I need someplace to vent and hope this is OK here.

My family has a strong history of obesity and diabetes. Although I've been obese in the past and one doctor predicted I'd become diabetic, I've managed to stave off both conditions by sticking to a low-carb way of eating for several years.

I have two teenaged daughters, each of whom has gained somewhere between 60 and 80 pounds over the past 2 years, and it's been very hard for me to watch. I'm old enough to be their mother--I AM their mother!--and I'm in far better shape than either of them. I am not proud to say that.

My fridge and pantry are stocked with low-carb staples, along with a few potatoes and bread for those who want it. I don't nag the girls about how they eat, and in fact I don't discuss diet at all unless they bring it up. But it's very clear that they're unhappy with themselves, and they're painfully aware that they're facing fat prejudice both in their social lives and in their part-time jobs.

Really, I'm just venting. I know that all I can do is set an example for them, and work on my own issues with accepting them as they are. Which I'm doing. But it's very, very hard to watch them struggle with this. Kudos to all of you who've discovered how low carbing can improve your lives, and please keep your fingers crossed that not only my kids but many others make the same discovery.