text: I was up 7 ½ pounds after our week-long cruise and a travel day of scarfing fast food. Plus, I was no Miss Twiggy before we left.
  Time for Dr. Atkins. In 10 days, I lost 10 pounds.
  When the Atkins Diet broke some 30 years ago, everyone ridiculed it. It was unhealthy and unsustainable, “they” said. Now “they” are all using Dr. Atkins’ diet of eating more protein and fewer carbs, and he never meant his starter diet to be the do-all and end-all, just a means to jump start a body from burning carbs to burning fat. It works and now “they” know it.
  The Atkins Diet calls for very few carbs the first three days – 35 or fewer. Initially, you eat meat, cheese, eggs, and a few select vegetables, like green beans and tomatoes. After the first three days, you can increase the carb intake to the 50 to 75 range. Do that for a couple weeks and the pounds will pour off. They almost have to. Without the easy carbs to burn, the body must work for a living.
  It’s funny, but after you eat all that meat, eggs, and cheese, you become less hungry. You are eating rich foods. For dessert, I pour about 2/3 C of heavy cream (no carbs) into a bowl, add a teaspoon of Splenda and a tablespoon of chocolate syrup, put it in the freezer and eat my “Atkin’s ice cream” for a dessert. That’s pretty rich stuff. For breakfast, I have ham, egg, and cheese omelets with some tomato juice.
  Lunch is a little tougher. I love sandwiches, but I make an all meat and cheese sandwich by rolling up turkey slices and cheese with mayonnaise. For dinner, I eat lots of meat, cottage cheese, avocados, and a few low carb veggies.
  I am fortunate that I like meat, eggs, and cheese. My good friend, the late Charlotte Ramsey, went on Atkins and told me after two weeks, she didn’t want to even see another piece of meat. Not me. Steaks, roasts, pork chops, fried chicken, ribs, salmon? Bring it on. With the Atkins Diet, there is no measuring and no limits on the amount you eat. Eat until you are full, and believe me, you are never, I repeat, never hungry.
  Atkins may not be for everyone, but it sure works for me.