7/13/00 I am a 48 year old female who was overweight all of my adult life. I tried a "zillion" diets, and lost weight, but could not keep it off. This book helped me to understand how food addiction affected me and what I could do that would help me live with this "eating disorder". My highest weight topped the scales at 250 pounds. I lost 40 pounds on another diet, but quickly regained 20 pounds shortly after. I was ready to try this new way of eating. It was a challege at first as I had to read labels alot. But the results were instantanious. My life completly changed almost immediately. My chronic depression lifted, and how I see myself and the world has completly changed. I am a different person inside and out. I am happy despite the difficult life I'd had. I've also lost 55 pounds in 8 1/2 months just following this wonderful, healthy, fully satisfying food plan. I can live with this food plan the rest of my life - I do not feel deprived of the foods I've had to give up. I am also involved in 12 step recovery work with Overeaters Annonymous which has also helped tremendously. I've gotten tons of support from them. Also, I can't tell you how many people have asked me how I did this - everyday someone makes a comment about the weight I've lost. This is no gimic. My physical aliments have improved dramatically (decrease in lower back pain, relief from arthritis pain in my knee and foot), and I am so much more alert and focused than I have ever been. I used to think I had attention deficet. I don't believe that anymore - I was in a "food fog" before I started this healthy way of eating. I will never go back to my old way of dealing with lifes challenges - I don't eat over them anymore.