It's hard to believe that it was way back in 1972 when Dr. Atkins introduced his controversial diet program to the world. Atkins introduced us to the idea of high protein dieting with a corresponding virtual elimination of carbohydrates from our diets. But there is no denying that Atkins took off like wildfire in the 1990s and is going strong today. So it would do us well to dig down to what really makes the Atkins system work for so many people.

Probably the core teaching of Atkins is also the most dramatic change in how you eat because taking Atkins calls for us to virtually take carbohydrates out of the diet entirely. The concept Atkins teaches is that the body will burn the sugar that comes from carbohydrates first, by the time that part of our diet is burnt off, the body is satisfied so it never gets around to burning off fats. So Adkins takes carbs out of the equation.

The Atkins approach is also controversial because it goes against conventional thinking by encouraging dieters to eat a lot of protein in the form of meat, cheese and eggs. Add to that a tolerant attitude toward traditional fats like butter and many salad dressings which Atkins maintains will be burnt off rapidly once the carbs are out of the diet and you have a very unique approach to weight loss.

The medical term Atkins teaches for what happens when the body is denied carbohydrates and it turns to burning other fuels is called "ketosis". And this natural function means that out bodies naturally burn fat when it needs fuel and carbs are not in our systems to provide that fuel. And as fats are burnt off, we lose weight the natural way.

In addition to eating changes, when we become "Atkins people" there is the behavioral change of no longer being timid about asking for what we need when we eat out. An Atkins dieter must learn to be strong at restaurants and make sure the server brings things that fit the diet plan. So if you are in a burger joint, you can have the meat and the fixings but the bun has to stay in the kitchen. Other sacrifices that must go from our restaurant choices are french fries as well as pasta, potatoes and any food group that is high in sugar that will reverse the changes we are looking for in the way our metabolisms work.

Many dieters will feel ashamed by these odd requests-those are the people who will not grasp the secret of the Atkins Diet. You have to be brave and forceful about your food plan to be successful at this diet. Just as with anything, you need to put in the effort if you want to succeed.

But there is no substitute for being informed about every detail of the Atkins approach. So go from reading this and other articles to finding a book on Atkins that lays out the groundwork of the plan. Once you understand the diet, you can find plenty of other help on the internet and from fellow Atkins dieters in your community. In this way, you will pick up on those insider tricks of how to be a success with the Atkins diet.

The statistics don't lie that Atkins is a workable program that has been a huge success for a lot of different kinds of people. You should expect a transition period as you move out of a lifestyle of eating carbs and become used to the Atkins system. But that minor discomfort is certainly worth the big results you can effect if you can get on the Atkins diet and stick with it.