if you were on an Atkins-like diet 2 or 3 years ago, and did well on it, then your body is telling you you should stay on a version of it. You can't go on an off it..of course you will gain your weight back. I think everyone needs to read Body Typing..or some such name..I'll have to dig out the book. Basically, it says there are 3 (probably with endless permutations) types of metabolism...those who do well on vegetarian/grain based diets, those who have a mixed diet need, and those, and I am one, who have high needs for animal protein and FATS. DAIRY FATS. We do just very well thank you on them. He gives you a test you take and you can tell what you are. You are almost guaranteed to have health problems if you don't eat right for your type..this is not the blood type diet..a dentist came up with this originally, but it really makes sense. And of course it depends on your ethnic heritage..if you are of a single heritage and your ancestors were thriving, eat what they ate (and work like a horse)...

Read Dr. Mary Enig..Nourishing traditions...she gets into saturated fats...essential for some people..generally of Northern ancestry...and fish oils are very essential for some people.

In general, there is consensus that there is no need ..and great harm..in eating artifically produced fats..margarines etc...don't mix that up with untouched saturated fats, which some bodies do fine on. Also refined sugars, and flours..don't forget the flours.

Read Dr. Schwarzbein on diabetes, prevention and reversal....

Dr. Mercola has a web site and he is really into this body typing...if you do well on a vegetarian diet, by all means eat it. Don't insist that others do.   A good percentage of adults do just fine on dairy foods..and if they don't get enough fats and proteins will, mark my words, get diabetes. And really make sure you are making sense when you say how many cows can be supported by one acre of land. Where is the land? Arizona or my part of Washington, which could support all sorts of cows or goats or whatever.

mg