A lot of people have asked me about my weight loss, why I started alt.support.diet, etc...
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A few years ago I suddenly realized that I <u>needed</u> to lose a
substantial amount of weight, which I had slowly put on over the course
of law school.  My "epiphany" came during a trip to a dressing room with
a 3-way mirror.  I was <b>horrified</b> by what I saw.
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I created alt.support.diet at that time, for my own selfish needs <grin>.
I envisioned it as sort of an online Weight Watcher's meeting.  Having
others to talk to, for support, to share ideas and tips, etc., was <u>very</u>
helpful when first starting out and working on modifying one's diet.
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I modified my diet such that I cut out as much fat as I possibly could,
eating only non-fat and very-low-fat items.  My "diet" was that
I could eat as much as I wanted of whatever I wanted, provided it was 
non-fat.  I ate a *lot* of pasta, potatoes, and Entenmann's fat free stuff!
I lost over 40 pounds.  I did try to keep what I ate fairly balanced in
terms of veggies, starch, etc..  But the main thing was that, in eating
as much as I wanted of the "ok" things (which was anything I wanted,
provided that it was very low fat, or fat free) I _never_ felt deprived,
or even like I was dieting.  And let me tell you - when you start
reading labels diligently, you will be _amazed_ at how much fat is in
some things, and how little fat is in other things!  Pudding is _fat
free_! [Unless you make it with whole or 2% milk.]  A _grilled_ chicken
sandwich (supposed to be healthy, right?) at Burger King has *25* grams
of fat!!!
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Today my maintainance diet is such that I *still* eat as much as I want
of whatever I want so long as it is non-fat, during the week, and I eat 
whatever I want on weekends.  I work out 4-5 days a week, and I am in 
*excellent* health, and people are continually amazed that I am my daughter's
mother, and not her sister.  And yes, I *do* attribute this all to my
original weight loss (it is, after all, what provided the further impetus).

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<h4>Here are my before and after pictures:</h4>

Before:<img align=top src="annecher.gif">   After:<img align=top src="annevelv.gif">
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NOTE:  The "before" picture was taken during a celebrity lip-synching contest
at, of all places, our church.  They asked me to please pretend to be Cher.
Not even close, huh?