If you really do your homework, you learn that much of our food is modified, industrialized, processed garbage. We eat sludge and obesity reaches epidemic proportions! No one is perfect, everyone is suceptible...and we all need a bit of compassion. Diets that reflect our pre-industrialized state, ie, paleo-diets, are amazingly effective at helping people regain health and natural weight loss without starvation. The Atkins diet is basically a paleo diet, but there are much better versions out there. What do you say to your friend? Well, I've spent most of my life obese. Recently my health demanded that I make these changes to my diet, quite apart from vanity. Vanity was never motivating enough! Tell your friend you are concerned about thier health. That you really care about them and want to support them any way you can. Offer to walk with them a few times a week. Go to lunch and eat salad and steak together. Compliment them when they make progress, and be reassuring when they fall. Do what friends do! Good Luck. Do your homework: thehealthyskeptic.com