Diet Plan - Atkins Diet
Atkins Diet - Simple Advice
Posted Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Just like any other diet, the Atkins diet can become boring and for some very dangerous. Before you get into the plan make sure you get a physical and talk to your doctor. We already know that the diet works but how do you work the diet? There is plenty of advice and information available online and in the library.
The Atkins Diet is an attempt to trick your body into burning stored fat rather than the carbohydrates you consume for energy. In the process you might have some physical reactions that are important to know about. The good news is that there are things you can do to combat some of the side effects.
Some people experience dizziness or cramps or other physical effects from the changes you are making in your diet. There are things you can do to prevent or alleviate these things. Be aware that you could experience dizziness, leg cramps, or brain fog. Remember that the mineral potassium is washed out of your system fairly quickly. Do not eat a banana instead take 90 milligrams of a potassium supplement. It should start working to relieve your symptoms in about an hour.
Below are some suggestions that will help keep you healthy while on the Atkins Diet Plan. These are suggestions to help you combat the symptoms while your body adjusts to the changes.
- Eat enough calories. For most people eight to ten calories for every pound of current weight. Too few calories will cause your body to go into starvation mode and weight loss will either slowdown or stop completely.
- Drink enough water. You must drink at least 68 ounces of water a day. Some believe that you should drink half of your weight in water daily. Water helps lipolysis and in getting rid of keytones.
- Weigh and measure yourself once a week only while on the Atkins plan. You should see a decrease in inches and even if you don’t, you will see it in weight.
- Eat the amount of carbs that make you feel your best.
- Eat only natural, unprocessed, nutrient dense carbohydrates. Stay away from sugar.
- Exercise regularly. If you are told you can lose weight without exercise, run don’t walk in the opposite direction. Physical exercise helps your body to use the food you consume appropriately. Too little exercise can do as much damage as too much exercise. Your doctor can help you determine what your activity level should be. Start off really slow and build up so that you will gain more benefit from your food plan and exercise.
- Continue to take nutrient supplements according to your needs and under a doctor’s supervision.
- Keep a weight loss and food journal. If a significant event happens like the death of someone close, the loss of a job, or too many bills you might want to note that. These events could affect how you eat. Actually anything significant that happens should be noted because good stuff can also affect you. In this journal you should also note exactly what you eat at each meal, and if you are a diabetic you will be able to understand how certain foods affect your blood sugar levels negatively or positively. Obviously you will be noting your daily testing results. By doing this you will be able to recognize patterns. When are your levels the highest or the lowest? Be sure to share these things with your physician, as he or she will be able to help you determine what to do.
- Read the labels on everything. Look for any hidden sugars like syrups and look for anything that ends in “...ose”, such as lactose, fructose, sucrose, maltose and dextrose.
- Lose weight faster. In order to accomplish this try reducing your caffeine intake.
- Set realistic goals. A healthy weight loss typically is not much more than one to three pounds a week. Any more than that could be unsafe. Losing weight too quickly can trick your body into thinking that it is starving and rather than losing weight your body will stop losing weight and try to hang on to what it can to survive. Aside from all of that, note that any large initial weight loss will likely return if you return to normal eating habits.
If a diet seems too good to be true, it probably is. The best kind of diet is one that encourages balanced meals, moderate activity, and supplements as needed. Before taking any kind of supplement make sure that it is appropriate for you. Although they may be all natural, they are not necessarily safe. They can still negatively interact with any medications and you could still develop allergic reactions to it. Bear in mind that nothing should be take with out your doctor’s input.
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Martin Smith is a successful freelance writer providing advice on a variety of subjects. For more information on Atkins diet plan or Low carb diet plans, drop by the website. His numerous articles provide a wonderfully researched resource of interesting and relevant information.
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