The cornerstone of the Atkins philosophy is a four-phase eating plan in conjunction with vitamin and mineral supplementation and regular exercise. Further, it is based upon four principles.
The Atkins Nutritional ApproachTM rebalances your nutrition so that you improve your energy level and your appearance and gain a sense of well-being. Following this approach lays the groundwork for a lifetime of better health.
The four-phase individualized eating plan allows you to knowledgeably select which foods to eat based on your need to achieve weight loss and weight maintenance, enjoy good health and prevent disease. Food selections will differ to varying degrees depending upon the phase you are in and your individual metabolism.
The phases in the Atkins roadmap to sustained success are:
Phase 1: Induction
Restrict carbohydrate consumption to 20 grams each day, obtaining carbohydrate primarily from salad and other non-starchy vegetables.
Phase 2: Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL)
Add carbohydrate, in the form of nutrient-dense and fiber-rich foods, by increasing to 25 grams daily the first week, 30 grams daily the next week and so on until weight loss stops. Then subtract 5 grams of carbohydrate from your daily intake so that you continue sustained, moderate weight loss.
Phase 3: Pre-Maintenance
Make the transition from weight loss to weight maintenance by increasing the daily carbohydrate intake in 10-gram increments each week so long as very gradual weight loss is maintained.
Phase 4: Lifetime Maintenance
Select from a wide variety of foods while controlling carbohydrate intake to ensure weight maintenance and a sense of well-being. This lifestyle is the foundation for a lifetime of better health.
Unlike a diet, the Atkins Nutritional ApproachTM is a lifetime nutritional philosophy, focusing on the consumption of nutrient-dense, unprocessed foods and vitanutrient supplementation. Moreover, Atkins restricts processed/refined carbohydrates (which make up more than 50 percent of many people's diets), such as high-sugar foods, breads, pasta, cereal and starchy vegetables. Core vitanutrient supplementation includes a full-spectrum multivitamin and an essential oils/fatty acid formula. This nutritional philosophy has been embraced by an estimated 20 million people worldwide since the release of Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution in the 1970s, and is the cornerstone of the treatment protocols for patients of The Atkins Center for Complementary Medicine in New York City.
The Atkins Nutritional PrinciplesTM
Four principles form the core of the Atkins Nutritional ApproachTM and are supported by a solid foundation of medical and nutritional scientific research.
1. You will lose weight. It’s hard not to. Both men and women who follow the Atkins approach to weight loss readily take off pounds and inches. For the small numbers who have a truly hard-core metabolic resistance to weight loss, there are ways to overcome the barriers that prevent a successful outcome. Optimizing body weight is a valuable element of any health-oriented program because, by and large, being significantly overweight is an indicator of health problems, either now or in the future. When you've pared pounds, you'll see benefits flow in to take their place—and they'll be more than merely cosmetic.
2 You will maintain your weight loss. This is where the Atkins Nutritional ApproachTM leaves most other weight-control programs in the dust. Almost every experienced dieter has embarked on a weight-loss program, worked hard at it, lost a lot of pounds and gained them all back in a few months or perhaps a year. This is usually due to the expected consequence of low-fat, low-calorie diets: hunger. Although many people can tolerate hunger for a while, very few can tolerate it for a lifetime. Deprivation is no fun. Once the biological gap between hunger and fulfillment grows too large, the rebound can be rapid, as well as heartbreaking and humiliating. But that’s the problem with diets that restrict quantities. The Atkins program refuses to accept hunger as a way of life. People who do Atkins gradually find their effective individual level of carbohydrate intake, the tool that allows them to maintain a healthy weight for a lifetime.
3. You will achieve good health. The change is amazing. With Atkins, you meet your nutritional needs by eating healthy, wholesome foods and omitting junk food. As a result, fatigue drops from your shoulders like a heavy winter coat you mistakenly wore in summer. This occurs not merely because the pounds drop off, but because the physical consequences of a truly dysfunctional blood-sugar and insulin metabolism are reversed. People who do Atkins start feeling good long before they reach their goal weight. Once they abandon the catastrophic American diet of refined carbohydrates for whole, unrefined food, they start to live again.
4. You will lay the permanent groundwork for disease prevention. You will change your life, which—believe it or not—is even more important than looking good on the beach next summer. By following an individualized controlled carbohydrate nutritional approach that results in lower insulin production, people at high risk for chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes will see a marked improvement in their clinical parameters. All the rest of us won't have to become high-risk candidates for disease. It’s as simple as that.
Marc: I am new on this forum stuff, but I need some help. I had my second child six months ago (first is 5yrs old) and am dealing with the post-partum weight. I guess I am lucky because I lost most of the weight (gain 60 lbs). While I was lactating I lost all the weight, but somehow after I stopped (when I returned to work) I gained about 15 lbs back. My main problem is that even though people keep saying how good I look after having the baby and I can fit on most of my clothes, I still have a closet full of clothes that I cannot wear because they are too tight on my waist, which is very uncomfortable because I am sitting most of the day!
I am working out two to three times a week (this is just my second week) doing some free weight, nautilus machines, treadmill (20 mins); total workout time is 50 to 60 mins, but I still would like to see a quicker response from my body. I am Latin, so my food intake includes lots of bread, coffee, rice and beans! The other thing is that I drink lots of coffee with regular sugar: about 4 cups a day w/2 tsp of regular sugar. I cannot do the equal/splenda or any other of the sweeteners out there because for some reason they trigger my migraine headaches. Also, I try to drink water, but find it to flat, no flavor; so I drink 1, sometimes 2 sodas (regular Coke or Caffeine free--no diet) a day. I don't want to spend lots of money on fad-diets (weight lost centers w/frozen foods), and find Slim Fasts to be nasty.
So, do you think the Atkins diet can really help me?? What do you think of fat burner pills???
Originally posted by prietaorl I am working out two to three times a week (this is just my second week) doing some free weight, nautilus machines, treadmill (20 mins); total workout time is 50 to 60 mins, but I still would like to see a quicker response from my body.
You will see less weight loss while spending a good portion of your exercise routine lifting weights. While your body is burning fat from exercise, your also building muscle which will compensate for some of the weight loss. Depending on the swing of things - you may even see weight gain.
If you are interested in losing more weight right now, minimize the amount of time you spend pushing your muscles around with weights and increase the time you keep your heart rate up. Aerobic activity will accomplish that. While I have a treadmill and utilize it often, for the sake of your knees, I would recommend bicycling or swimming. If neither of those seem reasonable - significantly increase the incline on your treadmill (if possible) and walk. I've found I'll burn far more calories doing that then running at a reasonable pace in a set period of time.
quote:
I am Latin, so my food intake includes lots of bread, coffee, rice and beans! The other thing is that I drink lots of coffee with regular sugar: about 4 cups a day w/2 tsp of regular sugar. I cannot do the equal/splenda or any other of the sweeteners out there because for some reason they trigger my migraine headaches.
Losing weight and being healthy won't be consistent by dieting - it's a change in lifestyle. I'm sure you've heard it before. What would we say to someone who had a weight problem and lived on an Island where the only food source was chocolate? "How lucky are you!" No, not really - we'd tell them to move or suffer with the resulting health issues. Point being - you may be accustomed to eating certain things because you always have, but some of those things need to go.
Drop your carbohydrate intake. Greatly reduce the amount of bread and rice you eat. If you're going to eat rice - try the brown. Beans are a source of protein, but stay away from the oils in refried beans - try black beans - I think they're good.
Understand that while you're exercising, your body is going to burn through all the bread and rice you've eaten long before it considers dealing with any of the stored fat in your body. The less of that you eat, the more quickly your body can attend to its fat storage.
Get rid of the coffee. I used to be a coffe-holic - I need the caffiene to function in my job. Try tea - particularly the great variety of teas from all over the world. While studies may still be inconclusive, many agree that there are greater benefits with tea than there are in coffee (I can't think of any for coffee really).
Get rid of the sugar. At least reduce it in the beginning and slowly work it out. Whatever sugar your body doesn't burn will be stored as fat. If you're attempting to cut sugar out of your diet as it appears you are by drinking diet soda, you might as well remove the sugar from your coffee as well.
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Also, I try to drink water, but find it to flat, no flavor; so I drink 1, sometimes 2 sodas (regular Coke or Caffeine free--no diet) a day. I don't want to spend lots of money on fad-diets (weight lost centers w/frozen foods), and find Slim Fasts to be nasty.
If your caffiene intake is of any concern to you, know this: diet soda typically has more caffiene in it then its sugary counterparts. A 12-ounce can of Diet Coke, for example, has about 42 milligrams of caffeine -- seven more than the same amount of Coke Classic. A can of Pepsi One has about 56 milligrams of caffeine -- 18 milligrams more than both regular Pepsi and Diet Pepsi. An interesting article on diet sodas: http://www.ahherald.com/health/tyh_010301_diet_soda.htm
Water is your friend - get to know it. Try making a pitcher of water and letting some lemon, lime, and/or orange slices soak in it for awhile in the fridge. Good stuff.
Lower your carbs and sugar intake (eat fruit only in the mornings), increase your veggies and protein to help build your muscles. Nevermind the fat content (or lack thereof) in any given item - it's the sugar you should watch. Make sure you drink plenty of water.
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So, do you think the Atkins diet can really help me?? What do you think of fat burner pills???
Maybe I'm just being a skeptic - but I don't believe yet that people have discovered the key to weight loss in a pill. I find that only serves as a means to satisfy our society's growing need to be lazy. Things like this aren't easy and it'll be healthier on your mind in the long run to meet a challenge that is more difficult than popping a pill.
Truth be told - exercise is important for certain, but you can lose weight to an extent merely by changing your diet. I know several people utilizing healthy eating principles (some of whom are on the atkins diet) who have lost in excess of 30lbs. and haven't exercised for a moment. Of course, they have the weight to lose. The atkins diet provides convenient things like recipes high in protein and fat and helps you to regulate your carb intake. From the feedback I've gotten, the recipes are particularly worthwhile. Please note - I have not subscribed to this diet nor do I intend to. However, from what I have heard I think that it likely has good things to teach about health and might therefore be a good stepping stone for some to achieving a healthy lifestyle.
This information is merely a collection of tidbits of info quickly thrown together based on your particular experience, there is much more to creating a healthy lifestyle in terms of one's eating habits and exercise routine. But once you change these habits, your body and mind will adapt to the change and welcome it.
From research and first hand experience, I've put these things to use and managed my weight appropriately over the years losing in upwards of 60lbs. or more in the course of that time.
After awhile - you just know. And if you find yourself looking at the side of a container wondering if it's beneficial to your diet - you probably shouldn't be eating it. Good luck.
You will see less weight loss while spending a good portion of your exercise routine lifting weights. While your body is burning fat from exercise, your also building muscle which will compensate for some of the weight loss. Depending on the swing of things - you may even see weight gain.
If you are interested in losing more weight right now, minimize the amount of time you spend pushing your muscles around with weights and increase the time you keep your heart rate up. Aerobic activity will accomplish that. While I have a treadmill and utilize it often, for the sake of your knees, I would recommend bicycling or swimming. If neither of those seem reasonable - significantly increase the incline on your treadmill (if possible) and walk. I've found I'll burn far more calories doing that then running at a reasonable pace in a set period of time.
This is true...I go on the atkins diet after every winter...for some reason I get very lazy come snow fall...add on 10-15 lbs and take it right off...but with that diet comes maintenance. Work your way back up to eating normal again, and you wont put the weight back on. I know someone who did it, lost the weight after three weeks, and started eating normal foods right away and put the weight right back on!
Exercise is a big part. I didnt lose the weight in lbs, but I lost it in size, because I do run on my treadmill 2-3 miles a day. And your right its hard on the knees but for me its the best way, and I enjoy it..I build muscles in my legs and I do about 20 mintues of sit-ups a day to maintain my stomach muscles..
But the atkins diet...is high protien...its hard to do it unless your dedicated to it. But if you can get through the first week-week and a half...then your halfway home and it can be done!!
Exercise of course is always the key to ANY diet!!
Of course thats just my opinion....I could be wrong. (Dennis Miller)
"You might be the toughest little whacker. . .but in my world, you're about as worrisome as a cloudy day." (Dutch Dooley)
diets are dumb. you shouldn't follow a certain routine everyday. Does it really do any more? can't u just eat healthy and work out? i mean..not too hard. my sister is sort of following this atkins diet and lost like 2 lbs. in her first week but she has also been excersizing way more. I think it is all from excersize.
Everybody is entitled to be stupid sometimes in life but I abuse the privelige. kisses for yulia! and rock on
The Atkins Diet isn't really a diet. It's more like a lifestyle change. Healthy eating and exercise combine to make the program successful. It's nothing you couldn't do on your own, but the Atkins program makes it more feasible. Why?
- some foods that people view as "healthy" really aren't. Atkins Dieters benefit from extensive research in the field of nutrition to help them attain healthy eating habits and knowledge of what foods do what.
- The diet outlines a specific program. Specific goals are more likely to be met than simply "Eat healthy foods." or "Exercise more."
Personally, I don't have a need for such a program. But it does work for a lot of people. It's certainly better than a lot of other diets. If it works for you, go for it!
I'm in the very beginning of phase 1, and I have a few questions. I have gotten some shakes and some bars I was wondering if this was okay to take??? I am a big person as I am sure some of you are, and I do get hungry a lot. I was wondering if it was okay to eat these things. the net carbs are like 3 or 2, but I see there is surger in them. Will this keep me from burning off the fat??? Please let me know
01-10-2003 02:14 AM
I had my second child six months ago (first is 5yrs old) and am dealing with the post-partum weight. I guess I am lucky because I lost most of the weight (gain 60 lbs). While I was lactating I lost all the weight, but somehow after I stopped (when I returned to work) I gained about 15 lbs back. 
My main problem is that even though people keep saying how good I look after having the baby and I can fit on most of my clothes, I still have a closet full of clothes that I cannot wear 
because they are too tight on my waist, which is very uncomfortable because I am sitting most of the day!
What do you think of fat burner pills??? 
