Atkins diet
Atkins diet: here’s everything you need to know. From the menu, to the description of the 4 phases. From the version for vegetarians, up to the Atkins Diet in Pdf version
The Atkins diet is a low-carb weight loss diet usually recommended for weight loss.
Proponents of this diet claim that you can lose weight by eating as much protein and fat as you want as long as you avoid foods that are high in carbohydrates.
Over the past 12 years, more than 20 studies have shown that low-carb diets are effective for weight loss (not counting calories), and can lead to various health improvements.
The Atkins Diet was originally promoted by a doctor named Robert C. Atkins, who wrote a best-selling book that included the diet in 1972.
Since then, the Atkins diet has been popular around the world and many other books have been written about it.
The diet was originally considered unhealthy and demonized by traditional health authorities, mainly due to its high saturated fat content. However, new studies have shown that it is harmless despite saturated fat.
Since then, the diet has been studied extensively and has been shown to lead to greater weight loss than low-fat diets, and greater improvements in blood sugar, HDL cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol), triglycerides and even in other health indicators
Despite being high in fat, the diet does not raise the level of LDL, the bad cholesterol on average, even if this fact must be verified on a case-by-case basis.
The main reason low-carb diets are so effective for weight loss is that when people cut down on carbohydrate intake and eat more protein, their appetite drops and they automatically end up eating fewer calories without having to think about it. purposely.
The Atkins diet is a 4 phase plan
The Atkins diet is broken down into 4 different phases:
Phase 1 (induction): Eat 20 grams of carbohydrates per day for 2 weeks.
Eat high-fat, high-protein food, adding green leafy vegetables.
With this step you begin to lose weight.
Step 2 (Balancing): Slowly add more nuts, low-carb vegetables, and small amounts of fruit into your diet.
Phase 3 (Refinement): When you are very close to your weight loss goal , add more carbohydrates to your diet until weight loss slows down.
Phase 4 (Maintenance): Here you can eat as many healthy carbohydrates as your body can tolerate without gaining weight.
However, these steps are somewhat complicated and may not be necessary.
You should be able to lose weight and then maintain it without having to follow the steps slavishly.
Some people choose to skip the induction phase entirely and include lots of fruits and vegetables right from the start.
This approach can be very effective.
Others prefer to remain indefinitely in the induction phase alone.
This is also known as the ketogenic diet.
Foods to avoid
You should avoid these foods on the Atkins diet:
- Sugar : soft drinks, fruit juices, sweets, candies, ice cream, etc.
- Cereals : wheat, spelled, rye, barley, rice.
- Vegetable oils : soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil, and a few others.
- Processed fats : Usually found in processed foods with the word “hydrogenated” on the ingredient list.
- Low Fat Foods : These are usually very high in sugar.
- High-carbohydrate vegetables: carrots, turnips, etc. (only in the induction phase).
- High-carbohydrate fruit : bananas, apples, oranges, pears, grapes (only in the induction phase).
- Starches : potatoes, sweet potatoes (only in the induction phase).
- Legumes : lentils, beans, chickpeas, etc. (only in the induction phase).
Foods to eat
Your diet should be based on these healthy foods.
- Meats : beef, pork, lamb, chicken, bacon and others.
- Fatty fish and seafood : salmon, trout, sardines, etc.
- Eggs : The best eggs are those enriched with omega-3s
- Low-carb vegetables : kale, spinach, broccoli, asparagus and others.
- Saturated fats : butter, cheese, cream, whole yogurt.
- Nuts and seeds : almonds, macadamia nuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc.
- Healthy Fats : Extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, avocado and avocado oil.
As long as the dishes are based on something fatty, a protein, a low-carb vegetable and a few nuts then you lose weight, this is proven.
After the induction phase, healthy carbohydrates can be slowly added.
Despite what you may have heard or read, the Atkins diet is actually quite flexible.
It is only during the 2-week induction phase that you need to minimize your consumption of healthy carbohydrate sources.
After the end of the induction, healthy carbohydrates and higher carbohydrate vegetables, fruits, berries, potatoes, legumes and healthy grains such as oats and rice can gradually be added.
However, it is likely that you will need to continue to maintain this regimen throughout your life if you are to continue to have some weight maintenance.
If you start eating as before, in the same quantities of food as before then it is sure that you will tend to gain weight.
Recommended but not essential food
There are many delicious foods you can eat on the Atkins diet.
This can include foods such as bacon, cream, cheese and dark chocolate .
Many of these are generally considered to be fattening due to their high fat and calorie content.
However, when you are on a low carb diet, fat becomes a source of energy for your body, making these foods perfectly acceptable.
What can you drink
Here are some drinks that are acceptable on the Atkins diet.
- Water : As always, water should be your favorite drink.
- Coffee : Despite what you may have heard, coffee is high in antioxidants and actually quite healthy.
- Green tea : a very healthy drink.
- Alcohol : it can be drunk in small quantities.
The Atkins diet vegetarian version
It is possible that a vegetarian (and even a vegan ) could follow the Atkins diet, but it is difficult.
You can, therefore, use soy foods for protein and eat lots of nuts and seeds.
Olive oil and coconut oil are excellent sources of plant-based fats.
Lacto-ovo-vegetarians can also eat eggs, cheese, butter, cream, and other high-fat dairy products.
Atkins diet menu: example for a week
This is an example of a one week menu .
It is suitable for the induction phase, but vegetables, nuts and fruit should be added as you progress to the other phases.
Monday
Breakfast: Eggs and vegetables, fried in coconut oil.
Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil, and a handful of walnuts.
Dinner: Steak and vegetables.
Tuesday
Breakfast: bacon and eggs.
Lunch: leftover chicken and vegetables from the night before.
Dinner: Cheeseburger (without the sandwich), with vegetables and butter.
Wednesday
Breakfast: Omelette with vegetables, fried in butter.
Lunch: Shrimp salad with some olive oil.
Dinner: minced meat with vegetables.
Thursday
Breakfast: Eggs and vegetables, fried in coconut oil.
Lunch: the meat left over from dinner the night before.
Dinner: salmon with butter and vegetables.
Friday
Breakfast: bacon and eggs.
Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil and a handful of nuts.
Dinner: Meatballs with vegetables.
Saturday
Breakfast: Omelette with various vegetables, fried in butter.
Lunch: meatballs from the night before.
Dinner: Pork chops with vegetables.
Sunday
Breakfast: bacon and eggs.
Lunch: pork chops from the night before.
Dinner: Grilled chicken wings, with some sauce and vegetables.
Make sure you include a variety of different vegetables in your diet.
Quick snacks
Most people feel their appetite goes down on the Atkins diet.
They tend to feel more than satisfied with 3 meals a day (sometimes just 2).
However, if you feel hungry between meals, here are a couple of quick snacks:
- Leftovers.
- A hard-boiled egg or two.
- A piece of cheese.
- A piece of meat.
- A handful of nuts.
- Greek yogurt.
- Berries and whipped cream.
- Baby carrots (careful during induction).
- Fruit (after induction).
How to follow the Atkins diet when eating out
In fact, the Atkins diet is pretty easy to follow in most restaurants.
You can:
- Get extra vegetables instead of bread, potatoes or rice.
- Order a meal of fatty meat or fatty fish.
- Get some extra sauce, butter or olive oil with your meal.
What to buy at the supermarket
Eating organic is not necessary but we must not buy poor products.
- Meats: beef, chicken, lamb, pork, bacon.
- Fatty fish: salmon, trout, etc.
- Shrimp and seafood.
- Egg.
- Dairy products: Greek yogurt, cream, butter, cheese.
- Vegetables: spinach, kale, lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, onions, etc.
- Berries: Blueberries, strawberries, etc.
- Nuts: almonds, macadamia nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.
- Seeds: Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.
- Fruits: apples, pears, oranges.
- Coconut oil.
- Olives.
- Extra virgin olive oil.
- Dark chocolate.
- Avocado.
- Seasonings: sea salt, pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, garlic, parsley, etc.
It is highly recommended that you remove all unhealthy foods and unhealthy ingredients from your pantry.
This includes ice cream, sodas, breakfast cereals, breads, fruit juices, and processed fats and sugars.
Conclusions
Now at the end of all these tips I cannot disagree with you, especially if you still show a certain skepticism at the end of this article.
We must, however, learn to go beyond what we have been previously taught and this diet, over the years, has in any case acquired its credibility.
We transform our way of thinking, we play with food, we try to agree with this doctor and eat, gradually, proteins, dried fruit with a good dose of fat, especially animals.
Would you be able to sustain this diet for some time?
And if so, would you follow the steps or would you guess what to eat or not?
My only, dispassionate, advice is always to approach the news with moderation and curiosity.
Following this diet can be considered quite easy and can bear great fruit from the point of view of our body.
It would have been impossible to believe that with a constant use of fat you can still be physically well.
But this diet belies that fat is bad for you regardless. Fat, in the absence of carbohydrate, becomes the engine with which the body feeds itself, so it is burned as fuel for our energy.
I await your comments, I am very curious to see if you will be able to want to try this type of diet, if you trust it enough.
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