Monday, April 13, 2009

Atkins Grapefruit Diet - What is it and is it Really Effective

Atkins Grapefruit Diet - What is it and is it Really Effective
By Yolanda Keating

When it comes to the Atkins Grapefruit diet, there are two camps of thought. On one hand, it is believed to work by those who have tried it and swear they lost weight. On the other hand, is it a true Atkins diet if you are eating more than your recommended amount of carbohydrates - even if those carbs come from the grapefruit? Is the Atkins Grapefruit diet real, or is it a hoax?

Here are the facts. The Atkins Diet requires restriction of carbohydrates. The basis of the Atkins Plan is a high fiber, high protein, low sugar, and low trans fats diet. By counting carbs, a dieter on the Atkins Plan can lose weight quickly. The secret lies in how the body uses up starches. By cutting out all sources of carbs, your body is forced to go to its own stores to sustain itself - which means it burns fat like crazy.

Grapefruits are low in sugar, have no trans fats, are very high in fiber and provide protein. Sounds like it would fit in the Atkins diet, right? But grapefruits are also a source of carbs. In fact, one grapefruit and one glass of grapefruit juice have all the carbs allowed daily by the Atkins Plan. If you eat more than that, you're eating too many carbs...but the typical Atkins Grapefruit Diet calls for a grapefruit at every meal!
So...is it a hoax? Or is it real?

In actuality, it's a little bit of both. There is no such thing as the Atkins Grapefruit diet. Unscrupulous advertisers have long used the Atkins name to push their own products, and this is one of those times. By invoking the Atkins name, they are trying to get you to buy their grapefruit supplements and other items that they say are required for the diet. However, the Grapefruit diet has never been advocated as a part of the Atkins Plan.

The Grapefruit diet itself, however, is very real. It's been around for almost a century, and many people swear by it as a way to obtain rapid weight loss. Grapefruits contain an enzyme that is believed to help your body burn fat, and of course, eating grapefruit is good for you because of all the nutrients the fruit provides. It also helps fill you up, which lessens your need to eat more.The Grapefruit diet itself works.

So don't confuse the Grapefruit Diet or the Atkins Diet with the Atkins Grapefruit Diet! The first two are legitimate diets that many people have used with great weight loss success for several years. The Atkins Grapefruit Diet, however, is more wishful thinking than fact.

Whichever diet you choose to follow - the Atkins Plan or the Grapefruit Diet - always be sure to check with your doctor to make sure the plan is right for you. Health risks might be involved with any diet plan, so take your physician's advice.

The Atkins Grapefruit diet might be a hoax, but losing weight on any number of diets is not. You will soon find the one that is right for you!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yolanda_Keating