I'm 42. I've been on the paleo diet now for 1.5 years, my weight is now at the point where I get comments from people on how trim I look. Exercise has been sporadic, but the weight doesn't change. I've discovered veg i never even knew existed so it's been a bit of a taste explosion and fun!

John Crook, London, UK

A type 1 diabteic doesn't need refined carbs. Test your blood and eat plenty of veggies and low sugar fruits and your blood glucose will remain stable. Even protein will be converted over just at a slower pace. It's all about pacing yourself. As a type 1 you will need insulin, just not as much.

Danielle, Seattle, USA

In 62 years, I'd been on diets, and none worked AFTER I had lost the weight I wanted to lose. The trouble is, after you stop your diet, you don't know how much to eat.

This time, I've been sucessful. I use monopoly paper money as calorie counters and it's fun. It's like shopping. No weight gains.

Eric, sunland,

I once read that carbs are not poison as many nutritions suggest and your body needs it, so much that it converts your fat into carbs after few weeks. Oh well.

By the way, I lost over 100 lbs in 15 months while eating rice almost every day and with very few amount of exercise, so there.

Graham, Tokyo,

Some of the comments i read seem so naive...first, it is not a diet, and the man doesn t try to sell us anything .But of course what violates our implicit asumptions gets rejected.
And yes, Art de Vany s wife looks way younger than 70 , there is a picture of her on his blog...she is beautiful.

iulia, ALBA IULIA, romania

Once you take away the fawning sycophancy of the journalist and the egotism of this diet's "creator" you are left with precious else. Indeed the lack of critical thinking from the journalist is staggering. This diet offers nothing new.

Sam, London,

I do lots of sports every day and need complex carbs (which release energy slowly - e.g. Clif Bar) to carry me through. If I eat no carbs, I'm hungry after a meal. I eat carbs and buy as much organic as I can afford. I mix up my sports to keep it interesting. All in moderation. Works for me.

Oliver, Sedona AZ,

right, so if i eat fruit for breakfast, salad for lunch and lean meat and veg for dinner I will lose weight? well I never!

K, bristol,

What's new? Nothing.

I studied Nutrition (MSc) 10 years ago. This is what was known as a "Protein modified fast": carbs way down, fat down a little, protein up. Used for big fatties.

What does he think was in the peach that made him feel better... was it carbs per chance? Doh!

Carlos, Basel, CH

Great article, very good , witty journalism hope they appreciate you at the Times - the proof will be in protein & veg, starting today!

Ed - www.sunwalked.wordpress.com

Ed, Newcastle, UK

Thomas Fuller - shame on you - what is the cost of a rubbish diet in the long run to self and public? I have eaten thus for years and learned how to balance cost - herrings cost nothing - one rib of organic beef does three meals. I am 53, weigh the same as at 16 and look somewhere in the middle.

Geraldine Leale, Ascot, England

I lost 27 pounds of fat in 2 months around 4 years ago using De Vany's method. I've kept it off.

I recommend it to anyone.

By the way the traditional Okinawan's ate a lot less rice than the Japanese. They ate a lot of free range pork including the fat, fish, vegetables, and fruit.

Hone Watson, Melbourne,

Hmmm.. I shall give this a try..

Dave, Pattaya, Thailand

Our bodies have built-in olescence; "becoming non-functional after a certain amount of use in a way that is designed" in this case it is not much time as the factor but the amount of food . I skip meals if doing nothing, only eat if doing things or I feel like a snake digesting an elephant:)

samer, dubai, UAE

What about Beer and Whisky?

Jose, sf,

'Dr Berstein's Diabetes Solution: A complete guide to achieving normal blood sugars" gives you all the science and how to do this type of diet safely. Barry Sears' "The Anti aging Zone" gives you a whole lot more science and a similar approach.

Julianne Taylor, Auckland, New Zealand

Is this really so revolutionary? I have been eating like this for 15 years - no starch, lots of vegetables, fruit, chicken, fish. I gradually lost about 2 stone and have never regained it. Although my friends all think I am a 'fussy' eater because I refuse to eat rubbish or processed foods.

Jane, London,

please read the china study

nadine cullen, dublin, ireland

I thought this was a good article but what a shame that the majority of the "illustrative" pictures were of women. After all this was written by a man who was, by his own admission, too fat. Would have been better to show a fit bloke trying to look better rather than resorting to stereotypes.

S Wyatt, Newbury, UK

I've eaten the Paleo way before Atkins wrote his book, to be blunt, I am 90% carnivore, the rest being dairy and green veg, I am 78 years old, have normal bp and low cholesterol, I don't have diabetes and triglycerides in my blood are too low to register. This is eating as Nature intended.

Julia, Reading, UK

This is no "fad" diet - it is simply the way to eat and live that gives you the best probability of long-life with good health. Also, people evolved to eat meat, Okinawans eat lots of fish (so they live long in spite of the rice), and weight loss is incidental to this "diet;" it is not the point!

Russell, Ediburgh, UK

This is the same principle as Atkins Diet. He even refers to it as the Stone Age diet.

Cut out all the carbohydrates, esp. fast food rubbish, and the pounds will fall away.

Geoff M, Bromsgrove, England

"What to avoid" - how did the vegetable oils pop into this list when carbs were mentioned as the bad things in all of the article up to this point? The article then goes on to say olive oil is good. Isn't olive oil a vegetable oil? I hate these diet explanations that contradict themselves.

michaela, shenzhen, china

Weston Price is the forerunner of this logic. An equally brilliant early 20th century dentist who is now remembered through the Weston Price foundation. He studied ethnic diets and his work is under the radar, but absolutely guaranteed to panic a food corporation executive. Adelle Davis also.

AJPreston, Brisbane, Australia

With some more research you'd have found that Arthur isnt correct on Low Carbing, despite that it ' works for him' .Fruits are water with few Vitamins thrown in + Full of Sugars.

I'm diappointed that Dr. Richard Bernstein (USA) the Master of DIABETES is not credited, also Dr. W.Lutz ( Austria)

Blendi Progri, London, England

Try this before you mock or snipe. I have lost 20 lbs and brought my blood lipids back into healthy balance using this diet. I agree with Jack from Cardiff read Gary Taubes book it will open your eyes.

Richard, London, UK

Atkins diet did not kill him. He developed a condition that required an emergency use of steroids. While under treatment, he fell striking his head and died from results of the injury. Nothing to do with his diet despite his detractors efforts to the contrary.

Jon Maynard, Lansing MI, USA

India Knight (also a columnist with the Sunday Times) and Neris Thomas have written a book on this self same diet called Neris and India's Idiot-proof Diet: From Pig to Twig
Its excellent, if you want a diet that is low carb.....

Martin, Macclesfield, England

I don't know if others have made this point, but google "William Banting" for a Victorian era Damascus moment like yours.

William Roach, Saratoga Springs, USA

Looks like a variation on the Atkins diet - and remember what happened to him.

Charlie, Leicester,

the lack of open-mindedness and presence of "don't confuse me with the facts" is prevalent in the British Isles, I see. You people make judgements based on a simple article, without bothering with the science behind DeVany's work. You're just like American conclusion-jumpers after all.

Ed, 1000 Islands, USA

Food Facism anyone? People should be wary of criticising a diet, or way of eating, until they know more about the science behind it. It is very crass and patronising to say just eat less and do more.
What would be the suggestion to someone with M.S.? Or Rheumatoid Arthritis? HypoThyroidism?

Jenniruth, Edinburgh, UK

sounds like a cool eating plan.can you send me more info please

helen fallon, newry,

Jasper carrot gave the best advice - fatness is where "this hole here is bigger than this hole here"! Anyway, i thought increased levels of testosterone increased the risk of prostate cancer... This article is just a book advert.

Roarke, Wembley, UK

How would this work if you were a vegan and ate no meat, fish, dairy or eggs? Protein sources are predominately beans or pulses....Sounds good though..

Mary-Lee, Bubry, France

now,let me tell u how to lose 5kg a week.breakfast: an egg and porriage.lunch: smoking supper:smoking.when u feel hungry~just drink water~i did it~so i lose 5kg a week.

sophie, Chongqing, China

Er ... this sounds like a lot of other diets. And many other diets also "really work" - if you stick to them.

Chris K, Cheltenham, UK

The leader in this field is Loren Cordain (www.thepaleodiet.com). I'm surprised you don't mention him.

The main problem with this regime is the expense. Grass-fed beef ain't cheap!

Thomas Fuller, London, UK

I am an Insulin dependent Diabetic(Type1). I have 4 injections of insulin a day.
How would this no carb diet work for me?
I would spend my day having Hyop attacks caused by low blood sugar which can cause me to pass out or at worse go into a Diabetic coma.

John Lever, Manchester, England

This is no different to what weight lifters have been doing for years, which is essentially low carb/ high protein diet.

I follow the simple rule of 'no pain, no gain'. The truth of the matter is that if you don't eat with balance and moderation and excerise regularly, you will become unfit.

Asim, London,

The best thing for most is to make a commitment to go to the gym to weight train 2-3 times a week. Lift a weight heavy enough to challenge you for 8 repetitions. I like intense training and run 6 days/week, row and lift. I eat whatever I want (no processed junk foods) because I exercise regularly.

Andy, New York,

Notice there is little fat (or calories) in his "revolutionary" diet, any regime full of vegetables & meat in reasonable proportions with regular exercise will lead to a healthy body .
I have an athletic build despite a high-fat, high-calorie diet & no exercise: this doesn't proove its optimality.

S Lehnis, London, UK

sounds a lot like the Aktins diet to me. Stay away from carbs.

stephen, ladysmith, RSA

This diet - caveman, paleolithic etc etc - has been round for decades in various forms. As a journalist working with ideas and a continuous stream of thinking, you'll find it impossible to stick to - end result is underconsumption of carbs. Four months you'll be back on grains and sugars, you watch

simon_smith, Uttoxeter, Freedonia

This diet is almost exactly the same conclusion I came to after almost 10 years of research to cure psoriasis. I found the key was sugar, and carbs - weirdly especially potatoes. If you have psoriasis, try this. Read carefully what he says to avoid (dont eat tomatoes either). You'll feel amazing.

luke, nottingham, uk

Edward-Since the article points out the weight increase from 1992-2000 only exemplifies that the fatty western diet is a big factor in this.The Chinese are among the healthiest&slimmest where rice is a staple-unfortunately this can't be said for the West-notably America whre such diets are advocated

Susie, Southampton, UK

I have followed a 'Hunter Gatherer' diet since being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes nearly 7 years ago. I have never taken medication. My blood sugar levels have stayed normal and my weight is a steady 11 1/2 stones. An 'HG' diet is easy to do and the best way to lose weight and manage diabetes.

Graeme Chatham, Tranent , Scotland

The best diet book I've found is "On Food and Cooking - The Science and Lore of the Kitchen".
Want to know what you are missing when consuming only the juice from an apple?
Knowing what you eat is the first step.
Read, understand, judge, and apply.

Ray Powell, Victoria, BC, Canada

Correction:
DO NOT EAT "plenty of meat, such as ribs, steak, bacon, pork loin

ben, SAN jOSE, CALIFORNIA

I will say that when I do limit my carb intake my acne goes away and so does my depression. And I'm calmer and less moody

I do agree that basically all you have to do is eat less calories to lose weight but I think the 'eat less carbs' thing is more better HEALTH......rather than weight los

Patricia, Medina Ohio, uSA

People who go on diets are looking for something that doesn't exist - there is no easy fix. Just remember that nobody came out of the Nazi concentration camps overweight. If you want to lose weight - eat less food, or radically change your lifestyle.

Barry Knight, Chelmsford, UK

To Tim from Seoul, read this:

http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/obesity/another-china-study/

China is facing an obesity epidemic. Between 1992 and 2002, the prevalence of overweight and obesity increased in all gender and age groups and in all geographic areas of the country.

Edward, Austin, USA

Callie:

Save the planet -- stop 100% of your consumption IMMEDIATELY. Stop eating and breathing. It's the only moral thing to do! Your carbon footprint is destroying mother earth. End it now to stop the horror.

We'll be right behind you.... wink wink nudge nudge

Edward, Austin, USA

A meat based diet is not sustainable in a world beset with climate change and overpopulation. To lose weight - eat less! Complex, whole carbs and pulses, nuts, seeds plenty of vegetables and fruit and healthy plant oils Keep the booze down and be active. Lose weight without endangering others.

Callie Gauntlett, Milverton, UK

I had a similar experience with Diabetes which encouraged to me test all foods for their effect on my blood sugars; after a year my doctor told me that if he had not already known that I was diabetic he could not have known from my blood tests. Everything was back to normal. Read G. Taubes.

Jack, Cardiff, Cardiff

countries that have a rice based diet are hardly known for their fatties!

Tim, Seoul, Korea

When you read about diets, remember that most is hype or anecdote. But Brian is spot on: carbs are a curse. Be careful with fruit and eat it only with a meal. Many people manage well with carbs, MOST won't especially those with diabetes. Look the science. Don't just read Gary Taubes book...study it!

Peter Haynes, Ilkley, England

I think that quoting the "proof" that one 70 year old guy looks good shows a rather weak understanding of the scientific method. There is a logic to eating raw, fresh and wholesome over refined and processed. There is a logic to eating less and exercising a good amount. The rest of this is hokum

Charles, Edinburgh, Scotland

Everyone has different "fuel" requirements depending on their genetics and what they are doing with their bodies at any given time. The need for fats, proteins and carbs changes dynamically. A one size fits all diet will only work for the small % of people who's genetics and lifestyles fit.

Peter, London,

You don't need any special diet to lose 6 kilos in 3 weeks and you don't have to cut out certain foods. Just eat sensibly like previous commenters said and it's not difficult at all so no need to describe those results as magic.

Lena, london,

Carbohydrates bad? Why are Okinawans, with their low-meat, high-rice diet, the longest-lived, healthiest people? It's a long evolutionary journey from tree-dwelling fruit-eaters, but the meat-eating hunter-gatherer plays well to the USA's self-image. Just eat with common sense - no miracles needed.

Chris Thorpe, London, UK

This is as scientific as a horoscope.

Alex, Salisbury, UK

Adopt mental image of yourself. Grow into it.
Adopt healthy diet for life. No additives! Eat less food than you think.
Eat little and often. Exercise all the time. Flex muscles, stretch arms, legs as a habit. Play active sport like golf. Swim, walk every day.
Mind controls body. Do yoga.

Leigh Vernier, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

I agree with Tony from Islington. Dieting is easy. Simply eat less and exercise more. It works - and unless you can do it, you are not going to lose weight in the long term.

Greg, Swansea,

Here we go, another diet! To lose weight just eat sensibly, it's not rocket science. I personally like carbs, and want them in my diet. And a lot of the benefits felt when you when off carbs can also be acheived with low-GI carbs (wholemeal bread, not white bread for example).

Tony, Islington, London, UK

Add to this 'organic' to avoid the pesticides and artificial fertilizers, and the various dodgy stuff in animal products; avoid the bacon if it has sodium nitrite preservative; stay careful with the Tuna due to heavy metals; don't include peanuts (not really nuts)... and it all sounds good to me!

Mark, London,

I don't have a lot to argue with on the nutritional basis...but this has to be the most sexist article I've ever read! For sure 70 year old men can look great, but however wonderful their nutrition, 70 year old ladies look 70 years old unless they have done the lifting and botox stuff.

jeannie, perugia, italy