Literally, the Atkins Diet runs against the grain. While most other diets largely rule out meat, the Atkins regimen completely goes the other way, prescribing low carb eating. It recommends fare low on grains and other carbohydrate-containing products, virtually flouting years of science. In turn, the diet vows it can slake unwanted weight off its followers, raise their metabolism, and decrease their hunger.

Dr. Robert Atkins, the diets proponent, sparked controversy when he first laid out low carb eating in his bestselling tome, New Diet Revolution. Initially dismissed as preposterous, the Atkins Diet grew to amass widespread acceptance and become one of the most influential fitness phenomena of all time. In answer to this upheaval, manufacturers of breads and pastas began churning out Atkins diet recipes of their offerings.

Such diets rationale hinges on the fact that the body tends to burn carbohydrate over fat for fuel. Without any carbohydrate to burn, the body is forced to derive energy from excess fat weight loss then ensues.

When carbohydrate intake descends, the body’s insulin level goes down with it too. Carbohydrates, which break down into sugar upon digestion, bespeak insulin, the hormone responsible for stabilizing sugar levels in the bloodstream. Insulin is accountable for some stored fats in the body.

Granted, one’s cholesterol level may climb during the diet, but theoretically, the body offsets whatever gain there is in such. The loss of fats is bound to keep cholesterol at bay later on.

On the whole, Atkins diet recipes allow the dieter to eat pure protein and fat in almost-wild abandon. Meat, eggs, dairy products, fish, oil, mayonnaise, and their ilk are all but ubiquities in the Atkins diet. Low carb soup recipes are also recommended too.

An Atkins dieter undergoes four phases in the regimen. In latter years however, the regimen has whittled down into a 12-week diet.

Early into the program, Atkins diet recipes can be very inflexible. The induction phase of the Atkins diet severely curbs the intake of carbohydrate; only 20 grams of carbohydrates are allowable, most of which must come from vegetables. In an Atkins diet recipe, that is the equivalent of two measly cups of salad daily via a decadent feast of high protein and fats.

Though exacting in the beginning, the Atkins diet recipe becomes more indulgent with time, increasing the carbohydrate threshold as the weeks roll along. For the second stage, the Atkins diet envisions ongoing weight loss (OWL). If that is the case, the Atkins diet expands the carbohydrate threshold by at least five grams a week.

When the dieter is beginning to lose weight substantially, the pre-maintenance phase sets in. Ideally, the dieter is losing a pound weekly at this point. At this point, he or she is entitled to an additional ten grams of carbs a week, plus some low carb soup recipes.

The fourth phase is actually for life. Dieters are asked to maintain the amount of carbohydrate intake they have acclimatized to in stage three. If they regain weight, they must go through the program all over again.

Not that people would clamor that much for carbs except for vegetarians, most omnivores would probably feel at home with the Atkins diet. If anything, Atkins diet recipes are easy to prepare. One can have Italian sausage frittata one day, tuna salad the next, cheeseburgers the next, etc. Others even prepare low carb soup recipes for that matter.

Exercise must figure in all stages of the diet, however. Atkins never explicitly recommended exercise in his first book, but in later editions, it has become part of the diet.

New Atkins for a New You: The Ultimate Diet for Shedding Weight and Feeling Great.