There are dozens of different low-carb diet plans to choose from that have been popular for many decades. Low-carb diets typically produce more short-term weight loss than low-fat diets. As a result, they continue to gain popularity. The best known low-carb diet plan is the Atkins diet: originally promoted by a physician named Dr. Robert C. Atkins, who wrote a best-selling book about the diet in 1972.
The Atkins diet involves reducing all high-carb foods, while eating as much protein and fat as desired.
The diet is split into 4 phases:
- Phase 1 — Induction: Eat under 20 grams of carbs per day for 2 weeks.
- Phase 2 — Balancing: Slowly add more nuts, low-carb vegetables and fruits to your diet.
- Phase 3 — Fine-tuning: When you get close to your goal weight, add more carbs until weight loss becomes slower.
- Phase 4 — Maintenance: Eat as many healthy carbs as your body tolerates without gaining back the weight you lost.
This diet was originally considered to be unhealthy by reputable health authorities, but recent studies have shown that the Atkins Diet is both safe and effective.
Bottom Line: The Atkins diet has been popular for over 4 decades. It is a 4-phase low-carb diet plan that allows eating protein and fat until fullness.
Read further on the next page to learn about the popular Vegan version of the Atkins Diet …