Things I Have Learned in My First Year of Low Carbing

1. DRINK PLENTY OF WATER. Being hydrated not only helps me lose weight, it makes me healthier.

2. There is such a thing as too much food -- and the nice thing about LCing is that I naturally decrease the amount of food I need because I learned what it's like to be full.

3. I have a food addiction -- and that addiction led me, for years, to feeding my problems and covering up stress, sadness, grief, and anger with my fat.

3a. There's no sense breaking one addiction and just replacing it with another -- which means the recovery process can get ugly.

3b. My friends understand.

4. There is no such thing as too many low carb veggies when I'm really hungry.

5. Fiber is my friend.

6. Seventy pounds is more than I can lift comfortably. No wonder my knees used to hurt so much.

7. It's possible for me to get obsessive about counting every carb gram/protein gram/fat gram/calorie. I do better when I trust my instincts -- and err on the side of caution.

8. Remembering the spiritual reasons for doing this helps me through the tough times -- I'm building that "good enough house" for my spirit.

9. Choosing the low carb way of life is one commitment I won't break.

10. Giving in to a cheat now and then is better than obsessing about it and then overdoing the carb fest.

11. It's possible to overdo LC treats.

12. Some of my best friends in the world are right here at LowCarbEating.com.

13. I am not alone.

14. With every pound that goes away, I reveal a prettier, smarter, wiser, sparklier, sexier, funnier woman. By the time I get to goal, people will need sunglasses just to be near me.

15. It's okay to brag about small successes.

16. Eating late means no lost weight.

16a. I'm a poet and don't know it.

17. I have to consciously change my mental picture of myself to reflect reality -- I'm not as fat as I think I am.

18. Getting my eating under control means I can start tackling the other parts of myself -- with better control.

19. I'm pretty funny.

20. Ketosis tastes pretty good.

21. Dean Ornish doesn't look very healthy in person.

21a. Phil Donahue does.

22. There is no one WOE for everyone. Even within the LC community, there are as many WOEs as there are LCers. More, maybe, considering how many tweaks some of us have made!

23. People are generous to a fault.

24. Our similarities far outweigh our differences.

25. For the first time in my life, I don't mind being a loser!