Atkins is very extreme and doesn't allow fruits, and in the beginning, doesn't even allow veggies with any carb content including carrots or squash. The Atkins diet is very hard on your kidneys and also since many people end up not eating veggies, can cause an acid condition in your body, making you very sick. Grains and protein are acidifying and veggies, especially the green ones, are alkalizing. Healthy people's blood ph should lean towards more alkaline.
The GAPs diet is centered around healing the gut, so only excludes complex sugars, which do not get digested in people with compromised guts. We are allowed fruits as long as it doesn't make up the majority of the diet, and most veggies including carrots, cauliflower, squash, etc (no starchy veggies like corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes). We are also allow simple sugars such as fructose, so we can have honey.
Since you are not doing the GAPs diet, it need not be so extreme. However, if you limit or reduce your grain and sugar intake, you'll start to realize how much of your diet was made up of grains and sweet foods. When I first went on GAPs, I realized how addicted I was to carbs before, even though I was doing a whole foods, traditional foods diet. Also, if you start allowing yourself to eat good amounts of fat, you'll realize that your craving for sweets and carbs will be much less since your body will be satisfied.
The GAPs diet is centered around healing the gut, so only excludes complex sugars, which do not get digested in people with compromised guts. We are allowed fruits as long as it doesn't make up the majority of the diet, and most veggies including carrots, cauliflower, squash, etc (no starchy veggies like corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes). We are also allow simple sugars such as fructose, so we can have honey.
Since you are not doing the GAPs diet, it need not be so extreme. However, if you limit or reduce your grain and sugar intake, you'll start to realize how much of your diet was made up of grains and sweet foods. When I first went on GAPs, I realized how addicted I was to carbs before, even though I was doing a whole foods, traditional foods diet. Also, if you start allowing yourself to eat good amounts of fat, you'll realize that your craving for sweets and carbs will be much less since your body will be satisfied.
