while overeating carbs = excess fat accumulation, cutting carbs can shed pounds in the short term as any dieter can tell you, but the overall effect of lower carb intake is energy loss. especially if you a physically active. if you work out and exercise or have a daily routine that involves anything other than sitting on your butt all day, lowering carb intake can and will result in easier carb fatigue and difficulty maintaing lean muscle maass, and even loss of lean muscle. when one burns calories through an active lifestyle, the body need simple carbs for immediate fuel. if no carbs are taken in that the body can easily break down, the body begins to literally consume muscle before it burns fat. it is simple how our bodies were designed to survive extended period of not having access to food.

but in 2010, i am more positive, less irritated (i’ve put my son in daycare!) and have more time. more ME time.

ok back to the diet. so i am very very hopeful that i begin to lose weight in the first week. the atkins website said that people have lost up to 15lbs in the first two weeks. wow. i would be thrilled if i lose 10 pounds in the first 2 weeks. is that even possible?

i have read very mixed reviews of the diet. some lose a lot and some just complain. i just want to lose! so good luck to me and all those out there who are trying to lose weight!

I’m still a little worried about having to limit fruit and grains after I reach my target and am inclined to eat more of these, combined with daily exercise. Has anybody reached their target weight on Atkins and then switched successfully to a Low G.I. eating regime?

Editor’s comments: Bazbee, after the initial period of carbohydrate restriction, you are to slowly start to re-introduce low G.I. fruits and veggies into your diet. Because of their low calorie content and minimal effect on blood sugar levels, you should be able to eat as much of these types of foods as you like.

It was fun because we found that we could go out to eat at the “all you can eat Buffets” which served many different types if yummy meat and fish dishes. When we bought fast food we just ordered our burgers with no bun and no ketchup. We never consumed over 20 carbs in a day, but I was eating a lot more food then before. After 6 weeks I weighed 138 and I was thrilled. In fact I started to get worried because my body mass kept shrinking, so I started eating more carbs at that point just to make myself stop loosing weith and after about a week, I balanced out around 140. All my friends were shocked that I had gotten so thin in such a short time. The all wanted to know my secret and to my great joy I explained the diet to another obese friend of mine and I saw him a few months later and he no longer had a huge belly and he must of lost at least 50 pounds. So 3 of us had huge success with this diet. I loved it because it was the only way my body would loose weight.

Editor’s comments: Hunter/gathers ate whatever they could, whenever they could. But since they weren’t actually growing and harvesting crops, the only readily accessible, all-year-round food source was animal protein. Nuts, fruits and plants are great when they’re in season, but for the 3 quarters of the year that they’re not… well, animal protein was the only consistent source of nutrition. And the farther north of the equator you go, the more true that becomes.

I am eager to know how you are doing on your diet now..