Atkins Diet Review

Diet Review

By Myatt Murphy

Started by the late Dr. Robert Atkins in the 1970's, the diet has maintained its popularity because it does seem to work in the short-term. However, according to nutritionists, the Atkins' Diet success rate in terms of weight loss is considered to be middle of the road. A 2007 study performed at Stanford University found that subjects who used Atkins lost more weight on average than those who followed the Zone, the LEARN diet and the Ornish Diet. However, these same subjects only lost an average of 10.4 pounds on the Atkins diet in 12 months time.

The diet also has its fair share of side effects. Limiting your carbohydrates throws your body into a state of ketosis -- when your body starts using fat instead of carbohydrates for energy. Side effects from ketosis can include dizziness, nausea, lethargy, and even bad breath. Because of the lack of fiber in the Atkins plan, some people may even find themselves feeling constipated.

The all-new Atkins Advantage still follows the same core principles as the original, but adds in a few new things, including mandatory regular exercise and advising dieters to limit portion sizes (the old program let dieters eat unlimited amounts of high-protein, low-carb foods.) There’s also an assortment of healthy lifestyle advice that’s encouraged, from how to track your goals to understanding why you may be overeating in the first place. Although all of these new additions do make the diet more grounded than the original, the Atkins Advantage is still higher in fat and cholesterol than many diet plans.

Is the diet healthy?

That's questionable. Because you never count calories, you can technically overeat as long as you don't exceed your daily allotment of carbohydrates. You also end up eating less of certain fiber-rich fruits and vegetables because of their high-carb content, yet you're allowed to eat ample amounts of high-fat and/or high-cholesterol foods because they are lower in carbs, including fried eggs, red meat, mayonnaise, bacon, cheese and butter. The revised version is definitely healthier than its predecessor because it makes exercise, goal-setting and addressing why you eat more of a priority, instead of a suggestion.

What do the experts say?

The original Atkins Diet had its’ share of questionable issues. "It's not a very healthy diet, especially in its initial phases because of how restrictive it is with carbohydrates," says Susan Moores, M.S., R.D., spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "Restricting carbohydrates makes the diet incredibly challenging to stick with long-term, which is why you really don't find many dieters that have been on Atkins for years." Moore praises Atkins, however, for being the first plan to successfully get dieters to understand the difference between processed carbohydrates, such as white flour products and refined sugars and good carbs (such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables). "Prior to Atkins, the general public didn't know there was even a difference between good carbs and bad carbs," she says, "Now, a lot more people understand that certain carbohydrates have little to no nutritional value, raise your blood sugar and lead to excess stored fat."

As for the new-and-improved Atkins Advantage, the experts don’t see many differences between the two diets besides adding exercise, asking dieters to modify their eating behavior, building the diet around a 12-week schedule and using menus instead of recipes (so it’s easier to plan your meals.) “Beyond that, the diet prescription and food charts are essentially the same,” says Joan Salge Blake, MS, RD, LDN, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and nutrition professor at Boston University. “It still recommends eating higher amounts of protein which can displace other foods in a person’s diet, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, all of which contain substantial amounts of disease-fighting phytochemicals.”

It also restricts the amount of net carbs you eat between 20 to 80 grams daily, depending on which phase you’re in. The problem: “Your body needs a minimum of 130 grams of carbs a day for your brain to function efficiently,” says Blake. Even though dieters may be getting that recommended amount before calculating their total ‘net carbs’, depending on which foods they choose to eat, it’s still remains a diet that lacks enough nutritional balance to be considered a life-long plan.

Who should consider the diet?

If you love meat, you'll enjoy the diet, as long as you can stay interested in it. Men tend to eat higher amounts of meat, which is why they seem to be fare better on it. It also requires a certain amount of discipline and sacrifice, which is why many people never seem to have long-term success with the program. However, if you already suffer from high cholesterol, you may want to avoid Atkins because of the amount of high-fat, high-cholesterol foods they recommend. Although research from Stanford University found that Atkins followers only experienced a minor increase in their LDL levels (the bad cholesterol that can contribute to heart disease) after one year on the diet, there are many nutritionists who worry about the negative effects the diet could have in the long-term.

What You Can Eat

During Phase One, plenty of shellfish, red meat, eggs, poultry, fish, cheese and low-carb vegetables, such as peppers, celery, asparagus, snow peas and cucumbers. However, fruits, refined sugar products, high-carb vegetables, dairy (with the exception of cheese, butter and cream) white rice, white bread, and pasta made with white flour are forbidden. During the other phases, you'll continue eating the same foods, but reintroduce whole-grain bread, pasta, brown rice, low-glycemic fruits (like strawberries and raspberries) and higher-carbohydrate veggies, such as carrots, potatoes, squash and peas.

Bottom Line

If you think you can forsake your temptation for carbs give it a shot and go with the all-new Atkins Advantage instead (since the changes do make it a wiser, healthier choice). Keep in mind, however, that just because you can eat as much protein and fat as you like doesn't mean you should make poor choices when it comes to both. If you’re following the classic Atkins Diet, experts recommend picking healthier proteins, such as chicken and fish instead of steak, pork chops and bacon. That also goes for whatever fats you eat: Skip the highly-processed vegetable oils and use healthier types, such as olive oil.

See the Atkins Diet at a Glance