Were you one of the many who tried the Atkins diet years ago, but couldn’t quite sustain? The idea of no carbs isn’t appealing—and isn’t necessary— for many, so falling off the bandwagon for this diet became all too common.
But after years of conducting and reviewing up-to-date research, Atkins is back at it with a revised and improved program meant to improve sustainability and results. Starting today, the brand is back with their all new Atkins 40. We spoke with Colette Heimowitz, Vice President of Nutrition and Education for Atkins Nutritionals, Inc., to get a thorough understanding of the details around Atkins 40.
Atkins 40 will serve as a “new entry point into the Atkins program,” says Heimowitz. “People can eat from all food groups, and start the program at forty net grams of carbohydrates per day, instead of twenty.” After the company reviewed the literature, they found that most individuals could maintain a fat-burning metabolism at 50-grams of carb intake or less. “This allows them to maintain the benefits of burning fat for fuel instead of sugar, while still seeing the same Atkins results,” Heimowitz explains.
Atkins 40 is still founded on the same principles that made it famous in the first place: high protein, low carb. With this new program they hope “to be more sustainable. You could eat this way healthfully for the rest of your life!”
What caused people to back out of the original Atkins 20 program?
Heimowitz, with more than 20 years experience as a nutritionist at the Atkins Center for Complementary Medicine, explains that “there are four phases from that program, where overtime you slowly reintroduce certain carbs. We found people did so well with Atkins 20 that very few people went through the full four phases to find their carbohydrate tolerance. Therefore, staying at that low of an intake led people to jump on and off the diet as time [went] on.”
The ideal audience for Atkins 20?
Pre-diabetics, diabetics, or individuals with more than forty pounds to lose.
The idea audience for the new Atkins 40?
Safe for most of the population if they don’t have diabetes and have less than 40 pounds to lose. Also, it’s a fit for those who’ve tried Atkins before and found it too restrictive.
All the references and resources will be available online and through Atkins’ mobile app starting January 1st. There is even a quick questionnaire to help you determine which program they recommend for you, based off a series of risk factors such as weight, waist circumference, etc.
No need to cheat.
If the VP of Nutrition could say one thing to prospective participants, it’s this: “If the reason you abandoned Atkins in the past is because it was too restrictive, Atkins 40 is the perfect answer. You can use your daily quota on whole grains, starchy vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. You can budget your carbohydrates as you see fit. This is empowering! And you should feel less of a need to cheat.”
Also Read:
Paleo Diet vs. Atkins Diet: Whose Carbs Can You Live Without