You know, I never was a fad dieter. I always chose the medically accepted ways: diabetic diet, low-fat, etc. But, I have been dieting since I was five years old and my mother decided I needed to lose weight. I finally just gave up. I "realized" that my weight was not under my control and never would be, and that I was really dieting for health maintenance. (Well, THAT was a big lie, but I didn't know it at the time.)

There came a point where I seriously considered surgery. But, when I spoke with a friend who had done it, twice, she told me of all the health problems involved and all the risks and then told me that it STILL came down to controlling what you eat - only by being FORCED into portion control. And she told me that some foods would be forever banned. Well, what's the point of that??? If you've got the willpower to stay on a diet at all, WHY kill yourself to do it?

But, as a teen, Atkins was considered just another fad diet - ergo I never took it seriously until I MET someone who had achieved success with it. Even then, after more than ten years of low-fat dieting, the concept of eating mayonnaise horrified me. I'm not kidding. I gagged the first time I tried.

However, when the doctor tells you that you have two years or less to live if you continue your current lifestyle AND YOU'RE ALREADY DIETING LOW-FAT FOR OVER TEN YEARS AND DOING EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO LOSE WEIGHT, there comes a time to try something radical. Atkins was my radical last attempt before surgery. Thank all the powers that be that it works.