I lost 60 lbs in about 6 months. Low carb.
It also
reduced my blood pressure from 149/95 down to 101/62. (Low BP is normal for me. This is what my bp was as a teen and I am now 47.)
Atkins isn't the only way to low carb. Use a service like
www.fitday.com to see how many carbs you are eating per day. It should be below 100g/day....ideally under 50g, but with budget that might be more difficult.
For every 50g or carbs you eat it is the same thing to your body as eating 1/4 cup of sugar REGARDLESS OF THE CARB SOURCE.
Sure there are vitamins and nutrients in breads, etc, but they are ARTIFICIALLY ADDED. Leafy greens are a much better option.
I think the easiest thing for you to do (budgetwise mainly) is to check out the book "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon. It is not only a cookbook, it is a book that shows how returning to traditional food prep methods can heal your body, reduce weight, etc... The articles along the side recipes are informative and very interesting.
As for low fat, it has been the WORST DIET ADVICE EVER GIVEN. The entire premise was based on the research of ONE GUY (Ancel Keys) and HE FUDGED HIS DATA! Recently the advice to eat low fat has been put to the test with more studies and it does not hold up. The lower your fat, the more carbohydrates you eat. The more carbs you eat, the higher your weight goes. I can link you with some hard science if you are interested or you can pick up a copy of WHY WE GET FAT AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT by Gary Taubes. It explains everything.