Atkins or any other low carb/high protein diet(I don't like Atkins, it allows too much fatty food) should be used to drop weight but once the weight is off you have to follow the program to a 'T', which is to bring back in the carbs slowly to find that threshhold amount that starts the body adding pounds again, once that point is reached you are no longer dieting but on a sensible eating regime that should be followed for a lifetime; most people never do this so the weight piles back on.