Grav, thanks for the welcome.

I first did Atkins in 2005 and lost 50 pounds in about 6 months. I felt great, I was walking daily. I was really strict on my carb intake, I didn't veer far from 25 carbs a day for 6 months, although I took the weekly cheat meal to a cheat day once a week and the diet still worked! I fell off the wagon when my Mom went into a coma and I spent 3 months going to the hospital for (4) 15 minute visits each day. It was very difficult to stay the course on the diet when you were starving and eating hospital food and snacks, plus I really didn't have the time to continue on with my walks. She is doing well now, thank God, but she still has a host of digestive issues and takes a lot of meds.

Since 2005 I have tried and failed multiple times. I have had psoriatic arthritis since I was 20, now almost 53. The pain I feel throughout my body makes it really difficult to exercise. I have often thought (and know) that weight loss will help my joint pain and inflammation but its so hard when you are inactive. I travel for work and am given a generous food allowance which is both positive and negative- enough to eat healthy, enough to eat bad.

I'm committed to losing the weight now. I've made Dr appointments in a few weeks to see my knee doc, my rheumatologist and a new Primary doctor for a full physical. I'm motivated for the short term as to not be embarrassed by my weight at these doctor visits over the next 2 months plus long term to have my knee replaced. I'm tired of being inactive, in pain and overweight.