Have been building up my motivation to lose the weight and, more importantly, take care of the cardiovascular system. Have finally reached a peak and feel like I am on a roll and can sustain it. Tried the low-carb diet for a year fairly successfully, then fell off the wagon at Thanksgiving last year. (First two weeks of the diet took my overall cholesterol down 100 points.)

Glad to find a forum where I can expand my knowledge, that offers such great recipes, and will hopefully be a source of inspiration when I start craving those carbos. This is even more difficult because I have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). When SAD originally hit me big time, I was like a junky craving a bagel. Before it was diagnosed, I put on 30 lbs.

Hey Kathy, welcome to the forum!

If I was a gambler, I'd bet that your SAD will get better on this WOL. It seems that with a lot of people, moods improve a lot and some are able to reduce antidepressant dosages or eliminate them altogether (with their Dr's help of course).

Speaking from personal experience, I've been diagnosed with clinical depression about 7 years ago, been on all kinds of anti-depressants, (including several hospitalizations), nothing of which really made a difference. I had sort of resigned myself to living with it over the past few years, but since I've been doing this WOL, I've never felt better mood-wise. I'm starting to get suspicious that maybe all those carbohydrates were messing with my brain chemicals and making me depressed. Even more motivation to stick with it for me at least.

I wish you the best of luck and a future filled with happiness!

Raven

welcome kathy! yes, lowcarb has so many health benefits, you'll probably find an impovement with your sad!