The Atkins Diet actually demands that
carbohydrates are kept below 25 grams per day (less than 10% of the U.S.
recommended daily allowance) during the first few weeks of the diet (known as the
induction period), while fats and proteins can be eaten without limits. The whole idea is that your body will enter
ketosis - a state where your body will start to burn off fat as opposed to any stored sugars. This makes most people
ornery and gives them
bad breath, but also promotes rapid weight loss when paired with exercise.
After you have reached about 10 lbs over what your ideal weight is, Atkins recommends that you gradually up your level of carbohydrates to suit your body's ability to use them efficiently. He would prescribe that a structured diet and exercise
regimen would work best at this point, to slowly melt away those last few pounds - in theory this makes you less likely to gain them back.