I'd like to tell you guys a story

About three years ago, I had my cholesterol checked at a "health fair" at work (Finger Prick). The reading I got from the machine only said "HIGH"... which was unusual since it usually gives numbers. The nurse checked the other results and the highest result was 278... so I kind of freaked. At that time I ate a healthy diet of fast food, beer, cafeteria food...etc.

I had it checked at my doctor and I don't recall the numbers but they placed me on Zocor. Zocor was super expensive and after taking it for two months, I stopped taking it because it made my side hurt... and my wallet. I decided it was time to stop eating that Fast Food and start eating "right" (Who knows what eating right is anymore)

It was a low-fat high-carb diet. I decided at that time to get my lazy butt away from the computer and start jogging, riding my bicycle and working out. I put that membership to Bally's to good use. I was out of shape at 200 pounds and knew I had a long way to go to get back into shape. Jogging was difficult. I would walk a little, jog a little, walk again when I was out of breath, caught my breath and starting jogging, walk, jog. Within weeks, I noticed I was going further and further and by the end of the month, I accomplished a feat that I don't think I ever did before... I jogged a complete 3 miles!

I had gone from 200 pounds to 165 pounds and with the "Chase Corporate Challenge" coming up (3-1/2 mile run/jog/walk) I was phsyc'ed. I was pumped the first mile and probably jogged faster than I should have, I conked out about the 2nd mile, walked for a few minutes and got jogging again. I finished 3-1/2 miles in 34 minutes....about the time it took me to jog 3 miles. I was psych'ed, I was going to jog in any race that was up and coming....

My body was amazing. I was eating salads, tuna, veggie wraps, veggie pizza's and hardly any meat whatsoever.

I think the 3-1/2 mile race was the pinnicle as... after that day I hardly jogged, I was in such good shape, I decided to have my first killer steak (coincidentally the day after the steak I was super full of energy) and since then, I have gone back to my chunky days...

During that time I never had my Cholesterol checked again but I sure wish I had. I have always looked for a diet that I could maintain myself and the high carb-low fat diet was not it.... of course it probably would have helped if I continued going to the gym and jogging.

Atkins intriques me. A friend got me on a Soy Lecithin kick, I was eating oatmeal in the morning...etc and in my research I found a good combination of Mono Unsaturated and Poly Unsaturated fats were great but I didn't want to start playing games with my health.

I've been reading about Atkins and here's my take. Prior to going on adkins, your body will burn carbohydrates first before it burns fat. If you don't burn off those carbs... they will turn to fat, Since fat stores are not burned but you are accumulating more fat/weight. Atkin's is changing how your body operates. Since there are hardly any carbs to burn, it is now going to the secondary source of energy, which is fat. You are teaching your body to burn fat.

I guess my skepticism is with the cholesterol. How does adkins work with cholesterol? Since it's now burning fat, is it now burning off or processing cholesterol better?

If I had one word of advice to anyone looking to diet, it would be to start a regiment of exercise. Since it has been like 3 years since I jogged seriously, I know it's going to take a whole lot of walking before I can get back to jogging. I know I will feel like giving up here and there but you got to keep at it.

Sorry for babbling but I wanted to tell my story and get *your* story too. Input appreciated.

-Dave