The Atkins Diet
The Atkins diet hit the diet scene in 1972 when Dr. Atkins published his book, “Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution”. And the Atkins diet was really revolutionary. Most diets of the day focused on counting calories and maintaining a low fat diet. Calories were felt to be the enemy and the fewer you ate, the better off you were. Dr. Atkins paid less attention to calories in his diet and more to reducing the number of carbohydrates in the diet. To followers of his diet, the carbohydrates were the problem. The diet promoted the use of lots of protein and a moderate amount of fat with the idea that your metabolism will cause you to lose weight on this diet.
The Atkins diet was not taken very well by many nutritionists who were promoting diets low in fat and protein. This was about the time that the four food groups turned into the food pyramid. Fruits, vegetables and grains were near the bottom and should be consumed the most. Unfortunately for the Atkins diet, these were things that were to be avoided on the diet. Near the top of the food pyramid are fats and meat proteins. We weren’t supposed to eat many of these types of foods on a healthy diet and yet they were prominent in the Atkins diet.
The Atkins diet included menu plans high in bacon, fried meat and even fried pork rinds. While there were some salad greens on the diet plan, you were allowed to add fatty dressing to the diet plan. The Atkins diet plan really promoted eggs, cheese, meats at every meal and, in some cases, protein bars or protein drinks. This was a time when cholesterol and triglycerides were being better understood and their role in heart disease was made more clear. Experts felt that the Atkins diet plan was too high in cholesterol and other fats, making one’s risk for heart disease greater. Dr. Atkins continued to promote his diet plan, amid a great deal of controversy.
The Atkins diet also included some Atkins products, like Atkins hot cereal, Atkins protein shakes and Atkins protein bars. Instead of having regular hot cereal, you would choose the Atkins variety of hot cereal. The company made money off of these specialized products and still does, but to a lesser degree. As long as carbohydrates were counted and Atkins products used, the diet was expected to help you lose weight.
It’s unclear how successful people were in losing weight on the Atkins diet. If dieting is truly based on calories, the Atkins diet certainly weren’t lacking in them. Since the origin of the Atkins diet, more is known about the effects of cholesterol (from meat protein) and triglycerides (from other fats) on things like stroke, peripheral artery disease and heart disease (coronary artery disease). Doctors are more likely to check cholesterol and triglycerides in patients and doctors are active in putting people on medications to lower these fats in the blood. Few doctors would recommend such a high content of cholesterol and fat for patients at risk for heart disease. Few would recommend this kind of diet for even normal people. Still, there are those who still go on the Atkins diet in the hopes of losing weight.
Michael Webb
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/the-atkins-diet-104417.html
December 14 2009 07:58 pm | diet stroke
December 14th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
Atkins diet??
Can anyone give me a weeks meal plan for the atkins diet maybe with like a shopping list attached to it.
thanks
December 15th, 2009 at 1:00 am
Who’s Atkins ?
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December 15th, 2009 at 1:02 am
Why would you want to go on the atkins diet? The guy that made it died from a heart attack , so obviously it isn’t to helpfull! NOt trying to be mean.
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December 15th, 2009 at 1:04 am
go to website http://www.atkinslowcarbsdiet.com
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December 15th, 2009 at 1:06 am
Not something I carry around with me….try hitting the library and look in Atkin’s book. There are meal suggestions in it.
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December 15th, 2009 at 1:08 am
Wouldnt recommend that diet to anyone. The person who began that diet..died of it!
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December 15th, 2009 at 1:10 am
Sheesh you want to take diet advice from a man who died of congestive heart failure?
http://www.garynull.com and click on recipes, all of them are very healthy and guilt free in all ways and very Yummy
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December 15th, 2009 at 1:12 am
atkins cuts out your carbs (carbs=energy), and if you have no energy, how are you supposed to work off your body fat??
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December 15th, 2009 at 1:14 am
The South Beach Diet is actually far more balanced – it is designed to help keep your blood sugar more level, which is the key to raising your metabolism (energy), controlling hunger, and ultimately losing weight and being healthier. You can pick up a variety of SBD cookbooks at any bookstore, and most grocery stores also carry a lot of prepackaged meals and snacks now too.
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December 15th, 2009 at 1:16 am
WARNING!!! The Atkins Diet is VERY dangerous, despite Dr. Atkins assertions to the contrary. It drives your cholesterol and blood pressure up, and unless you want to eat mostly protein and fat for the rest of your life, you won’t be successful at losing weight and keeping it off. Do yourself a favor: Spend $25.00 on a copy of "The Abs Diet." You can’t miss it — it’s in every major book store and the cover is bright orange. It’s a common-sense diet and exercise plan that’s easy, safe, and doesn’t restrict any food groups.
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Lost over 20 pounds and have successfully kept it off on The Abs Diet.
December 15th, 2009 at 1:18 am
Look it up online. I tried it for a few days and was completely run-down and tired all the time.
Just buy a lot of meat, cheese, and eggs. For example:
Breakfast could be a cheese and ham omelette and bacon.
Lunch could be tuna or lunchmeat.
Dinner could be fish or steak, etc.
Some carbs are good carbs, so if you have an Atkin’s book or manual, it will tell you what carbs you CAN eat. But I believe for the first 2 weeks, it’s kind of a cleansing period, with NO carbs.
Good luck!
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December 15th, 2009 at 1:20 am
That diet is not safe for you you need to eat fruits and whole wheat breads you cannot be healthy eating just meats, you need carbs to function properly and if you do not eat breads you will have the most awful breath you need to eat wisely.
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December 15th, 2009 at 1:22 am
To the ignorant person who said he died of a heart attack, don’t believe everything you hear without verifying it. He died when he slipped on ice and hit his head. I’ve had labs done while on the diet and they were better than any other diet. So, get your facts straight.
As for the menu. I don’t have anything with me because I’m at work but almost everything I’ve gotten is through searches on the internet. There’s a lot of good stuff out there.
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December 15th, 2009 at 1:24 am
Day 1
Net Carb Grams
1
1
3
Breakfast
2 eggs, scrambled
3 slices Canadian bacon
1 slice Atkins Bakery™ Multigrain Bread
0
4
2
Lunch
Shrimp salad
2 cups spinach salad with olive oil and vinegar
1/2 small tomato; sliced
4
4
2
Dinner
Lamb Chops with Tomatoes and Olives
1/2 cup sautéed Swiss chard with 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup mixed greens with 2 tablespoons Atkins Quick Quisine™ Country French
Dressing
2
Snack
5 large black olives and 1 ounce cheese
21
Total
Day 2
Net Carb Grams
1
4
Breakfast
2 smoked salmon, cucumber and cream-cheese roll-ups
1 small tomato, sliced
1
4
Lunch
Cheddar Burgers with Chipotle Sauce
2 cups mixed greens with oil and vinegar
0
2
3
Dinner
Roast chicken
1 cup broccoli sprinkled with Parmesan cheese
1 cup endive and sliced radish salad with 2 tablespoons Atkins Quick Quisine™
Poppyseed Dressing
4.5
Snack
1/2 cup red-pepper strips with blue-cheese dressing (combine 2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream, to taste)
21.5
Total
Day 3
Net Carb Grams
6
0.5
Breakfast
1/2 cup Atkins® hot cereal served with 1 cup Hood Carb Countdown™ reduced-carb whole-milk dairy beverage and sweetened with sucralose
1 hard-boiled egg
5.5
Lunch
Cobb salad: grilled chicken, 1/2 diced tomato, bacon, 1/2 avocado and 2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese over 2 cups greens with oil and vinegar
0
3
2
Dinner
Grilled salmon with 2 tablespoons Atkins Quick Quisine™ Teriyaki Sauce
Lemon and Herb Green Bean Salad
Cabbage slaw: 1 cup shredded cabbage, mayonnaise and celery seed, to taste
2
Snack
Atkins Advantage™ Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar
22
Total
Day 4
Net Carb Grams
5
2
Breakfast
Greek omelet: 1/2 cup spinach, 2 ounces feta and 2 eggs
1/2 small tomato; sliced
6
Lunch
Open-face Reuben: corned beef, 2 slices Swiss, 1/4 cup sauerkraut and 1 slice Atkins Bakery™ Rye Bread
0
3
4
Dinner
Grilled sirloin steak
Cauliflower with Indian Spices
2 cups mixed-green salad with blue-cheese dressing
2
Snack
1 celery stalk with 2 tablespoons soy nut butter
22
Total
Day 5
Net Carb Grams
3
0
1
Breakfast
3 pancakes made from Atkins Quick Quisine™ Pancake & Waffle Mix
1 tablespoon Atkins Kitchen™ Sugar Free Pancake Syrup
3 turkey sausages
4
2
Lunch
Tuna salad mixed with 1 stalk celery, 5 radishes and cherry tomato, all chopped
1 cup green salad with 2 tablespoons Atkins Quick Quisine™ Country French
Dressing
0
4
2
3
Dinner
Roast pork tenderloin
1 cup sautéed spinach and red bell pepper with garlic
1 cup mixed greens with vinaigrette
Chocolate Mint Mousse
3
Snack
2 slices ham and 1 slice Swiss wrapped around 1 dill pickle spear
22
Total
Day 6
Net Carb Grams
4
1
Breakfast
Garden Frittata
1/2 cup cucumber slices
4
2
Lunch
Steak quesadilla: steak slices, one slice Monterey Jack and a low-carb tortilla
2 cups romaine with olive oil and vinegar
0
2
4
Dinner
Grilled tuna with spice rub
1/2 cup zucchini and 1/2 cup mushrooms grilled on kebabs
2 cups arugula and endive salad with 1 tablespoon Atkins Quick Quisine™
“Sweet as Honey” Mustard Dressing
1
Snack
1/2 cup broccoli florets with lemon mayonnaise (combine 1 tablespoon lemon juice with mayonnaise)
18
Total
Day 7
Net Carb Grams
3.5
1
0.5
Breakfast
Poached egg on 1 slice Atkins Bakery™ Country White Bread
1 slice beefsteak tomato
1 ounce Muenster
2
Lunch
Chef’s salad: sliced ham, turkey, roast beef and chopped hard-boiled egg over 2 cups lettuce with olive oil and vinegar
3
6
2
Dinner
Lemon and Parmesan Turkey Cutlets
1/3 cup each green beans, snow peas and bell-pepper medley
1 cup green salad with olive oil and vinegar
3
Snack
1 Atkins Quick Quisine™ Banana Nut Muffin
21
Total
Day 8
Net Carb Grams
2
1.5
Breakfast
Atkins Morning Start™ Trail Mix Bar
2 pieces of mozzarella string cheese
5
3
Lunch
Chicken salad over 2 cups chopped red onion, jicama and mixed greens
1 low-carb tortilla
4
2
1
Dinner
Pork Chops with Fresh Mushrooms, Tomatoes and Bell Peppers
1 cup iceberg lettuce with vinaigrette
1/2 cup vanilla low-carb pudding
3
Snack
Shrimp cocktail (combine Atkins Quick Quisine™ Ketch-A-Tomato and jarred horseradish for sauce)
21.5
Total
Day 9
Net Carb Grams
2
3
Breakfast
Creamy Scrambled Eggs with Dill and Smoked Salmon
1 slice Atkins Bakery™ Country White Bread
2
4
4
Lunch
1/2 Haas avocado filled with crab salad (combine canned or frozen crab with mayo)
1 small tomato; sliced
2 cups mixed greens with olive oil and vinegar
0
2
2
0
Dinner
Roast beef au jus
1 cup roasted zucchini and mushrooms with herbs
1 cup mixed greens with vinaigrette
Sugar-free gelatin
1
Snack
Atkins Advantage™ Ready-to-Drink Chocolate Delight Shake
20
Total
Day 10
Net Carb Grams
5
Breakfast
Veggie scramble wrap: 2 oz. Monterey Jack, 2 scrambled eggs, 2 asparagus spears and 1 low-carb tortilla
0
5
Lunch
Sliced chicken breast
Jicama-Orange Salad
0
5
4
Dinner
Baked ham steak drizzled with 1 tablespoon Atkins Quick Quisine™ Sugar Free Pancake Syrup
2/3 cup green beans tossed with chopped mint
2 cups green salad with 2 tablespoons Atkins Quick Quisine™ Poppyseed Dressing
2
Snack
1 ounce cheese and 10 green olives
21
Total
Day 11
Net Carb Grams
2
0.5
Breakfast
Atkins Morning Start™ Blueberry Muffin Breakfast Bar
1 soft-boiled egg
5
3
Lunch
2 cups spinach salad with bacon and low-carb blue cheese dressing with 1/2 avocado
1 slice Atkins Bakery™ Multigrain Bread
1.5
5
2
Dinner
Popcorn Garlic Shrimp
1 cup red pepper, snow pea and green onion stir-fry
1 cup Chinese cabbage with unseasoned rice wine vinegar and sesame oil
1
Snack
1/2 cup chocolate low-carb pudding
21.5
Total
Day 12
Net Carb Grams
3
0
Breakfast
3 waffles made from Atkins Quick Quisine™ Pancake & Waffle Mix
1 tablespoon Atkins Kitchen™ Sugar Free Pancake Syrup
2
5
Lunch
Turkey cheeseburger with 2 ounces pepper Jack
1 cup diced peppers, tomatoes and cucumber with oil and vinegar
0
4
4
Dinner
Grilled veal chops with butter and chopped sage
2/3 cup sautéed yellow squash and 1/3 cup cherry tomatoes
2 cups green salad with olive oil and vinegar
2.5
Snack
Chocolate Mudslide
20.5
Total
Day 13
Net Carb Grams
4
1
Breakfast
1 low-carb tortilla filled with 2 eggs, scrambled
1 tablespoon each green salsa and sour cream
4
2
Lunch
Open-face roast beef sandwich: roast beef, 1 slice Atkins Bakery™ Rye Sliced Bread and horseradish mayonnaise (combine mayonnaise and fresh horseradish)
1 cup radish and cucumber salad with oil and vinegar
1.5
1.5
4
Dinner
Chicken Breasts with Tarragon Cream Sauce
4 asparagus spears
2 cups mixed-green salad with olive oil and 1 tablespoon lemon juice
2
Snack
Portobello-mushroom pizza (broiled Portobello mushroom topped with melted mozzarella cheese)
20
Total
Day 14
Net Carb Grams
1
1
1
Breakfast
Atkins Advantage™ Ready-to-Drink Creamy Vanilla Shake
2 hard-boiled eggs
1 ounce cheddar cheese
6.5
3
Lunch
Turkey Ratatouille
1/2 cup diced jicama salad with cilantro and mayonnaise
0
4
4
Dinner
Marinated grilled skirt steak
2/3 cup turnip fries with Atkins Quick Quisine™ Ketch-A-Tomato
2 cups mixed-green salad with low-carb blue-cheese dressing
1
Snack
1/2 cucumber stuffed with tuna salad
21.5
Total
You can buy these supplies at grocery stores near you, GNC, or any health/nutrition store.
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December 15th, 2009 at 1:26 am
I did the Atkins diet with some of my own modifications and I lost 65 pounds. I took off 40 pounds in the first 4 months or so and the rest over another 8 months or so. You can buy the Atkins book with recipe recommendations in any bookstore or probably your local library has a copy.You can also probably find ATkins Diet recipe books in both places too. It is a great diet. BUT, all diets require discipline regardles but it worked for me!! Good Luck!
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December 15th, 2009 at 11:15 am
The person talking about the author dying of a heart attack might be thinking of Jim Fixx (I think that’s his name) who was a big runner. I think he died while running, but really, it’s been a long time and I don’t recall exactly. And in his case, he had a bad heart and his exercise probably kept him living longer!
IN any case, I think people need to focus on healthy eating. Take a look at “The Perfect Formula Diet” by Janice Stanger. She’s got lots of science and research in there, and her diet is a science-based one built on rotating six kinds of whole foods to work with your body. It’s easy and natural to follow, and most people who have tried a plant-based diet love it. The book looks at the best of the best nutrition research. Worth a look.