You claim to have discovered a diet that really works. Well, I’ve also made a discovery: all diets work. I have not tried a diet that did not cause some weight loss, just as I have never discovered one that kept it off - except, that is, till my wife and I tried the Atkins diet. We have heard all the bad things about it, but you cannot deny that a number of high-profile people have been on the diet and are slim.

So, in mid-November, we agreed we’d give it a try until Christmas. Any weight loss would be a bonus. By Christmas, four weeks later, we had both lost 12 lb. We had eaten our fill of everything we were allowed, and we felt great!

But over Christmas, we’d put on a couple of pounds, so we decided to go back on Atkins for a month. We lost the amount we had put back on and a further 4 lb. Then we stayed static for four weeks. My wife went off it but, a couple of days later I’d lost another 4 lb, so my wife rejoined me for the whole of February. During March, we decided to do Jane Scrivener’s detox for 30 days. We lost 4 lb each. We’ve been back on the Atkins for the current month.

In summary, we’ve lost 24 lb and 20 lb, respectively, in 18 weeks.

I absolutely agree with Dr Atkins that what makes people overweight is refined flour and sugar, and an excessive amount of other carbohydrates. We have cut out refined carbohydrates and minimised consumption of others. We are now back on fruit, and have as many vegetables and as much meat and fish as we want.

For the future, we are going to continue a lifestyle that does not contain refined carbohydrates and will continue without potatoes. - Peter Goodliffe, Sompting, West Sussex

WDDTY replies: We don't deny that the Atkins works, but we don't like: 1) the severity of the initial diet; 2) the fact that many people on stage one have foul breath, which may indicate a metabolic process that isn't good for you; and 3) the new 'low-carb' food industry of shakes, 'health bars' and the like that are simply processed food in a new suit of clothes. Remember, Dr Atkins even advocated Diet Coke!

We have tended to prefer the Montignac approach, which is less restrictive and eschews processed foods of all varieties - even low-carb ones.