Atkins - Is It Safe?
By Yuliana Hendarto.
Tired of being overweight?
Have you finally got the resolve to lose weight and keep it off once and for all?
Can Atkins help you realize your dreams?
Before you jump into the bandwagon with the illusion of losing weight fast and painlessly, read this report to find out if it really works, or you’ll end up in the hospital instead.
What is it?
The ever-popular program called Atkins basically involves extremely low-carb intake, or even none at all. The theory behind the Atkins diet is that, because the body will digest any sugar stored in the body first to get the energy it needs, it is really hard to lose the fats in your body. So if the body’s sugar storage is depleted, it will then turn to fats, and then protein, to get its energy. Hence you’ll finally get to lose those flabby fats if you reduce your sugar intake dramatically.
Does it work?
It seems that the severely obese people might find the program works well. They’ll start losing weight really quickly, especially at the beginning. However, it will soon reach a pleateau.
Another problem with the Atkins is the sugar cravings that many people will have because of the drastic reduction in sugar intake. This leads to cheating in many cases, which then just throws you off the program.
Is it safe?
Biologically speaking, if the body is deprived of sugar, it will enter a “starvation mode” where it will try to conserve any amount of energy. This is because the body is tricked into thinking that it is being starved.
This is actually a natural self-defence mechanism which preserves and prolongs the human life when you’re truly starving. Hence you hear cases where people still survive even after 30 days without any food at all. However, this also means that the body will then convert ANY kind of sugar it can absorb, into fats as soon as possible! That’s why the moment you cave in to that sugar craving, it destroys everything.
In actual fact, several people have ended up in hospital after such a severe reduction in their sugar intake. Hence it is not advisable to totally eliminate sugar from your diet all at once.
A Modification
Instead of totally eliminating carbohydrates from your diet, you can just reduce it in stages. Another alternative is to switch to complex carbohydrates.
What else should I watch out for?
If you’re trying to do Atkins, please do not combine it with heavy exercise. Exercise requires sugar, which is the body’s main fuel. With such a low-carb intake, the body will then start to digest proteins to produce sufficient energy for the exercise, which then results muscle loss.
While the diet recommends a higher intake of protein, and lower of carbohydrates, it does not mean you can consume as much meat or fatty food as you wish. That will be a sure way to damage your kidney and liver. Maintain a high intake of vegetables and fruits to lessen the impact.
Is it recommended?
Only with the advice of nutritionists or doctors. Even then, it should be done in moderation. Do not completely eliminate your sugar intake. Also, take note that the quick weight loss is usually only visible for those who are really overweight.
The best thing is still to have a balanced diet and a good exercise program in place.
Comment by Cindy Moore
The author of this article does not know how Atkins.
“The ever-popular program called Atkins basically involves extremely low-carb intake, or even none at all.”
While there are people out there that eat little of no carb on a regular basis, that is NOT Dr Atkin’s plan. Vegetables are a must as is exercise.
“Another problem with the Atkins is the sugar cravings that many people will have because of the drastic reduction in sugar intake.”
This is a common side effect, kinda like quitting caffeine, or cigaretts. The cravings normally are gone within a few days, a week for some. Once you get out of eating carbs, you stop craving them. And hunger is rarely a problem because the carbs that are eaten are high fiber ones, fat slows digestion, and protein increases saiety.
Atkins and other plans usually emphasise that, at least in the beginning, you don’t have to count calories. People do lower their intake, but isn’t that the whole idea? If they lower it too much and get into trouble we should blame Dr A? So if I go on Dr Ornish’s plan and “completely eliminate” fat and end up in the hospital, would you blame Dr O?
“If you’re trying to do Atkins, please do not combine it with heavy exercise.”
Dr Atkins, and all other plans that I am aware of, emphasise that exercise is not an option. Some (most) do recommend taking it easy at first, but once your body gets used to not having a high carb intake, performance is at least as good in most people.
“While the diet recommends a higher intake of protein, and lower of carbohydrates, it does not mean you can consume as much meat or fatty food as you wish.”
And neither does the plan say that.
“That will be a sure way to damage your kidney and liver. Maintain a high intake of vegetables and fruits to lessen the impact.”
High intake of fat or protein does not cause kidney or liver damage. High carb intake causes fatty liver. High protein with kidney disease should be monitored. MOST plans are not high protein, but adequate protein. Atkins is higher in fat than most (I believe), but the emphasis is on fresh, natural fats.
“The best thing is still to have a balanced diet and a good exercise program in place.”
Absolutely! And that is what Dr Atkin’s plan, and most plans, are all about.
Posted on March 13, 2007 at 1:56 am