Atkin's is not a "no carbs" diet. So many people just read that it's a carb restricting diet with high fat and assume that it's "no carbs" and high fat. I've read the book, and it's not that at all. For the first two weeks, you restrict your net carbs to around 20 per day. He emphasizes REPEATEDLY not to stay in the first phase permanently. That first two week phase is ONLY to break the carb addiction. During that first two weeks, people often lose a big chunk of weight, but it's mostly fluid weight because your body stops retaining fluids when you do it as it's outlined. That prompts many to keep doing that first phase when they are supposed to move on to the second phase, and THAT is unhealthy. I'd say it's more accurate to say that doing Atkin's the wrong way is unhealthy, but if you do it the way he instructs you to do it, it's not.
During the induction phase, in order to make up for the lower carb amount, you are supposed to eat more high protein foods (including some fattier foods, but not processed and unsaturated fats) than you normally would. Yes he says things like bacon are okay to eat, but he always emphasizes IN MODERATION. He NEVER claims to eat a plate full of bacon for breakfast, he merely says eggs with a couple slices of bacon are okay. He highly promotes a lot of vegetables in the diet, using cauliflower to make "mashed potatoes" and spaghetti squash for pasta, etc.
During induction, your body burns up these carbs and then begins to burn fat. That is the weight loss you see. By the end of the two weeks, if done correctly, you should see an overall decrease in the need to eat large portions or eat often. He states, and I found it to be true, that often when you get the urge to snack, it's not true hunger but is instead your body craving more carbohydrates. I know when I felt like snacking, I didn't feel like munching on a carrot, I wanted some bread or chips or something along those lines.
What most people pay no attention to is the NEXT phases of the Atkin's diet, the phases when you slowly add BACK some carbohydrates, and lower your protein intake accordingly. The induction phase helps break the carb addiction and the hunger pangs which are actually your body craving more carbohydrates. He explains our bodies get basically addicted to all the carbs and burn that for energy, and burn carbs rather than fat. That is why if you eat a high carb meal and then go take a walk, you burn the CARBS and not any fat!
As you go through the phases, you find your body's personal level of net carb intake that you can have without gaining weight from it. For some people, it's 80 or 90, for some it may be 100 or 150. Everyone's body chemistry is different. He never advocates eating huge steaks and plates of bacon the way I've seen some people claim. He states a serving size of meat is the size of a deck of cards. He simply states that you CAN eat red meat, that it's perfectly healthy if kept to the smaller serving size. His diet recommendations are largely vegetable dishes with a modest sized meat serving to go with it. He states sugar and refined white rices and flour should be cut as much as possible, and of course fast food should be minimal.
Ok, I didn't mean to get into lecture mode here, I just get frustrated with the formation of opinions on something without knowing all the facts! Please read the book from cover to cover, it's very fascinating and even if you don't follow it, it's quite educational and has a lot of factual information to back it up.
As an aside, Robin I don't think you should feel bad at all about your post. There are times when all of us need to vent some of these pent up feelings. Your post didn't come across as whiny at all to me. I think you are a beautiful woman though, and I hope with all my heart you are able to feel better about yourself at some point. Don't give up! {{hugs}}
*EDITED to add a quote from a book review that explains the Atkin's plan in a nutshell:
This is a review of the book Atkin's For LifeThe Atkins weight loss method is a 4 step approach. Phase 1 INDUCTION is where you limit your carbs to 20 grams per day to jump start your weight loss program. Phase 2 OWL or ONGOING WEIGHT LOSS allows you to slowly add back carbs until you discover the amount of carbs you can eat and still lose weight. Phase 3 PRE-MAINTENANCE has you slow your weight loss by adding in more carbs so good eating habits become ingrained. And in Phase 4 LIFETIME MAINTENANCE you learn to enjoy a wider variety of foods and maintain your weight loss.
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Yummy! I guess I can exercise later. 
Ugh.
Of course I was like...12. LOL. 
They work, but, I just didn't enjoy them at all. If I exercise to videos, I usually only enjoy the ones that are lean towards yoga and/or pilates. I feel goofy as heck leaping around my living room. The pilates dvd that I have is great, though, for me. I'd do tae bo if I was actually in a class, it's so much more fun that way. Even though it can be very embarassing. I just can't do those kinds of things by myself at home at all! The tae bo videos are a really good workout, though, if you like to do that type at home.
I have time to do the workouts alone, so as long as I don't laugh at myself, everything's fine. 
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