Not really a newbie....
 

But I haven't introduced myself yet to the board so I figured now is as good a time as any. I've been a member for almost a year now.

I first heard of LC from a friend that lost over 100 pounds. I hadn't seen him for about 6 months and then when I did I thought he had cancer or something. Not because he looked sick, just because he was so thin compared to what he had looked like just 6 months earlier. That's when he told me about the Atkins Diet and let me read the book. I skimmed through it and found it very interesting. Plus my girlfriend at the time was looking to shed a few pounds, but didn't want to go on a diet alone.

I had never really thought about losing weight because I never considered myself "fat", but after taking a closer look I began to see that working a desk job and indulging in the bagels and donuts at our morning meetings were really doing a number on my waistline. And when I finally weighed myself I was surprised to see 195 on the scale.

So we decided to try LC. She hated it, and didn't really lose any weight (because she always cheated), but I shed almost 30 pounds in just a few months. I loved the diet, but it was hard to do when you are living with someone who is not on the same page as you, so I eventually went back to my old ways and gained all the weight back.

After we broke up about a year later I decided I needed to try this WOE again. This time I read Dr. Atkins book and any other scrap of info I could find on the net about LC diets. That's how I came across this forum.

I started LC again in May of 2002. I've fallen off the wagon several times, including a couple months after I moved from Seattle to Southern California. Other than a couple of days here and there I've been following this WOE hardcore since Feb 2003 and I'm determined to stick with it this time.

Currently I'm down to 167, which is the lowest weight I've been in probably 5 years. I have more energy than I have in a long time, and now actually ENJOY exercising.

I would just like to say thanks to everyone on this forum for all the great info they have provided me over the months.

PS Sorry to be so long winded, but I am somewhat of a writer, so once I get a flow going I tend to have a hard time stopping :)

Hi Dustin,

Great to read your story, and good job on introducing yourself.

Congrats on making it two times over....now the trick is to keep it off ...right?? ;)

Lesley

Thanks Lesley,

I've still got a ways to go to get where I want to be, but now I know so much more about what I need to do to get there that I know I can do it. And just like they used to say in that old GI Joe cartoon "knowing is half the battle" :D

Hi and welcome back to the low carb WOL. It sounds like you have the determination to really do it this time and i wish you all the success in the world.