Atkins Review

Sunday, February 28th

2021 Rapid Weight Loss Diet Reviews

Atkins

• Cost: All plans and tools are FREE
• Meal kits, bars, shakes and treats available for purchase

You might say that Atkins is the original keto or paleo diet plan. In 1963, cardiologist Robert Atkins realized that his patients lost a lot of weight fast when cutting back drastically on carbs - but without the constant hunger usually seen with other diets. Since then, the Atkins approach has helped thousands of people to shed unwanted pounds and develop healthier eating habits for a lifetime.

One thing we really appreciate about the Atkins site is the variety of 100% free tools people can use on their low-carb weight loss program. From a mobile app that lets you track your food no matter where you are, to meal plans and shopping lists to take the guesswork out of what to eat, this site offers it all at no charge.

And, if you really need the control that comes by having ready-made food that lets you eat low-carb without much work (or calorie counting), the Atkins site sells a wide range of meals and snacks to simplify things. Although you'll find the Atkins line of food in some bigger supermarket chains, the easiest way to get your meals, shakes and more is by ordering through the online store. (The only exception is Atkins' frozen foods; you'll have to get those locally because they're not offered through the website.)

Whichever approach you take, you'd probably need to pick an Atkins plan to follow:

• Atkins 20 is the program that's most likely to result in Rapid Weight Loss. Designed for those who have 40 or more pounds to lose, or who are dealing with Diabetes or Prediabetes, this plan restricts your total carbs to just 20 per day. Expect to eat "foundation vegetables" (non-starchy kinds), protein, cheese, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats like avocado. Later in the program, you'll get to add in things like legumes, tomato juice, berries, melon, and Greek yogurt.
• Atkins 40 focuses on people who are trying to lose less than 40 pounds, who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or who prefer a program that starts with a broader variety of foods to choose from. Because you're probably not used to restricting your carbs to just 40 per day, this plan may also give you the quick weight drop you're looking for, but not as drastically as the Atkins 20 plan.

If you reach your goal weight and like the Atkins approach, you'd then be able to switch to the Atkins 100 plan (and yes, the 100 refers to 100 net carbs daily). Although this plan still recommends that you make the majority of your food choices from the "acceptable" list and minimize your intake of refined carbs like sugar, this plan doesn't have any food that is completely off-limits.

So, let's say you go all-in with Phase 1 of the Atkins plan. How much weight can you expect to lose? While the site gives you the standard "you can expect to lose 1-2 pounds per week" disclaimer, we found a reference by Mayo Clinic that said it's not unusual to lose up to 15 pounds in the first two weeks! But, they were quick to say that Atkins realizes that those initial losses may represent a significant amount of water weight, and that those losses aren't typical.

Still, 15 pounds in 2 weeks: weight loss doesn't get much more rapid than that! What's the downside? For a lot of people, restricting carbs so severely is extremely challenging. Think about the amount of carbs in the foods you usually eat - bananas (27g of carbs), beer (13g of carbs per can), pizza (around 36 g of carbs per slice) - and you'll start to see why a lot of people wind up binge eating and giving up on Atkins.

But, if you aren't looking for a long-term solution, just a way to shed some pounds before a big event or some other reason, Atkins can help you do it if you invest the time and self-control. You might want to experiment with some of the site's free tools before making your commitment, to see if it's a plan you can follow long enough to see the scale move.