Earlier quoted context omitted.
The funny thing is that Taubes book basically recommends you do away with those things anyway: who likes burgers without the bun? fries are out, shakes are out, tacos without the shell? no thanks, etc, etc. Where he differs, he has a lot more science to back it up.
I'm not so sure about the science. This quote is taken from the wiki article on Gary Taubes "Although Taubes has no formal training in nutrition or medicine, his book was praised as "raising interesting and valuable points" by Dr. Andrew Weil, while Dr. Mehmet Oz and trainer Jillian Michaels who appeared on the same program disagreed with Taubes on many questions. [6]" I think we have to question the science when he…
The science of the book is sound. And he is right about exercise: it's good for fitness (as in muscle) and other health reasons, but for weight loss is almost useless by itself. The reason is insulin, which signal the body to store, not use, energy.
Of course you could calorie-count people on a high carb diet and whip them to exercise and they will probably lose weight. But you will also destroy their health and they will regain all of its former weight (and then some) later. This is documented and is all in the book too.