The Atkins diet features low carbohydrate meals that are heavy on protein. It was created by Robert Atkins around 40 years ago and promises quick weight loss.
If you are trying this diet out, you can include plenty of protein-rich organic meat as there is no limit on the amount of protein and fat you can consume while on this diet.
The diet is based on the theory that if you lower your carb intake your body will be encouraged to burn its fat stores to use as fuel.
The diet needs to be completed in three stages to maximise weight loss. During the induction phase you will only be permitted to consume 20 grams of carbohydrates, most of which should come from vegetables. You can, however, eat protein and fat from butter, vegetable oils, fish, eggs and red meat.
Once you have successfully completed this part of the diet you can enter the next phase – “ongoing weight loss stage”. During this phase you can slowly introduce more vegetables, berries, fruits, seeds, nuts, legumes and some whole grains back into your diet.
After awhile you can add more carbs into your diet if your body needs them.
A comprehensive study by the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine indicates the Atkins diet is just as effective after one year of a conventional diet, but has the advantage of increasing “good” cholesterol (HDL) and decreasing triglycerides.
At the three- and six-month marks, participants of the diet had a higher level of weight loss than those following a traditional weight loss diet.
Another study, by the John Hopkins Medical Institutions in 2011 found that after three months on a low-carb diet, participants had lost weight and there was no danger to vascular health.
Eating protein-rich natural meat should form a healthy part of anyone’s diet, since it is chock full of nutrients and minerals such as iron and zinc.
