I know we've had this before, but it's back on the surface.

Today on the msn.com page is an interesting-sounding link under "Weekend Guide". It's "How to be comfortable with the bod you've got". Clicking that takes you to Women's Central - with Lifetime, where - towards the top of the page - we see:

Also on Fitness+Health
• Is the Atkins diet good for you? Which, of course takes us to:

Break free of Fad Diets
where we read the following:
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Break free of fad diets

Get a healthy serving of facts


Fads have always been a staple of the diet scene, ranging from the cabbage diet to Atkins or Sugar Busters ! If you're skeptical of these diet crazes, you should be. "Lifetime Live" nutrition consultant Bonnie Taub-Dix gives us the lowdown on these trendy — but highly unhealthy — quick fixes and flops.

The Atkins Diet is a carbohydrate-free, high-protein, high-fat regimen.
A healthy dose of truth: Atkins eliminates a ton of calories by cutting out carbs completely, which is especially unhealthy for women.The high fat and protein intake taxes the kidneys, promotes osteoporosis and increases your risk of heart disease. Plus, you'll feel less energetic and less interested in exercise. As Taub-Dix notes, carbs aren't really the problem; excessive amounts of carbs are. Skip the fad and limit your bread and pasta intake on your own.

Sugar Busters! eliminates sugar and white breads.

A healthy dose of truth: Sugar Busters! is commendable because it shuns white breads and introduces healthy whole grains into the diet. Still, it cuts out energy-packed sugars and, like Atkins, emphasizes protein and high-fat foods much too heavily.

Dean Ornish's Life Choice Diet incorporates all food groups into a low-fat diet.

A healthy dose of truth: While Taub-Dix highly recommends a balance of the different food groups, she believes that this particular plan is too low-fat and low-protein for anyone to be able to maintain for very long.

Dieting dos and don'ts:



Do feel free to modify Dean Ornish's Life Choice Diet, the healthiest of these fad plans, so that it allows more protein and a little more fat.


Do work on having a balanced diet and eating proper portion sizes.


Don't change your life to fit the diet — choose your diet to fit your life.


Don't have a "Don't eat" list; it's too restrictive and unrealistic.
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I know I've written this "expert" before, apparently she not only didn't read Atkins' book, she didn't read my email, either.

When peoples brains are forced to survive on glucose rather than nice, healthy, high energy ketones, the capacity for rational thought diminishes. They're not really blockheads afflicted with hysterical blindness, they're just malnourished. They need to be admitted to a home and fed well marbled beef and salad, with splenda sweetened cheesecake. DLB