I agree with Citruskiss and the other posters that you need to find a diet plan that suits your dietary preferences. For me, low carb allows me to eat the foods I love, and it has been great for my cardiovascular health. Like you, I was skeptical of this way of eating because I believed the medical establishment. But while eating according to the food pyrimid, my weight skyrocketed, my cholesterol became elevated (high bad cholesterol/low good cholesterol) and I developed high blood pressure. Prior to starting on Atkins I had a complete physical and bloodwork. After a few months on low carb, I lost most of the excess weight, my blood pressure returned to normal, and my bloodwork improved dramatically (lower LDL, higher HDL, lower C-reactive protein, etc). My physician looked at the numbers and said to just keep doing whatever I'd been doing- that my health had improved dramatically. The weight has stayed off for over two years and my cardiovascular health continues in great shape. Hopefully your results will be similar. Be sure to do the bloodwork in advance and after a few months to reassure yourself (and to show to skeptical friends who are sure to warn you about the dangers of low carb).