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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.

How to Use Protein Powder for Baking and Cooking. Low carbohydrate protein powders come in several different types: soy-based protein powders, whey-based protein powders, soy/whey blend protein powders, egg-based protein powders, egg/milk blend protein powders, & rice-based protein powders. Here's how to use protein powders for cooking and baking.

Jennifer from Kentucky is 23 years old and 5' 5" tall. She has been following the Atkins program since June 16, 2000, and is only 20 pounds from her goal weight of 148.5 pounds! Jennifer started her low carb journey weighing 248.5 pounds and wearing a size 26. She now proudly wears a size 14, and is shooting for her goal of a size 10.

Some people are vitamin takers and some aren't. My husband is not, which frustrates me no end. To get Rod to take any vitamins at all, I have to buy chewable Flintstones, although he likes the Pokemon ones, too. I wouldn't mind if he ate healthily, but he has been known to slip his vegetables onto one of the kids' plates when he thinks no one is looking, and is not above pouring chocolate syrup on his favorite combination of Peanut Butter Captain Crunch and Cocoa Puffs.

There ain't no easy way. I had a traumatic experience in August of last year, and pretty much fell off the wagon so much that ever since, I have been vulnerable to any hint of a whiff of a suggestion of cheating. Some days it takes all I've got to withstand the temptation. Sometimes it's not too terribly difficult. Some days I don't withstand it at all, and realize that I am an addict, plain and simple.

Karen from California is 36 years old and 5' 7" tall. Karen has reached her goal size of 8, down from a size 12/14, and has lost 16 pounds, dropping down from 150 pounds to 134 pounds. Karen's goal weight is 128, but she is presently on the Atkins maintenance phase. She has been low carbing since Super Bowl Sunday, 2000.