Let me tell you
something - if you are doing the Atkins Diet, you might be doing
it WRONG. I have been on diet forums for years, have consulted thousands
of people on low carb diets, and I am seeing it again and again.
People don't know how to implement a low carb diet...
Very often people fail to lose weight or to adapt to the low
carb life style. Many people give it up after a couple of days
because they don't know how to do it right. The Atkins Diet is
the most famous low carb diet, but it is full of pitfalls just
waiting for you to walk into.
Rule #1: Calories DO count. You must count both carbs AND calories
Some of you may believe that losing weight is just a matter of
reducing carbohydrates. In fact, many do. Hunting for hidden carbs
and totally neglecting the calories you eat is setting you up
for failure. The only reason that low carb diets work is that
they reduce your appetite. You end up eating fewer CALORIES, and
lose weight. The problem is that not all people start eating fewer
calories after switching to a low carb diet. The only 100% bulletproof
method of losing weight is by counting calories. Don't rely on
simply reducing carbohydrates. Eat less carbs AND less calories.
Count calories! It is much easier to restrict calories when you
are on a low carb diet, because you won't feel as hungry as with
high-carb diets.
Rule #2: Going straight to 20 grams of carbs per day is a NO-NO
The Atkins Diet has you eating only 20 grams of carbs a day during
the first two weeks on the diet. After that, you are advised to
gradually increase the number of carbs you eat. I strongly urge
you to reverse the order of events. Start eating 80 or more grams
of carbs per day, count calories and then reduce them more if
you want to. My reasoning for doing so is very simple. During
the adaptation period you will lack energy because you have taken
out the carbs, and you need time to make the fat burning enzymes
to use more fat for fuel. If you suddenly start eating a super
low amount of carbs, you will feel totally out of energy, because
your body cannot manufacture quickly that many fat burning enzymes.
However, when you reduce the carbohydrates GRADUALLY, you give
your body a chance to adapt to the diet without the misery of
being lethargic. You can even start by eating 150 grams of carbs
a day for the first week, and then reduce them to 100 grams for
the second and so on. You won't be so fatigued, and because you
count calories you are losing weight. You should expect a period
of about one to two weeks when you won't have much energy, but
this will pass. Don't give up just because you lack energy. This
is temporary. If you listen to me and gradually reduce the carbs,
you will experience a much less-pronounced drop of physical and
mental performance.
Rule #3: Calories control your bodyweight, NOT carbohydrates.
If you eat less calories than you burn, you are going to lose
weight no matter how many carbs you consume. You don't need to
go super low on the carbohydrates to experience the typical loss
of appetite that is so important to be successful at dieting.
I eat about 50-80 grams of carbs a day year-round, and I have
single digit body fat %. That's because I control both carbs and
calories. You won't be able to eat just 20 grams of carbs for
a long time. It is too impractical, hard-to-do and unnecessary.
You will do fine eating 80 grams of carbs a day, as long as you
count calories.
|
|
Rule #4: Don't give up your coffee Atkins advises that you avoid
caffeine and only drink decaffeinated coffee. This is totally
unnecessary. If you are used to drinking coffee, just continue
to do so. You will have a much easier adaptation period. Coffee
makes your body burn more fat, and helps you adapt to fat burning
faster. Coffee also suppresses your appetite, and has a mild thermogenic
effect (you burn more calories). Last but not least, coffee is
very addictive and hard to give up. I know a couple of people
who gave up the Atkins Diet just because he says to stop drinking
coffee! I am telling you - coffee will help your weight loss efforts.
It is totally unnecessary to give it up.
Rule #5: Don't avoid milk and yogurt products Eating plain yogurt
is associated with weight loss for some mysterious reason. Researchers
speculate that it is the Calcium in milk products that helps with
weight loss. Whatever the reason, milk and yogurt are good for
your health and weight loss. They have some carbs, but as I told
you, there's absolutely no need to go super low on the carbs,
if you control your calories. Here's a little known fact, most
low-carb dieters don't know. Plain yogurt has 3 times less carbs
than labelled! The reason is simple. Yogurt has billions of healthy
bacteria called probiotics, which thrive on glucose. These probiotics
eat up the carbs in milk, and turn it into lactic acid. Now, when
manufacturers measure carbs, they do so by the method of "carbs
by difference". They measure everything else(protein, fats,
water..), and what's left is ASSUMED to be carbs. But what's left
is carbs + lactic acid. To know the real number of carbs in yogurt,
divide the number of carbs on the label by 3. Do so only for PLAIN
yogurt. Avoid all artificially processed and carb loaded yogurts.
Eat plain yogurt!
Rule #6: A low-carb diet is a high-fat diet By definition a low
carb diet is a high-fat diet. Some people turn the low-carb diet
into low-carb and low-fat diet. What a mistake! First, if you
eat a high-protein low-carb low-fat diet, you are going to get
hungry. Second, eating less fat will slow down the adaptation
to fat burning and extend your misery. Third, your body needs
fat and the fat-soluble vitamins to digest the proteins you eat.
Without the fat you are going to get sick, upset your stomach
and become severely constipated. Women should be very careful
to eat enough fat. Many women don't like to eat meat or eat only
very lean meat. They must find a way to get more fat in the diet
by ways of high-fat cheeses. Fat should represent more than 50%
of the calories you eat.
Rule #7: Don't be fooled by the quick initial weight loss Most
of the weight that is lost during the first two weeks on a restrictive
diet is WATER. On a low-carb diet, you are going to lose even
more water. The rate of weight loss is going to slow down after
the first two weeks. Be prepared, it is perfectly natural to happen.
Don't expect miracles. Let's sum it up. Count calories. Hunting
for hidden carbs, and neglecting the calories is a major reason
for plateaus. Restrict carbs gradually. Eat more fat to control
your appetite. Don't go super low on the carbs. Go as low as you
feel comfortable. As long as you control calories you are on your
way to success. If you want to be successful at calorie counting,
try the best calorie and carb counter software FREE for 30 days.
Get your trial copy at Carb Counter and Calorie Counter by X3MSoftware
About the Author: Hristo Hristov is the owner of X3MSoftware,
a company specializing in developing diet and fitness software.
Hristo has a degree in Computer Science and passion for training.
|
