What Are The Main Differences Between Keto Diet And Atkins Diet?

The keto and the Atkins diet have been on for a while now and some people may confuse between them because they are both low carb and high-fat diets. Nonetheless, there are striking differences between them, and in this article, we will share with you the differences between the keto diet and the Atkins diet.

The Origin

First of all, one of the apparent differences between the two diets is their origin stories. While the keto diet was designed in its strictest form to prevent seizures, a tool for treating epilepsy, the Atkins was primarily designed for weight loss. However, the in recent years, keto has been very popular for people who want to lose weight.

The Macros

Looking at both diets though they have similar macronutrients arrangements, people on the Atkins diet usually get about 10% of their calories from carbs (at least for the first time) while people following the keto diet get 2-5% of their daily calories from carbs.

Nonetheless, Atkins and the keto diets both manipulate the body to redirect their sources of energy to use stored fats to achieve weight loss instead of carbs.

People on the ketogenic diet mostly get between 70%-90% of their daily calories from fat, while the remaining 6-20% of their calories from protein. The Atkins diet, on the other hand, get 60% of their daily calories from fat and 30% from protein. This is the reason while people think keto is the avocado-a-day diet, and Atkins is considered all bacon, all the time diet plan.

The Approach

The Atkins approach to carbs changes with time; they have the induction phase, which is the primary phase of the Atkins diet- it allows 20g of net carbs, but as the diet progresses, the amount of the carbs can increase. 

In Atkins diet, you can add more good carbs as you get into the next phases and maintain your weight loss goals. However, eating more carbs might kick you out of ketosis, which is the goal of the ketogenic diet.

On keto, there are no phases. You simply follow your macros and stay in ketosis until you achieve your goal. According to the experts at KetoASAP.com, you should try to stick to your plan until you achieve your goals. Having cheat meals will jeopardize your progress and give you setbacks. However, there is a way to get back to keto according to this article from Proper Good.

The bottom line is when it comes to weight loss, both diets can guarantee amazing weight loss by shedding pounds of fat especially at the early stages of the diet. 

The Strictness

Atkins diet does not have strict rules on the amount of protein intake, but keto restricts protein intake of your daily calories to around 20%.

On the Atkins diet, you reintroduce carbs to your diet after the early stages, but carbs are always limited on a keto diet no matter how long you’ve been on it. This makes Atkins diet easier to follow than keto.

Different Menus

When it comes to what to eat, keto food is more specific than Atkins. On Atkins, you can eat a variety of options, but on Keto, you always need to stick to whole foods and low carbs; therefore, you should seek out keto-friendly foods for optimal results.

You can eat a wide range of meat and seafood on both diets. You can eat salmon, sardines, mackerel, and herrings to boost omega-3 fatty acid intake, which is good for balancing the brain function, and cardiovascular health.

Any type of meat is good, but fresh meat and unprocessed meat are better such as fatty cuts of meat like beef brisket, T-bone steak, beef ribs, pork, chicken, lamb, etc…

In conclusion, there are many differences as well as similarities between the two diets. Following their guidelines can be difficult in the beginning. However, you should not give up. Once you get used to the rules and learn how to cook your own meals, it will become much easier.