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Primarily a diet aimed at weight loss, this diet has had many controversial reviews. Proponents of this diet claim that you can lose weight eating as much protein and fat as you want, as long as you avoid foods high in carbs.

The Atkins diet was originally promoted by a physician named Dr. Robert C. Atkins, who wrote a best-selling book about the diet in 1972. Since then, the Atkins diet has been popular all over the world and many more books have been written about it.

The diet was originally considered unhealthy and demonized by the mainstream health authorities, mostly due to the high saturated fat content. However, new studies have shown that saturated fat is harmless.
Despite what you may have heard, the Atkins diet is actually quite flexible.

It is only during the 2-week induction phase that you need to minimize your intake of healthier carb sources. After induction is over, you can slowly add back healthier carbs such as higher carb vegetables, fruits, berries, potatoes, legumes and healthier grains like oats and rice.

However, chances are that you will need to stay moderately low-carb for life, even if you reach your weight loss goals. If you start eating the same old foods again in the same amounts as before, you will gain back the weight.

This is true of any weight loss diet.This diet is said to have 4 different phases, comprising of-

• Induction – Under 20 grams of carbs per day for 2 weeks. Eat high-fat, high-protein, with low-carb vegetables like leafy greens. This kick-starts the weight loss.
• Balancing – Slowly add more nuts, low-carb vegetables and small amounts of fruit back to your diet.
• Fine tuning – When you are very close to your goal weight, add more carbs to your diet until weight loss slows down.
• Maintenance – Here you can eat as many healthy carbs as your body can tolerate without regaining weight.

The foods you must avoid include –

• Sugar : Soft drinks, fruit juices, cakes, candy, ice cream, etc.
• Grains: Wheat, spelt, rye, barley, rice.
• Vegetable Oils: Soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil and a few others.
• Trans Fats: Usually found in processed foods with the word “hydrogenated” on the ingredients list.
• “Diet” and “Low-Fat” Foods : These are usually very high in sugar.
• High-Carb Vegetables : Carrots, turnips, etc (induction only).
• High-Carb Fruits : Bananas, apples, oranges, pears, grapes (induction only).
• Starches : Potatoes, sweet potatoes (induction only).
• Legumes : Lentils, beans, chickpeas, etc (induction only).

The foods you must consume include –

• Meats : Beef, pork, lamb, chicken, bacon and others.
• Fatty Fish and Seafood : Salmon, trout, sardines, etc.
• Eggs : The healthiest eggs are Omega-3 enriched or pastured.
• Low-Carb Vegetables : Kale, spinach, broccoli, asparagus and others.
• Full-Fat Dairy : Butter, cheese, cream, full-fat yoghurt.
• Nuts and Seeds : Almonds, macadamia nuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc.
• Healthy Fats : Extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, avocados and avocado oil.