The main concept of the Atkins diet plan is that ketosis can help you burn fat for energy. Many people, even those on low-carb diet programs, don’t really understand ketosis or exactly why it works.
Most diets are generally calorie reduction programs. They help you lose weight. However, a part of the weight loss will come from body fat and then a part from lean body mass. Although you may have lost weight on the scale, your metabolic function is slowing down. The more muscle tissue you remove, the slower the metabolic process will be. This will make losing weight more difficult and regain weight even easier.
The Atkins diet plan, however, is carbohydrate-restricted. It causes ketosis within your body that will burn only body fat instead of muscle tissue. A major source of energy will be body fat in the form of ketones. The liver will convert body fat into ketones, but it can never be converted again. It will be removed from your body by natural means.
Ketones are actually a common and effective energy supply for the body. These are made in the liver from essential fatty acids that are derived from the breakdown of fats. They appear if there is no glucose or sugar in the body to provide energy. On the Atkins diet plan, you lower your blood sugar and glucose level. Because of this, the body generates ketones for energy. If the body produces ketones, it is known as ketosis.
There is also the widespread false impression that using a ketogenic diet plan like Atkins is harmful. The reality is that ketosis is a totally normal condition. The body produces ketones to use for energy when glucose is not available.
In the Atkins Weight Loss Program, Dr. Atkins recommends using ketone test strips to determine your ketosis stage while losing weight. The tiny plastic strips are placed in the urine stream and include a unique chemically treated absorbent pad. That pad changes color when ketones are in the urine. In the presence of ketones, the strip changes color from baby pink to purple. There is also a color scale on the container label to help you determine your ketone levels.
Ketone strips can be found at almost any local pharmacy and are found with diabetic supplies. In some places these are stored behind the ATM, which means you may need to order them. However, you will not need a prescription to buy them. When you open a packet of ketone strips, they have a shelf life of six months. It may be helpful to write the opening date on the package.
The ketone strips will show you if you have progressed correctly on the Atkins diet plan. When you are sticking to the 100% induction plan but don’t see the color purple, don’t worry. Many people never show small ketone levels or they may show slightly above the bare minimum. As long as you are reducing your weight and losing inches, then you are effectively using ketones. Also, when you have just exercised a couple of hours before using the strips, you may not see the purple color.
Some people mistakenly think that a dark purple test strip result means they are losing weight faster. The dark purple hue is an indicator of a lack of fluids. This means that your urine is very concentrated and therefore you need to drink more water.
Ketones originate from fats in the blood, whether they are fats you eat or body fat that you burn. If you eat high-fat foods and quickly use a test strip, you will notice a dark purple result. Use the strips to help. However, don’t get obsessed with the shade.
Achieving a ketosis condition will be crucial to getting good results on the Atkins diet plan. It’s as easy as cutting carbs out of your eating plan. Follow the diet correctly and use ketone test strips when necessary.