Atkins diet: menu for every day. List of permitted and prohibited products

Cardiologist Robert Atkins has developed an effective method for losing excess weight, which is also known as the Hollywood diet. It involves giving up carbohydrate foods, due to which the body begins to draw energy from its own fat deposits.

As a cardiologist, Dr. Atkins was well aware that excess weight had a negative impact on the functioning of the heart and blood vessels. Moreover, obesity is often the leading cause of terrible heart accidents.

Therefore, the doctor first decided to lose weight himself, and then published his original method. Medical knowledge allowed him to create an effective and safe system for weight loss, which has become widely known throughout the world.

The Atkins diet was revolutionary for several reasons:

• Thanks to it, the body begins to work in a new way, completely rebuilding its metabolic processes. This allows you to burn fat faster and more efficiently. During the digestion of food, which the author of the diet suggests eating, the body spends much more energy than to digest ordinary dishes.
• Carbohydrates are the source of energy for the human body. When this source dries up, the body begins to look for alternative reserves. These are your own fat deposits. This process is called ketosis.
• The brutal appetite disappears during the diet. After a person eats carbohydrates, insulin is released into the blood. This level also quickly begins to decrease, which provokes a feeling of hunger. The absence of fast carbohydrates in the menu guarantees no spikes in insulin in the blood. This means that the feeling of hunger will not arise too acutely.

Atkins rules

For the Atkins diet to be effective, you must follow several rules:

• Carbohydrates in the menu should be present in minimal quantities.
• It is unacceptable to go hungry or overeat.
• Every day you need to drink at least 1.5 liters of clean water.
• Taking multivitamins is a prerequisite for following a diet.
• Exercising can speed up the process of losing weight.

Stage two – intensive fat burning

The second stage begins after the body adapts to the new system. At this time, the process of losing extra pounds is especially noticeable. It is acceptable to introduce small portions of fresh fruit into the diet, but control over the amount of pure carbohydrates consumed (no more than 20 g) is still necessary.

If, when introducing carbohydrate foods, you notice that the weight has stopped falling off, then it is worth returning to your previous nutrition system. This phase lasts as long as necessary to achieve your weight loss goal.

• Once your body becomes the way you planned, you can move on to the third stage.

Menu for 14 days of the Atkins diet

This menu should be practiced during the induction phase. In the future, there are more and more carbohydrate dishes in the diet. You can alternate days, adjusting them to your nutrition schedule.

Atkins food pyramid

The bottom of the Atkins pyramid consists of protein foods. Therefore, every day you need to eat poultry or animal meat, fish, and seafood. The next step of the pyramid is non-starchy vegetables. Preference is given to various varieties of cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, lettuce, asparagus, carrots, and eggplants.

The third step of the pyramid is represented by fruits and berries, including: pear, avocado, raspberries, blueberries, etc. If a person plays sports during a diet, then it is allowed to eat cherries and apples.

The fourth component of the pyramid is dairy products, vegetable oil, legumes and nuts. They can be eaten, but in limited quantities. Various vegetable oils, sour cream, blue cheese, goat cheese, Parmesan, cheddar, feta, and Swiss are allowed. cheese

The top of the pyramid is flour products. They can be eaten very rarely. We are talking about pasta made from durum wheat and bread made from whole grain flour. Pastries, any products made from wheat flour, and porridge are prohibited.

Regardless of the stage of your diet, you can include herbs and seasonings in your diet, including: black pepper, cumin, thyme, curry, Chinese pepper and garlic.

Last note

If you think that all the information I provide is based only on my personal opinion, you are mistaken. I spent years collecting it. Below are just a few links to published studies:

• Megan McCrory, Ph.D., Energy Metabolism Lab researcher, Tufts University.
• Dr. James J. Kenny, Ph.D., RD, Nutritionist at the Pritikin Longevity Center in Santa Monica, California and Vice-President of the National Council Against Health Fraud.
• Ellen Coleman, R.D.
• Tim Patton, RD, Florida International University.
• Keith Klein, nutritionist, researcher, consumer activitist, Klein's Eating Management Clinic, Houston Texas.
• Dr. Nancy Wellman, Florida International University.
• Jim Wright, PhD, Science Editor, Weider Publications.
• Jeff Feliciano, researcher, Weider Nutrition.

Source:

Allowed and prohibited foods on the Atkins diet

Authorized products:

Prohibited products:

Regarding prohibited foods, the following general recommendations exist:

• You should not eat foods containing sugar.
• You should avoid industrially produced juices, carbonated drinks and sweet syrups.
• All products made from white wheat flour, pasta, dumplings, cakes, dumplings, etc. are prohibited.
• You cannot add store-bought sauces, including soy sauce, to your dishes.
• Any alcohol during the diet is not allowed.

Foods you should not eat while on the Atkins diet:

Atkins Diet Recipes

Julienne with mushrooms and tongue

Products needed to prepare the dish:

• Boiled tongue – 0.35 kg.
• One head of onion.
• Two tablespoons of butter.
• 0.1 l sour cream.
• 0.1 kg cheese.
• Greens, pepper and salt to taste.

The tongue is boiled and cut into strips. Fry the onion in butter for no more than 2 minutes. The greens are chopped, mixed with tongue and onions, salted, peppered, seasoned with sour cream. Place the future julienne in baking dishes, sprinkle with grated cheese and put in the oven. Cook the dish at 180 degrees for a quarter of an hour.

Omelette with green beans

Products needed to prepare the dish:

• Half a glass of milk.
• Four eggs.
• Two tomatoes.
• Bell pepper.
• 150 g green beans.
• 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
• Salt, pepper and herbs to taste.

The beans are cut into 2 parts and boiled in lightly salted water. Remove the skin from the tomatoes and cut into cubes. Bell peppers are peeled and cut into strips. Eggs are mixed with milk, herbs, pepper and salt. Add beans and tomatoes to this mixture. Fry the pepper on both sides in a frying pan, then pour in the milk-egg mixture. Cook the omelet with the lid closed for 10 minutes.

Warm salad with shrimp

Products needed to prepare the dish:

• 0.5 kg peeled shrimp.
• Two tablespoons of butter.
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice.
• Two tomatoes.
• One avocado.
• Two tablespoons of olive oil.
• Two stalks of celery.
• One cucumber and one carrot.
• Salt.

Shrimp are fried in oil, flavored with lemon juice. Tomatoes, avocados, boiled carrots and celery are chopped, mixed with warm shrimp, seasoned with olive oil, salted and served.

Fish "Egyptian style"

Products needed to prepare the dish:

• 1 kg flounder.
• 0.2 kg vegetable oil.
• 0.1 kg peeled almonds.
• 50 g raisins.
• 0.5 kg of tomatoes.
• Ground red pepper and salt.

The fish is rubbed with salt and pepper and fried in oil. Separately, fry raisins and nuts, then add tomatoes and simmer until the sauce thickens. The finished fish is poured with tomato dressing and served.

Mexican Chicken

Products needed to prepare the dish:

• 0.3 kg chicken.
• 0.15 kg smoked lard.
• 1 piece of loaf.
• 25 g goose liver.
• Half a head of onion.
• 30 g champignons.
• 1/4 cup milk.
• One egg.
• 2 tablespoons butter.
• Parsley, ground black pepper and salt.

Fat is rendered from lard, onions, mushrooms and liver are fried in it and seasoned with spices. Eggs and loaf pulp soaked in milk are added to the finished mass. Mix everything thoroughly. Stuff the chicken with the prepared minced meat, grease the frying pan with oil and cook in the oven for no more than 1 hour 10 minutes. You can use green peas or rice as a side dish.

But we are all sensitive to carbohydrates?!

Carb-free advocates have coined the term "carbohydrate sensitivity" and are now claiming that all Americans, due to their poor daily diet, are suffering from this mysterious disease.

According to the results of clinical studies, about 10-25% of Americans actually suffer from insulin resistance. Studies have shown that improving body composition (the ratio of lean body mass to fat) and regular exercise are much more important for combating insulin resistance than limiting carbohydrate intake.

Pros and cons of the Atkins diet

Pros of the Atkins diet:

• The weight comes off quickly.
• The diet is not starvation.
• Thanks to diet, you can reduce your cravings for sweets.
• Muscle mass does not burn on a diet.

Cons of the Atkins Diet:

• The menu contains not enough carbohydrates, but an excess of fats and proteins, which is unnatural for the human body.
• Diet can provoke the development of diabetes mellitus and cause the formation of kidney stones. There is a risk of developing pathologies of the heart, thyroid gland, and bone tissue. Women may have problems conceiving a child.
• During the diet, your health may deteriorate, headaches, and depression may appear.
• An unpleasant odor may begin to emanate from your mouth.

What about vegetarians?

You can use the Atkins diet as a vegetarian (and even vegan) diet, but it's more complicated.

You can use soy-based products for protein and eat plenty of nuts and seeds. Olive oil and coconut oil are excellent vegetable fats.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians can also eat eggs, cheese, butter and other high-fat dairy products.

Contraindications

Contraindications to the Atkins diet:

• Pathologies of the liver and urinary system.
• Pathologies of the heart and blood vessels.
• Presence of kidney stones.
• Diseases of the digestive system.
• High level of creatinine in the blood.
• Carrying a child, breastfeeding, pregnancy planning stage.
• Diabetes. It is possible to follow the diet only under medical supervision.
• Age over 40 years (increases the risk of complications).
• Gout.
• Joint pathologies.
• Menopause period.
• If a person plays sports as a professional, then a doctor’s consultation is required before starting to adhere to this diet.

Weight gain[edit | edit code]

Between 2003 and 2009, employees of the Spanish University Rovira and Virgil analyzed data from 7.4 thousand volunteers over 55 years of age. According to the findings, people who followed a high-protein diet for a long time had a 90% increased risk of weight gain after switching to carbohydrates compared to participants in the control group. In addition, such diets have been associated with an increased risk of human death when replacing proteins with carbohydrates or fats. As scientists explained, high-protein diets impair kidney function and also disrupt insulin metabolism.[1]

Side effects

A minimal intake of carbohydrate foods into the body is associated with the following complications:

• Deterioration in performance.
• The appearance of kidney stones.
• Deterioration of brain function.
• The likelihood of developing gout.
• Increased risk of developing osteoporosis.
• Increased blood cholesterol levels.
• Increased likelihood of developing cancer.
• Increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Adviсe

Tips for losing weight on the Atkins diet:

• It is necessary to control the chemical composition and amount of carbohydrates in food. Sometimes there can be a lot of them even in the most unexpected dishes.
• Side dishes that a person is used to eating every day should be replaced with vegetables whenever possible. It is better to give up potatoes and cereals altogether, eating vegetable salads along with meat.
• A table of calorie content of foods and the content of essential nutrients in them should always be immediately available. You can print it out and take it with you to work. This will allow you to control the amount of carbohydrates you eat per day.
• The Atkins diet is designed to be followed for life.
• The Kremlin diet is the Russian equivalent of the Atkins diet. However, it is not as developed, and its menu is less balanced. Therefore, preference should be given to the Atkins diet.
• While dieting, you should definitely exercise.

In case of failure

With such a diet, it is rare, but breakdowns do occur. Despite the fact that here you can eat an abundance of permitted foods, sometimes ingrained eating habits do not let go, and people fill up on carbohydrate foods: sweets, fast food, and semi-finished products. These products provoke a sharp jump in sugar in the body, and the main process of the diet - ketosis gets lost. In order to restart this process necessary for weight loss after a breakdown, you need to eat for 4-5 days according to the first phase of the diet - induction. It is very important not to break down again in such a situation, watch this! And after this time, very gradually begin to increase the amount of carbohydrates per day, by 3-5 g.

If you failed at the very beginning of the diet, during the induction phase, which lasts from 2 to 6 weeks, the principle of action will be the same, only you need not to increase the number of carbohydrates, but to complete this phase and achieve your ideal weight.

FAQ

• Is it possible to drink coffee while dieting?

  Coffee itself does not interfere with the process of losing excess weight. However, the caffeine it contains can trigger a spike in insulin in the blood, which will lead to a decrease in glucose levels. During the Atkins diet, glucose levels are already at a minimum, and even lowering them can pose a health threat. The likelihood of developing hypoglycemia increases. This is manifested by increased heartbeat, tremors of the limbs, increased sweating, attacks of hunger, and irritability. Therefore, coffee should be completely abandoned during phase 1 of the diet. In the future, you can drink it, but in small portions.

• I eat food in smaller quantities, but the weight has begun to come off more slowly. What is the reason?

  When the body begins to receive fewer calories from food, it slows down metabolic processes. Sometimes on the Atkins diet there is a seemingly paradoxical situation - a person increases portions and begins to lose weight faster. Calorie intake for women should be 2000 kcal per day, and for men - 2500 kcal per day. Although these indicators are purely individual.

• If you don't exceed your daily carbohydrate limit, can you eat sweets?

  This should not be done. By eating a small amount of sweets, a person does not exceed the permissible level of carbohydrates, but at the same time there is a sharp jump in the level of insulin in the blood. Therefore, it is best to avoid sweets on a diet.

• I had a breakdown, what should I do?

  The process of ketosis during a breakdown is disrupted. To return to your previous state, you need to limit your daily carbohydrate level to 20 g for several days. After 3-5 days, the weight loss process should resume. The main thing is not to fail again.

• Does diet harm your kidneys?

  The load on the kidneys during the diet is increased, so adherence to it is contraindicated for people with diseases of these organs. If a person is absolutely healthy, then he has nothing to fear.

• Did Dr. Atkins himself die of heart disease?

  Dr. Atkins suffered from cardiomyopathy, which was caused by an infectious disease. The illness has nothing to do with his diet. He died at the age of 72 from a head injury. The doctor received it when he fell on the floor in his own office.

General rules

The diet of cardiologist Robert Atkins is also known as the Hollywood nutrition system.
This is a low-carb technique that appeared in the twentieth century. The essence of the diet is to limit carbohydrates and provide the body with energy from stored fats, not glucose. Nutritionist Robert Atkins put together a four-phase method:

• the first phase is induction;
• second phase – weight loss;
• the third phase is preparation for maintaining a constant weight;
• the fourth phase is weight maintenance.

Phase I

The first phase is called induction and is the adjustment of the desired metabolism. This phase starts the process of ketosis - the fat burning process.

According to this most strict phase, which can last from 2 weeks, you need to consume no more than 20 g of carbohydrates per day. This rule should not be violated under any circumstances during this period, otherwise efforts will be in vain.

How does the first phase work? glycogen reserves , which are stored in muscle tissue, and the release of insulin into the blood stops due to a decrease in glucose levels. On days 3-4, the body switches from burning carbohydrates to burning fats: it needs to get energy from somewhere, right? This is how ketosis .

During the first phase, a week later, you can already notice some weight loss: the body has gotten rid of excess fluid, swelling has disappeared. Don't worry about this being the end result. Further, the fat burning process will occur even more intensely.

In general, the duration of induction directly depends on your well-being, endurance and results achieved over these 2 weeks. Remember that during the entire period of the first phase you must lose at least 1 kg of weight, and the results must be tangible and visible. If the results do not suit you, but patience allows, then “Induction” can be extended to 4-6 weeks.

Most often, the induction menu quickly becomes boring, and those losing weight switch to phase II.

Phase II

While in the second phase, your body continues to reduce weight and volume due to the same burning of the fat layer from which energy is extracted.

This is the main phase, which can last from 3-5 weeks to several years. And this is where you need to very carefully monitor your personal carbohydrate intake per day, at which you will still lose weight. Remember that the carbohydrate intake is individual for each person, and the optimal amount can only be found through experimentation.

Start your search for carbohydrate norms with the induction minimum, which is 20 g per day. Next, very gradually, 3-5 g at a time, increase the amount of carbohydrate-containing foods, observing your body and weight loss. Slowing down your weight loss rate indicates that you are near the best amount of carbohydrates allowed. Thus, by maintaining the found amount of carbohydrates per day, you will be able to lose weight in a comfortable manner and with a varied menu for a very long time.

During all phases, it is very important not to forget about one of the most powerful ways to increase the speed of the metabolic process - physical activity. Moreover, with a low-carb diet, they are the same basic component as counting and limiting carbohydrates in the diet.

The second phase can continue until you have 3-6 kg left to lose to your acceptable or ideal weight.

When this milestone is reached, you should move on to the third phase of the Atkins diet.

Phase III

The third phase is the transition from active weight loss to weight maintenance. Here you have already dealt, and very successfully, with a large amount of excess fat and are closer to your ideal weight. Now you are actively involved in sports, eat proper and healthy food, and your figure is a source of pride.

The entire third phase is aimed at choosing for yourself such a nutritional system, the amount of carbohydrates and physical activity that will be required to maintain the achieved results for the rest of your life. And here it is important to remember that if you return to a normal diet full of large amounts of carbohydrates, the weight will quickly return, possibly even in an increased amount. This is why the third phase is important: you need to decide how and what you will eat in order to enjoy life and your body.

Most often, this stage lasts from 1 to 3 months. Here you increase the amount of carbohydrate intake gradually, by 5-7 g per week, while strictly monitoring your body condition and the numbers on the scales. In addition, you can include in the menu every week some new product that you did not allow yourself before. It is during this period that experiments with sugar, sweets, and other favorite harmful foods occur. That is, if when you eat 30 g of chocolate once a week, your weight does not change or fluctuate, then you can fit this indulgence into your diet. Of course, you shouldn’t overdo it.

Phase IV

When you reach the fourth phase of the Robert Atkins diet, such eating will no longer be difficult for you, but only pleasure. Here you can already confidently note that you have reached your own ideal weight, and the low-carb menu has long become a habit. But you shouldn’t relax here either! It is necessary to constantly and very closely monitor your weight and the amount of carbohydrate-containing food. This phase is constant, one might say, for life, in order to avoid gaining weight again. Here you eat based on the amount of carbohydrates per day that was determined during the third phase of the diet.

Dr. Atkins' revolutionary new diet

The book that laid the foundation for this technique and with the help of which the diet became known throughout the world. In it, the doctor collected the results of his many years of experience and work on obesity . We recommend reading this book while on a diet, since it describes in more detail all the advantages and benefits of the diet, and explains the biochemical processes that occur in the human body when changing diet. Also, the work contains many delicious low-carb recipes.

Book "Dr. Atkins' New Revolutionary Diet"

Thus, the Robert Atkins method is a carefully thought-out and popular way to lose weight, perfect for adults suffering from excess weight problems. In addition, studies have proven that a low-carbohydrate diet is mandatory for epilepsy . This method of nutrition significantly reduces the number and severity of epileptic seizures.

In addition, it is also suitable for the treatment of childhood obesity. The method of using a low-carbohydrate diet for children is as follows: you need to gradually reduce the amount of carbohydrates in the child’s menu to an acceptable amount at which he will lose weight, avoiding the first phase of induction.

Reviews and results

O. Zaikina, leading researcher at the Institute of Immunology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation:

“The Atkins diet can only be suitable for absolutely healthy people, as it completely changes the metabolic processes in the body. Its main advantage is the absence of hunger. It’s best to follow this technique in winter or late autumn, when it’s cold outside.”

Yu. Chekhonina, doctor, Research Institute of Nutrition, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences:

“Weight begins to decrease during a diet, that’s a fact. However, if you consume more than 120 g of protein per day (the diet suggests consuming 150 g of protein per day), this can provoke gout, kidney disease or hypertension.”

Reviews from those who have lost weight

Alexander: “I’ve wanted to lose weight for a long time, but I can’t give up meat. The Atkins diet works great for me. With her help, I lost 30 kg in 2 years.”

Olesya: “I couldn’t maintain this diet. A week after it started, my blood pressure dropped sharply, so I had to give up losing weight.”

Daria: “I lost 15 kg in two months, which makes me very happy. I’m hoping to lose another 10 kilos.”

Tatyana: “I decided to try the Atkins diet after giving birth to get rid of 10 extra pounds that didn’t want to go away. On the 2nd week of the diet, I had a breakdown and ate a piece of cake. At this time the weight was 2 kg. The idea continued to eat according to the rules of the first phase. I bought tests to measure the level of ketone bodies. It showed that the ketosis process was not impaired. In the end, I still managed to lose weight.”

Read also[edit | edit code]

• Diet for weight loss
  - recommended by an expert
• Fat burners
• How to suppress appetite and cope with hunger
• Vegetarianism
• Mono-diet
• Starvation
• Food pyramid
• Iron World 2012 No. 1 “Ketogenic diet” - page 82.

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Conclusion

The Atkins diet puts the body into a state in which fat deposits begin to disappear very quickly. However, the menu cannot be called a balanced one, and it also limits the intake of vitamins into the body. Therefore, you can adhere to this diet only after consulting a nutritionist. It is quite possible that the doctor will recommend a different method of combating excess weight.

Author of the article:

Kuzmina Vera Valerievna |
Endocrinologist, nutritionist Education: Diploma of the Russian State Medical University named after. N.I. Pirogov, specialty “General Medicine” (2004). Residency at the Moscow State Medical and Dental University, diploma in Endocrinology (2006). Our authors

Where is the element of resistance exercise?

In Age and the Diet Revolution, Dr. Atkins actually encourages readers to do resistance exercise. However, these recommendations only take up one paragraph. In his previous book, The Diet Revolution, there is no mention of resistance exercise at all. In his “new” book, he suggests resistance exercise only as a means to combat the diseases of aging. He makes no mention anywhere of lean body mass and its relationship to metabolism. This gap leaves many questions.

Any diet or weight loss program that does not use lean body mass to fat ratio as a tool to determine its effectiveness raises a lot of questions and confusion.