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Dr. Atkins introduced his initial version of the highly controversial diet in the year 1972. Even though the diet has undergone through changes over the past three decades, the basic idea has remained the same: a low carbohydrate and a high protein diet which fosters fast loss in bodyweight. The controversy does not lie that, the Atkins Diet is unhealthy and the complex agenda of the diet hides the harmful and adverse reactions that can occur.

The Atkins Diet is usually divided into four phases: the first phase is “induction”, the second phase is the “on-going weight loss”, the third phase is “pre-maintenance”, and the last phase is “lifetime maintenance” (Gladwell Paragraph 6). Prior to understanding these phases, it is vital to fully comprehend the process of ketosis. Ketosis, which is thought to be a significant contributor to the bodyweight loss in the Atkins diet, is caused by a low intake of carbohydrates. As the intake of carbohydrates decreases, fat stored is used by the body as the primary energy source. The liver then produces Ketone bodies that are excreted in the urine. A rise in the ketone bodies levels in the blood is associated with suppressed appetites that further contribute to weight-loss (Steer 44).

The purpose of the induction phase, which is the most restrictive phase of the weight reduction process, is to restrict the intake of carbohydrates enough to achieve ketosis. “Carbohydrates intake is limited to 20grams per day” and this continues for about two weeks (Gladwell paragraph 7). After achieving ketosis, the system advances to the on-going weight loss phase. During this phase, the intake of carbohydrates may be increased slightly, but it is still maintained at a point where weight-loss is achievable. This phase often persists for weeks, until an individual reaches a bodyweight roughly 4.5 kilograms within that of the