What is an Atkins diet plan?
Atkins diet is a low-carb diet that supports rapid weight loss. The original Atkins diet plan was devised by a famous cardiologist Robert Atkins in the 1970s. According to this diet, one can lose weight by eating as much as protein and fats as they can. However, one needs to avoid eating carbohydrates during the initial phases. Following the Atkins diet plan will help in reducing your hunger pangs and thus optimises your calorie intake.
What are the Phases of the Atkins Diet?
The Atkins diet plan consists of four phases:
| Phases | Name of Each Phase | What to Eat at Each Stage? |
| 1 | Induction | The Atkins diet for beginners suggests consuming less than 20gms of carbs per day for two weeksEat food items that contain high amounts of fat and protein. Eat low-carb leafy green vegetables |
| 2 | Balancing | Slowly increase the intake of nuts. Consume low-carb vegetables. Add small amounts of fruits to your diet |
| 3 | Fine-tuning | When you are close to your targeted weight, then try to add little more carbs to your Atkins diet meal plan |
| 4 | Maintenance | During this phase, you are allowed to consume as many healthy carbs as your body can tolerate without regaining weight. |
What are the Foods that You Can Eat?
Here are a few Atkins diet foods that you can consume:
- You can consume meats like beef, pork, lamb, chicken and bacon.
- Try to include fish and seafood like trout, salmon, tuna and sardines
- Consume eggs
- Consume low-carb vegetables like spinach, broccoli, Kale and asparagus
- Try to eat full-fat dairy products like cheese, cream, butter and yoghurt.
- Consume nuts and seeds like almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds and chia seeds.
- Include healthy fats like avocado oil, virgin coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil in your diet plan
What Foods are Not Allowed on the Atkins diet?
If you are following Atkins diet weight loss plan, then you should avoid:
- Sugar and aerated drinks
- Vegetable oils
- Trans fats found in processed foods
- High-carb vegetables
- High-carb fruits
- Starches
- Legumes
How Do You Start Weight Loss on Atkins?
To start your Atkins diet meal plan, you need to follow a few rules:
- Try to eat three regular-sized meals every day or break them into 4-5 smaller meals
- Do not skip meals
- Do not keep considerable gaps in between meals
- For healthy weight loss, try to consume at least 115-175 grams of protein in each meal
- Consume no more than 20g of carbs per day
- At least 12-15g of your total carb intake should come from salads or cooked vegetables
- You can consume iron-free multivitamin tablets and omega-3 fatty acid supplements to make sure that your body is getting all the nutrients that are required to stay healthy
- Drink at least eight glasses of water per day
Who Should Not Follow the Atkins diet?
- If you suffer from a kidney disorder, then the Atkins diet is a strict no for you
- Patients with type 1 diabetes should never follow this diet plan
- If you have pre-existing liver or pancreatic condition, then stay away from this diet plan
- Eating more than the mentioned amounts of protein can lead to heart problems
- It can lead to an increase in thirst and fatigue
How Long Does it Take to Start Losing Weight on Atkins?
The Atkins diet plan is known to start working within 48 hours from the time you begin to lower your carbohydrate intake. However, if you wish to see some noticeable changes in the weighing scale, then you might have to wait for at least two weeks.
What is the Average Weight Loss on Atkins?
If you follow the Atkins diet plan diligently, then on an average you can lose as good as 50 pounds of body weight in 3 months.
How Much Weight Can You Lose On a Low Carb Diet in 2 Weeks?
By following the Atkins meal plan, one can expect to lose 2 to 3 kilos of body weight in 2 weeks.
Which is Better Atkins or keto?
Both Atkins weight loss diet and Keto are low-carbs diet plans, which supports diabetes management, weight loss, and maintains a healthy heart. The only difference is that in Atkins diet meal plan, the intake of carbs is gradually increased with each phase, while it remains low in the ketogenic diet. You can follow any of these diet plans according to your health and body type.
What are the Other Diet Plans that You Can Follow?
If you need a different weight diet plan for women or men, then you can get a curated and effective weight loss plan for you. Along with weight loss diet plans, we also provide a weight gain diet plan for men and women.
Some of the other types of diet plans for weight loss meal plans include:
- Paleo Diet
- Atkins Diet
- Dukan Diet
- Low Carb Diet
- Intermittent Diet
- Gluten-Free Diet
- High Fiber Diet
- Vegan Diet
- Keto Diet
- Low Fat Diet
- Veg and Non-Veg Weight Loss Meal Plan
Whether you are looking for weight loss or lean muscle gain, HealthKart consultants are always there to assist you and help you meet your body goals.
