Azz, If I remember correctly, it was pretty near spot on the diet that you suggest, with restricted carbs. I followed the original 1972 diet, it’s been messed about with since. Gary Taubes suggests much the same sort of diet now. His latest book, ‘Why do we get fat’ is an interesting read.
I hope you are counting your blessings - being an Ectomorph.
If you want a good healthy diet to follow the “Glycemic Index Diet” or better known as the G.I. Diet. It’s not as drastic as the Atkins Diet. You can find lots of information about it on the web. Not unlike what Azz is suggesting but the G.I. list will give you the facts and figures on various foods and there recommendations.
I don’t know too much about the Atkins diet - but as far as I know it encourages or allows processed grains and sugars so long as they are low-carb - as low-carb is the priority.
Paleo only includes whole Stone Age foods: meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables etc - ie no processed stuff.
Might be worth revisiting it - but going Paleo this time 
Atkins is unhealthy and virtually cuts out all carbs. which causes a build up of ketones in the blood which in turn has unpleasant side effects like bad breath dizziness nausea constipation and so on. Anyone on Akins Diet shouldn’t stay on it for long term. I personally wouldn’t go on it at all.
The original 1972 Atkins has been adulterated by the money men - who followed Dr Atkins himself. The ‘72 did cut out many carbs including grains & sugars but allowed salad & green veg’ grown above ground. Potatoes for example is a high sugar carb so a no no.
Diabetics are advised to follow the GI principles. I really do believe the Paleo diet is a much better idea. However I will stay with calorie counting which gives me more choice.
To each his or her own.
Hi Nutty— I’m not familiar with the Paleo diet! Although healthy diet isn’t quite the same thing as slimming diet I don’t think I could follow any set diet for long as I enjoy allsorts of food good and bad. Eliminating foods I enjoy would be difficult for me and I find like lots of people talking about it is one thing but doing it is another.I am failing miserably to even start to lose that 1/2 st. Today has been another gateau and cream day and I have just had some delicious fish and chips whilst sharing a bottle of wine with O/H. Do you know what I am thinking!! I’ll start tomorrow:-D How many people have put of until tomorrow.
Lol Rueban, tomorrow is another day… and the next… 
Enjoy!!
Hi everyone, I weighed myself this morning & I have lost 1.2lbs since last Saturday. That is fine for me, if I can keep it to about a pound or better still 1½lb per week.
Good luck to anyone who follows.
Welldone “Nuttygran” I managed a whole 1/2lb this week but at least its off:-) BTW whereabouts are ou actually from cos as you can see I am Geordie born and bred:-) and proud of it:-)
Hi NG A few thoughts on losing weight.
Having been the same weigh for most of my life I suddenly started to put weight on.
I was still very active but clearly eating more than I had done previously and it occurred to me I was not doing this from hunger, it was more a psychological thing. I was eating to ‘fill a need’, boredom/frustration/loss/because I could.
Once I had established this fact I realised it didn’t so much matter what I ate more that I ate something and if I didn’t buy ‘naughty but nice things to eat’ I would raid the store cupbard and eat the dried fruit/nuts intended for cooking .
I found it helped to have a ready supply of things I could eat at hand for the times when I felt must eat something and every morning I prepared a little jug with strips of celery/carrot/spring onion/peppers and a supply of fruit to head me away from temptation. I ate the same meals but used a smaller plate and had smaller portions. I lost weight and continued to use this strategy and although I have never managed to get down to my previous weigh my weight remains static and I don’t have to resort to the see saw world of going on and off diets which isn’t very kind to ones body and general wellbeing:-).
Well done Geordie Girl! I wondered if you from this neck of the woods.
Hi Meg & thank you. I have yo-yo dieted ever since my second was born 1958 - if at first… is my motto… 
Well done Nutty keep it up 1.2lb off is better than 1.2lb on. At least you are making the effort unlike me who has only talked about it up to present. If Saturday is weigh in day I will kick my butt and get started on the mission to lose the 7lbs I have put on. It doesn’t sound a lot but it makes a difference as when I try on something that fit ok before it doesn’t fit quite the same now. It’s surprising what a difference 1/2st makes. Weigh in next Saturday then.-- WATCH THIS SPACE–What’s happened to RockRiderSpain are you still ploughing on with your challenge Rock? Tell us how you are doing.
Thanks Rueben. I’ll look forward to your results…
I have borrowed Marissa Peer’s book ‘You can be Thin’ on CD’s. It has spoiled my perception of cows milk now… 
Why is that Nutty is it because of allergies or that it’s mucous forming and the difficulties with digesting casein protein. Goats milk is supposedly better for us. Or is there even more bad news?
It’s the mucous Rueben, somehow she has managed to plant an abhorrence in my mind. I use fully skimmed milk usually, I don’t like goats milk nor can I drink my coffee black. I have tried soy milk in coffee but yuck! I am annoyed with myself and her - silly I know… Her argument is that no animal drinks the milk of another animal, plus our nearest animal relative is the ape, not the cow.
I tend to agree with some of her other views.
Erm, must disagree about no other animal: all of us have seen pics of unusual lactating females nursing another spexies: dogs with kittens, etc. etc.
I have to second that. It may not be first choice but when first choice isn’t available then substitute species have been used.
Of cause Dandysmom and Rueben, what was I thinking of, you are both quite right. What a twit I am! Now all I have to do is banish the ‘m’ word from my mind… Hmm, that may take a while.
Thank you both.
Tried rice milk in my coffee, surprisingly it’s OK. I’m slowly cutting down on carbs & dairy foods. Trial & sometimes error but I think in the main the lady is helpful. The way she suggest eating is very near the paleo diet.
Hi Geordiegirl, how are you getting on? Also RockriderSpain and Topaz, let us know your news & views.
Afternoon all, been to “Fat Club” this morning and lost another 1lb:-)
