just may be the most popular and successful weight-control program ever introduced. Atkins products are currently available at nearly every supermarket, natural foods store and convenience store in this country, and an increasing number of Atkins entrees are showing up on the menus of popular restaurants. At any given time, there are at least three or four Atkins books on the bestseller lists. In fact, according to the New York Times, Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution is among the 50 best-selling books of all time. Significant scientific research has recently validated the Atkins Diet
. For millions upon millions of people desperately trying to shed those extra pounds and adopt a healthy lifestyle, the AAtkins Diet has been a dream come true. So why are so many stories in the media trying to make it seem like a nightmare?
"Most of the supposed negatives about Atkins are based on opinions and misconceptions," says Colette Heimowitz, M.S., VP of Education and Research at Atkins Health & Medical Information Services. "They are not based on science."
With so many misleading stories and third-party accounts of the Atkins Diet Approach, Heimowitz is trying to set the record straight. "The Atkins Diet Approach is a lifestyle of carbohydrate awareness to help people achieve permanent weight control and good health," Heimowitz tells eDiets.
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Heimowitz says there are a number of popular misconceptions about the Atkins Nutritional Approach being spread by people who have never read any of Dr. Atkins' books or looked at the Atkins Web site. "There is a myth that the Atkins Nutritional Approach is all about meat and steak, when in fact, there is a variety of other healthy protein choices available as well," Heimowitz says. She adds that Atkins can be adapted to your lifestyle, and that even lacto-ovo-vegetarians can succeed on this plan. "Another popular myth is that although you lose weight doing Atkins, it can be risky to your health," Heimowitz says. "In fact, research has consistently demonstrated that not only do you lose with the Atkins Diet Approach, but certain health parameters actually improve. These include cholesterol, insulin and blood sugar profiles, as well as inflammatory markers." Heimowitz points to 20 studies in the past two years alone, all of which have affirmed the health benefits of the Atkins Nutritional Approach.
"Yet another misconception is that the Atkins Diet Approach is a no-carb program," Heimowitz says. In fact, she says there are plenty of carbohydrate foods appropriate even in the initial phase of the program, including a wide array of vegetables. After two weeks, you start to incorporate other nutrient-dense carbohydrates such as low-sugar fruits, nuts and eventually even whole grains. "Unfortunately, many people identify the entire program with the Induction phase," she says.
Heimowitz is quick to remind people that there are four phases of the Atkins Diet Approach: Induction, Ongoing Weight Loss, Pre-Maintenance and Lifetime Maintenance. It is only during the Induction phase that carbohydrates are limited severely. After that, people begin to add healthy carbohydrates back into the program.
"One of the reasons Dr. Atkins wrote Atkins for Life," Heimowitz says, "was to give people the tools, tips and techniques they need to maintain weight loss for life. After all, a weight-loss plan is only as good as its ability to allow you to maintain that weight loss."
And make no mistake about it, the Atkins Diet Approach is designed to help you maintain a healthy weight for a lifetime. Though you incorporate healthy carbohydrates back into your diet, you eliminate the added sugars and processed carbohydrates that have contributed to the obesity epidemic in this country. "In our efforts to cut back on fat, we started to consume too many of the wrong kind of carbohydrates, and America is getting fatter and fatter," Heimowitz says. "When you eat more carbs, you crave more carbs. It becomes a vicious cycle."
In addition to eliminating added sugars and processed carbohydrates from your diet, Heimowitz emphasizes the importance of exercise. "You can’t talk about lifestyle changes without talking about exercise as part of the equation," she says.
Though the Atkins Diet Approach may not be for everyone, Heimowitz says it is ideal for many groups of people, including those who carry most of their weight around their middle, who feel sleepy shortly after eating, who are always hungry and obsessed with food all the time, who have hypertension and high triglycerides, and who are insulin resistant. The Atkins approach can be effective for nearly anyone who is looking for permanent weight control. "People need to find a program that suits their needs and likes to succeed with their weight-loss goals," Heimowitz says.
Followers of the Atkins Diet Approach also have more convenience foods and menu items available than ever before. "I think it is wonderful that people following a controlled-carb lifestyle have options that make it easier to meet their goals," Heimowitz says. However, she admits to having fears that many people will call something low-carbohydrate when it is not low-carb. "For best results, people should look for the Atkins seal of approval," Heimowitz says.
Now that we’ve dispelled some of the popular myths surrounding the Atkins Diet approach, it is also important to point out that it has never been easier to personalize this weight-loss regimen and tailor it to your individual needs. Now that Atkins has linked up with the world’s number-one online weight-loss Web site, you can receive a personalized meal plan along with the round-the-clock peer and professional support eDiets is famous for!
A recent survey of existing eDiets members reveals those who followed the Atkins Diet Approach achieved tremendous success in a short period of time. Nearly 5,000 eDiets members participated in the survey, and nearly all of them said they experienced weight-loss success with the personalized version of the Atkins Diet plan available on eDiets. A majority of the respondents also claimed to have more energy on the Atkins plan.
Still unsure if the Atkins Diet plan is right for you? According to some estimates, as many as 30 million people are following or considering a controlled-carb lifestyle. In a recent appearance on CNN, Larry King asked Veronica Atkins why so many people remained faithful to the Atkins Nutritional Approach. She replied simply, "Because it works, Larry. It just makes sense."
When a caller who had received tremendous health benefits from doing Atkins Diet asked how she could lend her support, Mrs. Atkins gave her the following advice, "Tell people what you have experienced. Tell them that you think Dr. Atkins was right. That would be the greatest contribution you could make to his legacy."
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