You know, I think that they really do matter - especially if you don't have that much weight to lose. Kudos to the "big losers". I am so impressed by the folks that are dropping 50, 75, 100 pounds or more. I lost 65 after my baby was born, so I can relate a bit, though if you want to talk metabolic advantage, try breastfeeding. Anyway, I am at a healthy weight, but have another 14 (formerly 15) vanity pounds to go. I am in the middle of my second week of induction. The first week, I enjoyed myself immensely - Atkins is basically a smorgasbord of the foods that I crave or indulge myself with. But I didn't lose a thing. I enjoyed the dizzy ketosis feeling and my ketostix told me I was burning fat, but I suspect the fat that I was burning was the heavy cream, bearnaise sauce and harvarti cheese. So middle of week 2, down a pound, and a little frustrated, though when I face facts, I suspect that I will not lose weight on 1800 to 2200 calories a day. According to the BF and BMR charts, I need to be down around 1200 - 1400. Ugh. In this I envy the big losers, as they are likely to get that emotional boost of a substantial weight loss right off the bat, and the encouragement that accompanies it. Any other little losers out there with similar frustration? Gotta suck it up and pare down those kCals.