The high protein diet has become one of the most popular diets over the past few years. The high protein diet is particularly associated with people who want to develop muscle mass, as well as the more common dietary purpose of wanting to lose weight. As our diet plan review explains, the idea behind the high protein diet is simple. By cutting out carbohydrates and fats, and feeding the body with high levels of protein, the body metabolism will alter and fat will be burnt off.

Dr Atkins believed that too much carbohydrate in diet meal plans causes the body to produce too much insulin, which in turn leads to hunger and weight gain. The initial weight loss is generally very good on a high protein diet but, unfortunately, this is largely made up of water loss, not fat. When the body becomes starved of carbohydrates (its primary source of energy) it looks for energy in its glycogen stores, and because four grams of water cling to every gram of glycogen, it is possible to lose a lot of weight (in water) very quickly. Over a long period of time this can result in many adverse health effects.

This eating programme includes recipes filled with chicken, turkey, lean beef and fish. In the diet meal plans there is little carbohydrate, little fat and lots of protein. There have been many critics of the programme for many reasons. One is that such eating programmes have been associated with mood changes such as tension and irritability.