The Atkins diet - its main advantages
According to American cardiologist Dr. Robert Atkins, active consumption of meat, fish, cheese and eggs without giving up fat promotes weight loss. It follows that you can eat protein-rich foods as much as you want.
Carbohydrate foods should be present on the plate as rarely as possible. These include bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, sweets, pastries, vegetables and fruits. The exception is leaf lettuce. It contains a minimal amount of carbohydrates and consists almost entirely of water. Snacks are allowed, but only protein ones.
The goal of the diet is to rearrange nutrition so that the share of fats is 40-45%, proteins - 40%, and carbohydrates - from 15 to 20%.
How the Atkins diet works
The Atkins diet is based on a simple principle of human metabolism: carbohydrates are the main source of energy. If they are removed from the diet, the body will begin to burn carbohydrate reserves - glycogen from the liver and muscles. Because glycogen binds water, a lot of water is released in the early days of the Atkins diet. This is immediately noticeable on the scale and is mistaken for weight loss due to fat burning. When glycogen stores are depleted, the body begins to burn fat and protein for energy.
Bad breath is a sign of fat burning
Fat is not used by the body directly as a source of energy. Fatty acids are converted in the liver into so-called ketone bodies. A byproduct of this transformation is acetone, which can be smelled on the breath from the mouth and emanates from the body.
Since the diet on the Atkins diet is monotonous, there may be a lack of vitamins and minerals, so it is advisable to take them from the first days of the diet. Those who want to lose weight should drink a lot of clean water to remove ketone bodies from the body.
On the Atkins diet you don't need to count calories. And you can eat fatty foods that are dangerous for your figure. The protein contained in fish, meat or eggs saturates and prevents you from feeling hungry for a long time. Studies have shown that low-carbohydrate diets, which include the diet Atkins, allow lose more extra pounds than diets that limit fat intake.
The Atkins diet divides foods into prohibited and permitted, which requires the person losing weight to follow the rules and maintain discipline. After some time, a strong desire to eat a prohibited product arises - violations of the rules are inevitable. Not everyone manages to stick to a diet for a long time, so after completing the diet, a yo-yo effect is possible, that is, the return of kilograms.
Possible negative consequences also include:
- high protein intake puts stress on the kidneys;
- due to a large number of ketone bodies, gout can occur;
- Fatty foods increase blood fat levels and the risk of type 2 diabetes;
- in the long term, cardiovascular diseases may occur.
Even the most avid meat eaters, with such a monotonous diet, will miss fresh vegetables and fruits.
Summary
Among nutritionists, the Atkins diet is considered controversial and potentially dangerous to health. The main reason for doubt is that low-carb diets lead to kidney failure, liver disease, acne and constipation. Therefore, it is undesirable to be on the Atkins diet for a long time - a maximum of a week, and in order to avoid the yo-yo effect, you should introduce carbohydrates and reduce the amount of protein foods gradually, without forgetting about physical activity.
More useful information in the health section on the website.
