[BeAllYouCanBe]

"I don't believe that Atkins places first importance on fitness."

First I want to say that at 57 and being an ex-marathon runner I can no longer excerise as I once could and only diet can control my weight. I ran 30 miles per week for years and now have no knees left and back problems that prohibit most aerobic activities.

So I find that even a bowl of oatmeal in the morning causes my weight to increase. And magically eating eggs each morning no weight gain -- I have a cholestrol of 107/67 -- so that ain't bad and not what my family doctor would predict given my high fat diet.

[AlbionGirl]

I love eggs too and eat them regularly. I was never a marathon runner, but I was a dancer and while aerobics is definitely good for a strong heart and strong lungs, holding on to your muscle mass is what will help you avoid weight creep, as muscles stoke the glycogen stores fire.

Ideally what you should do (the rhetorical you, that is) is about 15 to 20 minutes of strength training, and 30 to 45 minutes of Moderate aerobics, six days, even 5 would do, a week. Moderate because high-end aerobics have a tendency to break down muscle mass, that's why marathon runners look the way they do.

Fitness first, diet second works for me. I have to say though, that I never eat desserts unless someone's having a birthday or there is a celebration. Fruit, cheese and nuts is what I end my lunch and dinner with, and after I've put in the kind of work I do for my body, I'm not about to pollute it with store bought cookies or cakes or ice-cream, splenda or no splenda.

[staytrue]

I used to play basketball 3 times a week until I needed a knee operation at age 44. Now I swim. It works for me.