I'm definitely thinking more clearly about these issues -- probably more than I have in years. I used to be ultra-thin (5'9" and 115 pounds in college -- yikes!) but started gaining weight when I got a high-stress job. Looking back, now I can see that my weight gain resulted from two separate issues:

1. I ate when I was stressed out or tired, which was most of the time. And of course, the weight gain stressed me out more and made me more tired...so this pattern increased with time. Luckily, my job required a lot of activity so I didn't REALLY start to gain fast until I started working on my Ph.D. and spending huge amounts of time in front of the computer.

2. I ate high carb foods because they were so "easy." It was much easier to stop at the McDonald's drive through on the way home than to try to cook myself a healthy meal. This pattern abated somewhat after I got married (I married a man who COOKS!!) but whenever he traveled for his job I'd hit the drive throughs again.

Consequently, I became a complete carb addict. I could polish off a package of cookies or a full bag of candy in one sitting -- no problem. When I started Atkins, I had SEVERE carb withdrawl -- actual physical illness -- for four days.

And I still obsess with food. This morning I went grocery shopping when I was a bit hungry -- always a dangerous thing to do. But as I was cruising down the cookie aisle with my cart, I kept reminding myself that yes, the choc chip cookies looked good, but I was wearing shorts that haven't fit me in 2 years. And instead of being the slightest bit tempted to buy the goodies, I grabbed a diet coke from the store cooler and drank it while I shopped.

Mary: I started low-carbing the day before you -- on 6/15. You're doing GREAT!! Good luck!

Jeannie