I've enjoyed reading everyone's posts, very inspirational, so time to introduce myself!

I'm Sharon, 39, mom of two little guys, ages 3 1/2 and 7, wife, and computer nerd at an oil refinery in Kansas. Never a dull moment. No really, it's not that boring! Ok, sometimes it is.

My defining moment was one of those mother/daughter exchanges at Christmas where my mother made a rude comment to me about my weight. At age 74 she has diabetes, congestive heart failure, and is starting to get high blood pressure. All this from smoking incessantly for over 60 years and weighing about 250 all her adult life until the onset of Type II diabetes when the weight of course melted off as a result.

This was, in fact, the good kick in the butt I needed to focus on to once and for all lose those d~#n 20 pounds. I WILL NOT become my mother, with limited ability to play with my kids, totally unable to play with my grandchildren, and beset with the host of ailments of high carb WOL. Therefore, I pledge to myself I WILL lose those aforementioned d~#n 20 pounds by my 40th birthday in October 2003. I want to look forward to my 40th not dread it, and what a party I'll have!

I had went through what everyone else has in years past, low fat everything and counting calories. I knew deep down that didn't work but didn't know why so I started researching various diets at New Year's, was intrigued with Atkins (read the book) and was on Induction when I read the Protein Power book and came to believe that is the plan for me: low carb but not as restrictive as Atkins, and adequate protein with resistance training. Fit exactly into my weight lifting classes at the YMCA. Although my weight loss is slow, a lot is muscle replacing the fat (evidenced by the 5 inches on my waist I've lost so far) and if I'd just quit cheating it would fairly zoom. Currently reading Protein Power Life Plan.

Challenges: overcoming the urge to snack too much on low carb snacks (nuts, etc.), trying to fix meals the whole family will eat.

Benefits already seen: I'm already looking much better, mood swings that were vicious are almost non-existent, tons of energy.

So.........FAT, BE GONE!!!!!

Sharon