Linda wrote:

I've been lurking here for quite a while, and have gotten much support
and information from this group (thank you!) But now I've reached the
end of my rope and need some advice, and I thought some of you might
be able to give me some words of wisdom.

I started low-carbing in May 2002, one year ahead of my wedding, at
the weight of 152 (I am 5'6"). By my wedding date, I was 25 pounds
lighter, at 127 (yay!) On my two-week honeymoon in Tahiti, I put on
14 pounds (yikes!), 7 pounds of which I was able to take off the first
week back.

Since then (one year and four months) I have been basically taking one
step forward and two steps back. During my pre-wedding weight loss, I
was pretty much keeping around 30-40 carbs a day. Almost a year ago I
cut back to 20 grams a day, and rarely go over that. Once every
couple of months, either on a business trip or a weekend getaway, I
eat whatever I want, gain about 4 pounds, and then over the next few
weeks lose about 3 of them, so I've been slowly going backwards. I am
now at 142. Even when I go for months at a time staying faithfully at
20 grams or less, I can't lose anything, and often gain.

I feel so frustrated, and deprived and angry at passing up the food I
really want to eat, exercising 3 times a week, following all the
rules, and still…I gained two pounds this week! What the heck is that
all about? I eat meat, cheese, salad, and that's about it. I'm ready
to chuck it all, but I'm afraid to because if I gain weight staying at
20 carbs a day, what's going to happen if I quit? I don't want to be
one of those statistics that gain back everything they lose and then
some.

Can anybody out there give me any advice?

i'd advise you to pull your head out of your ass. at 142 you're not
overweight by any stretch of the imagination.