I had tried all kinds of diets over the course of my life - I'd been overweight all my life - made for a miserable childhood. I'd lost 60 pounds at one time using SlimFast, but it was not fun! Every bite was full of guilt, and as soon as I managed to get off the SlimFast all the weight came back and more. I was diagnosed in my twenties with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
In May of 1999, I was a mess. I was overweight - 206 pounds, tho I didn't even know how much I weighed then, didn't want to get on the scales. I was depressed, my mother had died over a year earlier and I was living on my own for almost the first time in my life at age 41. I was groggy all the time, had no energy, fell asleep at the slightest opportunity, had persistent high cholesterol problems, blood pressure medication, birth control pills to control my Polycystic Ovary syndrome, which sort of worked.
and now my doctor tells me that my blood sugar level is kinda high and I need medication for it. (Ok, this is a slight simplification - see PCOS link for details - but pretty accurate).
I was desperately afraid of diabetes - too many friends had it and I knew some of the problems...
I started taking Glucophage (Metformin) in May 2000, and monitoring my blood sugar level once a day. With the Glucophage, it was becoming more normal. But I wanted to help myself SOMEhow.
Then "fate" stepped in. I ran across a paperback book in Walmart "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution". Hmmm, this sounds crazy, it can't POSSIBLY work! but I've tried everything else and this doesn't sound like it could hurt me in two weeks. Hey, I'll try it. I "played" with it for a week or two, just cutting down the amount of sugar and increasing the protein. I was losing weight immediately even while still snarfing down bags of Reesee cups!:)