A little while ago I started a topic on Atkins on here because I wanted to get a group of us who wanted to do it together and keep eachother motivated. I personally prefer the Atkins diet over the others that I've tried in the past because it's the easiest for me to stick to and get results from. Whether you're dieting to lose weight for a big event or trying to hopefully undergo a lifestyle change, it's HARD! When you're not used to eating healthy and in moderation and are probably metabolically challenged, ANY diet is tough to stick to! I don't care if you're low-carbing, low-fatting or whatever. Now with that said, I think its UNACCEPTABLE to join this support group (key word: support!) and inquire information about a particular diet and have someone take the time to put together information for you and have you then (for lack of better word) talk shit!
JUST TO CLEAR SOME THINGS UP:
Dr. Atkins did not die of a heart attack or anything heart-related. It is true that he had a heart-related condition called viral cardiomyopathy. As the name implies, it was caused by a virus in Dr. Atkins case and he has openly discussed it since his diagnosis 3 years before his death.
Dr. Atkins died because he slipped on ice and hit his head which caused him to hemorrhage. He slipped into a coma for 2 weeks and then died.
Dr. Atkins did not live his life obese. He was 6 feet tall and just like the rest of us, his weight varied. He ranged always between 180-195 and never fell into the obese category. Upon admission to the hospital, he weighed 195 pounds and over the course of 2 weeks he retained a massive amount of fluid and died weighing 258 pounds which obviously makes him categorically obese.

I hope this will clear up any myths and rumors regarding Dr. Atkins and the claim that his diet killed him.
I could go on and on about the Atkins diet because I have read the entire book and as a medical student that has studied metabolism at a level that is qualified to have an opinion on this matter, I have confirmed, verified and researched the medical basis of his diet and the information he presented in his book. FOR ME, I'm satisfied with what the diet has to offer and plan to follow it ALL THE WAY THROUGH which in the end is composed of a balanced and healthy lifestyle that no one could criticize if they took the time to read the book and learn what phase 4 is all about. Obviously many can and do abuse the rapid weight loss effects of Phase 1: Induction, but that's not Dr. Atkins fault.
SO, bottomline, go with what works for you and don't be NEGATIVE to others that are struggling with the same problem as you and are going about it a different way than you are. This is a SUPPORT group.