This has been very interesting to read. I had an undiagnosed illness and saw my weight creep up and up over 30 lbs but power-walked for 45 mins every day at work and didn't see that much of a change in the way my clothes fit, other than that they got tighter, but not enough to push me from a size 10 to a 12 until I hit "the crisis". I had surgery, but the illness took a huge toll and I saw my weight balloon over a period of several years when I barely had the strength to get out of bed, much less exercise. Now that I have recovered from that and am able to move on, I can hardly believe the difference the lack of exercise has made. What I look like at 179 now, and 179 when everything was toned and fit, is like comparing apples and oranges. I don't look like the same person and there is absolutely no way I could even begin to get a skirt zipper close to closing, much less get the waistband buttoned (and that is assuming I could even get it over my hips!) It makes me want to cry when I see what I did to myself. I had always exercised (NOT a gym rat...just walking, riding an exercise bike or aerobic exercises) and the 5 years I didn't do it have changed my body to one I don't recognize. But it is certainly a testament to the fact that exercise is an ABSOLUTE must when you want to lose or maintain weight. I have been exercising a minimum of 5x a week since I started Atkins in late July and the inches lost are more important to me than the weight lost. I feel so much better that I have been able to increase the intensity and lenght of my workouts and look forward to the day I can get back into my "old" clothes. They may be out of style but I will be looking at "me" instead of that stranger in the mirror! I am 5' 61/2" and have set my goal at 145 because I am sure I can reach it...but would really like to get back to my pre-illness weight of 135. But if I don't regularly exercise, I can weigh 135 and the clothes still wouldn't fit well enough to look good...which is why I exercised regularly before I ever got sick.