I'm posting this by way of introducing myself. I'm new to this board but not to LC. Been doing it since March 11 and I've lost 25 pounds so far, with (I feel it, I feel it) another 2 or 3 poised to go soon.

I'm curious about why people started on LC in the first place. There must be as many motivations as there are people on this forum.

My story:

I'd had trouble with my weight since the age of 5, when I put on a fair amount due to a broken leg and the enforced sedentary lifestyle. I think I had always been Fat Waiting To Happen, and the convalescence period brought it out in force. After that, I was the butt of jokes in school and my self-esteem went down the toilet. I actually remember reading the FIRST edition of Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution in my grandmother's apartment, and wondering if it could help me. I was seven years old.

Fast forward to many years later, March 2003 to be exact. I had to apply for a new visa, and part of that process was getting a new passport picture taken. When they handed me the picture, I looked at it and thought, "WHO is that IMMENSELY FAT woman? They must have given me the WRONG photo!"

Then, in a sudden flash of intense horror, I realized that it really was MY picture. That immensely fat woman was ME.

I walked out of the photo shop feeling shocked and sickened. And I decided that no matter what it took, I would NEVER accept looking like that. That picture was NOT me. It's hard for me to describe the feeling of disconnection from my own self, which I felt at the moment of seeing that photo. I literally could not believe I had allowed myself to get this fat. I didn't know how I could not have noticed all this time...I mean, you don't get 232 pounds in one day, after all!

That night, I vowed to myself that by the time my next passport picture was taken, I would be a weight that fitted in with my self-image as a confident, competent woman with a positive attitude. I didn't know how many pounds that would turn out to be, or how long it would take, but I knew that I would KNOW it when I SAW it in the mirror.

I had tried LC once in '99, and had lost about 15 pounds before giving up due to monotony of food, lack of supplements, and generally feeling like crap because I had no clue what I was doing. But I remembered how I hadn't been hungry and that the weight had come off without struggle, unlike every weight loss plan I had tried before.

So I began Induction again, but this time I promised myself I would do it RIGHT. I would read up on ketogenic diets. I would find out what supplements I needed to take, and I would take all of them. I would exercise appropriately rather than overdoing it at the gym as I'd done before. I would keep track of carbs and calories on my Palm. And most importantly, I would not give up until I reached my goal, which right now is 175 lbs--the last weight where I remember looking good and feeling very healthy. When I get there, I'll decide if I want to lose any more.

So I am curious--why did you start on LC? Was there a precipitating event? Or did you just decide, "This is my time!" Or something else?

Emily