I want to be more physically active and find it hard going with carrying extra weight. I was going to do WW again because I'd put on the weight from last time I did it but recognised that I tend to snack on bread late at night because I am hungry (after the blood sugar levels from the starchy dinner had crashed) and really craved sweet food a lot of the time so I recognised that I needed to change my eating style. I have friends that have done Dr Atkins and Fit for Life and liked some of the eating guidelines but felt they were too rigimented for me. I kept saying to these friends last year that someone needs to invent a diet that promotes eating lean meat and lots of vegies, that is low carb but allows good carbs, encourages drinking lots of water and getting regular exercise. I started ww but after one week I was searching the net for some healthy eating guidelines (cheaper than paying a dietician) and found 3fc. Once I read about SB Diet I realised that this was exactly what I was looking for. I got as much information off the net as I could and read the book (haven't actually bought it).

What was really valuable for me was the two weeks on phase 1. I don't have cravings for sugar or starch anymore so find eating right much easier. I stuck it out despite feeling run down and craving starch and sugar really badly in the first few days because I recognised from this forum that this was normal and it would pass. I can't remember how much weight I lost in the first two weeks but it was more than on WW so I stuck with it. I was on the verge of having to buy another size up before I started SB Diet but in the first month I lost about 6kg (13-14 pounds) and this made a noticeable difference. This kept me motivated and because it was summer and I was working from home a lot I could have a cooked breakfast and fix salads for lunch and dinner everyday.

It was my son's first birthday and I realized that if my pants didn't fit I couldn't say it was because I had just had a baby anymore.

My last straw was not being able to fit into my clothes. I had lost a bunch of weight before due to stress then when the stress was gone the eating started. Before I knew nothing fit. I was tired of looking frumpy. Although I seem to be in that slump again I have gained back I am guessing 10 pounds. I have been avoiding the scales. But I am feeling icky and I don't like it. I want to be healthy and I want to be sexy. Which I know I can be at any size but for me it is the number I have in my head for the scales and for the clothing size. I want to put on cute clothes and have my kids think that I am hip and for my hubby to want to tear them off. Wow this was cleansing I think I am ready to get back on track. We should do this more often.

I guess the *real* last straw for me was trying to get dressed for a freinds graduation. I went to put on a pair of pants that has fit fine last summer and I couldn't button them comfortably (and without looking like a sack of potatoes tied too tight in the middle) even with a girdle on

There have been multiple things that have pushed me until I finally really ready and comitted to do this. More than a year ago my FIL died from complications that resulted after his 4th bypass surgery (successful surgery, bad hospital care... but if he had taken care of himself the precipitating events wouldn't have taken place), follwed by my mentor needing a triple bypass (and this is a skinny "healthy" person!) plus watching a dear friend become sicker and sicker from complications from poorly managed diabetes and morbid obesity... that, and realizing that people I regarded as being much heavier wore the same size clothes (even if I insist on everything being baggy as all get out at the time that meant nothing).

NOT TO MENTION the fact that DH and I both want to replicate our DNA (with eachother) and I refuse to get pregnant at this weight.

...so here I am... I pray daily that I have the strength to continue to belive in myself and love myself enough to stay OP.

Lovingly,

ADDflower getting healthy to have a baby is a wonderful thing. You will have the strength to do it. Plus we are all here for you to help you keep the strength.

I loved what you wrote! It made me cry.

great thread!

i went to the DR in January and was at my all time heavy!, along with high blood pressure.. she suggested and I love her. So i tried it and love it. You can make the plan your own, to an extent. I finally feel free of diet plans !

Well let's see after not being hapy with my body for ummm ever and finally getting into size 8's from Old Navy (first time in like 5 or 6 years)comfortably last summer felt great...well yup those stack of jeans are sitting in my closet now as back up to 10's ugh! So my goal is to get back into all those new clothes I had gotten and perhaps even have those get too big! I want to do it right as last time I did it with walking but also lots of ephedra!

Congrats to everyone here! I love people who take action when they perceive a problem. I know too many people who ***** about their situation but never do anything. Also sorry to hear about the mean motivators -- the people who said nasty things about others' sizes or weights. My last straw was my blood pressure. It was rising and I don't want to take meds for life, if possible. I had started breathing exercises, which were really helping, but after being on SBD for a few weeks, I didn't even need the breathing exercises. (altho' they are good for relaxing) My bp readings are now excellent, as well as blood sugar reading. I don't ever want diabetes or bp or heart problems. I think I am on the road to having much better health. So here I will stay. Cheers to everyone!

This is an excellent thread! Well, I also have many reasons for seeking the "Beach" as a new way of life. I have always been the funny, fat firend and to tell you the truth the more ppl labled me the more I lived up to it. I think that I also like the feeling of not being accountable for my eating. My dad use to say, you aren't fat Mindy, your big boned! Well let me tell you that no guy in my high school was going to ask out the "big boned" girl, even if I could make him laugh until milk was comin' out of his nose.
Anyway, I have a wonderful son and dh, I want them to be proud to claim me . I know that my husband loves me at any weight, but I want my outside to match the wonderful joy that my inside is bursting with. We will be starting Grad.School next year and I want to tackle this next step our lives with a vitality that I just lack at my current weight! Life is wonderful and I want to enjoy it with my dh and my ds, thin might I add !!!!!
Mindy
5'8" started 7-11-04
HW 220
SW 210
CW 203
GW 165

I was diagnosed with hypothroidism two years ago and my weight is the highest it has ever been. The last straw for me was having to start blood pressure meds. My mother was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and has to take shots. That also was an eye opener for me.

Hello everyone, well you have all helped motivate me into getting serious again. I have been sort of on the SB diet. I have learned some of the ways of eating and have lost some weight but haven't been exercising much lately or sticking to the diet completely. So rainy and always an excuse not to go to the gym. Today is Monday and my daughter and I are going for a nice birthay celebration day I turn 50 and she 25 on Wed. We are going to have some Thai food but will do some walking and go to the organic food store and pick up some healthy foods for the future days to get a good start. I have kept off about 9lbs. and that feels good but I am in a rut and need to get motivated. After reading some of your stories I think its time to get serious again. I sometimes add some Atkins ideas in with SB should I not do this? Will it perhaps slow down my progress please let me know what you think I am open to any ideas. Good luck everyone!
Skyfirefly

I went to the dr's and found out I had high blood pressure. I had already started to loose wieght but was getting unmotivated. What keeps me motivated is the goal of getting off my blood pressure medicine.

cc

I'll try not to make this a wicked long post,
Anyway, I decided to try South Beach because I have never really tried to change my diet. I had tried WW in the past but it was hard for me in that the meeting near my house was pretty much all mothers who were trying to lose pregnancy weight or get in shape for their children and when it came to me I felt like an idiot saying "Hi, I eat a lot...and then I pretty much sit and play video games.." and the teen group (I was a teen at the time, or at the most 20) met at 4:30pm on Thursdays and I worked till 6 or had classes. So, I would pay WW to join, not go, drop out, then months later, pay to join up again! It didn't help my wallet..
Then, at a recent physical I found out I had a heart murmur. Its functional and my EKG was totally normal, save for a thick attery and my doctor even said "You don't have to change your diet" but it kind of scared me. I mean, I didn't have this thing when I was ten or eleven or twelve so I figured it was time to change my diet. Even then, I started phase I, then stopped, then started again so I'm trying now to stick with it and get through Phase I and then into Phase II and so on.
These forums are great for helping people stay focused. Its really nice to have people to talk to no matter what time it is or how much I feel like I failed the diets and such. It rocks. You guys rock!

File this under TMI -- I know.

But I used to sleep topless, with pajama pants only -- with my partner. Once night, we switched sides of the bed just to see what it was like. I slept like a baby but woke up to the MIRROR on the wall. Looking at my reflection (well, the part that fit in the mirror anyway) was horrible. That's when I decided to do something about it.