Title: Atkins Diet - Learn More Word Count: 813 Summary: The Atkins diet can be boring because of the limited choice and some believe it can be dangerous. Get a physical to make sure you can tolerate the diet and inform the doctor about your decision to try the Atkins diet. Keywords: Atkins Diet Plan, atkins diet plan, weight loss programs, low carb foods, protein, carbohydrate, Article Body: The Atkins diet can be boring because of the limited choice and some believe it can be dangerous. Get a physical to make sure you can tolerate the diet and inform the doctor about your decision to try the Atkins diet. Make sure you completely understand how the diet works. You can get all the information, both positive and negative, that you could want online, at the library or the bookstore. The Atkins diet attempts to get your body to burn fat instead of carbs as fuel. Atkins dieters sometimes experience physical reaction in the early weeks of the diet. There are things that can be done to alleviate these symptoms. Dizziness and muscular cramps can be experienced by new Atkins dieters. You might have dizziness, cramps or other physical effects caused by the dietary changes you are making. You can take steps to prevent cramps and other symptoms. Brain fog, dizziness and muscular cramps are common reactions to the dietary changes. Minerals like potassium wash out of your system rather quickly. A banana will not replace all the potassium loss, you need to take a supplement. Your symptoms should improve in about an hour. Here are some hints to help you stay healthy while on Atkins. There are ways to help you combat the symptoms of the dietary changes. You need to eat at least 8 calories per pound of body weight. You need to drink enough water to flush toxins from your system. Some people recommend drinking water equal to half your body weight, that is a lot of water. Water helps the body to rid itself of acidic ketones and also helps in lipolysis , the burning of fat rather than carbs for energy. Don't weigh or measure yourself more than once a week, more often will have you obsessing over every 1/4 ounce. You will likely see a decrease in inches after the first week, if not you will surely see it in pounds. Eating the carbs that make you feel your best, still means you need to stay within the limits for the diet stage you are in. You will get more "bang for the buck" if you choose unprocessed, natural nutrient dense carbohydrates. Sugar is an absolute no-no. Regular exercise is absolutely necessary. Do not even consider a program that promises you can lose weight without exercise. Exercise helps the body to better utilize the foods you consume. Not doing enough exercise is as bad as doing too much. Ask your doctor's advice about how often, how much and what type of exercise is right for you. Don't start off by trying to run a 10k, try a walk around the block and build up tolerance for more. Be sure to take the nutrient supplements prescribed by your doctor. You should have a journal to record your weight loss and food consumption. If a major event or life change happens, record it and the emotions, since these can affect how you eat. What happens in your life affects what you eat, how much and even how often you eat. Significant events should also be entered because even good stuff can affect you. Keep track of exactly what you eat in your food journal if you are diabetic you will be able to see how certain foods positively or negatively affect blood sugar levels. You should record your daily test results in this journal also. Your journal will teach you to recognize patterns and to realize when your blood sugar levels are changing. Share your journal, or at least the trends you have noticed, with your doctor so that he can determine what needs to be done. Read the labels on every pre-packaged food item, look for white flour and hidden sugars. You will lose weight faster if you limit your caffeine intake. The Atkins diet, or any other diet, is not going to take off 50 pounds in a week. A weight loss of 2-4 pounds a week may be realistic for one person but not for another. Losing more than this could be dangerous. If weight loss is very rapid your body will go into starvation mode and try to hold on to what it can, and weight loss will stop cold. Any large weight loss will be regained if you return to your "normal" eating habits. Your prior "normal" eating patterns are what made you overweight to begin with. A diet that promises phenomenal weight loss in a very short period of time is likely a scam. A really workable diet is one that recommends a balanced diet, exercise and possibly supplements. Be sure that any supplement is safe in general and for you in particular. Just because a supplement is all natural, doesn't mean it is safe. Some supplements can interact with certain medication, so be cautious. No medications, vitamins or supplements should be taken without your doctor's approval.