Atkins Review

Atkins and other low carb diets, well, they work. Sorta....

Yep, you heard the budding nutritionist right. If you are going for plan & simple weight loss low carb diets work - at LEAST as well as every other diet out there. Let's try to understand why low carb diets contribute to weight loss and what their shortcomings are so we can use them to our body's best advantage. Sound good?

So here are the bullet points:

1. Low carb = fewer calories. This is a two fold point, but the most important so stick with me. A) Now I know the book says you can "eat all you want!" which sounds great at first but have you ever tried stuffing yourself, repeatedly, with meat? It's a lot harder to do than with pasta, or pizza, or any other carb-o-licious food. So you eat less. B) the fact that volume-wise there are fewer calories in protein than in most carbohydrates keeps you eating less. Ultimately, our stomachs reach volume capacity (even when we stretch it like a balloon) and our brains reach satiety (the feeling of being full) much quicker than when we eat carbs. Also remember that the Atkins people tell you to stop eating when you are full. This is just another reminder that for most of us our main problem is not what we're eating, but how much of it we're eating (oh, yes, I am guilty as charged)


2. Protein helps build muscle ... More muscle = more calories burned doing nothing but admiring our sleek, toned bodies! It's another indisputable fact that muscle tissue will burn far more calories day-in and day-out than fat. Plus, it looks soooo much better. Girls, this one is for you, because the boys already know why they want more muscle (to look like the guy on the cover of Men's Health of course), but most women STILL associate muscle with bulk instead of a sleek, sexy, svelte body. Please read my personal story here for the full disclosure on this issue.


3. Protein keeps insulin levels even. Diets like the Zone, South Beach, and many others make use of eating protein with carbs to slow digestion and the release of glucose into the blood stream which in turn slows the release of insulin by the body. Read the full story on how and why keeping insulin stable is a great idea here, but to summarize: When insulin is high in the blood stream the body will not burn fat. If insulin is high in the blood stream it will eventually crash and take every ounce of energy you have with it. Until you spike it again that is. See a pattern?


4. Low carb is great for burning off that last bit of body fat. If you only have 3-5 pounds (1-2kg) of fat you want to burn going low carb for a while (ie less than 2 weeks) will help you shave that last bit of stubborn fat off. Your brain function, or lack there of, will be the major issue here. Our brains are the only part of our bodies that function on a 100% carbohydrate diet. So if you have to be productive at work, or at least act like it, I recommend you taper your carbs each day and focus on low GI sources. Read here for full info on Carb tapering.


5. Low carb doesn't have to mean ridiculously high fat. With Atkins the amount of fat you eat is unlimited. But there is no research or theory explaining how on earth the body might clean out the excessive amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol consumed by many on this diet (even through ketosis). Fat is not bad. Actually, some fats are good, really good. So choose your protein wisely. Try to keep the cuts of meat leaner, and throw some fish into the mix too. Click here for some great recipes.


6. Vegetables. Atkins wants you to eat your vegetables. They are low in carbs and high in fiber and vitamins. Vegetables are key to getting vitamins and minerals in their most absorbable form. Vitamins and minerals are required to help the body burn fat and build muscle. So why do we still grown at the thought of adding more veg to our meal plan? I think it must have something to do with latent childhood memories. Click here for some fabulous ways to add more veg with taste. Like my Stage 1 Chili, Veggie Chili, Spinach and Mushroom Frittata, or my personal favorite Shrimp Fried "Rice".


7. Bad Breath. YO! major negative in my book. Once the body hits "ketosis" (a complicated process that has mucho conflicting research on its effect on the body) the liver will secrete high levels of ketones. Your breath will stink so bad that you'll be constantly popping industrial sized mints to cover it up! (low carb ones of course).
   

Summary: Should you go all out Atkins? I think not. Including LEAN Protein with each meal will help you feel full faster and stay full longer; thereby, eating less. Protein will help build muscle which looks better and allows us to eat more because it burns more calories per pound than fat. Protein + good carbohydrates keeps insulin levels even, hunger at bay, moods steady, and a Fit Foodie happy!