(and "they" say it isn't healthy)

Hi I'm Sheila a.k.a. Turkeylady. My pictures tell most of my story. I'm 38 years old, 5'6 1/4". Mother of 2 teenage sons and have been married for over 17 years. I follow the Atkins Low Carb Plan.

Check my pictures and stats and tell me low carb is unhealthy.

Low carb is now a way of life for me. I don't call it a "diet" because when following a "diet" that usually implies a temporary way of eating with temporary results. I'm in it for a lifetime.

You might wonder how I can live on low carb? Well let me ask you this, do you like steaks, sautéed mushrooms, homemade cheesecake, hot wings, deviled eggs, real mayonnaise, real butter, cheese, cream cheese, bacon and eggs? Well then low carb may be for you.

Low carb beats the low fat diets hands down. On low fat I was usually left hungry or unsatisfied. During my life I have done low fat diets, cabbage soup diet, First Place program, Weight Watchers, and other "fad" diets and I knew that I couldn't follow any of them for a lifetime, therefore no continued success.

Low Carb is none of that. I get full without that bloated feeling. Should I get hungry, I can eat while staying on plan. What could be easier?

There are a variety of low carb plans out there and I suggest you look around before settling in on one. Other low carb plans that I know of are Carb Addicts, Protein Power, Sugar Busters, and various others.

Earlier I told you I follow Atkins, I will admit I started with Carb Addicts Diet early in Dec of '99, and I lost weight, but after reading Atkins I felt it fit my lifestyle a bit better. I like Atkins so much better that I choose the day I started Atkins, Dec., 27, 1999, as when I started eating low carb. I read the book during my Christmas travels and then told my husband that I was gonna give it two weeks, just as the book suggests. Well, seeing me venture on yet another change in eating and cooking habits, he just responded "whatever". Two weeks and I was hooked.

My kidneys work great! My complexion has never been better. In fact, at our family reunion this past summer (June 2001), my sister's comment wasn't the expected, "well how's low carbing going?" It was "you look healthy." I have to say that is the best compliment I have ever gotten! Thanks Sis!

Well that's about it for now. Having been a yo-yo dieter for almost 30 years, (yes, my first diet was in 6th grade) I finally have my weight under control. In fact, I realized at Christmas this year that it was the first time I have ever weighed the same weight 2 Christmas' in a row. Now that's an accomplishment.

One last thing I must mention is the wonderful ASDLC newsgroup, the gang at talkcity #lowcarb, and Lee and his BB. These 3 groups have been a wonderful source of information and inspiration. Thanks everyone! For more information on the above groups, just check my links page.

Ok that's really it! Later ya'll and Happy Low carbing!

December 1999
Weight: 180 pounds
Bust: 40 inches
Waist: 30 1/4 inches
Tummy: 38 1/4 inches
Hips: 44 inches
Thighs: 26 1/4 inches