In the early 1970s Dr. Atkins developed the world's first low carb diet. Dr. Atkins was a cardiologist and over the years he wrote dozens of books relating to his low carb diet. The Atkins diet can be an extremely effective way to lose weight. That said, for this diet to be effective you need to know how long you should stay on the Atkins diet.
The problem most people encounter with this diet is they don't know how long you should stay on the Atkins diet. This diet was not actually designed to be a temporary fix for weight problems. In actuality, it was designed to be a complete overhaul of the way you eat for life. For this reason, the Atkins diet is broken down into four different stages. These stages make the transition process much easier and much more conducive to life long dietary maintenance.
When you are wondering how long you should stay on the Atkins diet you need to evaluate the first phase of the diet to start. The introduction phase of the Atkins diet last about fourteen days. This phase of the diet is designed to give you a weight loss boost. During this phase you will eat no more than 20 grams of carbohydrates each day.
The second phase of the Atkins diet is also commonly referred to as the OWL stage. If you are wondering how long you should stay on the Atkins diet second phase, there is no definitive answer. The second phase is considered the on-going weight loss phases and you are supposed to stay in this phase until you reach your goal weight. Naturally, this can vary from person to person so there is no set time frame for completion of this phase. During this phase of the Atkins diet you will be allowed to consume no more than 40 grams of carbohydrates each day.
After you have reached your chosen goal weight you will move to phase three of the Atkins diet. This phase is commonly referred to as the pre-maintenance diet. How long you should stay on the Atkins diet phase three depends on how long it takes you to determine your carbohydrate threshold. When you begin phase three of the diet you will begin introducing more carbohydrates into your diet slowly. You will closely monitor your weight during this phase so if you begin to gain weight you can back off your carbohydrate intake. This phase will help you learn your bodies own unique tolerance level for carbohydrates and this will set you up for life long maintenance on the diet plan.
The final phase of the Atkins diet lasts the rest of your life if you follow the tips and habits you learned in the first three phases of the diet. When you graduate to the final phase of the diet you know your carbohydrate tolerance and you are already at your ideal weight. If you fall off the wagon during this phases you can go back to phase one and start the diet again. That said, this phase is intended to be end of the road.
Backing off carbs may seem overwhelming to those who like chips, sugar, bread and other carbs. However, contrary to popular belief you don't have to say goodbye to carbs forever on the Atkins diet. You just have to learn how many carbs your body can tolerate with putting on the pounds. Once you follow the planned steps for the Atkins diet you will have a better understanding of your body and you will look and feel better.
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