One of the pioneers of the diet revolution in the early part of 2000 is the Atkins Diet, a program created by cardiologist Dr. Robert Atkins for the patients of his private clinic. Because it is so very effective, the diet program has since evolved to include famous celebrities as part of its millions of followers.

The diet program is actually based on the book that Atkins published in 1999. Aptly titled, Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution, the book created a world-wide sensation with people taking in pros and cons position. Despite the opinions of his critics, the book became an overnight hit in bookstores nationwide. In fact, Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution topped the New York Times Bestsellers list, which is perhaps the most prestigious bestsellers book list in the country. What is more, it has stayed in the list for seven years. Truly a great fit for a diet book.

Atkins Diet Revolution is made up of seven chapters. It explains the basics of the diet program. It also contains tips on leading a healthy lifestyle in the 21st century as well as different recipes that dieters can whip up at home.

One of the advantages of the Atkins diet program is the fact that people are allowed to choose the food that they will eat and to prepare their meals themselves. This is less expensive than having foods delivered to you. Being able to choose the food that you will eat increases the will and commitment to stay into the program.

The diet is based on the rationale that taking in less carbohydrates in meals can help in the reduction of weight. This is because the water content in the body is flushed off when the body uses it as an alternative source of energy.

The same goes with the fat cells, which are temporarily used for energy in lieu of the missing carbohydrates. As you well know, both fats and carbohydrates are potential sources of energy. The body just prefers the carbohydrates as it can easily be burned as opposed to fats, which has a really complex structure.

Another advantage of the Atkins program is the fact that it is a very good diet for people with diabetes and a whole lot more. In fact, according to many dieticians, the Atkins Diet is the only diet that can prevent the incidence of high blood pressure and high cholesterol as well as obesity, which are all precursors of the Type 2 form of diabetes.

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The race to fitness is on and a lot of people are getting into the band wagon. Some people do it to achieve a sexy body, some people just do it because they are embarrassed with the body they have now, while others do it simply to remain fit and heatlthy. As such, many fitness programs are out in the internet, in gyms, spas and fitness centers all over. Some are too expensive to afford that one may even lose weight just by trying to work out the money needed to pursue these fitness programs.

One may not have to go to the gym or the spa or any fitness center and spend much just to slim down to obtain that longed for sexy body. There are many books available in the bookstore which offer weight loss programs which are convenient and for free, of course the books are not though. These weight loss programs, or diet plans are gaining immense popularity with so much publicity, testimonials and reviews that one may be confused which exactly to follow. So before choosing which weight loss plan to follow, try reading these summaries about the most popular diet programs out today.

Atkins’ New Diet Revolution by Dr. Atkins. This weight loss program encourages high protein diet and a trim down on the carbs. One can feast on vegetables and meat but should fast on bread and pasta. One is also not restricted against fat intake so it is okay to pour in the salad dressing and freely spread on the butter. However, after the diet, one may find himself lacking on fiber and calcium yet high in fat. Intake of grains and fruits are also limited.

Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet by Drs. Heller. This diet plan advocates low carbohyrate eating. Approves on eating meats, vegetables and fruits, dairy and grain products. however, warns against taking in too much carb. “Reward” meal can be too high on fats and saturated fats.

Choose to Lose by Dr. Goor. Restrains fat intake. One is given a “fat” budget and he is given the liberty on how to spend it. It does not pressure the individual to watch his carbohydrate intake. Eating meat and poultry as well as low-fat dairy and seafoods is okay. A go signal is also given on eating vegetables, fruits, cereals, bread and pasta. This weight loss plan is fairly healthy, good amounts of fruits and vegetables as well as saturated fats. Watch triglyceride levels though; if high, trim down the carbohydrates and tuck in more of the unsaturated fats.

The DASH Diet. Advocates moderate amounts of fat and protein intake and high on carbs. Primarily designed to lower blood pressure, the diet plan follows the pyramid food guide and encourages high intake of whole wheat grains as well as fruits and vegetables and low-fat dairy. Some dieters think it advocates too much eating to procure significant weight loss.

Eat More, Weigh Less by Dr. Ornish. Primarily vegetarian fare and strictly low-fat. Gives the go signal on the “glow” foods but warns to watch it on non-fat dairy and egg whites. This diet is poor in calcium and retricts consumption of healthy foods like seafoods and lean poultry.

Eat Right for Your Type. Interesting because it is based on the person’s blood type. recommends plenty of mest for people with the blood type O. Diet plans for some blood types are nutritionally imbalanced and too low in calories. And for the record, there is even no proof that blood type affects dietary needs.

The Pritkin Principle. Focused on trimming the calorie density in eating by suggesting watery foods that make one feel full. Eating vegetables, fruits, oatmeal, pasta, soups, salads and low-fat dairy is okay. Although limits protein sources to lean meat, pseafood and poultry. Although it is healthy by providing low amounts of saturated fats and rich amounts of vegetables and fruits, it is also low on calcium and limits lean protein sources.

Volumetrics. For low-density calorie eating. Recommends the same foodstuff as Pritkin but restricts fatty or dry foods like popcorn, pretzels and crackers. This plan is reasonably healthy given the high amounts of fruits and vegetables as well as being low in calorie density and saturated fats.

The Zone. Moderately low on the carbs yet moderately high on the proteins. Encourages low-fat protein foods like fish and chicken plus veggies, fruits and grains. It is also healthy but lacking in grains and calcium.

Weight Watchers. High carbohydrates, moderate on fats and proteins. A very healthy diet plan and very flexible too. it allows the dieter to plan his own meal rather than give him a set to follow.

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The Atkins diet is not a new phenomenon. The diet first appeared in the late 1970s and has grown popularity in recent years in response to the low-fat diet craze. As dieters had trouble with low-fat plans, they searched for a new solution and Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution book found a new audience.

A lot of people have jumped on the Atkins bandwagon and there has been a lot of hype as a result. But what are the basic principles of the Atkins diet?

The Atkins diet is based on a theory of why we get fat. According to Dr. Atkins, the over-consumption of carbohydrates and simple sugars leads to weight gain. The way your body processes the carbohydrates you eat have more to do with your waistline than the amount of fat or calories that you consume. In his book, Atkins outlines a phenomenon called insulin resistance. He theorizes that many overweight people have cells that do not work correctly.

When you eat excess carbohydrates and sugar, your body notices that sugar levels are elevated. Insulin is released from the pancreas in order to store sugar as glycogen in the liver and muscle cells for extra energy later on. However, your body can only store so much glycogen at once. As soon as your body reaches its limit for glycogen storage, the excess carbohydrates are stored as fat. This happens to everyone who eats too many carbohydrates.

However, insulin resistant individuals have an even harder time of using and storing excess carbohydrates. The more insulin that your body is exposed to, the more resistant it becomes. Overtime, the pancreas releases more insulin and cells become insulin resistant. The cells are trying to protect themselves from the toxic effects of high insulin. They create less glycogen and more fat.

As a result, insulin resistant individuals gain extra weight. The carbohydrates get converted into fat instead of energy. Other side effects include fatigue, brain fog (the inability to focus, poor memory, loss of creativity), low blood sugar (which can leads to hypoglycemia), intestinal bloating, sleepiness, depression and increased blood sugar. There is much more than weight at stake when you are insulin resistant.

The remedy for people who are insulin resistant is a diet restricted in carbohydrates. The crux of the Atkins diet is a limitation of carbohydrates in all of its forms. The foods restricted on the Atkins plan include simple sugars (like cookies, sodas and sweets) and complex carbohydrates (like bread, rice and grains). Even carbohydrates that are considered healthy, such as oatmeal, brown rice and whole wheat bread, are restricted on the program.

The diet has you restrict your carbohydrate intake to less than 40 grams a day. This will put your body in a state of ketosis. While in ketosis, your body will burn fat as fuel. According to Dr. Atkins research, the ketosis state will also affect insulin production and it will prevent more fat from being formed. Your body will begin using your stored fat as an efficient form of fuel, and youll lose weight.
Another benefit of the Atkins plan is that ketosis will end your cravings for carbohydrates. If youve been living on a carb-heavy diet, you may have found that you simply cannot get enough carbohydrates. With carbohydrate restriction and ketosis comes a reduction in carbohydrate cravings. People who have been on the Atkins diet for some time report that they do not crave carbohydrates as they once did.

Although the initial phases of the Atkins diet are rather strict, the program teaches you to restore balance to your diet in the long run. People who use the diet slowly reintroduce minimal amounts of carbohydrate into their eating until they find a comfortable balance between their health and carbohydrate use.

The basic principles of the Atkins diet have been adapted to many other low-carb diet plans. However, Atkins popularity still remains strong as one of the most effective low-carbohydrate solutions for those who are insulin resistant.

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Induction Diet – The Top Priority For The Atkins Weight Loss Plan

If you have ever heard of the induction diet and wondered what it was, then you’re in luck. The answer is simply that it’s the beginning of the Atkins Weight Loss Plan. This diet plan is famous for eliminating or reducing the intake of carbohydrates; at least that’s the popular myth. The Atkins Diet actually permits carbs, but they are kept to their absolute lowest during the induction phase. This is so the ketosis process can begin.

In fact, the induction diet can be thought of as the most vital phase of the program. If you want to try the Atkins Weight Loss Plan, then don’t skip this part as the rest of the diet hinges on this all-important phase.

The general theory of the Atkins Diet is that you can burn fat instead of muscle by replacing carbohydrates with protein. However, you should be warned that it’s a very strict regimen, and you need to follow it closely. This is even more true when going through the induction diet phase.

Most people find the induction process to be the most difficult aspect of the Atkins Weight Loss Plan. This is likely due to two reasons. One, you will have strong cravings for foods that are rich in carbohydrates, and the cravings will be at their strongest when you first start the plan. Two, you are limited to 12 grams of carbohydrates per day. That means the variety of foods you can eat is minimal. Even something like nuts–which most people think of as being high in fat and protein–are prohibited during this early stage of the diet.

Sure, there may be some foods that you can’t eat, and you may be craving carbs, but there is also some good news: you won’t be going hungry. That’s because you can eat as much of the allowed foods as you want. For example, eggs, shellfish, meat, poultry and fish are acceptable. And those can augmented with a small amount of vegetables, as long as you don’t exceed the 12 gram limit on carbohydrates. (That’s why it’s a good idea to have a form of reference that lists the carb content of any foods you want to eat.)

Avoiding pre-packaged foods will help you to keep your carb count under control. But you still need to double check before eating anything. Planning your meals carefully will also help give you more variety within the induction diet phase when doing Atkins. Yes, you may be looking forward to eating all of the bacon you want, but it can get boring after a few days, which will only increase the temptation to cheat.

Speaking of cheating on the induction diet (or any phase of the Atkins Weight Loss Plan): this is not the kind of diet you can cheat on and then resume it the next day. Atkins relies on changing the way your body works, and cheating will undo everything you’ve done so far.

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