LCHF - Low Carb high fat
The Atkins diet is a low-carbohydrate diet.
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.
In the past 12 years, over 20 studies have shown that low-carb diets are effective for weight loss (without calorie counting), and can lead to various health improvements.
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.
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 (1, 2)
The basics
The Atkins diet is split into 4 different phases:
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Phase 1 (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.
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Phase 2 (Balancing): Slowly add more nuts, low-carb vegetables and small amounts of fruit back to your diet.
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Phase 3 (Fine-Tuning): When you are very close to your goal weight, add more carbs to your diet until weight loss slows down.
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Phase 4 (Maintenance): Here you can eat as many healthy carbs as your body can tolerate without regaining weight.
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However, these phases are a bit complicated and may not be necessary. You should be able to lose weight and keep it off as long as you stick to the meal plan below.
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Some people choose to skip the induction phase altogether and include plenty of vegetables and fruit from the start. This approach can be very effective as well.
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Others prefer to just stay in the induction phase indefinitely. This is also known as avery low-carb ketogenic diet (keto).
What to eat?
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Meats: Beef, pork, lamb, chicken, bacon and others.
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Fatty Fish and Seafood: Salmon, trout, sardines, etc.
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Eggs: The healthiest eggs are Omega-3 enriched or pastured.
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Low-Carb Vegetables: Kale, spinach, broccoli, asparagus and others.
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Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, macadamia nuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc.
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Healthy Fats: Extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, avocados and avocado oil.
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Water: As always, water should be your go-to beverage.
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Coffee: Despite what you may have heard, coffee is high in antioxidants and actually quite healthy.
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Green Tea: A very healthy beverage.
What to avoid ?
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Sugar: Soft drinks, fruit juices, cakes, candy, ice cream, etc.
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Grains: Wheat, spelt, rye, barley, rice.
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Vegetable Oils: Soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil and a few others.
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Trans Fats: Usually found in processed foods with the word “hydrogenated” on the ingredients list.
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“Diet” and “Low-Fat” Foods: These are usually very high in sugar.
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High-Carb Vegetables: Carrots, turnips, etc (induction only).
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High-Carb Fruits: Bananas, apples, oranges, pears, grapes (induction only).
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Starches: Potatoes, sweet potatoes (induction only).
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Legumes: Lentils, beans, chickpeas, etc (induction only).
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As long as you base your meals around a fatty protein source with vegetables or nuts and some healthy fats, then you will lose weight. It’s that simple.