Dr. Atkins's diet is extremely low in carbohydrates, which helps to regulate insulin production and decrease circulating insulin; less insulin soon results in less fat storage and fewer food cravings. The diet is far from torturous, though--those who've tried it attest that hunger is not a part of this plan. Ninety percent of Dr. Atkins's patients--more than 25,000 of them--have experienced dramatic weight loss. The book includes recipes for such luscious, low-carb dishes as lobster soup, zabaglione, sea bass, and blueberry ice cream, and even includes a carbohydrate gram counter and menus.

I am a 46 year old male, that weighted in at 240 lbs., when I started to do Atkins on June 3rd of this year. As of today, less then one month later, I've lost 28 lbs. of fat, and have renewed vigor, energy and stamina. I no longer suffer the horrible sugar cravings and binging, that where a daily part of my life. I no longer feel bloated, nor do I suffer from spells of exhaustion. After seeing my success, my wife joined me on June 12th, and proceeded to lose13 lbs. in just over 2 weeks. We now eat a very healthy diet of quality meat, fish, eggs, cheese, nuts, vegetables and low carb fruits. In fact, our diet today contains far more vegetables then we ever ate before Atkins. Gone are the processed foods, full of empty sugar calories, homogenized fats, and tons of preservatives. We've never eaten heathier, nor better in our lives. Food is now a satisfying fuel, that makes us feel energized, not the former burden, that put us to sleep after a meal.

Yes, the first week or so can be hard, as your body adjusts to carb withdrawal, but if you stick with it, the rewards are phenomenal. Low carb is now our chosen life style, and we no longer have any desire to ingest the poisons of our past.

If you are overweight, and concerned about your health, you owe it to yourself to read this book from cover to cover. But a word of warning. If you enter this lightly, you will fail! Atkins is about a life style change, it is not a "diet".

This book actually states, in all seriousness, that eating things like red meat, butter, bacon and cheese in abundance are GOOD for you. The reason, as Dr.Atkins states, is that carbohydrates stimulate insulin, which makes people burn energy less effectively and ultimately makes them fat. If this sounds ridiculous, it's because it is. Dr.Atkins ignores studies which show that beef and cheese cause a far bigger release of insulin than pasta. Fish also releases a bigger insulin amount than eating popcorn.

Carbohydrates don't make people fat. A sedentary lifestyle makes people fat. For example, the majority of the Asian population eats a diet that is FAR more abundant in carbohydrates (rice, noodles, vegetables), yet Asians do not suffer from even nearly as much of an obesity problem as Americans do. Places like KFC, McDonald's, Burger King, etc are what makes people overweight.

The Atkins Diet will make you lose weight, but it's not the way you want to lose weight. By eating less than 20g of carbohydrates a day, after about 2-3 days the body begins a process called ketosis. Since there is such a low amount of blood sugar in your body, your brain will start to burn fat in order to gain that energy. Therefore, you do lose weight on the Atkins diet. However, remember that the food you are eating is incredibly loaded with saturated fats, cholesterol, and complex proteins. All of these things contribute to long term problems, especially with the heart. Eating red meat and a lot of saturated fats is a leading cause of colorectal cancer in America. This book actually tries to convince you that fat and cholesterol have nothing to do with heart problems!!!

Nothing that Atkins has stated has EVER been published in any major health or science magazine. He funds only bogus research that doesn't even use any modern sociological or scientific procedures (such as the Duke University study).

Folks, here's the bottom line. I understand your plight. I used to be overweight, with no muscles, I ate poorly and I was in terrible shape. I realized that the best way to lose weight, and KEEP THE WEIGHT OFF, was to exercise on a regular basis, eat properly and nutritiously, and to get a lot of rest. I know how appealing these diet fads are. They promise you quick results with minimal effort, which is the first sign that they are completely bogus. Attaining a great body type takes MONTHS and even YEARS, and takes a lot of work, dedication, and PATIENCE. If you don't believe me, just talk to your doctor.