Since the human body typically uses carbohydrates as a primary source of energy for the body’s basic functions, ideally a diet that is low in carbohydrates will cause the body to look elsewhere for a source of energy.

With restrictions placed on the consumption of carbohydrates, the body has no choice but to metabolize fats in order to produce energy. The process by which the body metabolizes fats in order to produce energy is known as ketosis. In order to maintain ketosis and keep the body burning fats, individuals who are taking part in the Atkins Diet need to be careful about the food they consume during their daily meals.

High levels of carbohydrates will interfere with ketosis, as the body will return to breaking down the carbohydrates in order to produce energy. When it comes to the foods that are acceptable for the Atkins Diet, individuals are expected to consume foods that are low in carbohydrates, which typically means not eating foods high in sugars and starches.

Generally, the Atkins diet approves the consumption of proteins and fats. Additionally, participants are allowed to eat all the meat, poultry, fish, and cheeses they want. Condiments that are high in fat are also given the okay under Atkins, as are sour cream and guacamole.

In terms of specific foods that are deemed acceptable under the Atkins diet, participants are given a variety of choices. In fact, the basic premise of the Atkins diet is that individual participants can eat just about any food they want, so long as it is low is carbohydrates.

Lovers of fish will find that just about all types of fish are accepted under the Atkins diet, including tuna, salmon, flounder, and sardines, to name a few. Fans of fowl will find that items like turkey, chicken, duck, quail and pheasant are all also acceptable food under the Atkins diet.

The choices to not end there though, as shellfish like oysters, clams, squid, shrimp, and crabmeat are also a big part of the Atkins diet. Additionally, all forms of meat including beef, pork, lamb, veal and venison are also on the list of foods that the Atkins diet deems acceptable.

Eggs cooked in just about every form are also on the list of acceptable foods under Atkins. Despite the perceptions, the Atkins diet does allow for the consumption of some amount of carbohydrate on a daily basis.

Many times, these carbohydrates are obtained by consuming small amounts of vegetables like celery, radishes, chives, snow peas, broccoli, and spinach. Atkins also has acceptable beverages.

Since most of today’s drinks contain some sort of sugar-based sweetener or some type of fruit juice that is itself high in carbohydrates, the Atkins diet recommends that participants consume drinks that are artificially sweetened with products like Splenda. Additionally, teas, some juices, and diet sodas are all beverages that are considered acceptable under the Atkins diet.

** Graphic Display of loose skin around my stomach near the end — Viewers may want to ensure a bag is available ** Today’s episode I deal with the one of the most common questions people ask me after hearing of my 200 pound weight loss. That is, “do you have much problems with loose skin?” In the end, I have to admit that I do have a bit of loose skin (I affectionately & sometime not so affectionately my “SharPei”) around my torso and legs, but it could be much worse. I could have the sheets of skin some dieters (more often low Calorie big losers) have or even worse be my original weight still living in fear of loose skin. There are times that I actually like my stretchmarks as they server as reminders of what might be if I think I can lax up. It also serves as a talking point like my pathetic driver’s license does for people looking for hope, but most days I am just thankful for shirts. There are other things that are claimed to help, but I have not tried. Cocoa Butter and Mederma are both used by pregnant women to ease the appearance of stretchmarks. Additionally, I believe the content of this Diet helps in maintaining the elasticity due to protein and fat being featured. The body does not cannibalize its own resources like on other diets, and many report their skin looks as good and clear as it ever had. Good skin health implies good skin elasticity to respond to the weight loss as well. One final theory about loose skin: www.bodyfatguide.com To summarize the above …

I am starting a new series of videos based upon the questions or comments I have received either privately or in the comments section. Each of these videos will be targeted to answering that question or issue in short, less than 3 minutes video. I am hoping that these videos can be used as a Frequently Asked Question about the Atkins Diet or Low Carb in general. In this video, I deal with a question I receive often. How do I start or restart the diet? I come up with three specific recommendations: 1.) Get the junk out of your house. There is no reason to start with cravings staring you in the face. 2.) Get and read the book. The book I mean is either the low carb book of choice or Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution (2002). 3.) Hit the low carb recipe sites, like Linda’s Low Carb, and browse the Induction friendly recipes. Make a menu for the week and go shopping. The last half of this viewer’s question was how long to do the diet. I somewhat answered this already in the last video, but my answer is always “forever. There is no “after” on the Atkins Diet.” I hope you like this series of upcoming videos.

Take caution, however: the best low carb foods should be taken in moderation, as all other major food groups. In fact, the effects of the best low carb foods are useless without the proper exercise. The best low carb foods do not substitute for a balanced diet, which should include fresh fruits and vegetables.

High on the best low carb foods list are fish. Stock up on your tuna and salmon, which contain loads of iron that can prevent you from getting anemia. Herring and sardines are also a good source of proteins. Be careful when stocking on proteins, though: excess proteins can do damage to your kidneys, so take a lot of water to flush the toxins out.

Also notable on the best low carb foods list are poultry. Cornish hens and chickens are good meats to go with your all-green, dressing-free salad. Be sure to pick out the white meat, especially when you treat yourself to some turkey, duck, or goose. If you want to cut down on even more fats, eschew the skin of your flying friends, and broil or sear the chicken meat in herbs.

If you are not allergic to shellfish, then include them on your list of the best low carb foods. Down moderate amounts of shrimps, oysters, and clams, and get them fresh. Stay away from clam chowder, which contains large amounts of starch in the form of potatoes and cream. Oysters and most other mussels, however, have higher amounts of carbohydrates than other shellfish, so eat three to four ounces of them, at the most, per day.

Also on the best low carb foods list are some cheeses. Take only three to four ounces of gouda, mozzarella, and cream cheese daily; you can slather them onto your green salad or nibble them for a light snack. To round out this list of the best low carb foods, limit your salads to sprouts, mushrooms, green lettuce leaves, and cucumbers.

Carefully choosing low carb foods for natural weight loss requires a mental shift in the way you buy your nutrition. First, you should realize that there are now many options for prepackaged nutrient dense food formulas that can deliver natural weight loss safely, effectively, and conveniently. Once you make the choice to shop differently, you’ll find that the products you need are easier to find than you ever imagined. In today’s age of modern conveniences, it’s really not any more difficult to discover these nutrient dense, low carb foods than it is to fill your shopping cart with junk foods.

One of the first steps in creating that mental shift necessary for natural weight loss is to open your eyes to the power of real, whole food ingredients that have been concentrated into easy to mix formulas. These kinds of low carb foods are not typically sold in stores, but you will easily uncover them on the Internet. NuPlus is an example of a product that packs powerful nutrition into fewer calories. This makes it a very effective, nutrient dense food choice for achieving natural weight loss as well as other health benefits. This one particular low carb food product is made entirely from whole food ingredients that have been combined from numerous all-natural sources. It’s much different from the typical low carb junk food products you may have seen in the past.

This type of product makes it easier than ever to achieve natural weight loss. The convenient little packets can be shaken, stirred or blended with any kind of liquid to create a delicious snack that satisfies your hunger and loads you up with vital nutrients, instantly. You can eat what you want for fun, but you’ll have all the serious nutrition you need at home, at work, or on the go with these handy, portable low carb foods.

The versatility of nutrient dense foods like these makes it easy to add them to any diet. One reason they work so well for natural weight loss is that they fill you up and satisfy your body on a whole different level. This way you don’t crave foods with empty calories. By taking advantage of modern technology with these new kinds of low carb foods you can make a huge difference in your overall health while at the same time contributing to a safe, effective, natural weight loss program.

Not only are nutrient dense food formulas like this good for you, they taste great, and are convenient enough that they can quickly enhance your life. Obviously, though, the first step is to believe that concentrated, low carb foods really do work for natural weight loss. Search online for them, try a few of these innovative, new low carb foods and see if they work for you. It may be difficult to understand how this alternative way of obtaining nutrition is possible until you try it. Now is the time to step into the future and achieve natural weight loss a healthier, more efficient way. Give it a try. What have you got to lose, other than a few pounds?

First, let’s take a look at the origins of stevia and how it has gained attention with the rise in demand for low carb foods and low sugar substitutes. Stevia has been used for centuries by native South American tribes as a sweetener in yerba mate and medicinal teas for treating heartburn and other ailments. It is a plant in the Chrysanthemum family, which grows wild in parts of Paraguay and Brazil. Wikipedia describes stevia as an herb or shrub “in the sunflower family, native to subtropical and tropical South America and Central America”. The plant’s extracts have up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar, but have a negligible impact on blood glucose. So it is easy to see why stevia is being noticed by people looking for low carb foods or who are trying to maintain normal blood sugar levels with a low carb diet.

Since the early 1970′s, Japan has led the way in cultivating and using stevia as a replacement for artificial sweeteners such as cyclamate and saccharin, which are alleged carcinogens. Commercially produced in Japan since 1977, stevia sweeteners are often used in that country for low carb foods and soft drinks. Japan currently accounts for about 40% of the world’s consumption of stevia, more than any other country. It is now widely used throughout the world, especially in East Asia, South America and Israel. Stevia has been available as a dietary supplement in the United States and Canada since the mid 1980′s. Many people in this country use it as a beneficial sweetener for health drink formulas not sold in retail stores.

In 1984, Dr. Tei-Fu Chen, an American herbalist from Taiwan, perfected a method to extract the sweetness from stevia without using chemicals. This method is accepted today as the most advantageous way to produce stevia products for consumption. Dr. Chen’s company, Sunrider, successfully petitioned the FDA (Food & Drug Administration) in 1995 to lift the import alert on the extract of stevia leaves. This paved the way for companies to use stevia as a “dietary supplement”, and in May of 2007, Coca Cola announced plans to seek approval for its use as a “food additive”. Coca Cola currently uses stevia in soft drinks made in Japan, and is hoping to market a new calorie free sweetener in the United States to use in low carb foods by 2009. In 1984, stevia was introduced as Sunectar by Sunrider and later a clear liquid version called Sunnydew accompanied the thicker, darker Sunectar in the market. Coca Cola is tentatively planning to call their product, Rebiana, which is derived from the plant’s botanical name stevia rebaudiana.

The only thing that might prevent the use of stevia based products for low carb foods and drinks in the U.S. is the FDA approval of stevia as a “food additive”. As of today in the U.S, stevia is not allowed to be sold as a food additive but is considered to be safe as a dietary supplement. You see, stevia grows naturally therefore it does not require a patent. This could be why some consumers and politicians believe the FDA has so far acted in response to industry pressure from sugar and artificial sweetener lobbyists. For example, Arizona congressman, Jon Kyl, called the FDA action against stevia “a restraint of trade to benefit the artificial sweetener industry”. Although, the growing popularity of stevia may force the FDA to take a closer look at the current food additive ban. Coca Cola has teamed up with the agricultural products company, Cargill to market rebiana-sweetened products in 12 countries that already allow stevia as a food additive.

As far as I can tell through research and through my own experience with stevia, the benefits of this herbal supplement far outweigh any possible negative consequences. Stevia is hundreds of times sweeter than sugar, so only very small amounts are required to sweeten beverages and foods. Most stevia products contain zero calories, and some contain complex carbohydrates that are beneficial to anyone, especially those on a low carbohydrate diet. It has been said that stevia is food for the pancreas, which can help maintain normal blood sugar levels. Through my own daily use of stevia and my desire to maintain a diet of low carb foods for more than six years now, I can say that it has helped reduce cravings for sugary foods and has contributed to a decrease in mood swings caused by over consumption of sugar.

I encourage anyone who is searching for quality nutrition in low carb foods, to investigate stevia and make it a part of a healthy, balanced, low carbohydrate diet.