[lovelyivy84]

Congrats SAIRose! I recently lost almost twenty pounds, so I can relate! It took SO MUCH WORK. People want to believe there is some miracle pill, or new way of exercies that'll take it all off, but it just means hard work, and changing the way you live.

Now on the subject of Atkins- it is something that when done PROPERLY can be VERY healthy.

No it doesn't cause kidney failure in NORMAL, HEALTHY people.

No it doesn't mean you can never eat carbs again (just eat LESS of them- which does not hurt most people).

THere is a lot of misinformation out there about this diet. If you want info on it I suggest you read a scientific journal, not Shape magazine.

I personally don't follow it, but I agree with it to the extent that I have made strides in cutting out a certain amount of processed food from my diet- if I MUST have carbs I would prefer to have complex ones- veggies and fruits- than things that have been processed, and I eat high protein- 1g/lb of body weight.

Eating htis way I have dropped my body fat percentage to twelve percentage points below the national average and I have NEVER felt better or stronger!