Atkins diet for weight loss - is it safe and healthy? (query)

I want to lose a few kilos in the next week or two. The problem is that I don't have the time to work out. A few of my friends suggested that I follow Atkin's diet and said that it will help me lose weight quickly. Is the diet safe and does it have any side effects?

Atkin's diet is a type of a fad diet, albeit one of the popular ones, but like every other fad diet it definitely is not healthy. The diet was designed by Dr. Robert Atkins, and it reduces your intake of carbohydrates -- the primary source of energy to up to 20g/day. It recommends a low carbohydrate and a high protein diet and includes eating more vegetables, meat, cheese and eggs while restricting bread, pasta and sugar.

Even though it might help you lose weight, it can be dangerous to the body.

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Renowned nutritionist Neha Chandna says that since the diet recommends more than 30% of fat intake that is above the RDA (recommended daily allowance), it can lead to ketosis where ketone bodies are accumulated in the blood due to abnormal fat metabolism. During ketosis, the body derives energy from ketone bodies instead of carbohydrates and can also damage various organs in the long run.

Dr. Richa Shrivastava, Ph.D., Dietetics, also says that since the diet cuts down on carbohydrates, regulation of fats and proteins along with optimal brain functioning is affected. She also explains that weight loss during this diet is mainly due to fluid loss which puts an additional strain on the kidney.

Losing weight should be a healthy process, and one should exercise regularly and follow a healthy diet. It is best to stay away from fad diets and other short-cut methods. Fad diets usually come with adverse effects and can cause problems like constipation, weakness, loss of concentration, nausea, headache, depression, etc.