Hey there, good lookin'! Kim Kardashian cut a slim figure while out and about in Los Angeles with bestie Jonathan Cheban on Saturday, Oct. 12 -- and now we know why! The first-time mom looked laid-back in a loose-fitting white quarter-sleeve top, distressed jeans and knee-high brown boots as she toted daughter North (snuggled up in a covered carrier) toward a waiting car. She wore her blonde hair down, a pair of oversized sunglasses her only hint of Hollywood glam. One day later, on Sunday, Oct. 13, the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star told fans that the trick to her slim figure has been a strict practice of the high-protein, low-carb Atkins diet. "I've actually been doing the Atkins diet & luv it," she tweeted. "She is eating lots of lean proteins, healthy fats like nuts and avocado, carbs, fruits, veggies and cheese," a rep for Atkins tells Us. "She wanted to be a healthy, nursing mom and not toxify her milk with her diet or lose weight too quickly. She's been doing Atkins since her doctor approved it at the end of June."

Just one day earlier, Kardashian, 32, stepped out boldly in a clingy, low-cut grey dress that hugged her curves as she visited the DASH store in West Hollywood with sisters Khloe and Kylie Jenner.Robert Atkins’ contentious death cast doubt on his already-controversial namesake diet. But he was onto something, apparently, because aspects of his high-fat regimen live on. Ketosis, a low-carb eating plan, promises to make people really thin, really quickly. Going keto is now a fad diet of its very own — look how good LeBron James looks! — despite concerns about its safety. In the world of crash diets, instant gratification is king, and ketosis appears to deliver rapid weight loss at full speed. That is, if you’re willing to take the risks.Phase one of the Atkins Diet had banked on ketosis, the body’s so-called “fat-burning” mode, which seemed to live up to the hype. Under normal conditions, the body fuels itself by burning up carbohydrates, fats, and protein, in that order.

That’s because the simple sugars contained in pasta, rice, and sugar are easier molecules to break down. But if your body has no linguine to digest and is desperate for game fuel, it has no choice but to burn up the fat you’ve got on hand (or on love handles). And isn’t that the weight-loss dream? @dzandertraining is out his mind! But I am 2 so tire let's go on a stroll down the street! #StriveForGreatness #ICantStopIWontStop A photo posted by LeBron James (@kingjames) on Jul 5, 2014 at 7:41am PDTBut ketosis is so-named because going low-carb causes the liver to break down fats into molecules called ketones, which can also be used a fuel source. The problem is, having too many ketones floating around can be dangerous. Diabetics unable to control their insulin levels can enter a state called ketoacidosis, when the buildup of ketones causes the blood to become dangerously acidic, which in turn messes with your organs. (At this point, ketones spill over into the urine, giving it a characteristic fruity smell.

The term diabetes mellitus roughly means “pissing honey.”) That happy face I make when I finish that 7am workout. Definitely not the face I had during! #StriveForGreatness #MyBroSaidBringTheJoyBack #LiveLaughLove A photo posted by LeBron James (@kingjames) on Jan 25, 2016 at 5:11am PSTSupporters of the Atkins Diet contend that the amount of ketones present in the blood during ketosis isn’t nearly high enough to be unsafe. Boxer Pups Sale UtahIn fact, some argued that ketosis — and by extension, some degree of starvation — was the body’s natural state. Walmart Light Blocking Blinds“It’s not normal to have McDonald’s and a delicatessen around every corner,” the National Institute of Health’s Dr. Richard Veech told The New York Times at the height of the Atkins craze. Weekend Hot Tub Hire Scotland

“It’s normal to starve.’’I'm 30 lbs down today but 40 to go! I will show u guys my workouts on my app & share my Atkins plan too!— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) January 19, 2016 It’s true that there are always some ketones floating around, regardless of diet, because certain organs — the heart and brain — use them for fuel. Normally, they’re present at a concentration of 0.6 to 1.5 millimoles per liter. Ketones only become dangerous once that number hits 3.0 — and, if your body has its insulin under control (that is, if you’re not diabetic), you’re not likely to get anywhere close to that. Still, it’s a risk only a few dedicated individuals are willing to take.As with any diet, ketosis is all about tradeoffs. Are you going to lose weight on it? Of course you are. To go keto is to enter starvation mode. And sure, shedding 12 pounds in a couple of weeks could decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, but is it worth putting your body under deliberate, long-term stress?

Is it worth giving up beer? For people desperate for rapid weight loss, the answer is an emphatic hell yes. What happens when you go off the keto diet is a different story altogether.All good things, hot bodies included, take time. Does anyone really think it’s that simple?It’s been 10 years since everyone you know was “doing Atkins,” in a low-carb craze that swept the nation. But while the fad faded, nutrition experts are encouraging Americans to watch their intake of white sugar and carbohydrates, and the Atkins diet itself has continued to evolve. If you’ve thought about revisiting the program, there’s much you should know about how it aligns with current nutrition recommendations, and what you can expect on the new version of the plan. RELATED: Atkins Diet Shopping List “Because we’ve been around for 40 years, we know where the pitfalls are and where people get in trouble,” says Colette Heimowitz, vice president of nutrition and education for Atkins Nutritionals, Inc.

We asked Heimowitz for her tips on following the Atkins diet in a safe and healthy way—and getting the best results.All smart, safe diet plans evolve as new research on nutrition emerges. The Atkins diet may still be based on the principles Dr. Robert C. Atkins laid out in Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution in 1972, but it’s been updated many times over the years, most recently in The New Atkins for a New You: The Ultimate Diet for Shedding Weight and Feeling Great, published in 2010. Don’t try to do the diet based on an older version of the program—or worse, what you vaguely remember your mother-in-law eating when she did it 10 years ago.Part of the appeal of Atkins early on was that its author often emphasized that it was OK to eat as much of the approved foods as you wanted, provided you stopped when you were full. But after studying people on the plan, Heimowitz says, they found that “people could eat through their hunger cues, taking in 4,000 calories a day, and then wonder why they’re not losing,” she says.

Now the program offers portion control recommendations, such as only 4-6 ounces of protein in a sitting, and only 4 ounces daily of full-fat dairy products. Fill up on Atkins “super foods.” No, they’re not steak and butter, as a famous New York Times magazine cover story once suggested. Like many healthy eating plans, the cornerstone of today’s Atkins diet is vegetables, which you should aim to get 8-10 servings of per day. Other staples of the plan? Eggs and foods packed with healthy fats, such as fatty fish, extra virgin olive oil, avocados and nuts. In the later phases, berries are great for snacking, Heimowitz says, especially when combined with almonds to slow the absorption of sugars. Don’t stay in Phase 1 forever. The first phase of Atkins, known as “induction,” is the strictest, forbidding even some healthy foods like grains, legumes, potatoes, squash and yogurt. In this phase, weight comes off fast. “Because they feel so great, their appetite is under control and they’re losing at a nice clip, many people are afraid to go beyond induction,” Heimowitz says.

“But then they never learn how to get more variety in the program to maintain weight loss. You need to modify it to maintain.” Based on your weight-loss needs, you should stay in Induction anywhere from two weeks to several months.In the early weeks of the plan, it’s common to shed lots of water weight. (That’s partially why the scale moves so quickly, which can be encouraging early in a diet.) To be safe, you should make sure to drink lots of water during that time to prevent dehydration. The Atkins plan also recommends adding a teaspoon of salt per day to your diet in the induction phase—in the form of table salt, broth or soy sauce—to help keep your electrolytes balanced. Know that all carbs aren’t created equal. One of the biggest misconceptions about Atkins is that it’s a no-carb plan, Heimowitz says. In fact, from day one, you’re eating some carbs—mostly vegetables—but their effects on insulin and blood sugar are tempered by their fiber content. When it’s time to add in additional carbs in phase 2, though, it can be tricky.