Useful Tips to Make Atkins Diet Work For You

The Atkins diet is a popular low-carbohydrates diet developed by  Robert Atkins. This program was based on a research paper Atkins read in The Journal of the American Medical Association. Although highly controversial, this diet program leads to 0.1% to 2.9% more weight loss in a year than a control group. Essentially, the Atkins diet program promotes weight loss by focusing on high protein foods and cutting back on foods high in simple and complex carbohydrates. If you are trying out the Atkins diet for the first time and you want the transition to be as painless as possible, consider these tips:

Count Your Net Carbs

Most dieters that try the Atkins diet do not get the results they expect because they are not counting their net carbs. Instead, they are focusing on their total carbs. Net cars are the grams of total carbs you consume minus the grams of fiber. Fiber has virtually no impact on your blood sugar level. This means you have to count the carbs you get from lemon juice and other condiments acceptable in the Atkins diet.

Pile on the Veggies

Veggies are the best diet foods especially if you are on the Atkins. They are filling, delicious, and packed with essential nutrients so never skimp on veggies! Ideally, you want to eat about 12 to 15 of your bet carb grams of vegetables. That’s about six cups of leafy green vegetables and about 2 cups of cooked vegetables. To make sure you are getting enough vegetables and you are meeting the minimum requirement, have a large salad for breakfast, and side salads during lunch and dinner.

Drink More Water

Because the Atkins diet is high in protein and fiber, the likelihood of constipation is too great. Drinking more water helps flush out toxins in the body, lubricate the tissues, fill up the stomach, and regulate bowel movement. You need to drink at least 8 glasses of water every day. To check if you are getting enough H2o, check your urine. It should be clear to very pale yellow and not yellow to deep yellow. We recommend trying out herbal tea or broth to get as much water as you can. Consuming fruits and veggies high in water also help boost your water consumption.

Modest Sodium

As long as you consume modest amounts of sodium, this mineral is actually good for the body. A little salt helps reduce muscle cramps, weakness, headaches, and lightheadedness. Salt also helps balance the electrolytes in the body. It aids in converting fat into fuel for faster weight loss. Because the Atkins diet is naturally diuretic, you don’t have to avoid salt to reduce water retention at all. However, this tip does not apply to those suffering from hypertension.

Adding a Little Fat

You don’t have to avoid dietary fat when you are on the Atkins diet. In fact, you need modest amounts of beneficial fats to facilitate faster metabolism, reduce stored fat in the body, and control your carbohydrates intake! Our advice is to always pair carb-based snacks with fat or protein. For instance, you can snack on celery sticks together with a piece of cheese.