I myself have been a yoyo dieter for over 20 or so years, I am now 48 years of age and if I don't do something now to lose the extra weight I am carrying, I am going to keeo getting bigger or my weight will lead to an early death. These two facts frighten me so much and I don't want either of them to happen , so for me it's time to take action. I am a carbaholic, of that there is no doubt in my mind. And the only diet that has stopped the carb cravings for me is definitely the Atkins diet. I was a little frightened by all the bad publicity of Atkins, however it was not enough to put me off it. I have been on the diet for 7 weeks and have lost 20 pounds and I can honestly say that I have not been hungry at all, in fact on the contrary it has stopped me being hungry, I have also been doing exercise along with it and although I miss bread and a few other things, It's not so bad. At the end of the day it is all about personal choice.

Helen Fleming, Cardenden, Fife,

Its the governments way of saying use our food pyramid. If they came out and said Bread was bad, they would have bread companies on their back. They still allwo companies to produce and sell cigerattes, you think it's healthy. They know they kill.... Its all about money in this world. Use your own mind to decide what is best for you. I love the atkins and it has worked great for me. Not easy to stay on but I can go on and off.

Brad, Atlanta, GA

I have followed the Atkins diet for a couple of years and have no doubt that it works. Having just had a thorough health check, I am lighter, fitter and healthier than I was 5 years ago. Its success is precisely because you don't have to be a diet freak to use it. Once you've worked out which elements of your old diet are high in starch or sugar I find it perfectly possible to cut them out while still eating 5 portions of fruit and veg per day, and no extreme amounts of fat or red meat. You can eat real, healthy food without obsessing about calories or feeling hungry and deprived. Whole grains and a wider range of fruit can be re-introduced once you've got going to give plenty of fibre. Those who claim that it's not better because people aren't following the other diets properly are missing the point - most people find it easy to stick to Atkins without the superhuman willpower and obsessive measurement of calories which most of us hate about diets.

Simon Roberson, Northumberland, UK

At the end of the day, we all know what works best for our bodies, but in reply to Louise, I can explain to you why these people aren't suffering obesity. They eat complex carbs and natural grains, therefore they don't crave simple carbs like we in the west do. Sadly, the convinient breakfast cereals, sandwhiches, bagels, ready meals, pizzas, are the kind of carbs that we have become accustomed to. They are filled with sugar, or so simple that they turn straight into sugar in our bodies. They lead to a vicious cycle of addiction to sugar. Atkins works for us becasue if nothing else, it reintroduces real foods like chicken and vegetables into our diets and cuts out sugar. down the atkins road, some carbs can be reintroduced but by then, we are happy with the complex rices and grains - no longer ruled by the biscuits and white pasta which frankly, wreck so many lives.

Nina, London, UK

I still can't believe people are buying this rubbish. If people are so obese because they eat too many carbohydrates then please explain to me why people from so-called primitive communities don't have problems with obesity? They often live on diets full of fruits, vegetables and complex carbohydrates such as corn, rice, potatoes etc. It is very common to see slim healthy individuals from such communities as those seen in rural Africa and South-East Asia, to pile on the pounds when they move to the obesogenic environments of western countries such as the UK and USA.

On a more personal note, I am a vegetarian and have never had a problem with my weight. I try to eat more than 5 portions of fruit and veg a day and I eat loads of bread, potatoes and rice. If carbohydrates are so bad - why am I not fat??? If you want to know what is a HEALTHY diet go check out the balance of good health as recommended by dietitians and people who know about proper nutrition. (www.food.gov.uk)

Louise Tanner, Leeds, UK

I believe that Atkins works--no doubt about it!!!The main "difficulty" of the diet is the fact that we live in a society based upon a high-carb/low-fat belief system. (That is the main reason why everyone in America is so OBESE right now..), .but, obviously that is still controversial for some stupid reason...beyond belief. Discipline is the main ingrediant for success with Atkins. It CAN be difficult, (there's no doubt), but IT DOES WORK!!!! You shouldn't drink beer, but wine or hard liquor IS permissable. It works for me better than any "low fat" diet ever has. I believe in it and advocate it 100%!!! If you don't continue to watch your carb intake, You WILL fail on the diet. But, in all reality: Sugar and high-carb foods are not good for you anyway. We don't need them. They just sell well in our society because it's all about money--not the wealfare of the people. Also, blood Type has a lot to do with it. I also recommend the book, "Eat Right For Your Blood Type"

Coral , Tucson, USA

I have been on the Atkins Diet for 2 years now and its
the best thing thats happened in my life. I am 55 years
old and all my life I have always had a problem with
weight control. I reached my limit when I weighed over
525 lbs. In just less than 2 years I have lost over 125
pounds and still losing. I am never hungry and my energy
level is higher and my blood work constantly improves.
If it wasn't for the Atkins diet and George Stella's Low
Carb plan I would hate to even estimate what I would
weigh today.

Brian Cox, Monrovia, Maryland

Truth be told the Atkins diet in this study was more of a Protein Power diet than an Atkins diet. A Protein Power diet has worked the best by far for me and my clients.

Fred Hahn, NYC, NY

I found that for my husband and myself the Atkins-type diet just did what it said on the tin - straightforward weight-loss with no hunger and vastly improved health and energy. (We actually started out following the Dr Charles book, but subsequently found the Atkins book very helpful, though we never really did the strict two week 'induction' phase) I found also that my skin became much better - I previously had very fragile skin on the back of my hands which became very painful in cold weather and tore easily, so that I could never wash my hands with ordinary soap in the winter months because it dried out so easily. But since the change of diet it is now plump and much younger looking and never chaps. With reference to the person who felt that it wasn't a long-term option because of 'lack of fibre' - nothing could have been further from the truth for us! Because we are not filling up with starchy or sugary foods, we eat far more salads and vegetables than we ever did before.

Karen Spray, Exeter, Devon

I've been on the Atkins diet for four years and plan to stay on it for the rest of my life (I'm 72). I started when I was diagnosed as diabetic. My blood glucose is very well controlled with only diet and herbs. All my health indicators are excellent and I feel wonderful. My carb intake averages about 25 grams a day, mostly low GI. I eat all the veggies I want, except the starchy. I get lots of fiber from the veggies and flax seed freshly ground in my coffee grinder. I don't count calories and am never hungry. I no longer am losing weight but maintain a very healthy 165 pounds, down about 50 pounds from my highest. Will I gain weight if I go off the diet? Of course. Is there any diet that will continue to work after you go off it?However, the diet is so easy to follow, why would I want to abandon it? I also like the fact that Dr. Atkins didn't tell you that you had to buy his prepackaged foods. Just go to the grocery store and buy normal, healthy foods. Good luck.

Roy Hamari, Cave Creek, Arizona

I lost over 50lbs 4 years ago and have kept it off succesfully following the Atkins plan. In addittion to the weight loss I had dropped from a size 14 to a 3 juniors. My body fat had gone frm 35% to 18.5% not to mention my blood lipids are outstanding.

Many misunderstand the Atkins philosophy. It is not about cutting your carbs out it is about chosing your carbs from healthy nutrient dense foods.

I have never felt or looked better since beginning ANA.

Tami, Rochester, NY

Atkins is by far the best for weight loss and improving health. It has worked for me. I have no doubt at all that it is the way everyone should be eating all the time, not just to lose weight. So many health benefits are gained from a low-carbohydrate approach.

Dr. Atkins quite literally saved my life.

Kathy, Norway, ME (USA)

This is such nonsense! The Atkins diet didn't "win" over the Ornish diet because the women did not follow the Ornish diet. The Ornish diet, which has been proven for many years to reverse heart disease, requires a drastic diminution of fat consumed (a limit of 10%). The subjects of the study who supposedly "followed" the Ornish diet, reduced their fat intake from 35% to 30%. Dr. Ornish has argued for years that 30% fat will NOT reverse (or even reduce) heart disease. I and my family have followed a vegetarian Ornish-type diet for several years now. We stick to around 12% total fat. We've lost from 20 to 30 pounds each and have kept it off. Our blood lipid levels are superb. It's so annoying when the press promotes DANGEROUS misinformation that a profoundly flawed stufy "proves" the Atkins diet is "best." Shame on you!

Cetus Lee, Costa Mesa, CA

I think the essence of the Atkins diet's success is to eliminate processed carbs:The more natural you can eat, the easier for your body; breads etc are not very digestible or beneficial. However, we all need carbs and lots of fibre and vegetables, fruit and pulses are vital not just weight wise but general health wise. Better to have a few excess pounds or take longer to lose wait but knowing that you are healthy from within, not some rotting meat stomach on legs- Where has common sense gone?
I don't believe in following a diet really strictly I just try to listen to my body and my brain together when I eat. A high raw food diet incorporated within the Hays combining diet works amazingly for me and others I know. It is basically eating more like our ancestors did, as naturally as possible. However, when I want to splurge and eat processed or rubbish food I know I can because most of the time I'm good and that's enough to not get fat.

pedro, barcelona,

Yes the Atkins diet works. I lost 11 kg in 3 months. You need to rigourously measure everything, compute digestible carbs and calory intake. Calory intake (81 kg active male at start of diet) needed to be less than 1000 kcal/day. My data showed good correlation with carbs, weaker correlation with calories. Used ketostrips to measure ketones in urine - an indicator that fat burning is taking place - they disappear as the carb intake increases. Exercise alone doesn't work - too easy to replace burned calories with chocolate! The weight has not returned after 3 years. I now eat a diet high in fruit, nuts, pulses, veg, meat, no pasta, minimal sugar (cave man diet). Media accounts of diet are misinformed, notably emphasis on no fruit or veg - that's just in the initial few weeks to kick start fat burning. Also little bit of fat and meat is very filling, unlike carbs.

Simon, Aberdeen, Scotland

I started Atkin's just under 9 mo. ago after being diagnoed with diabeties. So far I've lost 50 lbs. and my A1c test had gone from a 10 to a 6.2 in the first three months without drugs. I do miss bread and cheat on occasion, but one look at my blood glucose reading afterwards is enough to put me back on the right road.

Tina , Santa Ana, CA.

hallo, yes I did the Atkins diet for about 3 monts. I've lost 14 pounds, but when I stopt this diet, It took only a little time to reach my old wait.You can not go on with this diet for life. It has not anoff differenses in meals too keap on going.

Jessie, Brunssum, Netherlands

I thought Jennifer Aniston was on the Zone Diet!

Kate, Boston, USA

Though i admit to have often felt very weak, i managed 6 months on the diet, while going through an intense workout regime losing 15 Kgs in 6 months, all this 3 years ago i have managed to maintain an exceptional figure and continue working out

Loukas, Manchester, Manchester

I'd be a bit concerned that weight lost on the Atkins diet is not off for good, unless you stay on it forever - and then you're stuck not eating fibre. The other diets are more normal and balanced, and hence perhaps more likely to lead to long-term lifestyle changes.

Then again, I am a vegetarian whose uncle had a massive, unexpected and permanently damaging stroke in his late 40s after a year on the Atkins diet (on which he lost lots of weight). No more than anecdotal evidence, but I'll be sticking with the lentils and cabbage, thanks.

jenny, London,

I have lots about 40% of my total body weight on an Atkins type vegetarian diet !

I have done it with a dietician and have taken supplements as well but it has worked.

On the 1st of May... it will be 4 years !

ariane cutler, Reading,

A students guide to dieting: One portion of noodles with chopped up vegetables a day. Supplement with bananas, apples and oranges for lunch. Cost per meal should not exceed 25 pence. Your weekly budget for food should not exceed £4.50 . When drinking alcohol, stick to spirit and sugarfree mixers. Using this simple diet, it is possible to function to an adequate degree, feel good about yourself for spending almost no money, and get (or stay) nice and lean. It works too... ever wondered why there's so few overweight university students?

Nikolaj Fynes, Bournemouth, UK