Are you thinking about trying to cut carbs? The recent resurgence of the Atkins low-carb diet plan is so enamored by the media/public that a low-carb lifestyle is now being adopted instead of using it as a diet plan. That kind of lifestyle can actually make you fatter.

Short-term effects of the Atkins diet do appear to be safe and very effective. The diet, which has aroused fiery debate ever since its inception, limits carbohydrates to 20 grams per day during the first 14 days or the "induction phase" and 50 grams during the "ongoing weight-loss phase". During these phases, unlimited or liberal amounts of meat, eggs and cheese high in saturated fat and cholesterol are permitted.

Several of the recent trials and studies show Atkins may well be a safe and effective weight-loss option for short-term use - six months up to a year for some people. Please note the key term used here is "short-term use".

In these trials, it is worthy to note that heart-disease risk factors improved equally as with a high-carb / low-fat diet (more so for those participants who were obese participants and inactive). The Atkins diet also generated greater weight loss at six months, but the variance in weight loss narrowed and was much the same at 12 months when compared to a high-carb / low-fat diet.

Recent research also suggests the Atkins weight-loss effect has little to do with "ketosis," which is supposed to begin once the body uses up the stored carb reserves and is forced to burn ketones (a byproduct of body-fat breakdown.) The success of the diet may be attributed to reducing calorie intake by limiting food choices (strict carb limitations) thus restricting the choices for overeating. This is the basis of many popular diets like the cabbage soup diet - after a week, you don't even want to eat, if all you can have is cabbage soup! The thought of it is almost nauseating. Like many other weight-loss diet plans, the Atkins diet makes mindless impulse eating of snack foods like chips, crackers and cookies off-limits. Every meal you eat demands that you think and plan before you put it in your mouth.

Claims that the diet reduces blood-sugar swings that result in lowered appetite have also not been substantiated.

So, what are the effects of long term low-carb dieting? Research has shown that the improvement in heart-risk indicators for most people (even while eating all that saturated fat and cholesterol) is only in effect only as long as you're losing body fat while on the diet. But, once weight loss ceases, saturated fat and cholesterol may once again make you at risk. It is because of this that a long-term low-carb diet high in meat, eggs and cheese may raise health risks.

Another risk is that low-carb diets simply lack enough healthy nutrient sources without vegetables, whole grains, fruits, and beans which have been proven to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer.

The hyped media reports on the Atkins diet has boosted the food industry's monetary response to profit trends and is quickly turning what should be a short-term diet plan into a potentially dangerous and even weight-promoting low-carb lifestyle.

You can now find product after product at your grocery store with lower carbs and twice the price. Foods naturally lower in carbs are being re-labeled to take advantage of the phenomena.

That is not the end of the profit bandwagon. Restaurants are taking their high-calorie and saturated-fat foods and remarketing them as "low carb" or "Atkins friendly." Major multivitamin manufacturers have reformulated vitamins that they "claim" will supply what's missing in your low-carb lifestyle.

To confuse the consumer even further, you will find low-carb food labeling listing "net carbs". Net carbs are the amount of carbs that impact blood sugar subtracted from the total carbs. This net carb-labeling trend encourages consumers to count carbs instead of calories. (Somewhat reminiscent of just counting fat grams? I am sure that most of you now realize that eating a bag of low fat cookies will not help you lose weight!)

Studies have shown that long term weight control is determined by overall calorie intake, not whether they come from carbs or fat. Indeed, many new low-carb processed foods have only slightly fewer calories than their full-carb versions.

Since carbs usually make up the bulk of our calorie intake, you would have to deduce that to lose weight, you must restrict some carbohydrate calories. A little common health sense will direct you to the carb sources that should be restricted like soda, juice drinks, and other items high in added sugar, as well as white flour and other refined grain foods (it isn't coincidence that these items are also higher in calories). You may also want to cut back on some carbohydrates like potatoes and refined white rice.

Fat calories are best cut from foods high in saturated fat and trans fat (trans fat is found in partially-hydrogenated oils or vegetable shortening): fried foods, high-fat dairy foods, fatty meats, butter, stick margarine, and many types of prepared popcorn, cookies, crackers and chips.

Other than fatty meats and fatty dairy products, you will see a pattern to the restricted foods in the last two paragraphs. It is called "PROCESSED FOODS"! If you want to lose weight, a good rule of thumb is to stay out of the grocery isles that contain processed foods. If you do most of your shopping in the fresh produce and poultry/fish market, you will find weight loss to be much easier and healthier.