Thanks, Ms. Arielle! Yep, it's true, weight piles on much more easily than it creeps off. Today is my two-year anniversary on Atkins, and I'm ever grateful to be 35 lb lighter than when I started. The first 30 lb came off in six months, and then it took a year to lose the other five pounds and stay there. Dr. Atkins describes this when he talks about pre-maintenance, losing weight almost imperceptibly, which is what I'm going through now. Patience is a tall order but still one of the keys to lifetime success.