I'm new to this site, and I have been overwhelmed with the information that I've found. Thanks everyone. 4 years ago I lost 90 lbs. on a low carb diet. No special plans per say. I ate lots of fruit - apples mostly, and chicken (and chicken and chicken) and salad. I lost it in 9 months, and have kept it off. However, I recently gained 10 lbs. due to a slipping diet and little exercise. I find that as long as I get out and exercise, I do fine even if I have more than one serving of carbs (equiv. of two pieces of whole grain bread) which is what I try to limit myself to. For exercise all I do is walk (power walk) 4 to 6 miles a day, depending on how much time I have. From what I've read, anything over 45 minutes of fast walking has a residual effect and raises the metabolism. (?) The past few months I've gotten out very little, and now my spring clothes are so tight that I hate it. I decided to get on a program and found my way here among other places. I know that I have a lot to learn, but for me, I didn't stop living when I went on the diet. If I knew I was going to someone's house for dinner I made sure that I didn't have any carbs all day prior to dinner. This way if they did serve pasta I would be ok. Maybe I'm not strict enough with the diet, but I know that it has to be something that I can live with. I read in one thread that someone said if the meal is amazing then it's worth it. I agree - you have to enjoy life. But not overdo. I know that I will limit the carbs forever. Yeah, it may slow things down if you splurge once in awhile, but if you stick to it on days other than those special occasions you'll be fine. Thanks again for all the information and personal experiences. I now have a few books to read thanks to recommendations posted here. Time to get on a program and get rid of these extra pounds!