Atkins Diet

Saturday, November 15, 2008

What is the Atkins Nutritional Approach?

The Atkins Nutritional Approach is a powerful, long-term plan for weight loss and weight management that works unlike any diet you've ever seen or tried. Atkins is a totally different way to look at food - it will show you that eating the right foods can actually change the way your body works - change you from a fat-storing to a fat-burning machine. Throw in some essential, yet fun, activity and you're on your way to the sexy results you've always wanted.

You'll lose weight, you'll maintain your optimal weight, you'll feel better than ever - vital, confident, in control, from now on. And that's very SEXY.

Atkins Food Pyramid

• To lose weight; eat foods from the base of the pyramid – lean protein, leafy greens, vegetables and healthy oils.
• 
  As you get closer to your goal;
  moving up the pyramid – and up
  your options – fiber-rich fruits,
  dairy, nuts, legumes and whole
  grains. See any added sugar or
  trans fats? Neither do we.
• 
  With Atkins, activity means 
  success, and even more 
  food options. So get 
  active, and enjoy even 
  more variety.
  
  

How It Works

When you eat too many carbohydrates (carbs), your body burns some of those carbs for energy and stores the excess carbs as fat. When you eat fewer carbs - especially white flour and sugar, your body begins burning fat as its primary fuel source.

That's how Atkins works - you learn to eat the right foods and change your body from a carb-burning to a fat-burning machine.

Is Atkins Right for You?

The short answer is, “Yes.” If you want to lose weight, stay at your optimal weight or just live a healthier, more energetic life, Atkins is for you. But let’s be more specific. 

Atkins is about changing the way your body works – you burn fat more efficiently by reducing the amount of refined carbohydrates and eating a diet with adequate levels of protein, good fat and a variety of good carbs -- nutrient dense foods. We call them some of the best foods on earth.

Answer the following 10 questions to see if the Atkins Nutritional Approach can help you.
Are you overweight, despite the fact you feel as though you don’t eat that much? 
Do you follow standard weight-loss plans to the letter, yet make no headway or get stuck far short of your goal? 
Have you noticed that many slim people consume much more food and more calories than you do? 
Are you always hungry on low-calorie diets? 
Do you feel unfulfilled when you finish a so-called balanced meal? 
Do you find yourself losing and gaining the same 10 to 15 pounds? 
Do you gain weight even though you eat low-fat foods? 
Have you often said, "I’m really very disciplined; it must be my metabolism.”? 
Do you constantly crave sweets, pasta, bread and other high-carbohydrate foods? 
Do you have a strong desire to eat again within two hours of eating a filling meal? 
If you answered, "Yes" to most of these questions, you are most likely addicted to refined carbohydrates (“bad carbs”) and/or your body does not process carbs normally. These highly processed carbohydrates (refined breads, cereals and pastries) break down more rapidly into glucose and enter your bloodstream far faster than vegetables and other good carbs. This blood sugar roller coaster ride causes your body to store fat and eat even more. 

Ultimately, eating too many bad carbs can create an inability to lose weight or maintain weight loss, while leaving you in a constant state of hunger. So what are you looking for in a weight-loss approach? Answer the following questions to find out if Atkins is the right program for you.

I am looking for a program that…
Diminishes cravings, naturally reduces my appetite and eliminates addictive food patterns 
Encourages me to eat right and recommends some of the best and healthiest foods on earth as key components to the plan 
Is flexible and allows me to eat delicious foods wherever I am – at home or at my favorite restaurants 
Does not require me to buy expensive, pre-made meals 
Has helped many others like me to achieve their weight-loss/weight management goals 
Can help me reach my own weight loss goals and help me keep the weight off for the long run 
Helps me feel more energetic and more satisfied 
Minimizes risk factors for certain health issues 
Helps me look great and feel more confident 
Is backed by science 

If you answered “Yes” to one, most or all of these questions then guess what, Atkins is most definitely for you. So congratulations – you’ve found the right program for now and the rest of your life.