Tri-Wellness
  • Home
  • About
    • Lisa Shanken
    • Brooke Null
    • Jessica Vanderhoof
  • Wellness Services
    • Personal Wellness Services
    • Festival Wellness Services
  • Executive Function Coaching
  • Blog
  • Contact

Schedule An Appointment

Tri-Wellness

Tri-Wellness

The Best Online Executive Functioning Coach

Schedule An Appointment

  • Home
  • About
    • Lisa Shanken
    • Brooke Null
    • Jessica Vanderhoof
  • Wellness Services
    • Personal Wellness Services
    • Festival Wellness Services
  • Executive Function Coaching
  • Blog
  • Contact

The Atkins Diet: Eating Steak To Lose Weight?

By Lisa Shanken
June 15, 2010
The Atkins diet is a high protein diet that is harmful to the body.

As a nutritionist, it pains me to think that people keep subscribing to fad diets, which can greatly endanger your health and lead to the ballooning effect, i.e. when a person diets and then balloons back to his/her original weight weeks later. Plus, limiting your diet to only a few food groups can even harm your body. This has inspiredme to start a series to explain the real deal behind fad diets. Today, I’ll start with one of most popular fad diets: the Atkins diet.

The entire basis of  Atkins is that a low-carb diet allegedly puts humans into a state of fat-burning ketosis, which Dr. Atkins claimed could help people to burn 950 calories more per day. However, one of the world's leading medical journals, "The Lancet" conducted a study which concluded that there was no such metabolic advantage[1], and that dieters were just eating fewer calories out of boredom [2].

However, some people who start on the diet are greatly encouraged by the fact they suddenly lose 2-4 pounds in the first few weeks. Cause for celebration? No! The weight that dieters lose in those first few weeks is usually water weight. The extreme lack of carbohydrates results in depleting glycogen stores, which releases the reserve water locked in your body[3]. This is not fat, and you will gain it back.

There are several dangers that low-carb diets pose[2]:

- Cholesterol

Studies in 2009[2] have shown that dieters on low-carb diets actually increased their cholesterol levels, and since then twodeaths (by cardiac arrest) of dieters on such low-carb diets have been reported.

- MG, or Methylglyoxal is a glycotoxin that causes blood vessel and tissue damage. In a 2005 study (Beisswenger, et al.) it was shown that MG levels in Atkins dieters doubled shortly after the diet started.

- The Atkins diet is a high protein diet, and Wikipedia contains a harrowing story about such diets:

"High protein diets can cause the loss of calcium and a lowering in urinary citrate levels, which may lead to osteoporosis and kidney stones (Ornish,2004). Ketone bodies are excreted in urine with cations to neutralize the charge, so the body is losing essential cation minerals such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium, which in one case led to the death of a sixteen-year-old girl. She died from ventricular fibrillation arrest two weeks after starting a high protein-low carbohydrate diet. During resuscitation attempts she had hypokalemia (lower than normal amount of potassium in the blood) and also hypocalcemia (lower than normal amount of calcium in the blood)[14] Ornish also wrote that the Atkins diet leads to constipation in 70% of the subjects, 65% had halitosis (bad breath due to exhaled ketones), 54% were experiencing headaches, and 10% reported hearing loss.[14]"

So how does the Atkins Diet compare to a simple reduced calorie diet? According to the New England Journal of Medicine[3], two groups of obese people were tested. One group was on Atkins, and the other was on a reduced calorie diet. The obese group on Atkins showed slightly better weight loss on the low-carb diet after six months, but there was no longer any difference during the 12 months. The verdict? Don't buy into the hype. Once you stop the Atkins diet, with its limiting and exhausting food restrictions, you'll gain those pounds right back.

[1] The Lancet, Volume 364, Issue 9437, Pages 897 - 899, 4 September 2004

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atkins_diet

[3] http://www.sciencedirect.com

Share this article
Previous Post
<
Next Post
>
profile-image

Lisa Shanken

My passion is to help you live your healthiest and most harmonious life, but in a way that’s realistic and practical for you as a unique individual on this planet. My philosophy is all about “balance,” never a diet since a diet is not sustainable for life, aka Kill The Diet.

Related Posts
Back to School

Back To School Tips for Routine & Focus

By Lisa Shanken
August 16, 2023
It’s hard to believe it’s back to school time already. This time of year is a lot of change for both students and parents, so it’s important to utilize tools and tips that can help everyone get back into their routines with as few challenges as possible. This may call...
Read Article
Healthy Gut

Back To Basics – Gut Health<>Mental Health

By Lisa Shanken
July 18, 2023
Sometimes it’s important to get back to basics and revisit the foundational elements of our work. Recently, I read a great article that did exactly this by explaining why the gut has a tremendous impact on the rest of our body. This article, published in National Geographic, does an excellent...
Read Article
  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 84
  • Go to Next Page »

Testimonials

Lisa’s weight loss plan really gave me a new insight to healthy eating and living. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2015. Healthy living/easting/exercise has become very important to me and my family and this program really helped me get even more on the course with this and helped me lose weight.

Danielle D, Great Neck, NY

When I heard about the 10 Day Weight Loss Challenge, I wasn’t sure if it would be a good fit, since as a physician, I understand nutrition and health (and therefore knew the dangers of fad diets, etc…), and I do my best to exercise (though not always enough). But as a single mother of 2, it’s still very challenging ti “fit in all in” (including cooking healthy meals for my children) due to my busy schedule. And when my time is short, bad habits crop up and weight gain follows.

Dr. Gila Ackerman, Boulder, CO

Psychiatrist
Lisa has made an enormous contribution to my health and strength. I have seen and felt the most fantastic changes in an amazingly short time.

Chessie F, Boulder, CO

I just wanted to say you were amazing through this 10 day process! I learned so much from you! You were very thorough in all areas of the challenge and got back to us in such a quick manner with our questions. It was a great jump start into a more healthy life style that’s for sure!

Colby E, Boulder, Colorado

I LOVE the recipes, simple, few ingredients, appealing. I like the idea of using the list of staples you provided when i was tempted to cheat!

Phyliss S, Spring House, PA

I worked with Lisa to develop a holistic wellness plan that has allowed personal growth without having to completely change my lifestyle. Her programs are designed around your personal needs, so I always feel like I've gotten the most from my sessions and leave with manageable goals. Lisa's three-prong approach to wellness (fitness, nutrition and health) is helping me live a balanced and grateful life.

Ali S., Boulder, CO

I’ve been through the ringer with different dieting plans through the years. Some helped me lose weight and some didn’t – but it didn’t matter because I would always gain it back. I didn’t know if this 10 day Weight Loss Challenge would be the answer since everyone says they have the “BEST” way to lose weight. But this one seemed to be more doable – like instead of starving myself, keeping track of calories (“been there done that – VERY annoying!”) and things I know I wouldn’t stick to.

Jill W, Park, NY

Lisa, you have been a very positive role model for me! Through the exercise and diet I’m becoming healthy and more positive about my life!!! Thanks!

Melissa B, Boulder, Colorado

Blog Articles

Back to School

Back To School Tips for Routine & Focus

Read More »
Healthy Gut

Back To Basics – Gut Health<>Mental Health

Read More »
Social Media Break

Dopamine Detox – Your How To Guide

Read More »
  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 56
  • Go to Next Page »

Send Us A Message

Footer

triw-logo-link2-with-URL-e1576220504179-1@2x-min

Quick Links

  • About
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Member’s Area
  • Contact

Services

  • Personal Wellness Services
  • Festival Wellness Services
  • Executive Function Coaching

Newsletter Signup

Get the latest wellness, nutrition, fitness, and 
mental health tips and news from Tri-Wellness 
delivered straight to your inbox.
Subscribe Now

Copyright 2022. Lisa Shanken. All Rights Reserved
Designed and Developed by Gloss

  • Disclosure Policy
  • Medical Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service