An Analysis of the Effectiveness of the Atkins Diet, a Low Carbohydrate High Fat Diet Plan Essay

THE ATKINS DIET Fact or Fad Introduction In order to lose weight people think about dieting. Diet is a customary allowance of food and drink taken by any person from day to day a diet will have to meet the specific requirement the individual undergoing it, in other words the diet will be inclusive or excusive of certain items of food1. There is a large number of diets types differentiated in their principles and aims. Some are low carbohydrate with the emphasis on high protein low carbohydrate with the emphasis on high fat (e.g. Atkins diet) and high carbohydrate low fat diets. But some of them are short-term solutions to a weight loss and others present a big health risk to people's life. The Atkins diet (low carbohydrate, high fat) is a diet plan suggested by Dr Atkins, which enables weight, loses in a natural way by inducing a change in metabolism. The Atkins Diet consists of the following four stages induction, ongoing weight loss, pre-maintenance and maintenance. Induction is the first 14 days of the plan, during which Atkins says you can lose up to 15 pounds. This rapid weight loss is due to limiting carbohydrates intake to 20 grams a day. The only carbohydrates taken in are low-carbohydrates vegetables like lettuce, broccoli and tomatoes2. During the next stage (ongoing weight loss) carbohydrates intake can increase by five grams. During pre-maintenance, weight loss will happen a little more slowly and be able to "test" certain foods to see if they be added safely to the diet without weight gain resulting. Finally, maintenance stage, which introduce some more carbohydrates back into the diet. Instead of unhealthy carbohydrates and sugar, Atkins diet, specifically recommends an eating plan (fat and animal proteins) 3, in conjunction with vitamin and mineral supplementation and regular exercise. The primary metabolic source of energy is glucose, which arises of carbohydrates. With Dr....