[unluky]

I was a 20-25 pound yearly weight swinger my whole life till I found the "atkins" or whatever you want to call it when I was about 40. I used to think "Damn, if I could get to 190, I'd be RIPPED" like most that lie to themselves. Well - I wasn't. Nor at 185, 180, 175, 170. We lie to ourselves and say "BMI chart is BULLSHIT!" It's not.

I didn't like the Atkins, but I used it to find what worked and did not work for me. Now I hang around 165-170 and as long as I simply avoid the easily avoided carbs - my weight takes care of itself. I wish I would have known this in my 20's when I really was in pretty good shape - I would have really been ripped. But we were told to avoid fat and eat tons of carbs and all that horseshit.

So now I avoid pasta, pass on the bread, pass on the chips and salsa, avoid the potato sides, avoid the pizza (the one really tough thing) for 90% of my eating and my weight just hangs in the proper window.

My advice to people trying it is to use it as a guide - not a solid rule. Find what works for you. I used the test strips to find out what triggered me and what didn't so I could keep things that didn't (like ice cream for me) and avoid what did the most (pasta and bread for me) and work into something that is sustainable. I don't count shit - I just avoid the things I know mess me up and enjoy my life.

One of the few life changing things I have found in my life.