The Atkins program has brought up many questions over the years. Many ìexpertsî say itís not good for you, or it can even harm you. But if thatís true, why are so many people having success with it? Thatís a good question, and we have the answer, along with the answers to these other questions about Atkins.

1. What do the scientists say about Atkins?

In 2002, Duke University Medical Center conducted tests with 50 volunteers, using the Atkins Nutritional Approachô, for 6 months. The results, which were published in the American Journal of Medicine, suggest that the Atkins program not only helped the volunteers lose and maintain their weight, but showed a significant decrease in the risk of many heart diseases.

Also, scientists have used a computer program called Nutritionist V to determine the amount of nutrients in a meal. The Atkins-recommended meals exceeded the RDI (recommended daily intake) for pretty well all vitamins and minerals. There have been many other studies conducted that have shown similar results.

2. What are the phases of the Atkins program?

There are four distinct phases you work through to get to your goal weight. They are:

• Induction ‚ In the beginning of the program, youíll consume no more than 20 grams of carbs per day. This means a lot of salads and other non-starchy veggies. That may sound dull, but if you check out their menus, there are some pretty yummy meals there.
• Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL) ‚ In this phase, you increase your carb intake 20-25 grams a day for the first week, 30 grams a day for the second week, and so on until you stop losing weight. Youíll be eating more nutrient-dense and fiber-rich foods in this phase.
• Pre-Maintenance ‚ By this time, youíre ready to stop losing weight and start focusing on maintaining your goal weight, Youíll be increasing your carb intake 10 grams at a time, every week, while your weight loss is slow but constant.
• Lifetime Maintenance ‚ Now youíre ready to start eating a much wider variety of foods, while still staying within the parameters of the program. Youíll know by now how many carbs you need to control and maintain your goal weight, while still eating healthy foods.

3. What kind of exercise should I, or can I do on Atkins?

To start off your program, Atkins recommends you participate in some type of aerobic exercise that has cardiovascular benefits. You can use treadmills and ellipticals for that. After youíve built up your endurance, you can move on to weight-lifting, which will keep your bones and muscles strong as you get older.

All you have to remember is this: the more exercise you do, the more youíll be able to eat, including more starchy veggies, beans, whole grains and fruit ‚ in moderation, of course.

4. Am I allowed to drink alcohol on Atkins?

During Induction, alcohol is a no-no. Thatís because your bodyís job is to burn fat, and it burns alcohol before anything else. And if itís busy burning alcohol, it wonít burn fat. Simple as that!

During the other three phases of Atkins, you can drink moderate amounts of alcohol, but keep in mind that beer has more yeast that other alcoholic drinks, and yeast is something to be avoided with Atkins. Red or white wines are good. Also, spirits are ok, but watch what you mix them with ‚ no juice and no sugar.

5. What is the Atkins Nutritional Approach?

You may have noticed that the term ìAtkins Dietî isnít used anymore. Thatís because Atkins is geared not to just helping you diet, or lose weight, itís designed to create a whole new healthy lifestyle for you. This complete approach is called the Atkins Nutritional Approachô (ANA).

The ANA will do four things to improve your total lifestyle:

• 1. Show you how to attain your goal weight.
• 2. Show you how to maintain that goal weight.
• 3. Show you how to live and eat healthy.
• 4. Show you what to eat to prevent disease.

6. Why do I have to drink so much water on Atkins?

7. What do I do if Iím always hungry or having cravings?

If youíre hungry, thereís a simple answer for that ‚ eat. If youíre trying to lose weight by not eating, you should know that under-eating slows down your metabolism, which means your body isnít burning fat as fast as it should.

If youíre craving those sweets, or bread, or crackers, or whatever it is that you used to eat all the time, itís natural for your body to ask for them by telling your brain to cheat. But as you eat more carbs, your body will be satisfied with those, and tell your brain to stop bugging you.

8. How does Atkins affect my health?

Atkins is designed to improve your health. If fact, it should give you a complete turnaround in your lifestyle. Remember, Atkins isnít just a diet, itís a healthy way of living. Of course, you should always consult your doctor before following any diet program.

9. What about fried foods ‚ arenít they loaded with unhealthy fat?

Although Atkins doesnít condone eating lots of fried foods, they do recognize that fat is a necessary ingredient in the carbohydrate-burning process. Itís the trans fats that are harmful, so Atkins recommends broiling or roasting meat, because the high heat burns those fats off.

10. I feel as if I'm losing weight too quickly. Is that ok?

Many people get scared when they lose a lot of weight all at once. But thatís definitely ok. In fact, thatís the goal in the Induction phase. When carbs are limited in your diet, your metabolism burns existing body fat. The lower the carb intake, the faster the body fat gets burned, and the faster you lose weight. Some of that is water, too, but itís all part of the plan, so donít worry.

In Conclusion

The Atkins Nutritional Approachô has helped thousands of people achieve their goals ‚ not only their weight goals, but their lifestyle goals. Their program is designed to help you change your eating and exercise habits, in order to become healthy.

Health is being emphasized everywhere you go today. Thereís a message there, and itís important that you get it. Look at the statistics of disease and death. They speak for themselves.

The Atkins Nutritional Approach is the ideal program to bring your health to the level it needs to be, so you can live a long and strong and healthy life.

Related Resources:

• The Atkins Diet Plan and Recipes ‚ Healthy ideas, recipes, diet plans, menu plans to create a long and healthy lifestyle
• Diet Plan Buyers Guide ‚ A complete low-carb guide, including products, recipes, books, and sites of interest

About The Author Arden Mellor is a successful home based freelance copywriter, one of experience and diversity. The knowledge brought to you through Arden's articles has been designed for simplicity. The world is much too complicated, and Ardenís contribution to the world is to bring the complexities of life into a simpler arena, one that anyone and everyone can understand and use. Arden writes many informative articles on such topics as atkins low carb diets, low carb foods and home gym equipment, and our wishes are that you benefit from the wisdom presented in these articles in making life simple. This article on the "Top 10 Questions about the Atkins Diet" reprinted with permission.© 2004 - Net Guides Publishing, Inc.