After a glowing start to the Charles Clarke diet (1st time to low-carb eating) - somebody did at least warn me I might feel unwell. I feel heavy, lethargic, achy and fluey. Is this really normal and how long is it likely to last? I'm not eating the slice of bread a day that he recommends, and am just on lots of low-carb veggies, meat, cheese and eggs.

Anyway, having read around this site I've come away with more confusions that I came in with it's a bit much to assimilate in one go. I've got a few questions and if anybody can answer them or point me in the right direction for research, I'll be very grateful:-

1. There have obviously been medical concerns that Atkins can cause heart problems due to low potassium levels. Where does potassium come from and how can low-carbing affect potassium levels in the body? (I'm not seriously that scared, but it's worth looking at)

2. Is anybody out there on the carb addicts diet where you can have one reward meal a day with carbs? How successful are they on this? (the idea appeals, not surprisingly)

3. Am I right in saying that Atkins and Clarke differ on ketosis? I haven't read Atkins but have read here that he advocates two weeks of getting into ketosis, which is the body's maximum fat-burning condition. Then gradually coming out of it again. Clarke definitely states that if you have a strange taste in your mouth, and are eating very low-carb, then it's ketosis, and you're not eating enough carbs. So, can you still lose weight without going into ketosis? Will it be slower? (that's fine by me. I've lived yo-yoing for long enough that a slow, comfy weight loss would be great).

Well, that's enough to be going on with! I really would appreciate some help from more experienced and well-read folks here. (I'm a primary teacher and mum of 3 and am not a dietery expert neither have time to be. I only know what I'm told or what I read. It's very difficult when there's such a controversy from experts on all sides!!!!!!!)

Ruth