The bad thing about Atkins is how extreme it is, especially at the beginning. I found it to be a very harsh and painful adjustment, and all my friends, seeing how sick and weak I felt, counseled me to quit. So you might want to consider a more moderate LC eating plan.

But if you do Atkins, based on my experience, I have to say that I think that trying to taper off of carbs and caffeine is only going to prolong the agony. Because if you allow yourself the possibility of "just a little carbs or caffeine, in just a little while," you're constantly tormented by temptation.

Whereas if you make the decision once and for all, you're no longer in a constant mental struggle about what you can and cannot do. It's simple, it's over, and you're free.

You WILL feel like crap, if you're anything like me. Withdrawing from carbs and caffeine at the same time sucks rocks and I felt as though I had a bad case of the flu for three weeks. (Some people feel like crap only for 2-3 days, lucky bastards).

But even feeling like crap is helpful. It makes you think, "I don't EVER want to go through that again!"

And it emphasizes the clean break you're making with your prior habits.

You're not goin to get the benefits of induction, you're not going to lose the appetite for your old vices, and you're not goig to feel as though you've embarked on a new WOE if you taper slowly.