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Weight loss plateaus are the bane of every dieter's existence. There is nothing more frustrating than doing everything that you are 'supposed' to do but for whatever reason the weight loss just stops.

The fancy name for having that „conversation“ with your body is The Metabolic Switch - burning fat for energy, instead of carbohydrates. However, you can't just switch back and forth whenever you feel like it and expect to lose fat while discovering your six pack abs in the mirror. There is a method to the madness. Keep reading…

Many in depth studies have been made of this diet, and it consistently produces lower triglycerides, lower blood pressure and lower blood sugar. And it always shows a reduced risk of becoming diabetic over time.

Ketogenic diets create grounds for the body to switch from using carbohydrates to fat cells, in order to produce the energy needed by the body to function smoothly. Simply reducing carbohydrate intake to no more than 100gm per day will help achieve fantastic results. Unlike other diet plans that focus on starving you, ketogenic diets allow for protein and good fat intake in abundance. It is this protein that helps keep energy levels high and also prevent damage to the skin, hair etc.

The FDA has not formally defined the terms „Low-Carb,“ „Non-Impact Carbs“ and „Net Carbs“ as it has done with terms relating to fat content in food. That will surely come, but in the meantime many foods that are not particularly low-carb can get away with labeling themselves low-carb. As always, reading the nutritional information on the package and noting serving sizes is your best protection.

As we limit the amount of carbohydrates and thus the calories from them we need to ensure we get enough calories from other sources, mainly protein and fat. One well known diet, Atkins, relies on this methodology during its „induction phase“. This induction phase makes the participant eat a very low amount of carbohydrates whilst eating a high amount of protein and a moderate level of fat.

This diet was invented by a cardiologist who put an emphasis on the difference between „good and bad fats“ and „good and bad carbohydrates.“ He relied heavily on the glycemic index that had been invented in the 1980s, and he wrote a book that became a best seller.

You can reward your efforts with a high carb day every 3 days, this allows you to stay motivated, without needing to adhere to strict dieting such as the principles of the ketogenic diet.

So the Atkins Diet is all hype? Not at all. The Atkins weight loss plan is an effective way to lose weight. Under the Atkins diet, you will immediately lose ten to fifteen pounds of water weight as the liver loses all its stored glucose. Then you will switch to ketotic fat burning, with protein providing some glucose inefficiently. When protein is burned for fuel by the body, only 55% converts to energy, the rest converts to heat. Add to that the two hormones that slow down your urge to eat whenever high quantities of fat are present, and you have a recipe for rapid weight loss. The trouble is that when you go off Atkins you'll gain it back. He is quite clear about that, which is why it is so important for Atkins to defend his diet plan as a plan for life, not short term weight loss.

In his newest book, Atkins for Life, Atkins has backpedaled so far from the „all the fat you can eat“ idea he is practically in the same dietary range as Andrew Weil and the Harvard Diet. He discusses bad fats and good fats, transfats and the evils of barbecuing. When Dr. Atkins started into the joys of nuts and berries, I checked the front of the book again, thinking I had mistakenly switched to a raw foods book or a vegan cookbook. I don't know if I could recommend Atkins for Life for life, but it definitely leaves the New Diet Revolution in the dust. Had he lived a few more years, Dr. Atkins would have doubtless published the New Improved Diet Revolution, which would have been still closer to the mark. Goodbye, Dr. Atkins, you will be missed.