I think I already posted about how I lost 13 pounds in 10 days on the Atkins diet about 7 years ago. much pro and con about the Atkins diet available to read. But I discovered something when I was doing it. Since I was not eating anything with carbs, I discovered that I was not hungry as when I ate portions of carb heavy foods. And example of what I ate is 6 eggs, and a 1/2 pound of ground beef. It broke a habit of always getting seconds for dinner. I might also have chocolate pudding (sugar free) made with half and half, topped with lots of whipped cream. For lunch (when I ate it) I'd have a whole roasted chicken sold at a local grocery store. Basically I lived on chicken, beef and eggs. If i had any vegetables it would be broccoli since it is very low in carbs as is any green leafy veggies are. It got boring, but like I said, I was never hungry. While I was doing this I saw a report on tv that said they discovered a part of the brain that reacts to carbs. Basically it said that gland or whatever it was turned on and made you want more carbs the more you ate. They said there is something to the Lays potato chip line that says " BET YOU CAN'T EAT ONE" So that explained why I never had my usual seconds and was never feeling hungry.
The only bad thing about the Atkins diet is it cost me my gall bladder. Not good. But my cholesterol was never better.
Atkins was right about some things. Carbs turn into glucose in the body, and what is not used is stored in your fat cells. Fat does not make you fat, but glucose does. He pointed out that since the grocery store shelves began lining their shelves with no fat and low fat items, the American public's average weight went up 9 pounds in a period of several years after the start of the low fat/no fat foods became available. And the rise in diabetes is also a result of the same.
White flour is one of the culprits. so if you cut out or way down on things like white bread, cake and other things made with white flour, you are doing yourself a favor.
So based on this I try to watch carbs, not calories or fat content. That is other then saturated fats, the really bad thing. Also stay away from anything made with corn syrup.
Just my two cents.