28 Spreading the Word
28 Spreading the Word
The great-granddaddy of the book you ' re holding in your hands right now became a bestseller way back in 1972. Between then and the original publication of Dr Atkins ' New Diet Revolution in 1992, controlled carbohydrate weight loss plans suffered a long, dry spell. Personally, that twenty-year stretch was deeply frustrating. I knew what this nutritional approach could do for overweight people as well as for people with blood-sugar imbalances. I had certainly witnessed permanent improvements in my patients ' health and energy levels. Their successful weight loss efforts were equally real and long term. And the countless letters and phone calls I continue to receive from readers of my books confirm my clinical observations.
During those two decades-when low-fat diets were hawked as the only way to go, and high-carbohydrate foods such as pasta and bagels dominated the " health " landscape-the rate at which our population grew heavier and heavier accelerated. At the risk of sounding like a know-it-all, I have to tell you that this turn of events was no surprise to me. If you set out to become fat, there would be no better way to achieve it than with the diet of refined carbohydrates and starches so common in the United States.
Nowadays, the tide is flowing strongly in my direction. I only hope that it will continue long enough for the advantages of controlled carbohydrate eating to become apparent to tens of millions more people. Unfortunately, tides ebb and flow. There are still plenty of loyal followers of the low-fat doctrine who sincerely believe that their approach will ensure good health. And there are still plenty of food conglomerates committed to selling carb-laden junk food to Americans-and, increasingly, throughout the world.
What the Success of Atkins Will Mean
The best thing you can do for yourself and for the millions of others whose excess weight causes them both physical and psychological suffering is to tell them what has worked for you. Many people delude themselves about weight loss. They like to think they can lose those excess pounds by some magical burst of willpower, or they ' re waiting for the perfect drug to come along: Fen-Phen II without the deadly side effects. Your example can make them realize that instead of magic or drugs, the answer to lifetime weight control is simply a matter of a change in lifestyle.
The louder the voice of the controlled carbohydrate revolution, the better it will be for all of us. It ' s your voice that will help others understand that those boxes of junk food in the supermarket-and even in the health food store-proudly labeled " low fat " are to be avoided. It ' s your voice that will ensure that more and more restaurants, hotels and airlines offer
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