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Last time, we started talking about the history of diets and dieting. I pointed out that although the word diet actually refers to those things that are customarily eaten, these days we usually mean an attempt to lose weight.

There aren't too many low carb convenience foods, are there? One of the hardest things about low carbing is the lack of "snatch and go" food choices. We all find this particularly irksome at breakfast when we've got to get up, we've got to get going, and we darned well don't have the time or the inclination to cook.

Looking for a Low-Carb Holiday? June is closest to my heart because it is National Beef Steak Month! A low carber's dream in one sort-of-fake holiday.

Byron from Texas is 23 years old, and 6' 2' tall. He began his low carb journey in March of 2000 topping the scales at 360 pounds, and he had a 54-inch waistline back then. Byron is currently a pound under his goal weight, tipping the scales at 179, and he now has a 34-inch waist!

My house does not even remotely resemble "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous." I was all set to share a new recipe with you, Chicken Alfredo With Zoodles, but it requires cooking and our downstairs air conditioner is on the fritz. It's about 90 degrees in my office, I'm slowly melting like the Wicked Witch of the West, and I cannot even think about cooking something. Typing it up is simply out of the question, so I'm going to share what we're going to have for dinner tonight: a Simple Shrimp Salad, some chilled fruit, and Peach Iced Tea. No cooking!

Straight Talk And No Nonsense Have you ever perused the ten commandments? They are the basic rules for civilized human behavior, summed up concisely in only ten basic simple sentences. But has it ever occurred to you to wonder what something relatively benign like jealousy is doing right up there …

Laurie from Texas is 5' 5" tall and 39 years old. Laurie has been following the Atkins program since August of 1999. Laurie's starting weight was 167.5 pounds, and she has reached her goal weight of 125 pounds. Laurie's clothing sizes have also shrunk.....down to a size 5/6 from a 14!

With this article, I'm starting a series of columns that look at the history of diets and dieting - the plans and the personalities behind the plans. We are all so used to the idea of diets, that it is hard to believe there was ever a time when the "D word" wasn't on everyone's lips from morning to night.

Linda from Montana is 53 years old and 5' 7" tall. Linda started the Atkins program in September of 2001. At the time she began she weighed 224 pounds and was wearing a size 22. Linda is currently 199 and wearing a size 18, on her way to her goal of 140 pounds and size 12s. When Linda contacted me about sharing her success story she told me, "I haven't lost a lot of weight, but I am a Type 2 diabetic, and I have been able to go completely off my medications!! Now that is what I call SUCCESS!!"

Feeling blue because you see other people being more successful at the low carb lifestyle? Remember even a little bit of success is still success. Read stories of how to get through the tough times in Inspiration.