As officially known, the Atkins' Nutritional Approach was named after its proposer and user Dr.
Robert Atkins.
This is a low carbohydrate, high protein and high fat diet, which can be used to resolve obese or overweight conditions.
In the food combinations, there are no fluids or calorie restrictions, or protein intake either.
The Atkins diet encourages cheese, meat and eggs while discouraging food like bread, fruits, pasta and any other sugar components.
This type of combination is hence referred to as a ketogenic diet.
Dr Atkins proposed that a reduced intake of carbohydrate makes our bodies use the stored forms of carbohydrates-glycogen, hence significantly reducing the accumulated carbohydrate forms leading subsequent to weight loss.
The Atkins diet plan is generally divided into four phases, - The first phase, known as the Atkins induction phase restricts carbohydrate intake to 20 grams per 24 hours and the sources should be either salad or any other except for starch forms.
- Phase two, known as the ongoing weight loss, which allows for carbohydrate intake in form of nutrient fiber of 25 grams per 24 hours for week one and a consecutive increase of five gram in next weeks till weight loss stops.
- Then comes the third phase, the pre-maintenance phase, which is to reduce the intake by 5 grams weekly to obtain a stable weight loss.
- The final phase of the Atkins diet is the lifetime maintenance phase, this is focused on basement of life time good health, and the phase aims a full control of carbohydrate intake in subsequent days.