Farewell To The Atkins Low Carb Diet

Atkins Nutritionals recently announced that they are filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It seems that the "low carb craze" was nothing more than just a passing fad. Well my friends I have come to both praise and bury the Atkins Diet.

I first discovered low carb diets about 15 years ago -- well before their recent popularity. My first introduction was by way of a book entitled "The Endocrine Control Diet." Like the Atkins Diet and other low carb diets for that matter, it was based on a severely restricted carbohydrate intake ?- less than 50 grams of carbs per day. You put your body into a state of ketosis and force it to burn fat instead of glucose.

I was amazed at how quickly I was able to drop weight on the diet. If memory serves correctly, I dropped 15 lbs in little over a week. Sure, a portion of it was water and muscle weight, but I also dropped quite a bit of body fat. I could tell it was fat because my waistline shrunk substantially.

The "Endocrine Control Diet" was strict about keeping carbs low and remaining in a state of ketosis until you reached your weight loss goal. This was tracked on a daily basis by peeing on Keto Strips to make sure you were still in ketosis. I stayed on the diet for about 2 months before reverting back to my former diet. The interesting thing was that I was able to keep my weight down for another 3 months before getting back up to where I was before the diet.

I should mention that during the diet that I was lifting weights and doing cardio exercise on a regular basis. I sincerely believe that this factor was vital in retaining lean muscle mass while dropping as much body fat as possible while on a calorie restricted, low carb diet.

In the intervening years I tried other low carb diets that were all variations on the same theme. The one constant for me was keeping up with my weight training and cardio exercise. Each and every time I was able to drop 15 ? 20 lbs in as little as 3 weeks and keep it off for at least 3 months after stopping the diet.

The biggest problem I have with low carb diets is that I'm personally unable to stay on them for more that 3 months at a time. It's just too damn hard! Let's face it I like my carbs. Being of Italian extraction I was raised on pasta and bread. I also love Chinese cuisine with extra rice and have a fondness for potatoes. All of these foods are taboo on a low carb diet!

In the end, a low carb diet is not very realistic or very sociable for that matter. I've never been too worried about the health effects though. I've had my cholesterol checked both on and off the low carb diets and there have been no variation in the readings even when I've consumed extra fat during some of the diets. My total cholesterol has always hovered around 200, which could be lower, but is the cutoff for a normal level.

Now that I know the power of a low carb diet to quickly take off weight, it will always be part of my fitness arsenal. The real secret is to combine the diet, and any diet for that matter, with a program of regular exercise that includes both weight training and cardiovascular exercise.

I think the best approach is to cycle your diet plan like professional bodybuilders do. Target a period for when you want to be at your leanest like the summer months at the beach or a high school reunion or wedding and start a low carb diet about 2-3 months out. You'll hit your peak right when you're ready to go back to your normal eating habits and you can count on staying lean for several weeks afterward.

The real secret is to always stay within 10-15 lbs of your "fighting weight" and know that you can get there in a hurry with a low carb diet.

Rich Rojas

Elliptical Trainer Reviews and Fitness Ideas

http://www.ellipticalhome.com

---

Dieting Torture By Another Name, It Doesnt Need To Be That Way

I have tried many "diets" here in the USA and... Read More

Seven Reasons to Choose Hoodia Part 5

Good health is an invaluable bliss and you cannot simply... Read More

Exercise: Essential

The only absolute truth in the area of exercise and... Read More

Are Fruits Making You FAT?

I want to make this perfectly clear, fruits are healthy... Read More

Weight Loss - I Lost 40 Pounds

I did it without starving myself or taking pills. How... Read More

The R Factors - Your Answer For Getting To The Perfect Body For Fitness And Health

Building a Perfect Body for Body Perfect Fitness and Health... Read More

Healing Food Addiction

Hannah was distressed that, with all the inner work she... Read More

Low Carb Diets - Are They For You?

The revolution is here. Weight Loss as we know it... Read More

Hybrid Sweeteners in Todays Health

What is the advantage of these new half sugar and... Read More

Childhood Obesity Is Everyones Problem

Reducing childhood obesity in the U.S. needs to be a... Read More

3 Easy Dieting Success Tips

1. Drink 8-10 glasses of water each dayOkay, for many... Read More

Why Does the Weight Come Back?

Before many Australians recently, a devastating story unfolded on a... Read More

Fidgeting: The Natural Weight Loss Diet

It's now official. The simple act of fidgeting can mean... Read More

Put Down That Brownie! Just One Bite Can Knock You Off Plan

It is very important for low carb dieters to stick... Read More

Weight Loss & Health Tips Revealed: Can I Be Fit And Fat?

We all have an image of "fit" - lean, even... Read More

Criteria to Consider When Selecting a Bariatric Surgery Center

According to the American College of Surgeons, most severely obese... Read More

After WLS: How Much Weight Have You Lost?

I had lost nearly fifty pounds before anyone mentioned my... Read More

Body Wraps & Weight Loss

Body wraps can help tone and tighten the skin, improve... Read More

Weight Loss: Weight Loss is All in Your Mind!

"The kind of thoughts that you plant in your mind,... Read More

Learn the Truth About Weight Loss and Getting Great Abs

Debunking The Ab MythAb training has been done to death... Read More

Fad Diet Popularity

A common question among weight loss professionals...If fad diets don't... Read More

Do You Know These Tricks To Help Conquer Food Cravings?

Food cravings are crafty -- they appear from nowhere and... Read More

South Beach Diet The Review Diaries

The Review Diaries She Unlimited MagazineThere are masses of carbohydrate... Read More

The Fastest Way To Your After Photo

You've seen them a hundred times: "Before" and "After" pictures.... Read More

Taking Control of Your Cellulite

Cellulite happens to us for many reasons. Some reasons-- like... Read More

Tenuate: Should A Diet Pill Be Part Of Your Weight Loss Checklist?

Maybe your doctor suggested it. Maybe your favorite outfit doesn't... Read More

Weight Loss: Its Not Always What You Eat, But What You Dont Eat

On a little island half way in between Guam and... Read More

Throw Out the Scale

Do you know someone that is obsessed with the scale?... Read More

Weight Loss and Water: The Unknown Secret

Weight Loss and Water: A Way to Make Your Body... Read More

Metabolism Drug Induced Weight Loss Can Be Effective, But Are You Aware Of The Risks?

A metabolism drug like ephedrine, has shown many people how... Read More

Why Are There Different Diet Types?

Diet is a dreadful word for most of us because... Read More

Barriers to Healthy Diets -- Removing them is not as hard as you think

Barriers to healthy diets are placed into four broad categories:... Read More

Six Super Easy Weight Loss Tips

If you have been trying to lose weight permanently, then... Read More