Low Carbohydrate High Protein Diets

Although reception of low-carb diets was skeptical at first, an increasing number of individuals are beginning to accept the validity of a low-carb lifestyle, thanks to their proven nature at stimulating rapid and effective fat loss. When shopping around for the perfect low-carb diet for your needs, it is only natural to consider your options in full to find the most nutritious diet possible. Thus, what follows are two different takes on low-carb dieting that will help you lose weight while staying healthy in the process.

About the Atkins Diet

The Atkins Diet was invented in 1972, and has stood the test of time as a viable option for low-carb weight loss. This was the first major low-carb diet to be widely popularized, and although you might think that subsisting on Atkins is nothing more than endless platters of bacon and cheese, you would be wrong. The full Atkins plan has a balanced nutritional profile that keeps carbs low, protein high and the body filled with vital nutrients.

Following Atkins

Phase one of Atkins consists of the first two weeks of the diet, and is the phase which most people mistakenly associate with the diet as a whole. During phase one, you must keep carbs at or below 20 grams per day to shift the body from carb-burning to fat-burning mode (ketosis). At the end of the two-week induction period, carbs are gradually reintroduced to the diet, primarily through consumption of natural carbs like vegetables and limited fruits. This stringent carb reduction does not last forever, though. Once you reach your target weight, carbs are steadily increased until you find your body's "set point"--the maximum number of carbs you can consume without regaining weight.

Eskimo Diet

Another take on the low-carb, high-protein diet is found by studying the dietary recommendations of Dr. Blake Donaldson, M.D. He invented the Eskimo Diet based on traditional hunter-gatherer nutritional practices, after noting that those types of tribes often included superior physical specimens. The Eskimo Diet is a fat-loss blitz which brings you to your target weight as rapidly as possible, then shifts to a more manageable "maintenance phase."

Following the Eskimo Diet

Following the Eskimo Diet is even simpler than following the Atkins plan. During the weight-loss phase of the diet, you may eat nothing but meat. Do not worry that this will have a negative effect on your nutritional profile--physicians have followed this style of eating for over a year while under constant medical surveillance, and no adverse effects were noted. After reaching your target weight, you may reintroduce clean carbohydrates (fruits and vegetables) into your diet in limited amounts. If you find yourself gaining weight again, you must cut back on your clean carbs, however.

Considerations

Although difficult to follow in a carb-laden society, low-carb, high-protein diets are the hammer able to reshape your body into your ideal physique. This is due to their positive effects on blood sugar, as the diet removes the possibility of carb-triggered insulin spikes. Additionally, these diets can sharply increase metabolism, owing to the fact that high-protein diets cause the body to burn more calories during the digestive process thanks to the thermic effect of food. When used judiciously, and adhered to with purpose, the proper low-carb, high-protein diet can solve your weight control issues once and for all.