Personal Experience

Joanne from Leeds in the UK is 28 years old. She started low carbing in January of 2000, and has been at it ever since. Joanne follows the Atkins program and is currently just below her goal weigh at 117 pounds. She has gone from a US size 14/16 to a US size 6/8.

Since Glorious Spouse and I have become low carbers, the thing I miss most about stuffing the Thanksgiving turkey is getting rid of last year's Christmas fruitcake. Designated-drivers not withstanding, there should be bumper stickers that read "Friends Should Not Let Friends Give Fruitcakes."

Howard from New Mexico is 50 years old and 6 feet tall. Howard began low carbing weighing 330 pounds and now weighs 241 pounds. He used to wear a size 50 waist, but now wears a 42! His goals are to continue losing weight until he reaches 200 pounds and wears a size 36 waist.

Connie from Ohio is 31. She started the Atkins Plan in May of 1998, but told me, "It's since been tweaked so much it's more like a hybrid plan of my own." Connie has gone from 244 pounds to 169 pounds, and from a size 24 to a 12!

Jen from Maryland is 27 years old. Jen has been following the Atkins program since November 5, 1999, nearly 2 years now. Jen has lost 64.5 pounds dropping from 284 pounds to a current weight of 219.5 pounds, and still losing on her way to her goal of 160 pounds! She has shrunk from a size 26 to an 18! "I don't have a goal size," Jen said. "I have a goal weight. When I get there, I will be the right size."

In the wake of September 11th, many of us are thinking about disaster preparations, things we can do to prepare ourselves for the unforeseen. Foremost in our minds at this time are terrorist attacks, of course, but there are other kinds of disasters, too. Many of us live in areas that are prone to earthquakes, forest fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, blizzards, or lengthy power outages.

Carol from Wisconsin is 53. She has been following the Atkins program since June of 2000, and gone from 186 pounds to 107.5 pounds, from a size 18 to a 5! "I never had problems with weight control until I hit my mid-thirties," Carol told me. "The past fifteen years, though, it has been a real struggle to keep from gaining at an alarming rate!"

Lori from Illinois is 26 years old. "I started Atkins on January. 3, 2001," she told me. "I guess I don't follow the plan as strictly as others do; I kind of do my own version, you could say." Lori began her journey weighing 266 pounds and wore a size 26 at that time. Just nine months later, Lori weighs 181 pounds. That's fourteen pounds lighter than she is in her 'during' picture! She now wears a size 12/14, and is well on her way to her goal weight of 150 pounds.

Mark and Donna are from Texas. Mark is 47 years old and Donna is 39. Both are following the Atkins' program. Mark began low carbing in February of 2000, and Donna has been following Atkins since August of 1999.

Suddenly getting into those reference jeans doesn't seem quite so important anymore, does it? The tragic events of September 11th have shifted all our priorities, and looking good isn't as high up on the list as it used to be. Now we have more important things to think about. But that doesn't mean than staying on plan isn't still important.

Barbie from Pennsylvania is 49 years old. She began the Atkins program nearly 2 years ago at 195 pounds and wearing size 18/20's. She is currently at her goal weight of 131 pounds and wearing a size 6/8!

I have been low carbing for approximately one and a half years now, and I have lost 127 pounds. The whole thing has become pretty much second nature to me now. In the beginning, it was very difficult to adjust to this way of life, but boy has it been worth it! My life has completely changed! And that's what this week's article is all about: change.