Hi everyone, I'm new! I'm starting a low carb diet after many years of trying traditional low fat diets. Maybe some of the women out there can relate to my story.

I wasn't an overweight child. I became 15 - 20 pounds overweight around age 16 after moving to United States from Europe and discovering hamburgers, pizza, and fries. It everyday fare in the States - it's even served in schools as a "healthy" lunch!

In response to this gain, my doctor put me on a traditional low fat diet and after 2 years of struggle and starvation, I'd lost the weight. Almost as soon as I'd lost the weight, it came back - with a venegance. I just couldn't keep up the low fat diet without become a raging maniac.

It only got worse. My weight gain continued to increase. In 1995 I started birth control injections (immediate weight gain) and flip-flopped between low fat dieting and a junk food diet. After 7 years of this I had gained 80 pounds! Yikes.

I tried everthing - everything - to get the weight off to no avail! Now I don't even recognize my own body. So, I'm giving up the diet rollercoaster and starting low carb lifestyle. I'm so grateful for this website because I really need some support and would love to talk with other low carbers. The success stories are so inspiring. It helps feel the weight loss is possible!