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Low-carb shopping can be hard on the budget, particularly if you are purchasing hard-to-find or specialty items. Where should you look for your groceries, and how can you be sure you're getting the best price?

Alicia from Pennsylvania is 33 years old and 5' 4" tall. Alicia has been following the Atkins program since July 23, 2002, and dropped from a high weight of 234 pounds to 190 pounds. Her dress size has shrunk from a size 20 down to a size 16. Alicia's goals are to weigh 135 pounds and wear a size 10.

Jeff Martell from Ontario, Canada, is 46 years old and 5' 6" tall. He has been following the Atkins program since February of 2002, and has dropped from a high weight of 276 pounds down to just 190 pounds! His waist has shrunk from a size 48 waist to a 40! Jeff's goal weight is 175 pounds, and he's well on his way.

I am happy to report to my CarbSmart readers that Cathie from Florida reached her goal size of a 5/6 right before Thanksgiving!

Mary Ann from Pennsylvania is 51 years old and 5' 1" tall. "I don't believe in 'weight.' The scale is the biggest deceiver in the history of dieting and weight loss," Mary Ann told me. "You see 'miracle' potions in a bottle that claim you can loose 10 pounds in a weekend, and you might. But it is not 'fat' you are loosing. You can be a skinny little thing and you might think you are wonderfully healthy, but when you starved yourself to get that way, you actually may have lost muscle mass and even bone because if you do not eat 'right' to loose weight, your body will actually begin to cannibalize itself!"

What should I buy for [fill in the blank yourself] for Christmas? That's a phrase guaranteed to send fear and panic in all directions. But, as usual, I'm here, to the rescue.

Barb from Minnesota is 42 years old and 5' 8.5" inches tall. Barb's all time high weight was 225 pounds, which she reduced to 195 pounds through 'conventional dieting and exercise' before she began the Atkins program. "Now," she said, "I am not so 'religious' and simply avoid sugars and starches (for example, rice, potatoes, pasta, and bread)." Barb currently weighs 160 pounds, and has dropped from a size 16 to a size 12 by low carbing.

I'm told that in early December, Portuguese turkey farmers peddle their flocks on the streets of Lisbon. They do this for two reasons: because Lisbon is in Portugal, and is therefore a handy place to sell their turkeys, and because they don't have Thanksgiving in that country.

Sherry from Illinois is 5' 7" tall and "in her 40's." Sherry was uncomfortable about publishing her weight, but did say we could print she has lost 54 pounds to date, doing the Atkins program. She has dropped from a size 2X to a 12. Her goal size is 10, and she is 10 pounds from her goal weight. Sherry started low carbing in April of 2002.

For years, some doctors have dismissed the Atkins diet, but the high fat, low carb diet might finally be getting its due.

Becky is 44 years old, and is 5' 10" tall. She has been following the Protein Power Plan, Atkins, and has occasionally a CAD (Carbohydrate Addict's Diet) meal since March of 2000. Becky started her low carbohydrate journey weighing 285 pounds and wearing a size 32. She currently weighs 195 pounds and wears a size 14. Becky's goal is to be 160 pounds.

Success Stories Miki from Pennsylvania is 5′ 2″ tall and is 29 years old. Miki follows the Atkins program, and since July of 2002 she has dropped from 130 pounds and a size 8-10 to 119 pounds and a size 4-6. Her goal is to be 110 pounds and a …