User Name: Vermontmom, real name Holly, road name Cupcake

Starting weight/current/goal - 156/154/145 or lower?

Location: Vermont

Age: 51

Marital Status: Married, for 31 years, to the same guy

Kids: Two young men, 28 and 21

Pets: One dog, Eddie

Work: I have two seasonal jobs (and they both involve food!) The job I love is from May to October and I am the pastry baker for a private club in the woods. The other job is from November to April and I am a deli worker/cashier.

Plan: South Beach. I had done this years ago. Read the book and it made so much sense. I have terrible carb cravings, and the less I have, the better I am. And I do enjoy most of the foods allowed. I can eat eggs anytime, always!

Favorite diet cheat: Just about anything, but mostly sweet/cakey/cookie type stuff. I lose control when I'm hungry. I hate feeling hungry. It's like I'm being deprived of a basic need and I can't be hungry for long without getting a headache and so irritable. It happens at the deli store non-stop because the food aromas just stimulate my appetite so badly. And I'm not given a lunch break. And then I eat a huge (probably 400 calorie) cookie. Or more!

Hobbies: Motorcycling! I love my motorcycle. I use it to commute from May to November, and we take road trips when we can.

Reasons for wanting to lose weight: Pride..and vanity..and a growing sense of urgency about the future and getting older and wanting to fight possible loss of mobility and independence.

User Name: Ruthxxx Real Name: Ruth

Starting weight/current/goall - Was 232 once but now 180. Current goal is 160 or less by July 2012 so I'll feel better on the rides at Delta Fair.

Location: Village in Eastern Ontario in a 1928 house built by my Grandpa when he retired from the farm. Grew up in Ottawa but visited here lots when I was a kid. Bought this house back into the family in 1985. My Dad cried!

Age: I'll be 73 and can't believe it!

Marital Status:Widowed since October 2008 but coping fine. I am lucky to have a great group of supportive friends, plus financial stability.

Kids: Have two kids from my first marriage - Jim and Mary Ellen. They are both parents but live too far away for me to see the three grandbabies often. Jim is in Ottawa but his work schedule is nuts. Mary Ellen is way out West on Vancouver Island so I can't get to see her often enough. I try for at least one trip out there every year.

Pets: Used to raise Portuguese Water Dogs and loved them! Hershey and Lucy were wonderful dogs but are gone now. They are semi-replaced by Disney, my Katrina rescue dog, and Jazz, a Bolonka, who is still very puppy-ish. Both are well behaved dogs who do pet therapy with me weekly. I think I was a dog in my previous incarnation.

Work: Well, am supposed to be retired but I seem to be able to keep myself busy! I'm very involved in community and church work and have a full schedule.

Plan:South Beach Phase II suits me fine - feel good and finally have my blood sugar well under control now. I has a knee replacement in 2008 which was not completely successful. However, I am rising above it and, after 70 years of being a slug, I'm going to the gym for 90 minutes three times a week and trying to do treadmill the other days. The knee feels much better and I no longer have a limp.

Favorite diet cheat: red licorice - could be worse, I suppose. I'm also partial to wine and Scotch.

Hobbies: Gardening, sewing, cooking, theatre and music, dog breeding and adoration, reading good novels, entertaining friends, too darn much volunteer work, quilting, some writing!

Reasons for wanting to lose weight: I want to be a skinny corpse but no hurry! I am also Type II diabetic and need to keep that in control.

What else? I really do own a Chicken Purse. Had a metal bra which I made for a part in a play but it fell apart. Can whip up another one if anyone wants to put in an order.

User Name: Sophie (middle name) First name Stephanie

Location: Ontario, Canada

Age: 67 (its only a number)

Current weight: 166 started at 188 but weight a lot more earlier.

Marital Status: Married for 42 years to the love of my life.

Languages spoken: English, Ukrainian and French

Kids: Two sons, one daughter, all grown and one most adorable grandson.

Pets: None, but love dogs

Work: Use to work in human resources a long time ago until the kids came along and then was a SAHM.

Hobbies: Weaving (a passion), knitting, beading, spinning (fiber), reading, cooking and baking, gardening and travelling

Favourite Exercise: Walking Canada Trails, walking in general

Favourite food: Anything to do with French cooking and a glass of wine but only of weekends.

Favourite colour: Turquoise and collect turquoise jewellery

Problem with weight: Weekends.

I have tried many diets but have been able to stick to South Beach the best. One thing I found I just can't handle making that special little S.B. dessert for moi. Became more successful with I stopped and have really just had a sliver of something on that special occasion.

User / Real Name: lilmisschattabox / Alicia

Starting weight/current/goal - 84.1kg(185lb)/81.8kg(180lb)/63kg(139lb)

Location: New Zealand

Age: 27

Marital Status: Long distance currently Left my bf in Australia!

Kids: none

Pets: One Rhodesian Ridgeback dog - Chloe, 1 cat - Sphinx

Work: Currently studying animal care with the hope of becoming a vet nurse

Plan: South Beach. I looked at this a while ago but never actually tried it. But I like the foods and it ticks the boxes for me with being able to eat snacks and not having to starve myself! So far really enjoying it and not feeling hungry at all!!

Favorite diet cheat: Wine (missing my red wine lots!!), chocolate, cheese and crackers, lolly cake, pretty much anything yummy will tempt me!

Hobbies: my animals, belly dancing, crochet, reading

Reasons for wanting to lose weight: sick of the scales going up, want to feel healthy and look good, want to buy pretty clothes instead of fat ones that I feel disgusting in! Also gained most of this weight in a really bad relationship so it reminds me of some really bad times - going to feel lighter both physically and mentally when it comes off!!!

NAME: Siobhan
AGE: 28
BIRTHDAY: December
MARITAL STATUS: Moved in with boyfriend of 8 years, 5 years ago.
Children/ages: not yet.

TOP WEIGHT: 145
START WEIGHT: 145
CURRENT WEIGHT: 145
GOAL WEIGHT:120
HEIGHT: 5' 2"


PETS: 1 dog, 1 cat

HOBBIES/INTERESTS: swimming.

OCCUPATION: Office Assistant

HOME LOCATION: Aldergrove, British Columbia

FAVORITE FOODS: Pasta and Shell Fish.
FAVORITE EXERCISE: Swimming
PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: Binge eater, eat when bored, think if I do bad one day, might as well be off the diet, loose motivation. I just like to eat! lol

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: I have a wedding of a good friends coming up in 7 months and I really want to be able to not worry about what I am going to wear and feeling like I look fat. For once I want to go try on pretty dresses and feel good!
__________________

Screen Name: PhoenixRisingAgain -- I WILL rise, like the Phoenix!
Real Name: Rather not right now
Starting Wt: 234.8
Goal Wt: 150
Location: East USA
Marital Status: married 25 years!
Age: 46
Kids: 15- B & 10- G
Work: Research Biosafety at a large university
Hobbies: Reading/Learning/Dieting, lol
Plan: starting South Beach, but been on waaaaay toooooo maaaaannny....
Other: we are a homeschooling family in which DH is the SAHP; we struggle with 2 autoimmune diseases in our house -- DH has Crohn's and I have RA, yeah, it's interesting
Reasons why I want to lose weight: health first and foremost, I can't deny any longer that this weight affects my RA; second, even with RA, I love love love to ride roller coasters with my son! Only have a few years left of that I bet -- and the seats keep getting smaller each year

The ride may be bumpy, but I am ready to commit to my health and well being! Hang onto yer hat, cause I love to talk!!

phoenix!

User Name/Name: Jekel (Jennifer)

Starting weight/current/goal -163/151/145

Height: 5'9 3/4"

Location: NY north of the city but not too upstate yet

Age: 40

Marital Status: Divorced

Kids: one 16 year old son

Pets: 2 dogs, Mick and Coconut

Work: I am a caped crusader, crime fighter. Sounds cooler than my "real title"

History: I did not really have to worry about my weight until college. But like most teenage girls I thought I was overweight. Being taller than most of my friends I judged my weight against theirs, which was totally insane. Poor eating and endulging plus lack of exercise lead tommy highest weight of 207 before being pregnant. Topped off at 226 when I delivered my son 16 years ago then finally started to realize I was heading in. dangerous direction.

Through the years I have managed, with help of WW and NS to keep my weight below 175, ranging though from 141 to 163. I seem to lose weight when I pay for it. Sometimes financially, other times it is a medical issue. Recently I was down at my lower range, but self destruction brought me here.

I am tired of my own bad habits and finally admitted to a dear friend that I struggle with emotional binge eating. Just admitting out loud was cathartic and made me accountable to myself. He suggested SB, as he has been following it for years. I was hesitant, but reading the book things just made sense and I thought I needed to try something completely different.

Plan: Started on South Beach April 2012, the day after Easter.

Challenges: Myself! Being my worst critic I tend to focus on what I don't like about myself. Trying each day to embrace the positive things you may not see about me on the surface. I tend to stress and be anxious, which I am working on too.

Favorite diet cheat: Pizza

Hobbies: Gardening, reading, shopping, Broadway (LOVE seeing shows) and my newest hobby cycling/spinning.

Reasons for wanting to lose weight: I want to continue to enjoy an active lifestyle. Be a positive influence on my friends and family who struggle with their weight issues too. I am always putting everyone before myself. However, it is time to take care of me.
__________________


1st goal: Being honest with myself
2nd goal: 10%
Final goal: maintain weight 145 or less

Basic facts:
Name: Melanie
Gender:F
Age (or general age group): 33
BIRTHDAY: Sept 1
MARITAL STATUS: Married
TOP WEIGHT: 220
SBD STARTING WEIGHT: 213
GOAL WEIGHT: 150 then I'll reevaluate
HEIGHT: 5'4"
EYE COLOR:Brown
HAIR COLOR: Brown

Currently in NY, home is where the Army leads us for a few more years. We would like to settle down on the East coast.

Kids: 3boys ages 2, 6, 14

Pets: (rescued) Mollie the Boston Terrier she is 5 and shares my birthday lol

Current job: homeschooling Mom

Why did you choose South Beach? because it has worked for weightloss in the past and an easy lifestyle change, hoping to make it permanent this time

Beyond the facts
Favorite books: it varies
Favorite kinds of music / bands: I like pretty much everything, don't care for today's rap though
Favorite holiday: Christmas
Hobbies: reading, writing, drawing, shopping, camping, cooking, gardening
Passions / obsessions: cooking/shopping lol


FORMER OCCUPATION: I haven't had any career type positions, been raising my babies
FAVORITE COLOR: pink & green
FAVORITE FOODS: Mexican, Italian, seafood, chocolate
FAVORITE EXERCISE: Carmen Electra's dvds
PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: emotional eating, stress eating,low self esteem, making poor food choices in general, and lack of regular exercise.
WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL:I am just beyond ready to shed these pounds, I want to be healthy and I want my husband to be able to say WOW look at my wife

User Name: FabBy40Angel (Fab by 40 is my goal! And Angel is what my friends call me.)
Real Name: Angela

Starting weight/current/goal - 224.6 / 215.8 / 134

Location: New Jersey USA

Age: 38

Marital Status: Happily married!!

Kids: Two daughters: 21 year old Briar and 6 year old Marissa.

Pets: Do fish count?

Work: FAA Administrative Project Support

Plan: South Beach. I did Weight Watchers and lost 50 pounds before getting preggers with my 6 year old. After she was born I went back to WW and didn't lose an ounce. I then tried South Beach and lost a little weigh but the weight loss was so slow that I gave up. Nearly five years after Marissa was born, at the same weight I was before WW, I was diagnosed with a thyroid problem. I am now taking natural supplements that have it under control and decided that I enjoyed the SB diet so much more than WW that I'm going to give it a go again.

Dangerous Foods: pasta, bread, chocolate, ice cream and anything Dad makes!

Hobbies: reading, writing and kingdoms of camelot

Reasons for wanting to lose weight: I felt SOOO much better when I weighed 50 pounds lighter than I do now. I want to get back there and then keep losing so I can lead a long healthy life for my family and myself.

Problem In Weight Loss: Laziness!! Why call it anything else?

Screen Name: Alliern
Real Name: Allie
Starting Wt: 196
Goal Wt: 130
Location: Maryland
Marital Status: Married 19 years
Age: 44
Kids: 13- G & 10- B
Pets: Boxer Girl (rescue), Kitten girl (rescue), Hedgehog boy(rescue)
Work: Oncology RN
Hobbies: Reading, Watching my kids play sports, Animal Rescue
Plan: South Beach
Other: Only Stuggled with my weight only since my early 30s (But that has now been nearly 15 years!). Can't seem to stick to anything...sigh. At my all time high weight including pregnancies...CRIPES! Stressful job...sick of being unhealthy...Aspire to run a 5K...
Diet sabotogers: Bread and Wine...

User Name: Eydawn. Anagram of my real name- W E N D Y A = E Y D A W N (came up with it when I was twelve, been my forum handle in various places for forever!)

Starting weight/current/goal - 193 (gah!)/ 184 / 170 (ish)

Location: Smoky Colorado! Safe so far, many friends and family not as lucky.

Age: 25

Marital Status: Happily married (the law says 3 years, we say 6)

Kids: None yet. Gotta finish nursing school first!

Pets: One loveably goofy, dumb, supergay golden retriever. (No seriously. He bats for the other team. Lol...)

Work: CNA on a hospital floor, RN student (done in December!)

Plan: South Beach with my own modifications...

Favorite diet cheat: White wine, chocolate, and vinegar/sea salt potato chips...

Hobbies: Search and rescue, choral singing, sleep (pretty much a time restricted hobby at this point!)

Reasons for wanting to lose weight: Uncomfortable in my own skin. Harder to move quickly when I'm heavy, making me less useful at work and when I'm out with SAR. Don't like the way I look and feel when I'm at my high weight. Want to get to a healthy base again before considering pregnancy. Let's just say nursing school hasn't been kind to the pants size...

I can't believe it's July and I'm just now doing my Bio for 2012

User Name: weezle, real name Lisa

Starting weight/current/goal - 160/120/110

Location: Springfield, IL

Age: 32

Marital Status: Engaged (Sept 22, 2012!!!)

Kids: Step-daughter, age 14

Pets: Siberian Husky - Voodoo.

Work: "Workflow Coordinator II" (desk job); Reiki Master, Mary Kay Consultant

Plan: South Beach.

Favorite diet cheat: Irish Mashers.

Hobbies: Couponing. I'm one of those crazy people.

Reasons for wanting to lose weight: Family history isn't so great, so health, and to feel good, not just about how I look, but you know, not getting tired going up a flight of stairs feeling good.

User Name: StephMar, real name Stephanie

Starting weight/current/goal - 198/167/158

Location: Pennsylvania

Age: 52

Marital Status: Married 23 years to a guy who is doing SB with me

Kids: One son, 22

Pets: Mini-schnauzer named Nick and a kitten named Tupper

Work: I work as an Advertising Clerk for a small town newspaper

Plan: South Beach. Read the book from the library and then purchased it along with the South Beach diet cookbook.

Favorite diet cheat: I've been on this since mid-May and haven't really cheated. Way too scared to. I do feel guilty when I have a Diet Coke.

Hobbies: Reading and walking my dog in the summer. I love the quiet early morning walks.

Reasons for wanting to lose weight: Arthritis in my knee. Really trying to delay a knee replacement. I've been on countless diets, but this one seems to make sense. I rarely feel deprived (except for the first two weeks) and I love that after the first 2 weeks my sugar cravings pretty much vanished. I don't think I would be ding so well if my husband wasn't doing this right along side me. Took him getting a huge belly for him to get on board with the lifestyle change.

User Name: aangel22/real name: Becky

Starting weight/current/goal - 221.1/215.5/150

Location: PA

Age: 27

Marital Status: In relationship

Kids: 4 (my 3 boys and his girl)

Pets: none

Work: training to be a nursing assistant

Plan: South Beach-currently on phase one, day 4

Favorite diet cheat: chocolate, peanut butter

Hobbies: spending time with bf and our kids, reading, walking

Reasons for wanting to lose weight: To feel better about myself and be healthier

User name/name: WaistingTime - Karen
Current weight/goal: I'm maintaining. It takes a conscious effort every day.
Age: 50
Location: Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City, MO
Marital Status: Married 26 years, hubby doesn't work outside the house.
Kids: 2 boys in their early 20s. One lives/works in eastern PA and the other is a junior at USC.
Work: Part-time retail at a women's activewear store
Hobbies: Reading, hiking, and hopefully I can add travel to the list.
Favorite Exercise: I recently discovered hiking. Twice a week I do strength training with my mom and a trainer.
Weight loss challenges: I am a classic yo-yo dieter; it has taken me many years to realize that I just can't eat what I used to eat. I think my biggest challenge is any special event eating, including restaurants and holidays, etc. I'm also a big snacker. My other challenge is balancing my SBD lifestyle with my husband's vegetarian (and often very unhealthy food) lifestyle.
What I've learned about SBD: After several years and having reached goal multiple times then regained (some or all), I have finally learned/accepted that, for me, PH3 means living PH2 most of the time with exceptions only for special events. I still need to make a conscious effort to eat vegetables. And I have what seems to be an ever growing list of potential binge/trigger foods that I have to watch; I'm not very good at "moderation."