I'm pretty much with everyone else. I'd never dole out unsolicited advice, but if the topic comes up, I'll drop in a comment. When I'm most likely to speak up is when someone says something like, "sure, you can eat whatever you want, you're THIN." Then I tell them why, and for how long. (See sig.)

Some coworkers of mine told another coworker to go gluten-free for his arthritis, using me as an example. I overheard them, and I gave him a brief rundown of my situation. I strongly encouraged him to try it. He had just missed a week of work because of the pain. It's really bad and he's looking at surgery this summer. We want him back badly, so I was happy to share.

Thanks everyone, it's great to read all of your perspectives!

I guess for me (now age 38), I wish that someone had told me about low carbing sooner--not just the concept "low carbing" (I had heard of that) but moreso an introduction to the science behind it, and debunking the idea that its not a healthy way to eat. I can't help but think that had I known, I wouldn't have had to spend so much of my life getting bigger--and unhealthier. From my 20's on I was very motivated to lose weight, and I did...but I did it the wrong way and as a result, could never maintain.

So I feel OK with throwing out an unsolicited offer to educate and help while being mindful to not be a zealot; I kind of feel like its my way of paying it forward. The worst someone can say is no, and who knows--perhaps one day I'll be able to help someone who looks/feels much like I used to 15 years ago!

What was it that made you consider carbohydrate restriction, JFP? Was it something someone told you about, and if so, what part made it click?

Hi tragedian--so I was casually told about Atkins in 1997, but didn't understand the science behind it, and was also told by others that while I would lose weight, it was an unhealthy way to eat....so there was no traction there, and I just kept doing lower fat and calorie restricted diets. In 2010, I just kind of blindly ran across a book review for GCBC, read it, and that was a watershed moment for me. After that I just started reading everything I could get my hands on; once I knew it wasn't just OK (medically speaking)to low carb--but it was actually healthy--I was off to the races!

I like the old expression "when the student is ready the teacher appears." I don't think "people" are that much different than me... I can and have heard great truths at certain times in my life that just didn't/couldn't register for me because I wasn't ready for them. Later down the road, the same truth caught me by the collar and jerked me into a new reality. So no, I don't share unless I'm pretty darn certain the person I'm talking to is going to be receptive to it.

I agree with this, but I also think that you never know when the seed you plant will take root. The first person I talked to about low carbing (in 2011) thought I was straight up crazy...we had the one conversation about it, and it was clear he wasn't interested so I just let it go at that. About 6 weeks later, I got a somewhat frantic call from him..."Can I eat this? Can I eat that?"...turns out he had decided to read GCBC a few weeks after talking to me. I talked him through some questions he had, and now 3 years later, he is maintaining his 70lb loss and looks and feels great.

I've found that most people who rail against LC and Atkins actually know nothing about it and they are operating with a set of media myths created by similarly ill informed people. I've come across people who think Atkins is a diet where you stuff down gobs of fat every day, things like that. It's a matter of educating yourself, and knowledge. Knowledge is power.

I have seen it a million times and I do think that's so. Which is why so many of us use the term "addicted."

One woman I know is a few years older than me; overweight, blood sugar issues, skin issues, and now with the non-healing wounds... she'll be diabetic, next. But she has TOLD me she "can't" give up her favorite foods... there's nothing else in her life.

Well, if she gave them up, there would be... but I guess she doesn't see it that way.

I do menu's now for a living, and counsel people who cannot (for whatever reason) have weight loss surgery (if not now, then never).

BUT...we've lived here a long time and I started my weightloss 'program' here...so yeah...complete STRANGERS do come up to me and ask 'Aren't you that lady who only eats meat and lost all that weight' (they're so cute!! LOL).

But, the majority of people come up to me and say 'I could NEVER give up ____' (put sugar, flour, blah blah..whatever in that space).

And others who will say 'Well, you HAVE to eat like this because you are disabled'. (No, I could have gained even MORE weight and they'd be visiting my grave now....).

But to those who do ask me...for advice...and how to do this, the prep, the menu, the food, etc....before I give them the book (yes, I buy up a lot of the paperback Atkins' '72 copies and also have Protein Power..have given away..um...lost count after about 50), or talk to them, or sit and make up menu...I say 'If you cheat, even a MOUTHFUL, or go over your carbs, or think that you can count out 20 grams worth of cake...you will put that weight back on so fast...and it will bring friends back with it...this is a way of eating for LIFE, not just 'the diet you're on for now'...so...are you ready?

I've had several walk away totally disgusted (more than several, lol)...I've had the 'Wait...then...you even eat like this on a HOLIDAY???', and the 'That's crazy...bread is the staff of life'...and so on. I've heard it all..well, maybe not...there's going to be a lot more people in my future, I'm sure.

I do, though, show slides and pictures of my MIL and others who lost limbs, lost eyesight, lost their lives (and yes I start crying, and do NOT leave the room, they need to see what this does to their loved ones) but would NOT lose their carbs!!

I've had 34 people in the last ten years who low carb eat as a way of life...but I've had my 'talk' with over 132 now.

Out of all of those, 42 are now passed on out of this world.

Vegans don't bother me one bit. I've learned how to throw up at will in anyone's presence.

Wow. You're doing a great job! It's hard to get thru to people because food addiction - both psychological and physical - is powerful. I was one of those "never could eat that way" people. I'm not sure what changed my mind so that I would try LC - prayer (I had recently found St. Pauline, patron saint of diabetics), the right person telling me about it at the right time, or what - but I'm grateful. I've not only lost some of the weight, I've lost my meds, depression, and anxiety. I've gained energy and a positive outlook on life - and best of all - hope.

I don't know... I mean, hindsight is 20/20, but were you really ready to listen 10 years ago? The people the most into "health and fitness" that are trying the hardest to lose weight seem to be the most difficult to discuss anything with. They are so entrenched in the conventional 'wisdom' that it is difficult to turn off the noise an unlearn. Human nature dictates that nobody wants to admit they have been doing it wrong all along. I'd like to think that at 25 I would have been receptive, but frankly I'm shocked I was at 29, and even then it has been a long, hard journey to really understand and accept that this is for LIFE.

Yes, I really would have been ready to listen (not just 10, but 15 years ago), when I first was told about low carbing. By way of some context, I have a background in hard sciences, became a researcher by profession, and was in the 2nd semester of my Ph.D. when I was told about Atkins. I'm a huge fan of the scientific method and a skeptic by nature; I generally accept very little without there being compelling, well done scientific evidence.

I was interested (to say the least) when I was first told about Atkins, but I wasn't aware of the bigger picture science behind it (and to be fair, the science was harder to come by and the internet was still in it's relative infancy). Conventional wisdom of my peers and others was that Atkins was a fast weight loss tool that was an unhealthy solution in the long term. I think I actually followed induction for a week (perhaps two), lost a bunch of weight, and then at the urging of others and not feeling like I had compelling evidence other than the DANDR paperback I had, I moved on.

Had someone (like one of the knowledgeable folks here) sat me down over a cup of coffee and really showed me what was going on, yes--I can say with near 100% certainty that that would have been my watershed moment.

I have a friend who has PHD in nutritional science. He urged me strongly to start 'gabbing' to people...even if little old disabled me had to pay for the lunch. That's how I started informing people (before I went to school for nutrition). I invited them over to my house and would have a low carb lunch...but it didn't come free to them...nope, they were my 'captive audience' for an hour or so.

I'm so very happy, first of all, that you did delve deeper and get yourself to the low carb side, but more because you are a skeptic, and the 'scientific' type. WE are the type of people to just keep doing something because it's been proven...over and above all other 'methods'. Bravo for you.

I first heard about the Atkins resurgence from my mother, who had two co-workers who were sharing a pound of bacon for lunch. However, they were losing weight. And, however, bacon. As someone for whom low fat & exercising had flat stopped working, I was desperate.

But DANDR was very persuasive to me. It let me feel good about, as I told a friend, "turning my eating inside out and upside down!" And then I found this board, and the wealth of freely shared information totally convinced me.

I've never looked back.