Is it a safe way to lose weight post pregnancy?

Kim Kardashian's Atkins diet: Is it a safe way to lose weight post pregnancy?
by Nirmalya Dutta
My inches.

Yummy mummy Kim Kardashian has brought the Atkins diet back in the spotlight after revealing she lost about 25 pounds (11.33 kg) of post pregnancy weight thanks to the new Atkins Diet plan. The reality TV star has been eating her vegetables especially broccoli and spinach and is also gorging on lean proteins like chicken and fish and taking in healthy fats from avocado and nuts and even enjoying her fruits.

She tweeted to her followers, 'I've actually been doing the Atkins diet & luv it (sic)'. There was of course some controversy whether she was paid for the endorsement. Colette Heimowitz, the vice president of nutrition for Atkins Nutritionals told the Times, 'Very bright. Very compliant… She was a real pleasure. It was part of her motivation to show people she's capable of getting back to where she was [weight-wise],' Heimowitz told The Times. 'She wanted to show the world she can do it that was her motivation.' (Read: Post-pregnancy health tips by celeb food writer and chef Anjum Anand)

According to reports Heimowitz, a typical breakfast would be an omelette or Greek yoghurt with berries and almonds. Snacks would consist of an ounce (28g) or two of nuts or fresh veggies with a healthy dip. 'Lunch and dinner were similar,' Heimowitz said. 'Lots of vegetables, all sorts of color and varieties, because there's fibre in there to fill you up. And an olive oil dressing.' She also had poultry or fish. 'Our goal was to pace her weight loss,' Heimowitz said.

She was on 1800-2000 calories a day and she made sure to have 50-60 grams of carbs each day. Heimowitz stressed. 'It's a balanced and effective way to lose weight.' The Atkins Diet has come under attack from those who say it puts a dangerous emphasis on meat and fat, but Heimowitz said that is a debunked myth that discourages people from trying a solution that could help them lose the weight for good. 

What is the Atkins diet? Is it for you?

Popularised by Dr Robert Atkins, the Atkins diet is arguably the most popular weight loss diet of all time. It recommends low carbohydrate and high protein intake. It comprises of four phases – Induction, Ongoing Weight Loss, Pre-Maintenance and Lifetime Maintenance, all with a carefully controlled level of carbohydrate intake. Fat and protein foods like meat, cheese and egg are recommended while carbs like pasta, bread and sugar are restricted in Atkins Diet. According to nutritionists Dr Richa Shrivastava, the diet is bad because of the abstinence of carbs. She said, 'Carbohydrates are needed by the body to regulate protein and fat and to maintain adequate functioning of the brain. Lack of carbohydrate put the body in a state of ketosis (accumulation of excessive amounts of ketone bodies in body tissues and fluids due to incomplete metabolism of fat). Much of the weight loss while following this diet comes from fluid loss which puts additional load on the kidney. (Read: Post pregnancy weight loss)

Dietician Neha Chandna adds, 'The side-effect of this diet is, it recommends more than 30% fat intake which is above the recommended allowance and can lead to extreme ketosis which can cause damage to the organs in the long run.'  Also we have to keep in mind the fact that WHO recommends that a mother breastfeed her baby for the first two years. You need a good mix of all healthy nutrients including carbs. Closer home, our own desi yummy mummy Karishma Kapoor had made the case for carbs for a new mother. She wrote in her book My Yummy Mummy Guide, 'Everything has carbs—rice, bread, biscuits, cakes, sugar, dry fruit, crackers, low-fat munchies, jams, pickles, potatoes, lentils, pasta . . . There is no point in giving up carbs, because carbs give us energy. They are lighter on the kidneys than proteins. Good non-fatty sources of carbs are vegetables, oatmeal, brown rice, whole-grain breads, and lentils. If you want to have white rice and pasta, have small bowlfuls rather than giving them up altogether.'

So while the diet may have worked for Kim Kardashian and helped her lose weight, we'd recommend our readers to stick to a regular healthy diet and exercise to lose weight because this period is vital both for the new mum and her baby's development. (Read: 17 post pregnancy diet myths busted by Yummy Mummy Karisma Kapoor)

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