Thank you for your reply.

I want the forum people to understand that I am not opposed to the low-carbohydrate diet at all, I am only opposed to those versions that elevate carbohydrates to a position that is super-ordinate to calories in bodyweight regulation. This appears to be the position held by most writers about low-carbohydrate diets.

The low-carbohydrate diet works through one mechanism and one mechanism only and that is its tendency to reduce calorie consumption. This was all pointed out by Dr. John Yudkin in 1960, years before the appearance of the Atkins program.

It is also my argument that diet composition is not the most important factor in bodyweight regulation -- physical activity is. I am only taking on the role of teaching as I have more experience in these issues than anyone of whom I am aware.

I would argue with anyone who considers a 25-35% success rate from following a dietary regimen as something that "works." That is not working but failing when the possibility of success is 100% when following biological Laws that we are all held accountable to.

I take the position of trying to teach people how the body regulates its weight and have tried to remove the large amount of mythology surrounding this topic. I have also argued against the "Establishment" medical people for not understanding the basic biochemistry and physiology involved in bodyweight regulation, something Atkins has also failed to do. He simply fell into the low-carb diet and stopped trying to understand the whole process of bodyweight regulation and all aspects of it.

So what happens as one loses weight. Their calorie needs decrease and they must decrease their calorie intake or increase their expenditure or do a combination of both. This is just basic physiology that, unfortunately, few understand.

When I first did Atkins, following his recos to the letter, I gained five pounds. Gaining weight, not losing it, or not losing as much as one wants, is a feature of the low-carbohdrate diet plan offered by Atkins.

The low-carbohydrate diet can make a significant contribution to bodyweight regulation but it is not the most important factor. What it does do is reduce appetite and hunger and alter body composition in a somewhat favorable direction of fat loss and muscle gain.

Because one poster had the subjective experience of cold hands etc. does not invalidate the notion that we all have a predictable metabolic rate. That that rate DOES vary because of different factors WITHIN THAT INDIVIDUAL because of what he or she does does not invalidate the Laws of Thermodynamics, it only shows that a calorie consumed is a different beast than a calorie burned in the laboratory and that an INDIVIDUAL'S calorie needs vary as he changes. He can slow or up his metabolism a bit but this in no way remains if he returns to his previous state -- metabolism re-establishes itself. In normal healthy people at an average bodyweight there is no such thing as a SLOW or FAST metabolism, as I've said and now proven (on my very first day on the forum).

This was the purpose of my book: to explain why many of the observations made by people are real but also how to control what happens in the body when one tries to perturb it's homeostasis.

I find the unfounded comments made by posters rather fascinating, particularly the ones that say I am wrong. I assure you, I am not wrong, and if one would take the time to read my writing, they would find that I am not wrong and that there is a great deal of helpful information provided in my work.

I tell you exactly what is going on when Atkins works and tell you exactly what is happening when it doesn't. And many of you know it often does not work because you can read the posts of the people who fail on this very forum.

The body is controlled by Nature's Laws. They cannot be refuted. The Laws of Thermodynamics are irrefutable. They came before we did. They must be applied first and then the explanations for people's observations will be forthcoming.

I understand about forum rules and only want to discuss issues and try to remove personal assaults.

What I saw in response to the post of my piece looked very much like personal assaults. I consider someone calling me a "know-it-all" just as personally offensive as calling me an idiot or a jerk. There was no call for that type of comment. The poster could have just posed the question: How can you explain my observation? I would have been happy to explain and I even did although the tone of the response was not friendly.

As we found, the scientific research shows that parents of children with cerebral palsy over-report the child's food intake. The Laws of Thermodynamics hold, as they must. I believe that if this person now uses this objective information that she may be able to help her child more effectively. This is the purpose of good science and there is a lot of good science as well as bad science. I am only trying to take the subjective and make it more objective. I spent many years learning what I have learned and I had actually expected a more postive response from the people on this forum.

As to the so-called commercial nature of my piece -- I did not post it, I requested the forum to post it and they did. I did not spam anyone in any way. That piece was intended as a news release and it will be used in such a manner.

I am trying to get this country focused on the notion that it is not still a question of how to control our bodyweight. All of those factors are known but the medical community and people like Taubes, Ornish, Atkins, and Weil all spread some amount of misinformation. It doesn't have to be this way because there have been thousands of scientists who have explored these issues. I just happened to put it all between two book covers.

Because I know this stuff, does that make me a bad person, an arrogant one? Is anyone criticizing Charles Barkley's new book, I Might Be Wrong, But I Doubt It.

Why not read me before you criticize me. Sure, I want to sell books, don't we all want to sell something?

I'll be glad to respond to any questions any one has, but I only ask that they come to me in the right tone. I've been in flame wars before and I won't do them anymore.

Greg Ellis