20 years ago I broke my back in a horse-riding accident, I was fortunate enough not to sever my spinal cord but the damage was still sufficient that I spent 6 months in traction and then over a year in a wheelchair before I could walk again. I put on a lot of weight during my hospitalisation and then for years afterwards was in a lot of pain that meant I did no exercise and I used that as the excuse not to lose the weight. For over 12 years I was constantly on pain-killers and many days I couldn't even walk upright. I tried over and over to diet but because I was wheelchair-bound I was using so little energy that calorie-controlled diets only worked if I ate less than 600 a day and, frankly, my life was too miserable already at that time for me to give up one of my only pleasures. Then I lost the weight via Atkins (obviously it was somewhat harder than that 7 word sentence suggests LOL). As the weight dropped off, the pain in my back eased exponentially. By the time I was a normal BMI I was not only almost completely painfree but I was swimming daily (best exercise if you have a weak back) and even doing the odd gym session. Five years on I still swim every day, I do body pump three times a week and I train with weights. This year, for the first time, I did a fun run and, okay, my back ached a bit for a couple of days afterwards but it was great and worth it and considering at the time of the accident I was told I'd never walk again I consider even a slow time in a fun run to be my personal equivalent of winning an olympic medal. None of this would be possible without the weight loss and I honestly don't believe the weight loss could have been possible in any other way than Atkins.