The Atkins Diet Guide: Phases, Rules & Low-Carb Results

What is the Atkins diet?

This is a low carb diet, which allows the body to lose weight quickly and safely. Those people who enjoy the benefits of the Atkins diet assure that the method is good, due to the high consumption of proteins and fats, along with the reduction of foods that have a high carbohydrate index. Many studies have stated that it is carbohydrates that make the weight loss process difficult, as well as the calories that protein and fat foods have. This diet can provide wonderful results to lose weight quickly.

What is the Atkins diet?

If you want to know what is the detailed Atkins diet, you should know that it is simple and shares common low-carb ground with the French Dukan Diet, though their fat allowances, satiety mechanics, and maintenance structures are completely different (see our in-depth Dukan vs Atkins Comparison). This diet consists of 4 phases that help contribute to the goals you set with your body.

General description of the phases of the Atkins diet:

Induction phase: This is the introduction to the diet, where you must eliminate carbohydrates completely. This is one of the most difficult parts of the diet. When you abstain from eating sugar-rich foods such as carbohydrates you feel anxiety and other symptoms, stay alert and do not let yourself eat.Phase of continuous loss of weight (PCP): When you lose weight quickly, you introduce the carbohydrates in smaller proportion.Pre-maintenance phase: here the weight loss becomes slow, which is the indicative to maintain your diet.Maintenance phase: Once you have reached your goal, you must maintain the ideal weight with new habits.

Benefits of the Atkins diet

All diets have advantages and disadvantages, at this point; you must know what are the short and long term benefits that this diet gives you.Rapid weight lossIncrease cardiovascular healthBalances blood cholesterol levelsDifferent food planIt shows you a good eating habitTo estimate how many kilos are lost, you have to know that they are between 2 and 5 kilos in the first week. 

Allowed and prohibited foods at Atkins diet

As with all diets, foods that have a positive and negative reach within the body are enhanced. This diet is not the typical diet that prohibits food, check out the list of allowed foods:Low carb vegetables: Broccoli, asparagus, spinach, kale and more.Meats: pork, chicken, beef and lamb, bacon and others.Fish and seafood: Trouts, salmon and sardines; preferably not from fish farms.Good fats: extra virgin olive oil, nuts, almonds, avocado, avocado oil, coconut oil are some of the great examples of good fats.Eggs: rich in protein and Omega 3 (if they are organic), have good vitamins for the body.Dairy: rich in fat, such as butter, cream, yogurt with fat and cheese.When your diet is based on proteins and fats positive for the body, combined with vegetables and other nuts, you can make sure that you will lose weight quickly. Healthy carbohydrates also help in the process of losing weight, get them in the vegetables, these are rich in fiber. Low-carbohydrate negative diets are good for your health. We recommend you drink at least 2 liters of water a day and you can also take a couple of cups of broth or 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, as this favors the retention of sodium and potassium in the body. The delicious foods that are inside of this diet are: bacon, cheese, dark chocolate, cream of milk and butter. Of course, these foods are considered high in fat and calories, but because you have a low-carb diet, your body uses fat as the main source of energy and that is why they are accepted in the Atkins diet. Among the foods that you should avoid at all costs, are: Foods allowed and prohibitedSugar: all those foods, drinks and sweets that contain sugar; such as: sweets, ice cream, soft drinks, fruit juice, cakes, pasta, among others.Cereals: spelled, rye, rice, barley and wheat.Vegetable oils: corn oil, soybean oil, cottonseed, canola and others that are made in the same way.Trans fats: these are found in processed foods, if you see the word hydrogenated in the product packaging, you can not ingest it while you are on the diet.Dietary or low fat foods: they have a high sugar index.Vegetables with a high carbohydrate index: Avoid turnips and carrots in the induction phase.Fruits with a high carbohydrate index: avoid apples, grapes, oranges, pears and others in the induction phase.Starch: avoid in the induction phase, potatoes and sweet potatoes. Legumes: avoid in the induction phase, beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.Count the carbohydratesWhen you count the carbohydrates you are exercising a technique that allows you to extend the planning of all meals and in this way you can exercise absolute control over the levels of glucose in your blood. Foods that are rich in carbohydrates can raise glucose, so that you should know what is the amount recommended by your doctor to be able to satisfy your daily consumption needs and both establish a limit. In this sense, glucose will remain at the indicated level. With 15 grams of carbohydrates per day, you can:Eat 1 small fresh fruit1/2 cup of canned or frozen fruit1 slice of wholemeal bread or 1 tortillaThe idea is not to think about how many kilos with the Atkins diet, but the success of your body to get rid of accumulated fat and carbohydrates.

How to do the Atkins Diet step by step

Prepare for the diet: In this step, many changes must be made with respect to the way the person lives, the transition is the simplest but can generate anxiety.Understand the methods: This diet is simple, but the complicated thing is to be able to analyze which are the measures that are taken to leave the food with carbohydrates and then to return them in following phases.Identify advantages and disadvantages: Like all diets, you can benefit from this and not do it the right way, try to stay in touch with your doctor, so you will ask for advice on any changes.Count the different carbohydrates in the diet.Select the products of the Atkins diet and allowed foods with the ones that you take better. 

Phases of the Atkins diet

This diet has 4 different phases, which are:Phase 1 “induction”:Here you eat at least 20 grams of carbohydrates daily for 2 weeks, you must eat foods with a high fat index to supply the body with energy. Low-sugar vegetables are good for this phase. Eat a lot of proteinPhase 2 “Balance”:In this phase, nuts, vegetables with a low carbohydrate index and fruit portions are introduced. In this way a new functioning of the metabolism begins.Phase 3 “Precision adjustment”:In this phase you must be very close to your dreamed weight, so by adding carbohydrates in your diet you can recover nutrients and speed up metabolism.Phase 4 “Maintenance”:In this phase is when the good carbohydrates are introduced to the diet, you can eat a good amount of good carbohydrates, that is, useful amounts for the body, avoiding a rebound effect that counteracts the previous process.The phase of the induction is ideal For the diet, when adding fruits and go straight to phase 2, the expected results are not obtained in some people, while in others yes. Some people decide to stay with the induction phase since it is good to start with the ketosis diet ( low carb diet).

Weekly menu of the Atkins diet

This is one of the weekly menu examples that are carried out in this diet:On MondayAt breakfast: 1 or 2 eggs with vegetables fried in coconut oil.At lunch: Unlimited portion of chicken salad and olive oil, accompanied with a cup of nutsAt dinner: Beef steak with vegetablesTuesdaysAt breakfast: Portion of bacon and 1 or 2 eggsAt lunch: Grilled or grilled chicken with vegetables and some spicesAt dinner: 1 Hamburger and cheese without bread, served with vegetables and a little butterThe WednesdaysAt breakfast: Tortilla with chopped vegetables, cook it with butterAt lunch: Unlimited portion of shrimp salad with olive oil to add flavor.At dinner: Vegetables sautéed with meat.ThursdaysAt breakfast: 1 or 2 eggs with vegetables fried in coconut oil.At lunch: Eat a bit of sautéing from the previous dinner or reinvent a mixAt dinner: Portion of cooked salmon with butter and sautéed vegetables.FridaysAt breakfast: Bacon and 1 or 2 eggsAt lunch: unlimited portion of chicken salad cooked in olive oil and a cup of nines.At dinner: meatballs with sautéed vegetablesSaturdaysAt breakfast: Omelette with several vegetables in pieces, cook them in butterAt lunch: eat a bit of the meatballs from the previous dinner or create a different combination.At dinner: Portion of pork chops with sautéed vegetablesSundaysAt breakfast: Bacon and 1 or 2 eggsAt lunch: Pork chops from the night before or create a different combinationAt dinner: Portion of grilled chicken wings, kitchen with sauce and sauteed vegetablesYou must implement many different types of vegetables for the meals, in this way you will obtain the necessary nutrients for your health in this opportunity.

Testimonials and opinions about the Atkins diet

I am by day 7 of the ketogenic diet, that is, in the first phase. I have lost 4.5 kg and I feel happy, I want to continue going down, I like to combine with some exercise to get better results. I have been able to take it until now, you can eat the portions you want.It is my tenth day and I have lost 7 pounds with this diet, although before I was thin, I have 10 pounds more, so I am close to reaching my goal. Amelia.It is my 1st day in the diet, I have a weight of 65 kg and I hope to reach 53 kg, I love desserts so this will be quite a challenge; because that is the reason why I gained weight. I will put all of myself to achieve my goals. I am excited to think that my dream will come true. Marine.The pros and cons of the Atkins diet

These are some of the pros and cons of the diet:

Pros:Men prefer this diet because they can eat quantities and different types of foods that are essential for them, like hamburgers and steaks, also regular menu items. People lose a lot of weight with this food plan, it is not strange that some People get rid of up to 89 pounds in several months when they make a balanced eating habit and exercise. Black chocolate can be eaten, this is always forbidden in most diets.Cons:It does not give the necessary energy as carbohydrates, but it enters into ketosis, which causes an overload in the functioning of the kidneys. The investigations still do not decide on what are the long-term effects of the diet, but they have to do with the heart.The vital nutrients that some fruits, vegetables and vegetables, as well as whole grains, are lost; This causes a low index of vitamins, minerals and calcium in the body.

Results (Before and after)

Atkins diet before and afterThese results are one of the examples where you can notice the physical and constant change of a person who has made the diet in all its phases and has also changed his eating habits. In this way, it is proven that the diet Atkins works for those people who are fully dedicated to make a weekly planning of their meals, exercises and objectively raise all their ideas.