Personal Experience

Still, there's one truly wonderful thing about late summer here in the Midwest: Local vine-ripened tomatoes. This time of year folks sell them out of pickup trucks all over town. I often buy them from a lovely old man who stakes his claim in the parking lot of the local Kmart. Heck, my neighbors simply gave me a sackful the other day, bless them.

Low-Carb Life in the real world! That's what I'm living. And life in the real world is an endless series of choices, and an endless series of compromises. That's what's real in our Low-Carb world.

On the heels of the release of Eric Oliver's controversial book Fat Politics which claims the "obesity epidemic" is just one big conspiracy theory comes this Scotsman column about the kind of world we would have if people genuinely stopped caring about being overweight or obese.

What is considered healthy low-carb eating? This topic is very debatable, even within low-carb circles, and that’s why I wanted to write about such an important subject. As someone who used to be a big, fat slob weighing in at 410 pounds, I think I know a little something about …

Karen Rysavy from Colorado is 38 years old and 5'11 inches tall. Karen started low carbing in 2000 doing a combination of Atkins and Protein Power but since that time has studied most of the popular low carb plans out there and implemented parts of each (the parts that worked for her) into her own personal Way of Eating. She began at 271 pounds and wearing size 24/26 and is now 210 and wearing 14/18. Karen revised her goal of a size 12 and 185 pounds to "happy and healthy". A very important goal for Karen, one which she has REACHED!

Cindy from Maine is 45 years old and 5'6 inches tall. In October, Cindy will have been following the Atkins program for four years. She has gone from 239 pounds and a size 24 to 147 pounds and a size 14. Cindy's goal is to weigh 135 and wear size 10's.

Norma from Nova Scotia is 54 years old and 5' 6" tall. Norma began the Atkins program in July of 1999 after being introduced to it a month earlier by her friend, Joya. She began low carbing weighing 175 pounds and wearing size 18. She reached her goal of 125 pounds in late December of 1999.

Clyde from Texas is 47 years old. He follows the Atkins program and is current at goal weight and on maintenance. Clyde began at 280 pounds and a 40 inch "tight" waist. He was delighted to reach 210 pounds and wear size 36 waist pants for the first time in over 20 years. Clyde's weight is currently 222 pounds but not from fat gain, rather lean muscle from weight training.

Dana Carpender is the number one low carb author in the world. Check out Dana's articles for CarbSmart Low Carb Magazine every week.

Sue from California is 49 years old and 5'4 inches tall. Sue has been following the Atkins program for two years now, and has dropped from her high weight of 262.5 pounds and a size 24.5 to her current weight of 162.5 pounds and a size 12. Sue's goal is to weigh 150 pounds and wear size 10.

Elizabeth from Tennessee is 32 years old and 5 feet, 7 inches tall. Elizabeth has been following the Atkins program since January 5, 2002. She started low carbing weighing 228 pounds and wearing a size 18, but now weighs 155 pounds and is wearing size 8/10. Elizabeth's goal is to get her weight down to 140 pounds and eventually wear a size 6/8.