well i'm not quite at 100 pounds lost, but i'm close. right now i'm between 96 and 98 pounds lost. i'm seeing fluctuations between 152 and 154 on the scale. i got there in nov '04, and since then i've been up and down a few pounds, but no more than that, so i've kept off 85+ pounds for 2 years.

i absolutely would never have done it without low carb. i'd tried dieting in the past and it only made me fatter, ultimately - i would never have *needed* to lose 100 pounds if i hadn't dieted low fat.

incidentally, since i'm originally from england, and we weigh in stone and pounds, not just pounds, 100 pounds doesn't carry the emotional weight for me it would carry for some. however, i can say i have lost seven stone and *that* is truly amazing.

life is immeasurably better. it was a long process; my body is not the most cooperative one even *with* lowcarbing - it took 3 years to lose that weight, with many stalls, including one that lasted eight months. i started off with carb addicts, and lost the first fifty pounds that way, and then switched to atkins. although i was still indulging myself on carb addicts, i far prefer the way i physically feel on atkins.

the last two years have been an interesting struggle, staying on track. i'd say that my default diet is low carb, but that i still go through phases when i struggle with my desire to be able to eat like everyone else, or to eat the foods i still love. right now i happen to be in a very strong state of mind and i don't even want to cheat - but that doesn't mean it'll stay that way, and i have to recognize it. i did allow myself to creep back up to 162/163, and i've only in the past few months managed to get back to 153/154. I'd like to lose another 15 pounds or so, but even so, currently i am thinner than i have been my entire life since the age of 13. i look in the mirror and i know that while i have flaws and am still not thin, anyone looking at me will not think 'she's fat'. they simply won't. in fact, i was talking to my cleaner the other day about being strict with my diet and having to lose a bit of weight and she looked at me with that 'sceptical look' that you see when people are looking at thin people complaining about their weight. it was quite bizarre to see that look and to know that it's almost justified, that i don't look like someone who needs to lose weight anymore.

i think all my experiences leading up to this point have taught me how to stay on track. having dieted low fat, i know i have no option but to eat low carb. i know this has to be a way of life.

i'm lucky in that i work from home and so have it relatively easy in terms of preparing food. i'm sure it would be more of a challenge if i was around the wrong foods more than i am now. on the other hand, every weekend i'm faced with two dinner parties, often outside the home, that i have to navigate. that's a difficulty of my lifestyle. but i'm determined that i'll continue to meet the challenge. going up and down a few pounds is one thing, but i am never going to see the wrong side of 200 pounds again. if i can help it, i'm never goign to see the wrong side of 160 again either, but you never know what'll happen in the future.

this forum and the friends i've made on it have definitely made a difference. it's so wonderful to have people who understand share your journey.