What I really like is how good you feel when you are "in the Zone". You are rarely hungry, and you just feel really, really good - it has a tremendous impact on your mood - unlike other diets I've been on. what I disliked is the fact that our society is so into the low fat high-carb way of living that it is generally very hard to find convenience foods that fit in with the diet. That seems to be changing, as more companies key into the lower-carb way of eating. And while I know that it is always better to eat more naturally, fewer convenience foods, in today's busy world you sometimes need them. Finally, I learned that what the Zone people say is true - that the Zone is as close as your next meal. If you do slip out of the Zone, it is pretty easy to get back on track. And when you're going really well, the weight drops off pretty effortlessly.

That a diet is not just a weight loss program, but a way of life. I've always "dieted" but never really made it a lifestyle choice. I know that only I choose what I put into my mouth - no one else. And just as you wouldn't want to pour sludge into your car's gas tank, neither should you do it to your body. I'm not perfect, never will be. But I can choose change. And anyone who says that there are some people who just can't lose weight is just kidding themselves (and others). That's a cop-out. There are lots of ways to diet. You just have to find the right one. Most of all, you have to educate yourself enough to know that your diet is forever. Only you can choose how healthy you can be.

Being a part of this program has made me much more conscious of everything, which is a big help when you're trying to stay with it. From savoring food rather than just eating it, to the politics of food in this nation - agribusiness, fast food, and the current "craze" of diet surgery. I've read a lot about just about every aspect of dieting and food and found it all both enlightening and frustrating. Also, like many people who need to lose weight, I had a hard time visualizing losing weight. It seemed as though I would never be able to start, never be able to be a smaller size. All I ever did is look at the numbers - how many pounds I had to lose. Basically you have to just get going. There is no magic pill, no fast solution. But if you can give yourself a year (look how many years you've let pass by already, hmmm?) you WILL see a new you. Heck, even in a few months time you can see that new you emerge an - first 5, then 10, then 15, and so on. It gets you really "psyched" to continue. And when you have setbacks, don't let them hold you back. Leave it where it belongs, in the past, and just get going again. Best of all, if you can do it with a buddy, you'll be even more successful. But even if you have to go it alone, just DO IT!