Atkins diet and the Ketogenic diet

The Ketogenic diet has been in clinical use since the 1920s for treatment of childhood epilepsy but it could not make its way to the general public as a weight loss program because it was very hard to comply with. However, for decades, the bodybuilders used it and demonstrated highly reproducible fat loss results, while sparing and increasing the muscle mass. Dr.Atkins, designing his famous diet, made it user-friendly but for a price. Without professional supervision, Atkins dieters too often stop losing weight at different points of the program. There were mostly two reasons for the failures. One reason was the illusion (usual for dieters) of complying with diet rules while in fact cheating them. Another one was more serious and diet-specific. It's the fact that Dr. Atkins left the true amount of carbohydrates (the one going into the blood) uncertain. Almost 50% of food protein (unlimited by Dr.Atkins) is being converted into blood glucose. Without taking this amount into account, one can't tell which biochemical pathway will take over -- fat burning or fat storing one. You should also count protein and fat grams -- but their ratios, as well.