Most of the folks on Atkins start at 20 grams of carbs for two weeks of "Induction" then you bump it by 5 grams a week until you stop losing, then com back down by 10 grams, and that's your "magic number". For some people it's as much as 60-70 grams a day, for others it's as low as 30-40. It's a total YMMV thing. (Your Mileage May Vary)

I think the best thing is to pick a program that is easy for you personally to follow and stick with it. If it doesn't work, then get another book and try again.

What I do, because I like a tad bit of structure is follow the basics of Suzanne Somers, which doesn't require any carb counting, but I still keep an eye on what my actual carb count is and try to keep it at about 30 grams per day. Enough flexability there for me.

Whatever you choose to do, good luck! And welcome! This is a wonderful place, with wonderful folks cruising the boards!

All the best!