or calories that you consume. In his book, Atkins outlines a phenomenon called "insulin resistance." He theorizes that many overweight people have cells that do not work correctly.
When you eat excess carbohydrates and sugar, your body notices that sugar levels are elevated. Insulin is released from the pancreas in order to store sugar as glycogen in the liver and muscle cells for extra energy later on. However, your body can only store so much glycogen at once. As soon as your body reaches its limit for glycogen storage, the excess carbohydrates are stored as fat. This happens to everyone who eats too many carbohydrates.
However, insulin resistant individuals have an even harder time of using and storing excess carbohydrates. The more insulin that your body is exposed to, the more resistant it becomes. Overtime, the pancreas releases more insulin and cells become insulin resistant. The cells are trying to protect themselves from the toxic effects of high insulin. They create less glycogen and more fat.
As a result, insulin resistant individuals gain extra weight. The carbohydrates get converted into fat instead of energy. Other side effects include fatigue, brain "fog" (the inability to focus, poor memory, loss of creativity), low blood sugar (which can leads to hypoglycemia), intestinal bloating, sleepiness, depression and increased blood sugar. There is much more than weight at stake when you are insulin resistant.
The remedy for people who are insulin resistant is a diet restricted in carbohydrates. The crux of the Atkins diet is a limitation of carbohydrates in all of its forms. The foods restricted on the Atkins plan include simple sugars (like cookies, sodas and sweets) and complex carbohydrates (like bread, rice and grains). Even carbohydrates that are considered healthy, such as oatmeal, brown rice and whole wheat bread, are restricted on the program.
The diet has you restrict your carbohydrate intake to less than 40 grams a day. This will put your body in a state of ketosis. While in ketosis, your body will burn fat as fuel. According to Dr. Atkins' research, the ketosis state will also affect insulin production and it will prevent more fat from being formed. Your body will begin using your stored fat as an efficient form of fuel, and you'll lose weight.
Another benefit of the Atkins plan is that ketosis will end your cravings for carbohydrates. If you've been living on a carb-heavy diet, you may have found that you simply cannot get enough carbohydrates. With carbohydrate restriction and ketosis comes a reduction in carbohydrate cravings. People who have been on the Atkins diet for some time report that they do not crave carbohydrates as they once did.
Although the initial phases of the Atkins diet are rather strict, the program teaches you to restore balance to your diet in the long run. People who use the diet slowly reintroduce minimal amounts of carbohydrate into their eating until they find a comfortable balance between their health and carbohydrate use.
The basic principles of the Atkins diet have been adapted to many other low-carb diet plans. However, Atkins popularity still remains strong as one of the most effective low-carbohydrate solutions for those who are insulin resistant.
Related Tags: weight loss, lose weight, healthy diet, atkins diet, safe diet, low-carb diet
For more related articles, visit www.funhowtobooks.com/articles
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- Understanding Body Types And How They Affect Your Weight Loss Efforts
When you are trying to lose weight, the typical advice of changing your diet and getting more exerci - Is Liposuction The Answer?
While it is one thing to consider liposuction, it is totally different to actually beginning the pro - A Discussion On Liposuction
Cosmetic surgery immediately throws up a number of images. Be it trout pouts, oversized breasts or a - Do Calorie Shifting Diets Work?
Calorie shifting diets are interesting in that you are not on a strict diet every day. You get to ea - Biggest Loser Australia- Stay Within Bmi That Says You Are Healthy Not Obese
Obesity has increased to manifolds and has become a serious weight problem. A lot many people die th - Mike Geary Review - The Man Who Designed The Truth About Six Pack Abs
If you are searching for a weight loss program that gives off the best results, you must look for a - Isabel De Los Rios Review - Can Her Diet Solution Program Be The Answer To Your Problems?
The world offers many temptations in the areas of living a strong life and it has become a problem f - Fat Loss 4 Idiots Review - Is It Really That Easy?
A lot of people want an easy weight loss plan that's effective and uncomplicated. And who wouldn't? - Joel Marion Review - Why You Won't Quit The Xtreme Fat Loss Diet
Giving up or quitting is an entertained notion when you're losing weight. It's very common for peopl - Weight Loss Tips - Discover Your Unique Body Type (and Shape) To Start Targeting The Problem Areas
There are three different body types.1) EndomorphsThese are people who tend to have bigger bones tha
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Reduce Weight With Didrex
What is it that comes to your mind when you think of losing weight? Is it that grueling exercise or - Facts Regarding Hoodia
South African Bushmen for thousands of years uses this flowering plant that looks like a cactus plan - Things you Should Know Before you Buy Adipex Online
Nowadays, online shopping is growing at a rate not observed earlier. The ease in which one can buy a - Sharp You're Axe With Phentermine Before Conquering Obesity
'If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I would spend first four hours in sharpening my axe' this i - Are There Really Effective Weight Loss Supplements?
The overweight are always looking for ways to help improve the success of their weight loss efforts. - How to Get Rid of Belly Fat
How to get rid of belly fat is a question that many people wonder to themselves quite often, many pe - Phendimetrazine: Answer to your Weight Loss Concern
Coping with obesity is not an easy task. Obesity makes you the butt of jokes, entices physical agony - Weight Loss Hypnosis - The Truth About Why It Works
The word hypnosis never fails to conjure up images of something mysterious, shady or even downright - Losing Weight Through Acupuncture
These days, there are many kinds of diets and methods for weight loss. Some may be healthy for you - Liposuction / Liposculpture
Life is a gift given to us by the Creator that we should cherish. And being one of God's creation, w