The diet was created by Dr. Robert Atkins as he worked to resolve his own overweight condition following medical school and graduate medical training. He started writing the popular series of books after successfully treating thousands of patients. The diet is designed around a low-carbohydrate concept. Based on the theory that refined carbohydrates are linked to obesity, and that only trans fat need to be avoided in comparison to saturated fats, the diet focuses on increasing protein content and restricting net carbs (carbs that have an effect on blood sugar) in order to switch the body's metabolism from burning glucose to burning fat.

Ketosis is the science behind the Atkins Diet. By reducing your carbohydrate intake to less than 40 grams a day, you will enter a bodily process called ketosis, a state in which your body burns fat as fuel. Ketosis affects insulin production which will prevent more fat from being formed. Atkins' plan suggests that once you enter ketosis and your body begins efficiently using the fat as fuel, your cravings for carbs will subside and you won't miss the foods you are doing without.

The Atkins diet is also based on the low-glycemic approach. The Glycemic Index, (or GI), ranks foods based on their effect on blood sugar in your body. For example, a potato is a very high-GI food and raises blood sugar very quickly after being consumed; berries have a low-GI rating, so they don't have an adverse effect on your blood sugar.