I had such a bizarre day yesterday.

Early in the day, one of our faculty members stopped at my desk to ask a ton of stuff about South Beach because she'd heard I was on it, and when she was done, she walked off saying she'd buy the book that night.

In the afternoon, another faculty member from across the college stopped by because she heard from someone else that I'd lost a lot of weight on "this South Beach thing," and she wanted to know more about it. She left the office a half hour later saying she was going to buy the book that night, too.

THEN, I met my parents for supper last night, and my mom said she had just bought the book and was planning to start reading it soon.

It's strange. I've had several people tell me what an inspiration I've been to them, and I guess that's just very surreal to me. At the same time, I get nervous about other people trying this thing b/c of my success b/c then I feel responsible for their failure if that happens. Both my best friend and my mother-in-law have tried South Beach with not the best results (they didn't really stick to the plan), and I felt really responsible afterward.

Have any of you noticed anything similar? I'm thinking about writing to Dr. A to see if I can get in on some rewards for referrals or something...

I've had the same experience. My sister has lost weight on it. A friend tried and had problems and dropped off. I've also had several other people that were very interested but I don't know if they followed up on it.

Definately!!! I started in January, my Mom started in March, Dad started a couple weeks later. Both have lost 30-40 pounds. Their doctor is very happy with their blook work and weight loss.

In the summer, co-workers noticed how much weight I've lost and started asking me how, several have started. Several are thinking about it.

The nurse at my doctor's office asked me about it, she read the book but thought the food was too expensive until I told her not to go by the menus, just to use the foods to enjoy list and make her own menus, I talked with her about how to modify her current recipes to make them SB friendly. She was quite happy.

I've converted people I ride the bus with and neighbors who have watched me haul my big butt around the block and watched me get smaller have wanted details also.

Who needs a big advertising blitz? Word of mouth is great!

I've also had a couple people say they gained weight on phase 1 when they tried SBD, I'm thinking they didn't do it properly. But, then again, who I am to say it will work for everyone? (Even if I secretely think it would work for eveyone if they just gave it a real try, but I'll keep my mouth shut. )
Sarah

Well alot of people have asked me about it but it's always oh I can't give up this that and the other. My response is then you don't want to lose weight! My sister went on it she says but never lost. My niece said she did not follow it right she was eating bread and regular ice cream! DUH! It's not gonna work. When I see her she says oh you look so good but it just didn't work for me! O.K. Whatever. I always say well maybe you should try it again and smile! I only know it works wonderfully for me! Does anyone tell them about this site? Great thread Fuzzy324!

I have a small following currently that consists of family and friends. I've been sending them the food lists and info from this site.

Yes. I have talked to lots of people about SBD and many have tried it. I actually started it, resulting from the recommendation from my dr. that I cut carbs and sugar out of my diet. SBD seemed to be the way to go for me.

I have had an extremely easy time in following the program because I am not particularly fond of eating potatoes, bread, rice, etc. The only thing I really enjoy is pasta and sweets, however, I am not missing them much at this point (the need for sweets, which is generally the taste in my mouth, not a craving, is satisfied through OP desserts). In reading many of the posts from this site, I am realizing that most people don't have such an easy time. In particular, the people who love starches, or crave sugar have a particularly bad time...and they tend to have many off program days as a result of that.

I started SBD with 3 other ladies from my office. I am the only one still on the program because the others cannot do without their startches. It seems that on weekends or evenings, they are not able to carbs, and indulge often in off program foods. I am really of the opinion (my personal opinion) that if you are a carboholic, you will have a more difficult time staying OP, and if you are not determined, it will be easy to fail at that WOE. I generally will tell that to people when they suggest that they would like to try SBD. That way, they know what they are walking into and can consider that before they embark on the program. Many of them will reconsider, because they are not willing to make the sacrifice. I guess I feel that they should consider what the program will entail (and some of the sacrifices/changes that they will need to make) before they start, rather than set themselves up for failure (and all the guilt feelings associated with that).

I did, however, run into a lady yesterday that I have not seen since before the summer. Her mouth dropped open and she told me that she did not recognize me. As a note, she is a very large lady. She asked me what I had done, so I told her the story...how I had started on WW and lost weight, but at the weight that I am now, I felt like I was starving all the time. She gasped and said...me too. I was on WW and felt like I was hungry all the time and became obsessed with thinking about food which just made me eat more. Then I told her that I had started SBD and had dropped a lot of weight, but that I was not a big carb eater in the first place, so found that the program was really easy to follow. She shared with me that she was following Atkins. She also told me that her meals, previously, were never complete unless she had all her starches, etc. and that she could easily consume a loaf of bread made into sandwiches at one sitting. However, she also stated that she was determined to lose weight and that she was amazed that she is not hungry. She does miss the starches, but is willing to sacrifice that for the weight that she is losing.

Sooooo, I think that the success/failure is in your determination to follow. Like I said, when I recommend the program I get people to really think ahead of time the lifestyle that they will be following when they give up carbs. Doing that makes them really consider the program, the implications of their lifestyle and, generally makes them more successful. If they opt out after starting, it really is that they are not ready for the discipline that it will take....yet.

Carbs tend to create carboholics So if someone can avoid the bad carbs for a while, I think anyone can kick being a carboholic. I was never into pasta, potatoes or rice. My biggie was bread and chocolate. I still find myself being careful about bread and of course I avoid sweets that aren't OP like the plague I generally tell people that their carbs will be restricted but that they can introduce fruit and whole grains back into their diet. Most people I know that are doing SBD now used to be atkins types so they are used to restricting carbs, restricting fats is where they usually get upset. My mom in particular wanted to continue using regular cheese and she said that low fat cheese is expensive. I ended up telling her to buy mozzarella because it is usually skim anyway and she was happy about that.

Because I work, live, laugh, and play with my fiance, I don't have the opportunity to get the word out like you ladies. My girlfriends come home from college, but they don't care about their sophmore 20 pounds gained. They're not at that point yet. However, I have noted that my fiance is starting to catch on. Note that he doesn't need to diet at all. He's 6'6" and 180 pounds, all muscle, no fat. He eats like horse! The only thing I wish he would do is eat more healthy meals, more whole grains, more natural foods. I think it's starting to rub off.

He loved the muffins I made from Barb's recipe. He's like....."this is real apple in here! Wow!"

He went to Dunkin Donuts this morning and had sweet'n'low in his coffee rather than his beloved sugar. Note: I wasn't even in the car! All by himself.

He loves the new Pumpkin Spice Frozen Yogurt at Peaches and Cream and has switched to that rather than his usual full fat Oreo Craze Milkshake.

He knows the ins and outs of the diet as well as I do. He's not following a diet, but I note him making better choices. For that, I'm grateful!

Bamiegirl--I do usually tell people about this forum when they ask me about the diet. It usually comes up that one of the main selling points for me on this diet was that I didn't have to pay anyone to do it. I usually tell them that South Beach does have it's own official pay-site, but I always follow that up with info on the fatchicks. The book is great, but I think this forum has added so much to my experience. The real-world knowledge here is invaluable.

Adia--I see my DH making healthier choices sometimes, too. It's kinda cool to watch. I never thought I'd see him excited to be having veggies for dinner. Before I started this the only vegetables he would eat were tomatoes, corn, or potatoes (preferably fried). Now he'll eat sweet potatoes, zucchini, squash (scallop, yellow, spaghetti), asparagus. Still can't sell him on the green beans, but I guess we've already made a lot of progress.

Nelie--I think you have a good point about anyone being able to kick the carb habit if they're really READY. I didn't have much of a sweet tooth to start with, but I thought I was really going to miss potatoes and white rice and pasta. I was more into the starches. Know what? I don't even remember the last time I ate a french fry, and when I splurged at the Chinese restaurant a couple of weeks ago, the rice didn't even taste right to me. Pasta doesn't even phase me now.

There really is something to be said for being ready to make a life change, I think. I started in January this year on SBD. It was after we learned that not just one, but both of my parents were diabetic. My sister had been diagnosed just before Christmas with an autoimmune liver disease. Then the real kicker was on Christmas Eve and morning. DH's grandmother (a very sweet and well-intentioned lady, though, a little confused sometimes) kept bringing up fat people that she knew every time I came around. It wasn't a mean thing; I think she was trying to make me feel better about my weight by telling me about all the fat people she liked... Anyway, we were opening presents, and when I opened my present from her, it was a watch, and she yelled from across the room, "Don't worry, it's stretchy!"

...that was my breaking point. I knew I had to do something then, and I was determined not to be so embarrassed like that ever again. I was worried about my sister's and my parents' health, and I knew I'd end up in the same boat if I kept on the way I had been living. Luckily a coworker gave me some information about South Beach in January, and once I learned that I really could lose with this WOE and I actually liked the food, I clung to it and never looked back. It's the times that I remember like last Christmas that make the comments about being "an inspiration" so bizarre to me. That was only 9 months ago...

So real change is possible when you're really ready for it. That's my theory for now anyway...

Bamiegirl - That really is an inspiration. I love the story. You have done so well, already. Keep up the great work.