I can't believe I had let myself get so heavy, 237 pounds to be exact.

I had played the victim long enough!! I used every excuse in the world not to care about me anymore: divorce, rape, child molestation, physical abuse, a spouse that put me down continuously.

In fact, going through nursing school I had to hide my books in the dirty clothes closet and pretend to get up to go to the bathroom during the night to study. When my spouse would stop snoring I would put my books back in the dirty clothes basket, flush the toilet and return to bed. My ex would physically abuse me whenever I tried to get ahead. The day I left him I was so scared I packed and unpacked my car at least four times before I had the guts to get in and drive away. I finally started believing in ME again.

Here I am at 52 years old and am now raising my grandchildren ages 3, 4, and 6 years old. It hit me like a bolt of lightning ... I have to get healthy. No one will be around to take care of these kids except me.

Tried at least 50 different diets to get this weight off and had some success. A couple of pounds a week at most until I got discouraged and turned to food again. I finally started with Atkins and lost 11 pounds, also a gallbladder attack. Way too much fat in Atkins diet. My gallbladder just couldn't handle it.

Searching around on the internet one night for low carb recipes I came across my new way of eating, Kimkins. WOW, the weight started to melt off. The first two weeks I lost 14 pounds! More than what the scale was showing, the inches were falling off. The first month alone I lost 25 pounds, but I actually fit into a size 14 jeans (tight but they zipped up).

I did have a week that I "fell off the wagon" so to speak. Ex-daughter in law (mother of the children I am raising) stole some credit cards and charged almost $700 on them. Dummy me I turned to food. Did my Kimkins friends let me get away with that ... no way. They kicked my cyber butt back into gear. That is the best part of the Kimkins plan, you have friends, true friends that cry with you and then kick your butt back into shape. So I have gone on to lose a total of 36 pounds now. I know I still have 60 more pounds to goal but I know I can do it this time and best of all keep it off !!

The health benefits are outstanding. Not only do I feel better and have energy to run with the kids. I am off my CPAP machine and no longer take blood pressure meds.

Thanks Kimmer, see you on the skinny side.