Jschwab, Don't be discouraged. You may surprise yourself as you get closer to goal. As long as you are sticking to the LC way of eating, things (physically) wonderfully seem to have a way of shifting around and improving, as the fat continues burning off.

They say weight will come off with just LC woe alone, but IF you are able to walk or do SOME kind of exercise every week there are lots of folks who have found that it helps in toning up and getting physically more shapely. Sometimes I feel I'd almost rather have dental work done than to do exercise, but I go ahead and try my best to do ten minutes three times a week. That's not much, but it's more than not doing any exercises, especially for me.

My feet & right ankle are very messed up due to diabetes related problems. I hobble around with one or sometimes two quad canes, but am happy to at least be able to navigate on my own, and am glad I have both feet. A doctor told me once 7 years ago that I probably had 6 months or less and I would lose both feet and my lower right leg. I cried. Went home, prayed, and determined that with the Good Lord's help I would NOT lose my feet and my right lower leg. So far, so good.

I can't do jumping jacks. I can't walk on an eliptical machine or even on a treadmill. But you know what, I don't let it keep me down. My mind is made up to do what I can to help myself get fitter and life is good.

I figured out a little routine of about 8 variable execises that I do, sitting in a chair in my living room. A couple of the exercises using a stretchy cord I got at Wal-Mart. Nothing fancy, but it makes me feel good inside to know that I'm pushing as best as I can to get stronger.

My arms have a little definition, muscle-wise, that wasnt' there a year ago. I am proud that I can use my arms to heft myself up to get out of the seat in the sidecar of our Patrol motorcycle. Can't walk very well, but I can step up on a little step-stool and climb into the sidecar. My husband takes my quad cane apart and puts in, with the step-stool, into the trunk on the sidecar. And away we go. He drives because my feet cannot move the motorcycle foot pedals to shift, but I sit there with a big grin on my face, enjoying the wind blowing, having fun leaning into the curves along the road. Appreciating the open-air view of all the surrounding scenery along the road, and though we don't usually go much faster than about 50 or 55 mph, it feels like pure freedom. Freedom from hobbling to get slowly from here to there. Freedom to go like the wind.

Talk about distraction from even thinking about food. It's a new hobby for me. We only got the Patrol the last week of June this summer. Between improved Blood Sugar levels, starting losing weight again on Atkins, and relishing motorcycle riding as a sidecar passenger, I have a lot to smile about lately.

There is nothing that's going to keep me from doing everything in my power to hang in there and eventually reach my goal. I bet you will reach your goal too!

Maybe you can shake things up a bit by taking up a new hobby. Break out of the humdrum. Give it some thought as to a dream you might have or a hope of something different that could bring joy into your life.

Something that's really fun and makes you smile. Take a little time to find a new hobby that helps make life more alive---less focusing on counting carbs and a little more on the good around us. Some folks really enjoy doing some sort of community work to help others----even if it's just reading stories to kids at the library one afternoon a week. Good luck!