Hi everyone

Thanks for all your replies.

I can see now why fat is important, but it leads to another question - isn't it beneficial to consume less calories than you burn? I actually know the answer to that one, i guess - the answer is the last time I put back all the weight plus interest from the last "low fat - low cal" diet I went on.

My wife has very gradually coming around to the fact that Atkins is benefiting me. She can see I am eating more veggies than ever before (salads most nights), but still it is the old fat thing. She was pleasantly surprised at my last cholesterol reading. STill, the brainwashing dies hard.

For me I need to have that confidence that putting fat in my mouth is not sending it straight to my belly; after all I have had the "you are what you eat" adage force fed to me most of my life.

My mother's favourite saying was "It's not the bread that's fattening its what you put on it". LOL all that ever achieved was a son who was a bread addict!!

Thanks for welcoming me to the LC community!!