The Atkins Diet has exploded in the past seven years, completely altering the way we think about diet and nutrition. Before Atkins, fat was the root of all evil and something all dieters were to avoid at all costs. Today, we tend to think differently thanks to Atkins. People, especially dieters, cringe when offered crackers and pasta since carbohydrates are now associated with weight gain.

The Atkins Diet is formulated on the premise that carbohydrates are, actually, what make us fat as opposed to steak and butter. Atkins also points out that carbohydrates are responsible for fluctuations in blood sugar levels which cause us to be alternately irritable and jittery which Atkins terms as "brain fog." Many can identify with this feeling of disorientation, for instance, after eating a doughnut for breakfast.

By now, a solution has been engrained into the psyche of the American population: get most of your calories from protein. However, there is more to it than that, recognizing that not all carbohydrates are created equal. For instance, carbs from vegetables are much better for you than those from chocolate cake. Brown rice is a better choice than write rice, whereas rice is better for you than pasta. In fact, the Atkins diet is not reflexively anti-carbohydrate. Rather, it recognizes the fact that many people are addicted to the sugar in treats and snacks. By replacing these empty calories with healthier alternatives, we can live healthier lives overall and look better doing it.

In order to break the carb addiction and jump-start weight loss, the Atkins Diet starts with a two week "induction" period. During this time, carbs are limited to only twenty grams a day with most of these twenty grams consumed in the form of leafy vegetables. Yes, this eliminates chips or potatoes of any kind, rice, pasta or polenta as well as cookies, cakes or candy. In approximately two or three days, the body runs out of sugar to use for energy and begins burning fat.

Though many have criticized the Atkins Diet, nobody disputes that weight loss occurs. During the induction period, most people drop weight very rapidly. The challenge is maintaining it. Because the list of approved foods is so limited during induction, many have difficulty sticking to the diet, and those who do adhere to the restrictions quickly become bored. After all, there are only so many things you can do with eggs!

Much of the criticism directed at the Atkins Diet concerns this initial phase. Many claim that it is unhealthy to eat such an unbalanced diet, especially one that involves so much fat. However, there is little evidence linking saturated fats with heart disease as much as the medical establishment would like to claim otherwise. Although true, omitting plenty of fruits and vegetables from your diet is probably a bad idea in the long term, the induction period generally only lasts two weeks.

Of course, the body's response to the Atkins Diet varies as some people react more quickly to a stringent low-carb diet. In fact, Atkins recommends that dieters stay on the induction program for as long as it takes lose a good portion of the desired weight loss. At some point, however, everyone must begin easing themselves back into the carb-consuming world. Over the next two stages of the Atkins Diet, carbohydrates are added gradually a few grams at a time to see determine the body's carb-tolerance "benchmark," per se. Ultimately, the goal of Atkins is to provide dieters a better understanding of their own body to help keep the weight off permanently and live a healthier lifestyle.