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The first time I went on the Atkins diet I was on the first phase called "induction" for 3 months and I did not feel any detrimental effects at all. The induction phase is the most restrictive phase of the diet where carbohydrate intake is the least, below 20 grams per day.

I had many people tell me that my cholesterol would skyrocket and my blood pressure would zoom up and other horror stories. The fact is, I felt very good. Before I went on the diet, I was having trouble with heartburn almost every day. After a few days on Atkins, the problem was gone. I had good energy and I slept well.

I was eating loads of eggs, meat, cheese, and limited vegetables for fiber. I also took vitamin supplements. I kept my carb intake near or below the 20 gram limit and at the end of the 3 month period, I had lost 20 pounds. I had my blood pressure checked and it was normal. I had my cholesterol checked and it was 165 which was nearly the same level as when I started the diet.

As far as it's "long term" effects, there are none, basically because you don't stay on the induction phase for the long term. The whole concept of Atkins is that you restrict your carbohydrate intake to lose weight but after you reach your ideal weight, you add carbs back into your diet and eat more normally. You simply keep your carb intake at a level that lets you maintain and not gain weight. Most people gain weight because they take in more carbs than they burn so the excess gets stored as fat. Once you lose down to your desired weight, you simply balance the amount of carbs you eat with how much you burn with your normal activity level and you maintain your weight.

The Atkins concept works for me because it's easy for me to stick with. Even during the induction phase, the foods allowed are ones I like so it doesn't feel that much like a diet. Once I shed the weight I want to lose, I add back in some carbs so I don't feel deprived of anything I like. If I over-indulge and start to add any weight back on, I just do the induction phase for a couple of weeks before my gain gets out of hand. It's easy to do and it works.

After you practice the Atkins concept for a while, you sort of start doing it automatically. I found myself compensating without really thinking about it. If I have that burger, fries and milkshake today, I found myself taking simple countermeasures like not having toast with my scrambled eggs and bacon breakfast for a couple of days. I simply became more aware of when I was eating a carbohydrate so cutting out a few now and then is an easy thing to do.

I highly recommend this diet, especially for anyone like me that hasn't had any luck with any other diet method out there. Get the book, familiarize yourself with the low carb concept and change your life.

Learn more about this author, MJ Miller.
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