Atkins: too quick a fix?

JORDANA ROTHSTEIN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN

Eat all the protein you want; imbibe fat, fat and more fat! These tenets of the Atkins diet sound like a dream. But there is a down side to this freedom ... no carbohydrates are permitted, making such items as fruits, most vegetables and that old favorite, alcohol, completely off limits.

Sound crazy? Maybe, but there is a method to this madness. Our bodies need fuel. This is derived from burning sugar, to which carbohydrates are converted during the digestion process, and from burning fat. But the body will only start to burn fat once the sugar fuel is gone. By eliminating one's carbohydrate intake, the body is allowed to enter a state known as ketosis, in which the body burns only fat for fuel. This switch occurs after three days of following the Atkins diet. Once this state has been reached during the first phase of the diet, known as the induction period, weight loss can begin. Induction must last for a minimum of two weeks, with no maximum. At the end of the induction period, the dieter may gradually begin to reintroduce carbohydrates into their meals, but never to the level to which they were once accustomed.

While this may sound tough, the results of the diet are impressive. Evelyn Goldman, who has been on the Atkins diet for two months, has experienced 15 pounds of weight loss. She originally selected this diet because of it's so called "Jewish appeal."

"Jews eat a lot of protein anyways, so adding a salad or vegetables to that is really fine," she said, explaining that the diet just isn't that hard to stick to. Even so, there was an initial adjustment period for her. Normally, she said, people are used to the feeling of fullness that comes from eating a meal with carbohydrates – their stomachs feel heavy. This is not the kind of feeling that a meal of protein provides.

"You don't feel full, but you don't feel hungry either," she said.

While this experience was a little strange at first, now Goldman couldn't be happier.

"The hardest thing for me personally is to limit the quantity of food I eat."
With Atkins, there is no need for her to do so. As long as you stay within the proscribed guidelines of permissible foods, you can eat as much as you want. You can even have eggs (with cheese and oil) for breakfast again.

In order to compensate for a decrease in fibre intake (due to the elimination of fruits from her diet), Goldman, like many Atkins followers, takes Psyllium, a natural fibre that she mixes with water. Other people add flax seed or flax oil to their diet.

The Atkins diet even provides a cure for the occasional diet slip-up. If she ever feels as though she's eaten too much or her weight loss has levelled off, Goldman simply re-enters the induction period and is able to see renewed results. She likens her dieting experience to driving a car. When you first start driving, "you have the gas pedal right to the floor, then you ease off a little and sometimes you floor it again." The weight loss that comes with the Atkins diet follows this pattern as well. For Goldman, and others, it is a model that is working well.

Unfortunately, many health professionals do not share Goldman's excitement over this, or any, diet. Ali Chernoff, a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant, underwent a rigorous five-year training program, obtaining a bachelor of science degree and honing her knowledge in a one-year dietetic internship.

Regarding diets, she says, "People are so individualized. They metabolize things very differently, so not everyone can eat the same way."

The Canada Food Guide takes these differences into account, she said, by providing a range of suggested daily intakes for each food group. Most diets do not take these same considerations into account. Thus, they become suspect, as they advise all people to follow identical food intake guidelines. With regards to the Atkins diet specifically, Chernoff worries that the very highlight of the diet – its quick results – are problematic. When weight loss comes too quickly, she explained, the body enters starvation mode, which then changes your metabolism too quickly. And, after all, carbohydrates are just nutrients; they are found in almost every food product, except in the Meat and Alternatives food group. Instead of vilifying certain foods, it is better, she recommends, to think of dieting as a lifestyle change, and work on health changes in moderation.
"Things don't happen over-night. You can't overwhelm someone – it just doesn't work."

Her best advice – eat everything in moderation and have a balanced diet. And, most importantly, make exercise an important part of your daily routine. More information can be found on Chernoff's site, www.nutritionatitsbest.com.

Jordana Rothstein is an English major at Princeton University who enjoys coming home for the summer.

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