The author of the diet, which will be discussed in this article, is cardiologist Robert Atkins. He developed it back in 1960.
The diet consists of several phases and its goal is to change existing habits to healthier ones.
What is the essence of the diet?
Those losing weight on the Atkins diet do not need to count calories or monitor portion sizes. However, you cannot do without a calculator at all: you need to monitor grams of net carbohydrates minus fiber.
Phases of the diet
The first phase of the diet, during which those losing weight lose about 3-4 kg, lasts at least two weeks. During this period, it is worth reducing the amount of carbohydrates to 20 g per day (12-15 g of which should come from vegetables).
You need to eat a lot of protein - from poultry, meat, fish and seafood, eggs and cheese, while giving up fruits, sweet pastries, pasta, grains and nuts, as well as alcohol. You need to drink 8 glasses of water a day.
In the second phase, you should still consume 12-15 g of carbohydrates from vegetables and not eat sweets, but you are allowed to return to your diet such products as nuts, seeds and berries. You are allowed to move on to the next phase only when there are about 4.5 kg left to achieve your goal.
During the third phase, you can resume eating “forbidden” foods such as fruits, starchy vegetables, and whole grains – you are allowed to add 10 g of carbohydrates. Please note: if the weight starts to return, you will have to limit the amount of carbohydrates to 20 g again. The phase should last until you reach your ideal weight.
The last, fourth phase of the diet implies that you can eat any products, adhering to the principles of the diet. If you notice that the number on the scale is growing, return to the third phase.
