I'm at my lowest weight since junior high. and here's is what I learned about me, which may be applicable to you

Summer of 2003, dust settling from a few years of revamping my entire life. With a job, husband, and full time college with a commute! I have no time for two hours of constant exercise every day, and with low fat that's the only way to manage it. I was both desperate and resigned. Then my mother told me Atkins new book was out and her coworkers were losing lots of weight.

Sadly, my mother could never stay on it.

I got the book, read it that night, and started cutting carbs. I shed about 80 pounds (didn't have a scale) and was at my lowest adult weight ever. Gained a few from the "low carb pasta scandal" and then I got sick, very sick for years. I didn't gain much at a time, but it would creep up.

So this year, I decided to just keep cutting carbs until I got results. And that turned out to be Atkins Induction levels, or even less. I worked Atkins backwards, cutting my carbs from 300 to 100, and then around 50. Which is when I lost my weight. But of course, low carb doesn't stop there.

Low carb saved my life.

Going keto was a health maneuver, which worked great, but it was also weight loss magic. ALL OF MY PANTS ARE BAGGY NOW.

And I'll probably eat this low, mostly, moving forward. I know it's a huge jump going from Standard American Diet to low carb, but it is equally a huge jump going from my previous carb level to here. Still, I remember, from years on this site, the folks who started with Induction and stayed there.

They were mostly successful, too. That is the "magic" of low carb, but you have to unlock your own carb level, and food tolerance.

This new approach did slash "available foods," since I discovered I had -- in addition to gluten sensitivity -- a problem with lectins (beans) and high fiber vegetables (greens are all I usually eat from that category now). The often-problematic dairy category was not a problem, for me, but Omega 6 oils sure are. I can't eat any commercial salad dressings, I have to make my own.

So I would say the key to success in this life-changing endeavor would be ruthlessness. I started with a 3 day fast and beef only for a while. I was willing to give up anything food to have my life back.

And I am getting it back.

So it's really not a question of motivation: we are all quite motivated, I am sure. But if we haven't gotten to the point where we are willing and able to give things up, we need to look at that.

I've gone through it now, and while my menu contains few items, as we think of "dining," it all tastes delicious, even at my cooking skill level. Turns out, it was all so worth it.

That's the right motivation to get things done.