The best part is that its benefits are backed by science, and, compared to behavioral counseling, it was found to result in 0.1 to 2.9% higher weight loss (1). This is a low-carb diet devoid of all forms of sugary ingredients, like flour, bread, pasta, or refined sugar. This diet is very popular and helps you lose about 1 to 2 pounds in a week or 10 pounds in a month. It does not involve strict calorie restriction or calorie counting. Hence, you don’t have to starve yourself to shed those extra pounds. This is one reason it is chosen by many to get rid of fat and maintain shape. Continue reading to further understand the Atkin’s diet and how it works, and discover a meal plan for effective weight loss and some super-easy breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack ideas.
Highlights Of The Article
What Is The Atkins Diet?
The Atkins diet or Atkins 20 is a low-carb diet created by Dr. Robert C. Atkins for his patients. He eliminated all sources of simple carbs/sugars and allowed his patients to consume a lot of protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs (veggies and fruits). This helped the patients feel full and not hungry and famished like other restrictive diets that give more importance to counting calories than nutrition. This approach showed results immediately and became a trusted doctor-advised weight loss diet. But the question is, there are so many low-carb diets, what’s so special about the Atkins diet? To get the answer, you have to know how it works for your body. Find the answer in the next section.
How Does The Atkins Diet Work?
The Atkins diet works by eliminating food sources of simple sugars or carbs and by:
Allowing the consumption of nutritious foods. Lowering blood sugar and making your body more insulin sensitive. Increasing muscle mass, boosting the metabolism of the body. Lowering triglycerides in the blood. Improving good cholesterol levels. Lowering overall calorie intake, and Atkins diet 4 phases. WAIT! What?
Well, this is where Atkins diet is different and effective as compared to other low-calorie diets. It is divided into four phases – Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. If this looks intimidating, fret not. I have created a 1-month Atkins diet plan to help you shed 10 pounds quickly.
Atkins Diet Menu For Fat Loss
Phase 1 (Induction)
Week 1
Week 2
Phase 2 (Balancing)
Week 3
Phase 3 (Fine Tuning)
Week 4
Phase 4 (Maintenance)
Week 5 And Thereafter
Now, you may be concerned that the Atkins menu plan is not vegan-friendly. Well, if you know a few substitutes, you can follow a vegan Atkins diet. Take a look at the following substitute list.
Atkins Diet Vegan Substitutes
Chicken/fish/turkey or any other meat – Tofu, mushroom, lentils, beans, and cottage cheese Milk – Soy milk Cottage cheese – Tofu
So, you see, it’s not that difficult to make the diet your own. Now, let me make your life simpler. Just screenshot the following Atkins diet food list and use it the next time you are at the supermarket.
Atkins Diet Food List
Foods To Eat
This chart will make your grocery shopping easy for each phase. But which foods should you avoid? Find out next.
Foods To Avoid
Veggies – Avoid high GI (glycemic index) veggies like pumpkin, red bell pepper, potato, beetroot, and sweet potato during Phases I and II.Fruits – Avoid high GI (glycemic index) fruits like grapes, pineapple, mango, jackfruit, watermelon, peach, and banana during Phases I and II.Proteins – Avoid consuming chickpeas, sprouts, and kidney beans during Phases I and II.Fats And Oils – Avoid consuming nut butter, butter, margarine, and canola oil during Phases I and II. Nuts And Seeds – Avoid cashew nuts, pumpkin seeds, melon seeds, and sunflower seeds during Phase I. Now that your grocery shopping list for Atkins diet is sorted, you can get cooking. Not sure what to cook? Here are a few Atkins diet breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes that you are going to savor. Take a look.
6 Best Atkins Diet Recipes
Breakfast
1. Mushroom And Avocado Omelet
½ avocado, cubed 4 eggs 8 button mushrooms, sliced A handful of arugula A little bit of feta cheese 2 teaspoons olive oil Salt to taste A pinch of pepper
2. Vegan Tofu Scramble
50 gm tofu 8 cherry tomatoes, quartered 3 cloves of garlic, chopped ½ small onion, chopped ½ teaspoon dried basil Salt to taste ½ teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder Dill and basil for garnish
Lunch
3. Baked Salmon Salad
3 oz salmon fish with skin Juice of half a lime ½ teaspoon dried thyme ½ cup kale 3-4 yellow and red cherry tomatoes, halved 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar Salt to taste ½ teaspoon pepper
4. Vegan Broccoli And Mushroom Stir Fry
1 cup broccoli florets 7-8 button mushrooms, sliced 2 chopped cloves of garlic ¼ teaspoon chili flakes Salt to taste 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon lime juice A few chives, roughly chopped
Dinner
5. Pan-Grilled Chicken
3 oz skinless chicken breast 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ teaspoon paprika ½ cup arugula ½ cup lettuce 3 cherry tomatoes, halved 2 tablespoons lime juice A few cilantro leaves ½ teaspoon dried rosemary Salt to taste ½ teaspoon pepper
6. Vegan Spinach And Cauliflower Tikki And Hummus
1 cup cauliflower florets 1 cup spinach 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 cup boiled chickpeas ½ teaspoon ginger powder ¼ medium-sized onion, finely chopped 2 tablespoons gram flour 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour 5 tablespoons olive oil Juice of 1 lime Salt to taste ½ teaspoon paprika
So, breakfast, lunch, and dinner are set. But what about those snack times that often make us go overboard with junk food? Scroll down to find some yummy low-carb snacks.
Atkins Healthy Low-Carb Snacks
You can consume these yummy and low-carb snacks when you are on the Atkins diet:
Half an avocado Celery and hummus Cucumber boats with tuna Homemade baked chicken nuggets Devilled eggs Boiled Bengal gram Boiled sprouts Boiled egg Baked leftover fish or chicken Turkey Jerky Mushroom stuffed chicken Meatballs with teriyaki sauce Stir-fried shrimps In-shell pistachios Coconut water Honey chicken wings Green tea/black tea/white tea/matcha tea/black coffee Buttermilk/milk/string cheese
So, the snack part is also taken care of. But sometimes, only lowering your carb intake is not enough, especially if there’s a special occasion coming up. And for that, sorry to break it to you, you have to do a few exercises that will help burn the fat fast. Here’s a simple workout plan that you must do for at least 10-20 minutes every day.
Workout Plan
Neck tilt – 1 set of 10 reps Neck rotations – 1 set of 10 reps Shoulder rotations – 1 set of 10 reps Arm rotations – 1 set of 10 reps Wrist rotations – 1 set of 10 reps Waist rotations – 1 set of 10 reps Side lunges – 1 set of 10 reps Jumping jacks – 1 set of 20 reps Spot jogging – 1 minute Ankle rotations – 1 set of 10 reps
Leg in and out – 2 sets of 20 reps Russian twists – 2 sets of 20 reps Leg up crunches – 1 set of 10 reps Hip thrusts – 1 set of 10 reps Squats – 1 set of 15 reps Sit-ups – 1 set of 15 reps Mountain climbers – 2 sets of 10 reps Wall push-ups – 2 sets of 10 reps Tricep extensions – 2 sets of 10 reps
Stretch your arms, calves, neck, thighs, and waist. There you go! I am sure if you do this every day for two weeks, you will see the benefits of this diet. And it’s not just weight loss. Here’s a list of the other benefits of the Atkins diet.
Benefits Of The Atkins Diet
Lowers blood triglyceride levels. Boosts metabolism. Mobilizes the fat. Improves memory and brain function. Increases productivity. Lowers LDL cholesterol. Helps build lean muscle mass. Improves sleep quality. Helps maintain the weight loss. Easy to follow.
So, you see, there’s a ton of other areas where this diet can help you. That said, like any other diet, the Atkins diet has a few drawbacks. Check them out below.
Atkins Diet Side Effects
You may
feel irritable and moody as you will crave for sugar for the first two weeks. get a headache. feel fatigued and tired. feel nauseous.
In fact, these are the general side effects of following a low-carb diet. Don’t let them prevent you from getting your body in shape and becoming fitter. BUT the question is, is such a diet with so much meat content safe at all? Here’s what we have to say…
Is The Atkins Diet Safe?
Yes, the Atkins diet is safe. And it helps you drop pounds in just a few weeks’ time. Since the creation of the Atkins diet in 1972, it has gone through many tweaks that have made the diet more heart health-friendly. The main concern that bothers scientists is the high amount of animal fat from meat the dieters are recommended to consume. But if you see the diet plan given here, we have recommended beef and other sources of red meat in limited amounts. So, if you can fine tune the diet and consume white meat or lean protein sources from animals, the Atkins diet is completely safe. Also, vegans and vegetarians can choose plant-based proteins as substitutes for animal proteins. Just keep the following points in mind.
Dos And Don’ts
Great! You now have a complete idea of how to go on the Atkins diet. But not all diets work on every body type. This low carb diet may not yield any result for you, but it may work for your friend. How can you tell if this diet is for you? Here’s the answer…
Is The Atkins Diet for You?
The Atkins diet is for you if
you want to lose weight quickly and also maintain the weight loss. It is a good idea to start following this diet when there’s a special occasion coming up in 2-4 months. you are a meat eater. You will have the added advantage of not having to search for animal product substitutes. That said, even if you are a vegan or vegetarian, you can easily find animal protein substitutes in supermarkets and online. you want to lose that last bit of stubborn fat in your belly, waist, back, and thighs.
he uric acid levels in your body are high as it may lead to further complications. you are have kidney stones or kidney problems. you have a family history of cancer your lipid profile is deranged. you are obese, your blood triglyceride levels are high, and you need a doctor to recommend the best diet for you.
Do you lose more weight on keto or Atkins? Check out the infographic below to find out which celebs were ardent supporters of the Atkin’s diet once upon a time. The ketogenic diet might result in more weight loss than Atkins since it completely limits carb intake. However, Atkins is less restrictive and allows including carbs in phases later on. What is the difference between Atkins and Keto? The Atkins diet is done in 4 phases, the first of which is similar to the ketogenic diet. However, there is a gradual increase in carb intake later on. Atkins is also less restrictive than keto, hence more sustainable over a longer period of time.
