I went back and looked at my profile and the pictures I posted in 2007 when I lost 80 pounds on Protein Power.

Well, I gained back 30 pounds (or 20 as of today).

I have been "playing at" lo-carb all last year - carbs one day, abstinence the next - but got "serious" at the end of November.

For me - "serious" means weighing and measuring everything I eat and entering it into the computer program DietPower. The program graphs my losses and gains so I get a visual reminder of just where I have been and where I need to go.

At 86, everything slows down. But, I am hoping I can stick to it long enough to lose at least 20 pounds. That way I will be just 5 pounds heavier than my 2007 achievement.

My problem this time around is not being able to get enough daily protein. The last time I could eat a 7-8 oz steak - now I can only eat 3-4 oz at a sitting.

Also, as I have aged, I have developed food intolerances I never had before. Last time I ate a lot of Greek salad (sweet peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, olives) as a low carb choice - now I get severe GI symptoms as well as fluid retention. Thanks to this forum, I find the Greek salad is completely composed of lectins. Sigh. I love that salad!

Palm oil is another no no - creating severe GI symptoms. Even in the small amounts used in many products. Palm oil is ubiquitous.

So, aging is a challenge. No more soup beans - a winter staple. No more grains. No more lectins. Changing tastes in meats.

A journey of self discovery that takes time, patience, headaches, and new skills at handling enablers.