The Atkins diet plan is one of the most commonly followed diets to reduce weight by consuming protein and fat while avoiding high-carbohydrate foods. Introduced in 1972 by Dr. Robert Atkins, the Atkins diet plan aims at “a high calorie way to stay thin forever.”
People often get confused between the functions of a keto diet and an Atkins diet plan. Both Atkins and keto are low-carb diets that help in weight loss, diabetes management, and heart health. The key difference is that the carb intake gradually increases in Atkins, while it remains very low on the keto diet, helping the body to stay in ketosis and burn ketones for energy.
Atkins diet pros and cons
An Atkins diet plan comes with a lot of pros and cons for the body. Some of them are:
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Proper following of the Atkins diet leads to weight loss. | The Atkins diet contains high amounts of saturated fats, which might lead to certain heart diseases. |
| The Atkins diet controls insulin release in the body, which is beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. | The high amount of protein might lead to kidney-related issues. |
| Increased protein and fat intake contributes to a filling effect and makes one feel less hungry. | Some may experience flu-like symptoms often called induction flu during the initial stages of the diet. |
The phases of the Atkins diet plan
The Atkins diet plan has four phases:
- Phase 1 – Induction: This phase contains carbs under 20 grams per day for two weeks, along with high-fat, high-protein, and low-carb vegetables like leafy greens. The induction phase kick-starts weight loss.
- Phase 2 – Balancing: This phase adds more nuts, low-carb vegetables, and little amounts of fruit back to the diet.
- Phase 3 – Fine-tuning: This phase adds more carbs to the diet until weight loss slows down.
- Phase 4 – Maintenance: This phase allows one to consume as many healthy carbs as the body can tolerate without regaining weight.
What foods do you eat on an Atkins diet?
Atkins diet plan is based on protein and fat-containing foods and the diet suggests one stay away from foods containing carbohydrates. Some of the Atkins diet food list are:
- Eggs
- Poultry – chicken, turkey, etc.
- Meat – beef, pork, lamb, bacon, etc.
- Fish – salmon, trout, sardines, mackerel, etc.
- Dairy – butter, cheese, cream, full-fat yogurt, etc.
- Vegetables – kale, spinach, broccoli, asparagus, etc.
Foods containing carbs are widely avoided in an Atkins diet. However, they can be included slowly as the diet progresses. Some of the foods to avoid on an Atkins diet are:
- Bread
- Potatoes
- Chips
- Cookies
- Pasta
- Candies
Atkins diet plan recipes
From sour cream dip to Chicken and Cheese Quesadillas, one can explore a variety of recipes when on an Atkins diet. The Atkins diet plan requires a low-carb diet, but you can consume a variety of fat and protein-containing foods to gain energy.
The recipes should be devoid of carb-containing ingredients like flour, bread, pasta, or refined sugar. One can incorporate healthy fats like nuts, seeds, fish, and oils (olive, sunflower, canola, and soy). Foods rich in protein such as eggs, seafood, meat, poultry, etc… should be consumed regularly.
