The basic principle of the Atkins diet is that a state of ketosis will help you burn your fat stores as energy. Many people, even those who are on low diets, don’t understand ketosis and why it works.

Most diets are calorie-reduction diets. They help you lose weight, but a lot off the weight is from fat and some of it is from lean muscle tissue. While you may look smaller on the scale, your metabolism is actually retarding. The more muscle you lose the slower your metabolism will be. This makes slimming down more difficult and weight gain back even simpler.

The Atkins diet, but, is carbohydrate restrictive. It creates a state of ketosis within you that burns only fat, and not muscle. The primary source of your energy for your body will be fat in the sort of ketones. Your liver will convert fat into ketones and it cannot be converted back. It can be excreted naturally.

Ketones are actual a typically and efficient source of fuel for the body. They are created in the liver from the fatty acids that result from the breakdown of fat contained in the body. These only appear when there is a lack of glucose and sugar. In the Atkins diet, you reduce the volume of glucose and sugar that is in the bloodstream. Thence, your body produces ketones for fuel. When your body is creating ketones it is called ketosis.

There is a common misconception that following a ketogenic diet like Atkins is risky. The truth is that being in ketosis is a completely naturally state. The body creates ketones to use as fuel in the absence of glucose.

In the Atkins diet book, Dr. Atkins suggests using ketone-testing strips to work out your state of ketosis during dieting. These small plastic strips are held in the urine stream and contain a particular chemically treated absorptive pad. This pad will change color if ketones are present in the urine. With the presence of ketones, the strip will vary varying shades of pink to purple. There is a color scale on the label of the bottle that will help you determine your ketone levels.

Ketone strips are obtainable in any drug store and can be located among the diabetic supplies. In a few stores, they’re kept behind the counter so you may need to request them. You won’t need a prescription to buy them though. Once you open a package of ketosis strips they have a shelf life of 6 months. It may be of assistance to mark the opening date on the box.

Ketone strips will allow you to know if you are progressing correctly on the Atkins diet. If you are following the Induction decide to the letter and aren’t seeing purple, do not worry. Some people never show trace amounts of ketones or they may show just above the least line. As long as you losing weight and ins then you are successfully using ketones. Also, if you’ve just exercised a couple of hours before using the strips, you may not see purple.

Some dieters may mistakenly feel that a dark purple result on the testing strips implies that they’re losing weight faster. Actually, the darkest purple color is a symptom of dehydration. It means that your urine is too concentrated and you need to drink water.

Ketones come from fat in the bloodstream, whether it is fat that you eat or fat that you burn. So if you eat a meal heavy in fat and then immediately use a testing strip, then you’ll see a dark purple result. Use the strips as a guide, but do not get hung up on the color.

Reaching a state of ketosis is key to success on the Atkins diet and it as elementary as eliminating carbohydrates from the dietary plan. Make certain to follow the eating plan the right way and use the ketone testing strips as needed.

Keith has been writing articles online for nearly 4 years now. Not only does this author specialize in weight loss but you can also check out his latest video on Whiplash Claim. Help is not hard to find for Whiplash Injury Claim if you look hard enough. Keith’s video has lots of information on Car Accident Claim and is available for any questions you may have.

Link to this post!

Tagged with: •

Filed under: Blog

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!