Joe,

I had the exact same concern as yourself. How is it possible to eat all those foods, (some of them chock full of cholesterol) and maintain an acceptable level of cholesterol and triglycerides ? How is it possible to lose weight when you consume all those fats and calories ?

When you starve your body of dietary cholesterol, your body takes over and produces its own. In many individuals, the body is very ineffecient at producing cholesterol. In my case, it produced it at an uncontollable level and very little HDL. A very dangerous situation for someone with my medical history and genetics. By consuming as much cholesterol as the body needs in your diet, the body no longer needs to produce any of its own, and is much more effecient at removing the dietary cholesterol from your system. By introducing higher levels of poly and mono-unsturated fats, ( i.e. - Virgin cold pressed Olive oil and good quality Canola oil etc. ) you also help to increase your levels of HDL ( the "good" cholesterol )

It would also help you to understand the major role of cholesterol as it is a necessary element in your system. I suggest again that you read Dr Atkin's book again, reading everything.

It is important to lose weight, at least to a level where you feel comfortable and feel good about it. Here is some incentive for you, one pound of body fat can have as much as one mile of arteries, veins and capillaries. The heart has to beat with sufficient pressure to push the blood through all of it, with each single beat. With each pound of body fat you lose, through diet or exercise, the heart can work a little easier. Lose 30 pounds and the heart no longer has to push through as much as 30 miles of blood vessels, ... that's over 160,000 feet !

Good luck.

Ken T