The ketogenic diet has become the weight loss star for the New Year. In 2017, searches for the keto diet quadrupled, with researchers discovering that the ketogenic diet burns fat 10 times faster, as the Inquisitr reported. The Atkins diet is now fighting back, with Rob Lowe making celebrity weight loss history as the company’s first male representative. But how does the Atkins weight loss plan compare with the keto diet?
The Atkins diet company is aiming to change its image. Rather than be seen as a diet program, the corporation wants to be viewed as a “healthy lifestyle choice,” according to Media Post. The selection of Rob is viewed as the first step in that image makeover.
“To grab attention amid the usual New Year’s deluge of diet advertising, Atkins has recruited actor Rob Lowe as its first male brand spokesperson.”
Atkins is positioned as helping dieters on the plan to enjoy a “life well lived.” In his ad for the company, Lowe discusses the desire that he says he shares with Atkins dieters to “live well, healthy, and long.” Rob then describes the Atkins diet’s essential elements.
Atkins And Ketogenic Diets Both Limit Carbohydrates, Boost Protein And Fat
Lowe talks about the lifestyle benefits of following the Atkins diet. Beyond observing their children grow up, parents “want to be there with them, all in and feeling good,” says Rob in the ad.
“Today’s Atkins isn’t just a diet; it’s good food. It’s rich in healthy protein and lower in carbs and sugar.”
For dieters who are attracted by Lowe’s appeal to try the weight loss plan that he says he follows, Rob promises that “feeling good on the inside starts to show on the outside.” Ad Age reported that Atkins sees the choice of Lowe as a way to appeal to those who are willing to cut back on carbohydrates without following an extremely strict diet.
Atkins hires @RobLowe to promote its 'lifestyle' (It's not just a diet). https://t.co/QnU3x42XsZ pic.twitter.com/RylTQ6YOr9
— Ad Age (@adage) January 3, 2018
As for how Atkins chose the actor, Chief Marketing Officer Scott Parker revealed that some of his staff had heard Rob used the diet. The company then reached out to Lowe’s management team and got a “very enthusiastic yes.”
Although Lowe is the first male rep for the company, other celebrities have touted the weight loss benefits of the plan. Courtney Thorne Smith, Sharon Osborne, Alyssa Milano, and Kim Kardashian have helped to boost the profile of the weight loss program, which has existed for years.
Dr. Robert Atkins earned fame for writing his first book, Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution, in 1972, with bars and shakes launching in 1997. Parker said he hopes that Lowe can help promote the concept of Atkins in 2018 as an easy-to-follow lifestyle.
“People are humans and they don’t always eat perfectly. Believe it or not, you can actually go to KFC and get grilled chicken and you’d be Atkins-compliant.”
But while Rob is enthusiastic about representing the Atkins diet, some dieters are focused on finding out which diet burns fat the fastest.
Comparing the Atkins and ketogenic diets, Women’s Health pointed out that both diets limit carbohydrates. The emphasis on healthy fat and protein and reduction of carbohydrates causes the body to use stored fat for fuel. Edwina Clark, R.D., talked with the magazine about how the diets compare.
Ketogenic Diet Puts Emphasis On Ketosis for Burning Fat
“The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate protein, low-carb diet,” clarified Clark.
Ketogenic dieters cut their carbohydrates to 50 grams per day or less, with total carbohydrate intake limited to five to 10 percent of daily calories. As much as 75 percent of daily calories are in the fat category, while the rest of the total calorie intake comes from protein.
“By severely limiting carbs…, the [ketogenic] diet forces your body to burn fat for energy, a process known as ketosis.”
While the Atkins diet takes place in phases, the ketogenic diet requires dieters to stick to the high fat, low carbohydrate, moderate protein plan until achieving goal weight. Starchy vegetables, white flour, and white sugar are banned, and minimal fruit is allowed.
Atkins Diet Emphasizes Phases
In contrast to the ketogenic diet, the Atkins diet focuses on guiding dieters through weight loss phases, beginning with induction. The first phase requires cutting carbohydrates to 20 grams of net carbs, with the carbohydrates typically chosen from vegetables. Dieters in induction eat protein at each meal plus three fat servings daily.
Phase two increases carbohydrate intake to 50 grams of net carbs. Dieters add foods such as berries and nuts, staying in this phase until they have 10 pounds to go to reach their goal weight. Phase three continues to add variety, such as some starchy vegetables, while phase four is all about maintaining the goal weight.
Clark puts the Atkins diet ahead of the ketogenic diet in her recommendations. The Atkins diet guides dieters into a maintenance phase in contrast to the keto diet.
The Atkins company offers two diet plans, with the Atkins 20 involving the induction phase described above of 20 grams net carbohydrates. The Atkins 40, in contrast, starts with 40 grams of net carbs a day.
Ketogenic Diet Wins Over Even Diet With Exercise, Burning Fat 10 Times Faster
For those whose New Year’s resolutions focus on fast weight loss, Healthline reported on a new study comparing a standard diet, a diet with exercise, and the ketogenic diet.
“Those in the ketogenic group saw the best results for reduction of weight, body fat percentage, and BMI.”
Conducted by researchers at Bethel University in Minnesota, the study focused on 30 adults who struggled with metabolic syndrome. Symptoms can range from extra fat around the stomach to high cholesterol levels and hypertension.
The ketogenic diet worked best for tackling the problems associated with metabolic syndrome, outdoing even the group who had exercised when it came to benefits such as weight loss and reduced body fat. An estimated 35 percent of all adults in the United States have metabolic syndrome. Weight loss is seen as one of the keys to preventing and treating this health concern.
Researchers have determined that the ketogenic diet burns fat 10 times faster, according to the Daily Mail. With celebrity weight loss winners such as Kim Kardashian known to have turned to the keto diet to shed pounds, the plan has become controversial because of its high fat content.
However, the study showed “significantly better results” for weight loss. Keto diet participants had resting metabolic rates ten times higher than those who were in the standard diet control group in the study.