More dieters ditch carb counting

• Not too long ago, it seemed like everyone was cutting carbs.
• Going low-carb or no-carb was the "It" way to drop some serious pounds.
• But the craze began to lose momentum at the end of last year, and on Sunday, the biggest name in low-carb, Atkins Nutritional Inc., filed for bankruptcy protection.
• it was probably the shortest-lived of all food fads," said John Stanton, a professor of food marketing at St. Joseph's University.
• Eighteen months ago, 9 percent of American adults were following Atkins, South Beach or another low-carb diet, said Harry Balzer, who studies food trends as vice president of the NPD Group, a market research firm.
• Consumers have realized that cutting out carbs isn't an easy solution, nor does it ensure long-term success, Stanton said.
• Ann-Marie Davis, a student from Dublin working in Chicago this summer, quit Atkins after reading about its health risks.
• Bagels, where sales suffered during the peak of low-carb mania, is phasing out its low-carb bagel, said Monica Hahn, senior vice president of marketing for Einstein's parent company.
• The ice cream company, which has opened 20 stores in Illinois in the last year and plans another 12 by January, tested low-carb products in Florida and New York last year, but lackluster results persuaded the chain to drop the low-carb versions, said spokeswoman Jami Clark.
• According to nutritional information on the company's Web site, most Cold Stone ice creams have between 40 and 100 grams of carbohydrates per serving.
• When Atkins first became popular, people were quick to give it a try because it seemed to promise a diet with foods people loved--steak, bacon and cheese--said NPD Group's Balzer.
• Dieters lost weight but soon learned that going low-carb required a major change in the way they eat.