Why does the Atkins Diet work?

Why does the Atkins Diet work?

Andrea Giancoli (Registered Dietician ) gives expert video advice on: Why does the Atkins Diet work?; Why does the Atkins Diet not work long-term?; Who should consider the Atkins Diet? and more...

The Atkins Diet works initially because you are losing a lot of water weight. You are depleting your glycogen stores. Also, when you consume that amount of protein, your body has to dismantle it somewhat in order to process it. That creates a toxin which we need to urinate out, so you tend to urinate more and that also contributes to the water weight loss. When we are on Atkins and we start to go into ketosis. Ketosis is the body's defense mechanism in the absence of carbohydrate. It also causes you to decrease your appetite so that you are not as hungry. It is a defense mechanism. Atkins also works because it is a reduced calorie diet. You are restricting large amounts of food from your diet and you are not consuming a whole lot of calories. On a diet that is high in protein, protein does seem to lend more satiety and a greater feeling of fullness than carbohydrate does. So, that also helps with our appetite.