The Atkins diet is the brainchild of renowned cardiologist and low carbohydrate guru Robert Atkins. After studying about a similar diet in the 1960s and even charting the success of a large number of his patients, it became obvious that Dr. Atkins’ diet was indeed working. The goal of this low carbohydrate diet is to change the body’s metabolism so that the body will burn fat – especially the stored up body fat – instead of carbohydrates that were ingested. Usually, it is the carbohydrates that will provide the body with quick access to fuel and thus the body fat is left untouched. Yet by categorically limiting the body’s access to this quick fuel, the body has no choice, and thus your weight loss is a given.

Of course, the Atkins diet does not just have aficionados, but also many who point warning fingers at the diet plan. Probably the biggest criticism that the company which markets Dr. Atkins’ diet products has experienced is the fact that the food, supplements, and nutrition bars are very expensive. This makes it not affordable for many who desperately need to diet, but cannot afford to spend $15 to $20 for one month of nutritional supplements. In addition to the foregoing, some have asserted that because so much of our eating habits are based on the traditional food pyramid which actually stresses grains and carbohydrates instead of proteins, adhering to this diet is a bit like swimming upstream. Of course, since the 2003 low carbohydrate diet craze hit the mainstream, many restaurants have redesigned their menus, and thus this argument is essentially becoming voice at this point.

Yet of much higher concern than simply cost and availability of food supplements and meals is the fact that the Atkins diet also has many detractors from the medical ranks. Some have shown that the diet itself is woefully low in fiber, and thus many dieters experienced intestinal problems. Add to this that a large intake of proteins has been linked to the onset of osteoporosis, and it is not surprising that dieters were concerned about their health. Of course, what makes the diet also somewhat problematic is the fact that even though Dr. Atkins was a cardiologist, the frequent high intake of proteins rich meats and the low intake of leafy green vegetables have been linked to heart disease and clogging of the arteries. While it is uncertain what the long-term effects of the diet are, it is important to note that while it is highly likely that you will lose weight – and quite possibly significant amounts of weight – yet it is uncertain what the long term effects on your body will be, if you were to follow this regimen for a long period of time. Perhaps the study that tracked the success of this diet for a one-year term has shown it best: at the six month mark, the Atkins diet was going strong and in the forefront of weight loss causing diets, yet at the one year mark the level of success appeared to taper off, and other diets were pulling in front. So perhaps the answer is right there: the Atkins diet is a great way to get started loosing weight, but it is not a lifetime diet.