Beacher BIOS - 2011
 

User name/name: WaistingTime/Karen

Age: 47

Birthday: May 20

MARITAL STATUS: Married since 1987, husband does not work outside the house either.

Children/ages: 2 sons, 18 (HS senior) and almost 21 (college junior at school in PA)

HEIGHT: 5' 2.5"

EYE COLOR: Hazel

HAIR COLOR: Red

HOBBIES/INTERESTS: Blogging, reading, scrapbooking, biking

OCCUPATION: stay-at-home mom

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION: Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City, MO

FAVORITE COLOR: Purple

FAVORITE FOODS: Maybe chocolate covered strawberries

FAVORITE EXERCISE: biking (outdoors or in class)

FAVORITE BOOK(S): Too many to name.

FAVORITE MOVIE(S): Not sure.

FAVORITE MUSIC: Soundtracks from musicals

PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: yo-yo dieter, I clearly don't have a "normal" relationship with food

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: I am no longer just lurking. I know that I have to commit to eating healthy all the time and cannot just diet until I lose the weight. I have reached my goal weight three times before with SB and regained some or all every time. This needs to stop!

User Name: Ruthxxx Real Name: Ruth

Starting weight/current/goal - Was 232 once but now 195 at 5'. Was just great at 140 but was also 30 years younger then! Current goal is 185 by mid-March 2010 for a Disney trip.

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 72in mid-January. The only advantage to this age is discounts on air fares and other stuff. So far nobody treats me with respect but I'm waiting!

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.

Basic facts
Name (real first name if you feel comforable):Kimberly, Kim
Gender: Female
Age (or general age group): 29
Where you live: Way out west, Texas (north of Big Bend National Park)
Where you grew up: San Antonio, TX
Other places you’ve lived: Kingsville, Austin, Round Rock, and George West, all in Texas
Do you have kids? How old? Still waiting on that blessing!
Are you an oldest, youngest, middle, or only child? How many siblings? I'm the middle child with two sisters
Languages, beside English, you speak: I have a working knowledge of French
Who do you live with (spouse, kids, parents, grandparents, roommate, pets, alone, etc)? I live with my hubby and our two dogs; Toby an 8-year-old lab and Ranger, a 5-year-old dachshund
Current job or field of work / studies: I'm the Deputy Chief Appraiser for our county
Why did you choose South Beach? Because it isn't a diet, it's a way of life and it works for me!
What are your ultimate lifestyle change goals? Short term? Long term, I'd just like to get to a healthy weight and live a much more active lifestyle than I am capable of now. I'd also like to prepare my body for pregnancy (hopefully). Short term; I'd just like to make it through 1 month ON PLAN!!!
Are you going at this plan by yourself or do you have support (other than us of course)?Dh isn't on the plan with me, but he is my biggest supporter and my favorite workouts are the ones when he coaches me.

Beyond the facts
Favorite books: The Circle Series by Ted Dekker, Memoirs of a Geisha, The Harry Potter Series, anything by Lori Wick and The Little House on the Prairie series
Favorite kinds of music / bands:The band 311 is my all-time favorite and other than that I listen mostly to indie (Regina Spektor, Stephanie Briggs) and Texas country artists (Highspeed Hayride, Reckless Kelly)
Favorite movies: The Nightmare Before Christmas, 50 First Dates, All the Harry Potters, anything Tim Burton
Favorite saying / quote: ""The average pencil is seven inches long, with just a half-inch eraser – in case you thought optimism was dead." -Robert Brault, software developer, writer (1972- ), "Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen." -Louis L'Amour, novelist (1908-1988)
Favorite holiday: CHRISTMAS!!!
Hobbies:Reading, Cooking, Disc Golf, Fishing, Hiking, Watching sports with DH
Are you a camping and hiking kind of person or do you prefer less sweaty and “roughing it” kinds of activities? I love hiking, but HATE camping in a tent.
Do you live somewhere urban, rural, or suburban? VERY rural
The place you’d most like to visit: I couldn't pick between Ireland, Alaska, Hawaii and Japan since I have family ties to all of them.
Best thing that ever happened to you: Finding my prince-sometimes-charming.
Tell us something else about yourself that you want to share that not too many people know: I would love to go away for a year to a secluded cabin with my DH and no daily connection to the rest of society.

And now questions unanswered above from the original questionnaire:

BIRTHDAY: August 8

MARITAL STATUS: Married since 2004

TOP WEIGHT:225

SB STARTING WEIGHT: 225

GOAL WEIGHT: 129

HEIGHT: 5'

EYE COLOR: Brown

HAIR COLOR: Dark, dark brown

FAVORITE COLOR: Red and purple, though not as a combo

FAVORITE FOODS: Japanese anything, seafood, BIG salads with lots of variety and, unfortunately, rich sweets

FAVORITE EXERCISE:ZUMBA!, Cardio/strength combos designed by my dh, dance-oriented cardio dvds, jogging

PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: Just lacking the discipline to eat right and work out consistently. I do it in spurts.

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: My goals for changing my lifestyle have shifted from being vanity-oriented to healthy living oriented. Wanting a healthier me is different than wanting a thinner me and is more motivating for me.

Basic facts:
Name (real first name if you feel comforable):Lexxiss/Debbie R
Gender:F
Age (or general age group):52
BIRTHDAY: March 4
MARITAL STATUS: Married since 1992
TOP WEIGHT:275 (at least)
SBD STARTING WEIGHT: 232
GOAL WEIGHT: 180 then I'll reevaluate
HEIGHT: 5'5"
EYE COLOR:Brown
HAIR COLOR: Brown

Where you live:Colorado
Where you grew up:Colorado
Other places you’ve lived:Hong Kong 1 yr, Michigan 1 yr, Alaska 23 yrs
Do you have kids? How old?No
Are you an oldest, youngest, middle, or only child? How many siblings?Middle, 1 Bro and 1 Sis
Languages, beside English, you speak:I've studied Mandarin Chinese
Who do you live with (spouse, kids, parents, grandparents, roommate, pets, alone, etc)?My DH of 17 years, the pups Bing and Rudi, and Sophia, the kitty
Current job or field of work / studies:I currently co-own a family rental business with my Mother.
Why did you choose South Beach?Healthy eating/Weight loss combo
What are your ultimate lifestyle change goals? I wanted to LIVE a healthy lifestyle every day and get off the rollercoaster. Short term? I wanted to get off blood pressure meds (I have)
Are you going at this plan by yourself or do you have support (other than us of course)?My DH is supportive, he eats whatever I cook, and doesn't realize the coffee creamer doesn't have sugar! His insatiable cravings have gone away, too!

Beyond the facts
Favorite books:Cookbooks, I have over 200.
Favorite kinds of music / bands:I like lots of stuff, but my favs I play over and over are Simon & Garfunkel, Elton John and Indigo Girls....I have the family record collection which includes everything anyone in the family ever owned and many thrift store purchases by DH.
Favorite movies:Spy Game, Sound of Music, old movies w/Clint Eastwood, Robert Redford and Richard Gere.Favorite saying / quote:
Favorite holiday:
Hobbies: Cooking, canning and dehydrating produce, organic foods, knitting, gardening, jigsaw puzzles, animal rescue, reducing my carbon footprint, pet therapy, NPR.
Passions / obsessions:composting & recycling.
Are you a camping and hiking kind of person or do you prefer less sweaty and “roughing it” kinds of activities? I like camping again now that I'm losing weight, but also enjoy being pampered.
Got pets? All rescued, 2 dogs and 1 cat What kind? Bing is a Parti Cocker, Rudi a Bernese Mtn mix, and Sophia is a Ragdoll or Birmen.
Do you live somewhere urban, rural, or suburban? A small, but progressive town in the mountains.
The place you’d most like to visit: I'd like to show my DH the East Coast. He spent his life in Alaska and has never been east of Denver.
Best thing that ever happened to you: Living in Hong Kong, and being able to take my DH to visit.



FORMER OCCUPATION: Semi-retired entreprenuer-I ran a sawmill, co-owned a travel agency and kitchen store in Alaska.
FAVORITE COLOR: Lupine purple and Fireweed fuscia.
FAVORITE FOODS: Shrimp, healthy pizza, pumpkin, true Chinese (I lived in Hong Kong), fruit (especially raspberries, blueberries and cherries), and big salads filled with every vegie I can find to put in.
FAVORITE EXERCISE: Water aerobics, water Yoga, and riding my bike..
PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: emotional eating, stress eating (especially work related),low self esteem, making poor food choices in general, and lack of regular exercise. Geez....that ought to cover it.
WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: I have been on losing since 2005, but since starting South Beach I realize I have all the pieces of the puzzle needed to succeed; a healthy WOE, a comfortable regular exercise routine and a great support group here at 3FC.
-I wanted to start putting my pictures in the family photo albums after years of dodging the camera, and am grateful to be doing that again.

-I was quite a downhill skier being raised in Colorado. I haven't skied for years because of my weight, and will ski again this 2009-2010 season. I SKIIED AT LEAST 10 TIMES AND LOVED IT!

Got pets? All rescued, 2 dogs and 1 cat What kind? Bing is a Parti Cocker, Rudi a Bernese Mtn mix, and Sophia is a Ragdoll or Birmen.

User name/name: Pearlrose/ Rose

AGE: 44

BIRTHDAY: April 21

MARITAL STATUS: Married since 1988

Children/ages: 18 year old son, Michael and 2 daughters Megan 16 and Mackenzie 6

TOP WEIGHT: 252 lbs 9 months pregnant- 219 not pregnant

CURRENT WEIGHT: ? haven't weighed in for the week yet but hoping to be close to 199

GOAL WEIGHT: 170 for starters

HEIGHT: 5' 71/2"

EYE COLOR: Brown

HAIR COLOR: Brown with lots of gray coming will need to start coloring soon

HOBBIES/INTERESTS: Working out/reading/spending time with my family and traveling

OCCUPATION: Team Supervisor at IT helpdesk for Healthsystem in St. Louis

HOME LOCATION: Trenton, Illinois

FAVORITE COLOR: Green

FAVORITE FOODS: Italian pasta

FAVORITE EXERCISE: Turbo Jam series

PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: When I get bored I want to munch munch munch, so have to be careful about mindless eating.

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: My head is in the right place so even though there is food not onplan around my house, I am not interested in putting that stuff in my body.

User Name: Schmoodle

Starting weight/current/goal - 245/195/145
Location: Maryland
Age: 46
Married: 17 years, but lived together for 8 years before that
Kids: 3 kids, 2 girls and a boy, the oldest is in college and the other two are in middle school.
Pets: 2 cats
Work: Engineer. I've got a great job and started telecommuting a few years ago, which saves me from sitting in DC traffic, but also makes it easier to snack!
Dieting history: Overweight to varying extents since the age of 8. Not much of a dieter, so I never yo-yo'd much, just a steady increase since kids started arriving. I am a major sugar addict and just the word "diet" tends to make me sweat. Last time I really dieted, I lost 30 lbs on the T-factor diet. That was about 20 years ago. Happy I found SBD, which really works for me when I work IT.
Favorite diet cheat: Sweets
Hobbies: Reading, sewing, surfing the internet, not much time for any of these lately.
Reasons for wanting to lose weight: Although I've always had weight issues, I never felt like it kept me from doing things I wanted to do, and so never worried about it too much. Then I started noticing myself not doing things for various made-up reasons, but the real reason is weight. My energy was getting pretty low from eating poorly and excess weight, so that even cleaning my house was becoming a real challenge. That creates a vicous cycle of trying to conserve energy and feeling less of it as a result. My world started to become smaller, and once I became a telecommuter, my big fear was that I'd become a huge, housebound person. I can totally see how that can happen!
__________________

Basic facts:
Name (real first name if you feel comfortable): Anne
Gender: Female
Age (or general age group): 53
Where you live: Iowa
Where you grew up: Iowa (I'm not very worldly!)
Other places you’ve lived: Born in South Sioux City, NE
Do you have kids? How old? Daughter 27 (Doctoral candidate at U of MN-Twin Cities), Daughter 24 (Living at home again), Son 22 (Senior at U of Iowa - Go Hawks!)
Are you an oldest, youngest, middle, or only child? How many siblings? Seven siblings. I am third, but the oldest girl.
Languages, beside English, you speak: A little Spanish at work
Who do you live with (spouse, kids, parents, grandparents, roommate, pets, alone, etc)? Husband of 28 years, DD2, DS when home on break, Doggies - Sophie (my avatar) & Harley (her sister) I love cockers.
Current job or field of work / studies: Nurse on Mother Baby Unit at large hospital for 35 years this month.
Why did you choose South Beach? A friend talked me into it. I was fed up with WW & wasn't keeping the weight off (like I am now). Tired of counting everything and wasn't making wise food choices on WW.
What are your ultimate lifestyle change goals? To maintain my good health and my happy weight as I get older. Short term? I really need to exercise more. I have been able to lose and maintain so far with very little exercise, but I know that can't last. I am walking a lot in my job.
Are you going at this plan by yourself or do you have support (other than us of course)? Just you guys. DH will eat anything that's not nailed down.

Beyond the facts
Favorite books: The Secret Garden, The Green Mile, Mysteries especially medical ones. I've read Les Miserables several times.
Favorite kinds of music / bands: I like music of the 70's & 80's and I love classical music. Really anything but rap & country.
Favorite movies: Jaws, The Green Mile, The Princess Bride, The Pianist, Contact
Favorite saying / quote: Don't really have one.
Favorite holiday: Christmas
Hobbies: Internet (obviously), puzzles, word games, reading. I used to love baking but don't do that too much anymore. I follow the Iowa Hawkeyes (who just won the Orange Bowl) as my daughter is an alumni & former marching band member & my son attends there now. Try to go to a few games a year.
Passions / obsessions: My dogs are only one year old & consume a lot of my time at home. It's like having kids all over again.
Are you a camping and hiking kind of person or do you prefer less sweaty and “roughing it” kinds of activities? Definitely not a camping person. I would like to travel more when I retire, but I'll stick to hotels.
Got pets? What kind? (feel free to add some adorable photos) See my avatar.
Do you live somewhere urban, rural, or suburban? Suburb, work in a large city hospital
The place you’d most like to visit: Something tropical right now! Otherwise, Ireland when we retire.
Best thing that ever happened to you: My husband first, then my children.
Tell us something else about yourself that you want to share that not too many people know: As the oldest girl in my large family, I'm a bit of a perfectionist. I am very involved in committees, projects and the like at work and I love learning new things.

Basic facts:
Name (real first name if you feel comfortable): Cyndi
Age (or general age group): 49
Where you live: Vermont
Where you grew up: Central NY
Other places you’ve lived: all around central NY, CA for 3 months
Do you have kids? How old? Daughter 29 who is a PA in the Boston area
Are you an oldest, youngest, middle, or only child? How many siblings? Oldest of three
Who do you live with? My wife and our two utterly insane cats, Luna and Sebastian
Current job or field of work / studies: I've worked in early childhood ed one way or another for most of my career. I am currently working with the AFT helping to organize early childhood educators.

Why did you choose South Beach? I woke up one morning sick and tired of feeling older than I was, getting winded up a flight of stairs and terrified that my aching knee meant impending replacement (I've been warned already). I had lost and regained 100s of lbs since I was a kid and knew I did not want to yo yo anymore so had to find something I could live with. I did a Google search for diet plans that fit our eating habits (whole foods, vegetarian, etc). Honestly I thought, based on the name, that it was a stupid vanity diet plan not a healthy way of eating. Imagine my surprise.
Are you going at this plan by yourself or do you have support (other than us of course)? I do the cooking so this is dinner at our house (and lunch leftovers). The funny thing is my wife is now eating the way I do by choice so I never have veggies leftover and we go through huge amounts of refried beans every week!

Beyond the facts
Favorite books: I love books so whatever comes to mind first usually ends up on the list ;) Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, The Fifth Sacred Thing, Hood, The Winter of Our Discontent, some of the Darkover series. Anything by Alice Hoffman, Chris Bohjalian, Emma Donohue, Barbara Kingsolver, Michael Pollan, Sarah Waters
Favorite kinds of music / bands: Depends on my mood. I have workout mixes of 60s, 80s and some new stuff my DD made me. I also enjoy a lot of jazz and classical music.
Favorite movies: It's a Wonderful Life, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,The Spitfire Grill, for pure escapism: The entire LOTR series (yes, I'm that kind of geek) , The Princess Bride, Tank Girl, almost anything by Pixar, and old black and white films
Hobbies: BIRDING!, gardening, dehydrating, hiking, riding my bike, reading though I don't seem to have much time for it anymore
Passions / obsessions: living sustainably and locally as much as possible, Syracuse University basketball
Are you a camping and hiking kind of person or do you prefer less sweaty and “roughing it” kinds of activities? See hobbies ;)
Got pets? What kind?The previously mentioned cats
The place you’d most like to visit: I have always wanted to go to Alaska long enough to really see it all.


updated a little 1/2011

Username/name - cottagebythesea / Linda
Age - 58
Birthday - November 7
Marital status - Married since 1969 to Jake, my high school sweetheart
Children/Ages - Monica, 40, and Dustin, 38
Grandchildren/Ages - Caitlyn, 19, Amber, 9, Carley, 5, Tyler, 2
Top weight - 186
Current weight - around 155-160 I think. I don't have a scale but I know I've gained.
Goal weight - 135, and I'm going to get there this year!
Height - 5' 1/2"
Eye color - brown
Hair color - it was mostly brown before I started coloring it 11 years ago
Pets - none
Occupation - nanny
Geographic location - southeastern PA
Favorite color - I love most colors but I guess my favorites are shades of purple
Favorite foods - Ethnic foods and most vegetables
Favorite exercise - walking
Favorite books - the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon, anything by Mauve Binchy, Margaret Pilcher, Luann Rice, Barbara Delinsky, Debbie Macomber, Nora Roberts
Favorite movies - Gone With the Wind, Out of Africa, Sleepless in Seattle, It Happened One Night
Favorite music - oldies from the 50s, 60s and 70s, showtunes, classical
Favorite diet cheat - I'm addicted to ice cream
Why did you choose South Beach? - I was looking for a healthy lifestyle change that didn't include any fad or crazy meal plans. This plan is healthy, sensible, easy to follow, and includes the foods I enjoy eating.
Reasons for wanting to lose weight - First and foremost, diabetes runs in our family and I don't want to get it. I've reached this age without being on any medications, and I want to continue to be healthy and active and NOT dependent on prescription drugs ever.

Updated - September 2010

Username/name - Heidi58 / Heidi
Age - 52
Birthday - February 22
Marital status - Married 30 years. :)
Children/Ages - Elisabeth, 28, and Daniel, 26
Pets - Penny, an 11 year old dachshund
Top weight - 211
Current weight - 152
Goal weight - After maintaining 150 - 155 for almost 6 months I've changed my goal and now I'm working towards 135. That will give me a 'normal' BMI
Height - 5' 3"
Eye color - blue
Hair color - brown/gray
Occupation - kindergarten teacher
Geographic location - western Maine
Favorite color - red is my favorite, yellow is a close second.
Favorite foods - :?: All of them - that's how I got into this mess.
Favorite exercise - walking, hiking, snowshoeing, kayaking
Favorite books - Karen Kingsbury, Bill Myers, Terri Blackstock, Debbie Macomber, too many to list them all....
Favorite movie - It's A Wonderful Life
Favorite music - Contemporary Christian.
Favorite diet cheat - salty snacks: chips, crackers, etc.
Why did you choose South Beach? - To be honest, a friend talked me into it. She was starting SBD and wanted a 'buddy' and I was overweight and worried about my health so I grudgingly agreed. Once I read the book though I was sold on it. I got to my goal weight, kept it off for over a year but then foolishly made excuses/allowances for myself when I was going through some health problems and slowly gained it all back. When I came to my senses, I came right back to SBD because I know I can be happy and healthy eating this way for the rest of my life.
Reasons for wanting to lose weight - I want to feel good again.
I work with active 5 year olds, spend a lot of my free time working with the teens at church, and I've always enjoyed outdoor activities. Being overweight was starting to slow me down.

User name/name: FoodObsessed/Okie

Age: 26

Birthday: July 9, 1983

MARITAL STATUS: Single

Children/ages: None

TOP WEIGHT: 327

CURRENT WEIGHT: 317

GOAL WEIGHT: 130

HEIGHT: 5' 6"

EYE COLOR: Brown

HAIR COLOR: Black

HOBBIES/INTERESTS: Reading, Cooking, Dancing, etc

PETS: None

OCCUPATION: Soon to be employed, I hope

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION: Bowie, Maryand

FAVORITE COLOR: Blue

FAVORITE FOODS: vegetable soup, scrambled eggs

FAVORITE EXERCISE: Dancing

FAVORITE BOOK(S): The Bible, Harlequin novels, and Plato's Republic

FAVORITE MOVIE(S): The Princess and the Frog, Godfather Trilogy, and Harry Potter Movies

FAVORITE MUSIC: R&B, Hip Hop, Oldies, Top 40

PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: Eating myself to oblivion because of sad emotions

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: It's time. I don't want to be obese any longer.

Basic facts
Name (real first name if you feel comforable):Kara

Gender: Female

Age (or general age group): 33

Where you live: Germany, about a half hour from France and forty-five minutes from Luxembourg

Where you grew up: Palmyra, New Jersey (near Philly)

Other places you’ve lived: Durham, New Hampshire; London, England; Seattle, Washington; Lacey, Washington; McChord AFB, Washington; Landover, Maryland; San Angelo, Texas; Beale AFB, California; Cinnaminson, New Jersey; Songtan, South Korea

Do you have kids? How old? Connor Thomas (9 years old), Kadyn May (6 years old), Avery Claire (4 years old), and Lukas Kristian (born November 2010)

Are you an oldest, youngest, middle, or only child? How many siblings? I'm the oldest of five - three younger sisters (30, 28, and 26 years old) and then a brother (17 years old)

Languages, beside English, you speak: French and German; I also am fluent in American Sign Language

Who do you live with (spouse, kids, parents, grandparents, roommate, pets, alone, etc)? I live with my husband and kids.

Current job or field of work / studies: I work for our church as the Religious Education Coordinator.

Why did you choose South Beach? It seemed vegetarian-friendly.

What are your ultimate lifestyle change goals? Short term? I want to focus on maintenance so I can cut out this 10 pound yo-yo nonsense.

Are you going at this plan by yourself or do you have support (other than us of course)? The whole family eats Beachy, but I don't use artificial sweeteners.

Beyond the facts
Favorite books: I love Clive Cussler books and I've just recently gotten into M.C. Beaton's mysteries. Harry Potter will always hold a special place in my heart. Other favorites are _Bridge to Terebithia_, _Jonathan Livingston Seagull_, _The Giver_ and _Number the Stars_, _To Kill a Mockingbird_, and pretty much anything else I had to read in school.

Favorite kinds of music / bands: I like pretty much everything except hard rock and rap.

Favorite movies: "The American President", "The Sandlot"

Favorite saying / quote: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Favorite holiday: Thanksgiving

Hobbies: Scrapbooking (although I haven't had time since Kadyn was born), sewing, quilting (again, little time), reading, exercising

Are you a camping and hiking kind of person or do you prefer less sweaty and “roughing it” kinds of activities? Definitely!

Do you live somewhere urban, rural, or suburban? Rural but close to urban

The place you’d most like to visit: We have SO many to-see places on our list! This year we are going to Holland, England, Scotland, Spain, France, Australia, and New Zealand.

Best thing that ever happened to you: Meeting my husband. :)

Tell us something else about yourself that you want to share that not too many people know: I was a competitive gymnast for 14 years, through elementary school, high school, and college.

And now questions unanswered above from the original questionnaire:

BIRTHDAY: 26 July

MARITAL STATUS: Married since 1999

TOP WEIGHT:148

SB STARTING WEIGHT: 148

GOAL WEIGHT: 125

HEIGHT: 5'4"

EYE COLOR: Brown

HAIR COLOR: Brown

FAVORITE COLOR: Blue

FAVORITE FOODS: Indian

FAVORITE EXERCISE: Elliptical, P90X, step aerobics classes

PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: Not believing that I can stick to it

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: Determination

Username/name - TwynnB/Tammy
Age - 38
Birthday - April 19
Marital status - Married since 2001
Children/Ages - Ethan, 7 and Grace, 5
Top weight - 145
Current weight - 128
Goal weight - 124-5
Height - 5' 3"
Eye color - blue
Hair color -strawberry blonde
Pets - Reesie Pup, dog; 4 cats: Merlin, Gordon, Pickle, and Nutmeg (aka Freak!)
Occupation - vet
Geographic location - central Pa
Favorite color - Hmmm... what's my favorite now?
Favorite foods - dark chocolate. SBD did that to me!
Favorite exercise - running (well, I'm slow enough...jogging!)
Favorite books - I like thrillers.
Favorite movies - what's that? Silence of the Lambs, Harry Potters
Favorite music - 80's!!
Favorite diet cheat - Ice cream!!
Why did you choose South Beach? - A friend mentioned it to me once, so I thought I'd try it. It makes a lot of sense to me...if you can grow it, eat it (in the amounts you can grow it in! Lots of veggies, small fruit, small meat, small nuts). I feel SO much better when I follow the principles. It's not always easy to stay on it (esp. with young children!), but it's easy to go back to it!
I also feel better, since my dad is a diabetic and stroke victim. I don't want my life to end as his has.

Name (real first name if you feel comforable): grneyedmustang/Paula
Gender:F
Age (or general age group):34
BIRTHDAY: April 26
MARITAL STATUS: Single
TOP WEIGHT: 282
SBD STARTING WEIGHT: 278
GOAL WEIGHT: 190
HEIGHT: 6'0"
EYE COLOR: Green/hazel
HAIR COLOR: 1B/33! 1B/27! My real hair is dark brown.

Where you live: Dallas, TX
Where you grew up: All over (I'm a military brat) - but my home is Atlanta
Other places you’ve lived: Kansas, North Carolina, Arkansas, Missouri, South Korea, Georgia, Florida, Texas
Do you have kids? How old? No children
Are you an oldest, youngest, middle, or only child? How many siblings? Middle, 1 Bro and 1 Sis
Languages, beside English, you speak: I can speak enough Spanish to "get by"
Who do you live with? 6 fish
Current job or field of work / studies: IT Consultant
Why did you choose South Beach? I wanted to kick my sugar habit once and for all while losing weight. While I believe that I will always love sugar, my sweet tooth is more tame now :)
What are your ultimate lifestyle change goals? I'd like to get off my blood pressure medication. I'd like to be (comfortably) out of the plus sizes, right now I'm hovering in that gray area between plus size and not plus size.
Are you going at this plan by yourself or do you have support (other than us of course)? I have support besides 3FC, I have a group of friends all on SB.

Beyond the facts
Favorite books:Fictional Trash and "Reality Trash/Chick Lit" books (i.e. Chelsea Handler, Jen Lancaster, etc.).
Favorite kinds of music / bands: Lounge/chillout, Smooth Jazz, Old School Hip Hop, Old School R & B, Pop
Favorite movies: Money Talks, American Pie, The Hangover, Crash
Favorite saying / quote: "It is NOT about Me!" (currently my favorite)
Favorite holiday: Any holiday involving food, drinks, and friends :)
Hobbies: Cooking, music, reading, driving, PS2 (my new hobby!)
Passions / obsessions: The beach!
Are you a camping and hiking kind of person or do you prefer less sweaty and “roughing it” kinds of activities? I like both. I haven't been truly camping since Girl Scouts but I'd love to go!
Got pets? No pets except six fish. I love cats though, I've had three of them.
Do you live somewhere urban, rural, or suburban? Urban. I live in the heart of downtown Dallas now, and I LOVE it. I hardly drive anywhere and I have a gorgeous view of the city!
The place you’d most like to visit: I really would like to go back to South Korea. I'd also like to visit the South Pacific, the UK (or Europe in general), Africa, Canada (in the summer!), I could go on and on, I love to travel.
Best thing that ever happened to you: Living in South Korea. I think growing up in a military family gave me a broader outlook on different cultures.

FORMER OCCUPATION: IT Support Manager
FAVORITE COLOR: Blue, Purple, Indigo, Black
FAVORITE FOODS: Steak (or cow in any general form - burgers, cheesesteak, etc.), Wings, Chocolate, Pizza, Caesar Salad, Grilled food (in almost any form), Cookies
FAVORITE EXERCISE: The elliptical, Spin class, and maybe a lil' runnin'
PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: emotional eating, stress eating (especially work related), low self esteem, and alcohol. I love to have drinks with the girls, but I have to stop if I want to continue to lose weight.

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: I have been on a "lifestyle change" since 2004. I did weight watchers back then and it worked, but in 2007 I had a major "lapse" and went back to my old ways of eating. I also didn't really tame the sugar monster back then. So I figured that there was a piece of the puzzle I was missing, which was getting control of my sugar addiction. SBD helped me tame my sweet tooth and has helped me get rid of 50 pounds. I got a little comfortable during the holidays and regained about ten pounds, so I am getting my butt back in gear before I have to repurchase all the clothes I have gotten rid of! I have also cut out the hard liquor completely, and that along with Spin class has got the scale moving again.

User name/name: Natasha1534/Natasha (creative, no??? LOL)
Age: I will be 34 on Thursday.
Birthday: June 24th.
Marital Status: Single, never married.
Children/ages: None, none wanted.
Top Weight: 346
Current Weight: 301
Goal Weight: 180ish. I have a large frame and don't think I'll be able to go much lower...but if I could get to 150 - 160 I would be STOKED!!!
Height: 5 foot 6 inches
Eye Color: Hazel (changes w/ the seasons...blue in Summer, green in Fall, gray in Winter, and bluish-grayish in Spring)
Hair Color: Red
Hobbies/Interests: Music, Traveling, Photography, Geocaching, Swimming, etc.
Pets: 1 fat princess dog named Shadow. :)
Occupation: 911 dispatcher (Assistant Supervisor - Rank of Corporal)
Geographic Location: Warner Robins, GA
Favorite Color: Green...or pink...hmmmm, okay, green
Favorite Foods: My mom's pot roast (lots of potatoes and carrots) over rice OR my mom's cubed steak w/ gravy and mashed potatoes.
Favorite Exercise: Swimming.
Favorite Book(s): Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Nights in Rodanthe, Star, The Street Lawyer.
Favorite Movie(s): The Outsiders, American History X, The Notebook, Nights in Rodanthe, A Clockwork Orange, Super Troopers, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Slingblade, House of 1000 Corpses, Devils Rejects.
Favorite Music: Rehab, Maroon 5, Counting Crows, Tori Amos, Rihanna, Pink, System of a Down, No Doubt, Bare Jr., Kid Rock, Jewel, Sublime, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Reel Big Fish, Al Green, Sam Cooke, Metallica, Wyclef Jean.
Problem in Weight Loss: I've been fat for so long I'm not sure I remember how to be skinny...but I'm sure willing to learn!!! ;)
What is Different This Time That Will Make You Successful: This time I have an actual diet plan and I've never had that before. And I'm seeing results this time and it's encouraging me to keep on going.

User name/name: Sarahsk--real name Sarah, as if you didn't already figure this out :D

Age: 31

Birthday: November 23, born on Thanksgiving day :)

Marital Status: Currently living with my wonderful boyfriend:hug:

Children/ages: Not yet, but I am a teacher so I like to say I have 72 crazy kiddos...

Top Weight: 195

Current Weight: 188 at last weigh in

Goal Weight: Around 150-140 pounds...we will see...

Height: about 5 foot 7 inches

Eye Color: brown

Hair Color:brown

Hobbies/Interests: reading, watching HGTV and dreaming of my future house, hanging out with my family and wonderful man, playing with my furry children, watching sports of all kinds, but my favorite is college football, hiking, camping, being on the water like the lake, river, ocean, or even pool, going to see/hear live music, gardening, the list goes on and on.....

Pets: My wonderful old dog, Siddalee who turns 11 next month, and our pesky rescue dog Riley who likes to wake me up early during my summer off!

Occupation: 5th and 6th grade history and geography teacher at a private school for gifted and accelerated children

Favorite Color: Green...and blue, and red, and yellow, and orange...I love colors.....
Favorite Foods: Wow...this is my problem....bread. I <3 bread. Well truthfully, I love food. Food is good.

Favorite Exercise: Swimming, taking classes like kickboxing, my Wii Fit, hiking, and taking long walks.

Favorite Book(s): This might take a while.....so how about favorite authors instead? JK Rowling, Kristen Hannah, Jennifer Weiner, Emily Giffin, Jody Picolt, Jane Green (been on a big Jane Green kick lately)...also books like Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, The Time Traveler's Wife, The Other Boleyn Girl, Marley and Me...Wow, I keep going but I will stop.

Favorite Movie(s): I am more of a tv girl, so my favorite tv shows are/were: LOST, Bones, Top Chef, the Office, shows on HGTV and True Blood. As far as movies go I like funny movies, romantic comedies, and hate anything violent or gory.

Favorite Music: Very eclectic music taste, anything from country to Coldplay...I love classical music, texas country....anything that catches my attention or makes me want to sing along.

Problem in Weight Loss: I feel like I have always struggled with my weight--but have come to realize I will never be that skinny girl. Now I want to be healthy and comfortable in my body--and hopefully look hot at my yet to be determined wedding!

What is Different This Time That Will Make You Successful: I had a bit of waking up call at the doctor about my health. I have always been the overweight but still healthy girl. Now the last of my excuses is gone. My doctor recommended SBD and if I can survive phase one, I think this a diet plan/lifestyle I can live with!;)

User name/name: weezle / Lisa :D

Age: 30 :yikes:

Birthday: May 15

MARITAL STATUS: Engaged to Christopher

Children/ages: Christopher's daughter, Anna, 12

TOP WEIGHT: 160

CURRENT WEIGHT: 133

GOAL WEIGHT: 115

HEIGHT: 5'3"

EYE COLOR: Brown

HAIR COLOR: Red

HOBBIES/INTERESTS: Volleyball, reading, cooking, singing, writing

PETS: Siberian Husky - Voodoo, Fat Cat - Bella

OCCUPATION: Workflow Coordinator II

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION: Springfield, IL

FAVORITE COLOR: Purple

FAVORITE FOODS: Macaroni and Cheese, anything Italian!

FAVORITE EXERCISE: Volleyball

FAVORITE BOOK(S): A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis

FAVORITE MOVIE(S): WAY too many to mention! I enjoy sci fi, comedies, and suspense/thrillers mostly. OH! And MST3K!!!

FAVORITE MUSIC: Joe Satriani, Dream Theater, KT Tunstall, Chickenfoot, Journey, Casting Crowns, Third Day, Nicole Nordeman, Fergie, Colbie Caillat, Pat Benetar, Ray LaMontagne, Heart, Jimmy Buffett, oh my the list could go on forever!

PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: Emotional eater, and have an Italian boyfriend with the metabolism of a 4 year old boy on crack, that loves to cook.

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: I am determined to fit back into my own jeans, and I refuse to buy a bigger size!!!

User name/name: Bellissa Real name: Jennie


Age: 21

Birthday: December 11

MARITAL STATUS: In a committed relationship

Children/ages: None, but lots of nieces and nephews! :carrot:

TOP WEIGHT: 205.0

CURRENT WEIGHT: 193.3

GOAL WEIGHT: 125

HEIGHT: 5' 4"

EYE COLOR: Blue

HAIR COLOR: Dark Brown but dyed red, the subtle red that was already in my hair.

HOBBIES/INTERESTS: College, baking, reading, writing, scrap-booking. Interests: Health, helping, nursing, nutrition.

PETS: My 5 month old (as if today) all black kitten Espresso! <3 She's my world!

OCCUPATION: Full-time student looking for a part-time job :dizzy:

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION: O-H-I-O! (Go bucks!)

FAVORITE COLOR: Red! Also Black, but that's not really a color I suppose.

FAVORITE FOODS: Pasta, salad, buffalo chicken dip, dark chocolate, pizza, Subway!

FAVORITE EXERCISE: Elliptical, Racquetball, Biking, Walking, Volleyball.

FAVORITE BOOK(S): Most recent: Look Better Naked, Age Erasers, Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma and Cosmopolitanism Magazine.

FAVORITE MOVIE(S): The Labyrinth, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Wicker Park, Titanic, It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, Harry Potter Movies... so on.

FAVORITE MUSIC: Every type. It's the lyrics that matter Country and Indie/Alternative (Death Cab for Cutie, etc) I love older music like Perry Como.

PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: Emotional eating, being bored or just not caring.

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: I love the SBD and it's very easy to follow. Not a diet, more of a lifestyle. I have a wonderful support system on here and from my peers. I've also set realistic goals and have a plan for rewards to keep me working toward these goals. :)


Nice to meet you ;)

User name/name: BelovedK

Age: 44

Birthday: September 11th

MARITAL STATUS: Married one year (married in 2009)

Children/ages: Boy:15 Girl:10

TOP WEIGHT: 165

CURRENT WEIGHT: 158.8

GOAL WEIGHT: 132-5

HEIGHT: 5' 6.5"

EYE COLOR: Blue

HAIR COLOR: Deep red/brown

HOBBIES/INTERESTS: Belly dancing, Tarot, mothering my children, photography.

PETS: one calm and sweet kitty, one wild cat, and one passive pit bull.

OCCUPATION: Hair stylist, Tarot card reader/teacher

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION: Virginia, USA

FAVORITE COLOR: I wear a whole lotta black, but love peacock greens and blues.

FAVORITE FOODS: Indian, Mexican, Thai.

FAVORITE EXERCISE: Belly dancing and yoga (but I do a whole lot of interval training at home with DVDs)

FAVORITE BOOK(S): 'The Mists of Avalon' has always been my favorite book, but I haven't read it in a while. I read a lot of books on the Tarot, and diet/nutrition books, and I read Young Adult novels (because I am writing one)

FAVORITE MOVIE(S): Hrm, I love Tim Burton films, and French films. I also love a good scary movie.

FAVORITE MUSIC: World Music/Middle Eastern music to belly dance to, Gothic/Industrial, Not sure of the genre, but I love artists like Tori Amos, and Fiona Apple... Punk, spooky/ambient music like Dark Sanctuary.

PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: Using food as a self med when I am feeling unpleasant emotions (like boredom, or anger)

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: I am getting in touch with the root cause of the weight problem, I also reached a point where I was so miserable I couldn't live with myself.

User name/name: jandaman/janet

Age:37

Birthday: Mar 11

MARITAL STATUS: taken! 9 years of unmarried bliss with akeem da dream =)

Children/ages: furbaby boo tazer, turns 3 this halloween

TOP WEIGHT: 96 kilos/211 lbs

CURRENT WEIGHT: 96 kilos!

GOAL WEIGHT: 68 kilos/150 lbs

HEIGHT: 171 cm/ 5' 7"

EYE COLOR: brown

HAIR COLOR: bettie page black

HOBBIES/INTERESTS: travelling, concerts, reading, crafting&baking, tarot....

OCCUPATION: english teacher, translator

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION: Mainz, Germany

FAVORITE COLOR: fuchsia

FAVORITE FOODS: Mexican, Thai, Lebanese&Moroccan, fusion

FAVORITE EXERCISE: lifting weights at the gym, 30 day shred (cuz i love it when jillian kicks my tuckus) and yoga

FAVORITE BOOK(S): very eclectic: from neil gaiman's sandman over haruki murakami to david sedaris etc. etc.

FAVORITE MOVIE(S): love me some horror/splatter e.g. sean of the dead-hilarious!!! also love tim burton

FAVORITE MUSIC: again with the eclectism...alterna/punk/country/emo/electro/hardcore/bluegrass/hiphop....

PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: using food to alleviate any and all negative emotions...especially anxiety

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: i WILL learn to love myself. am currently in therapy and doing everything i can to achieve my goals

Beacher BIOS - 2011
 

Hi!!!

I just found this website from my search for Dr. Oz's smoothie recipe. I love that man, lol! I think this forum is a great site and I just may stick around.


First name: Jessyka

Geographical location: Idaho

Age: 22

Marital Status: Living w/ boyfriend ("unofficial" fiancée *he hasn't proposed yet but we know we are going to get married someday)

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: Student (studying to become a pharmacy tech)

Pets: 1 Female Beta - Phoebe

Hobbies/Interests: Photography, listening to music, playing games, computers

Height: 5'3"

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: I haven't started anything yet...I like the South Beach Diet plan but I don't know how to fully incorporate it since I still live at home w/ my folks and my parents insist getting all the bad stuff and the stuff I would need/want is a little more spendy and uneconomical to have separate stuff. If anyone has any ideas for this kind of situation I would love to hear them! I was in the WDW college program last year and before I left for Florida I weighed about 195/8 and when I came back home I was down to 172 (my boyfriend was amazed)...sadly I couldn't maintain that once I lived w/ my folks again (and I don't have a job now - being a costuming hostess is an extremely physical job and there was TONS of walking all day -especially using the tunnels getting from the back of the park to the front, lol) and so I'm back up to 185 and it sadly depresses me. I bought the Tony Little Gazelle earlier this year and haven't used it as much as I should have. I really don't want to gain anymore weight while I'm at my folk's so I'm going to do my best not to inch further up. I've tried eating recipes from the South Beach Diet (mostly just breakfasts and desert) and did that for a couple weeks before I got burnt out on the same things day in and day out. The SBD just makes plain sense to me, I just gotta figure out how to make it work for my situation and I gotta quit making excuses.

Starting Weight: Spring 2009: 195/8 :: Winter 2009,10 : 173 :: Spring/Summer 2010 : 175-180

Present Weight: 185

Goal Weight:My ultimate dream weight would be 130

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Living at my folk's place, not knowing how to incorporate a "diet" into my lifestyle, not making time to use my Gazelle Freestyle (aka exercise)

Following any specific plan: I would like to follow the SBD...it just makes plain sense to me! It should be called common sense, lol!

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past:I have a forum board to go to for support, and use as a resource

Anything else you would like to share with us:I have been diagnosed (by symptoms) w/ PCOS when I was in high school but I don't believe that since my doctor didn't do any kind of testing to PROVE that I had it...I like anything natural or homeopathic and take a MultiVitamin, Omega 3, Cinammon, and immune booster daily. I've also used My Fitness Pal in the past but I got tired of having to count my calories all the time...it got tiresome and was not something I could continue...I prefer being able to choose better foods instead of counting every little thing...it provides better flexibility and won't drive me crazy, lol

User name/name: tanner'smom/Jasmine

Age: 32

Birthday: May 23rd

MARITAL STATUS: Married

Children/ages: boy-6

TOP WEIGHT: 237

CURRENT WEIGHT: 232

GOAL WEIGHT: 140

HEIGHT: 5' 5"

EYE COLOR: Blue

HAIR COLOR: Dirty Blonde

HOBBIES/INTERESTS: reading, hanging out with family and friends, watching cheesy movies

PETS: 2 crazy cats

OCCUPATION: Special Education Teacher, 2nd and 3rd grade

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION: Colorado

FAVORITE COLOR: Purple

FAVORITE FOODS: tortialla chips, cheese, baked goods

FAVORITE EXERCISE: Walking

FAVORITE BOOK(S): I read a lot and have lots of favorites, right now I would have to say I am in love with my Nook, because it lets me read so much

FAVORITE MUSIC: I love music! Right now I am listening to a lot of Broadway show music, thanks to my son's love of it.

PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: Falling off the wagon

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: It is under Dr.'s orders which is a scary thing
__________________

User name/name: Wantabetterme

AGE: 31

BIRTHDAY: Jan 18

MARITAL STATUS: Married 2 1/2 years

Children/ages: None

TOP WEIGHT: 261

CURRENT WEIGHT: 240

GOAL WEIGHT: 140

HEIGHT: 5'7"

EYE COLOR: green

HAIR COLOR: little bit of everything

HOBBIES/INTERESTS: dogs, camping, spending time with family, dominoes, fishing, hunting

PETS: 3 dogs (1 inside/2 outside) and 2 wild cottontail rabbits that have decided to live in my yard.

OCCUPATION: Administrative Assistant

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION: South Texas

FAVORITE COLOR: steel blue

FAVORITE FOODS: chinese, mexican, cajun (really picky - NOT- can't you tell)

FAVORITE EXERCISE: elliptical and recumbent bike

FAVORITE BOOK(S): don't really take as much time to read as I should/been sticking to magazines lately

FAVORITE MOVIE(S): such a wide array --- favorites include Open Range, Wild Hogs, and Gran Torino

FAVORITE MUSIC: I listen to everything except rap/classical --- like oldies, 70's rock, classic country, some current country, some jazz

PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: They've always been DIETS not life changes

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: There is nothing that I want more than to be a mom. I have been ready for children for a long time and feel that weight is one of the biggest things I have against me.

User name/name: AmyKitKat/Amy

AGE: 35

BIRTHDAY: Dec 11

MARITAL STATUS: Married 12.5 years

Children/ages: DD/4, DS/7

TOP WEIGHT: 170

CURRENT WEIGHT: 166

GOAL WEIGHT: 140

HEIGHT: 5'4"

EYE COLOR: gray

HAIR COLOR: light brown

HOBBIES/INTERESTS: baking, LOTRO (not as much as I used to), being a mom :dizzy: (essential hobby??)

PETS: 1 cat, our dog of 12 years just died

OCCUPATION: Administrative Assistant/"Financial Specialist"

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION: Milwaukee, WI

FAVORITE COLOR: dark gray

FAVORITE FOODS: Polish/Hungarian

FAVORITE EXERCISE: running (more of a jog pace)

FAVORITE BOOK(S): Anything by Anne Rice :o (Terrible given that I've finished my coursework for a Masters in Literature)

FAVORITE MOVIE(S): Sin City

FAVORITE MUSIC: Enya, Beatles, Green Day - wide range

PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: Figuring out how to have fun on the weekends without beer/wine and sweets; figuring out how to navigate social events while eating the way I know I should

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: Realizing what my weight loss issue is and using this site to hold myself accountable rather than just relying on will power

User name: Myyear

AGE: 57

BIRTHDAY: September 22

MARITAL STATUS: married

Children: Chiweenie dog

TOP WEIGHT: 207

CURRENT WEIGHT: 190ish

GOAL WEIGHT: 140

HEIGHT: 5'4"

EYE COLOR: Brown

HAIR COLOR: Silver

HOBBIES/INTERESTS: Bible study, gardening, cooking, reading, old movies

PETS: 1 dog

OCCUPATION: Retired!

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION: California

FAVORITE COLOR: Red

FAVORITE FOODS: Steak

FAVORITE EXERCISE: Walking

FAVORITE BOOK(S): The Bible

FAVORITE MOVIE(S): Fireproof; The Ghost and Mrs. Muir; Lars and the Real Girl

FAVORITE MUSIC: Christian music; oldies

PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: Turning a diet into a lifestyle

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: Making South Beach a way of life and not just another diet to go on/off.

Basic facts
Name (real first name if you feel comforable):Becky

Gender: Female

Age (or general age group): 34

Where you live: Huntsville, AL

Where you grew up: My dad was military, but we moved here when I was 9, so Huntsville is really the only place I can say I grew up.

Other places you’ve lived: Germany, Texas

Do you have kids? How old? Yes, 1 boy that is 8 years old

Are you an oldest, youngest, middle, or only child? How many siblings? I am the youngest of 3 girls

Languages, beside English, you speak: French, my mom is French and my sister's and I were raised bilingual

Who do you live with (spouse, kids, parents, grandparents, roommate, pets, alone, etc)? My husband and kiddo

Current job or field of work / studies: I work in credit and collections for a poultry distributor.

Why did you choose South Beach? Because it just makes sense to eat this way.
What are your ultimate lifestyle change goals? Short term? Long term I want to get me and my family eating healthier and at healthy weights. My son is considered obese (he has now lost 9 lbs since we started SB) and I want him to teach him how to make good choices.Short term: I want to get down within a healthy weight range. I am the best girl in my friend Chad's wedding and I want to look pretty in my dress.

Are you going at this plan by yourself or do you have support (other than us of course)?My husband eats what I eat, but he still loves his Cokes. He is trying the Coke Zero so he can at least not drink his calories. My son is on plan with me too.

Beyond the facts

Favorite books: Harry Potter Series, Twilight Series and the Marked Series. I also like True Crime and Thrillers.

Favorite kinds of music / bands:I like all sorts of music. Everything from Hip Hop to Opera, but my favorite is anything I can move to. I love to dance!

Favorite movies: The 5th Element

Favorite saying / quote: I don't really have one.

Favorite holiday: CHRISTMAS!!!

Hobbies:I love to read and have re-taken up cross stitching. My best friend and I choreograph dances for weddings.

Do you live somewhere urban, rural, or suburban? Rural

The place you’d most like to visit: I would like to visit France to see some of my family there. I haven't been since I was 13 years old, so the only ones I have seen have been the ones that I have come here.

Best thing that ever happened to you: Meeting my husband and the birth of my son.

Tell us something else about yourself that you want to share that not too many people know: I have a dual citizenship with France and the USA.

And now questions unanswered above from the original questionnaire:

BIRTHDAY: May 20th

MARITAL STATUS: Married

TOP WEIGHT:178

SB STARTING WEIGHT: 178

GOAL WEIGHT: 145

HEIGHT: 5'6

EYE COLOR: Brown

HAIR COLOR: Dark, dark brown

FAVORITE COLOR: Orange

FAVORITE FOODS: Mexican Food!

FAVORITE EXERCISE:Jogging and dancing

PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: Portion Control

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: I am looking out for more than just me. I am doing this with and for my whole family. I don't want my son growing up being teased because of his weight. I want him to make good food choices as an adult. I am hoping what I am teaching him now will stick with him forever.

Basic facts:
Name (real first name if you feel comfortable): Okiemute
Gender: Female
Age (or general age group): 27
Where you live: Bowie, MD
Where you grew up: Lagos, Nigeria and Riverdale, MD
Other places you’ve lived: San Diego, CA and Tampa, Florida.
Do you have kids? How old? I'm without kids.
Are you an oldest, youngest, middle, or only child? How many siblings? Oldest of three.
Languages, beside English, you speak: Spanish, Urhobo, Yoruba.
Who do you live with (spouse, kids, parents, grandparents, roommate, pets, alone, etc)? I live with my parents.
Current job or field of work / studies: I'm in school for child care.
Why did you choose South Beach? A friend told me about it.
What are your ultimate lifestyle change goals? To lose weight and be healthy.
Are you going at this plan by yourself or do you have support (other than us of course)? I have support online.
BIRTHDAY: May 20th

MARITAL STATUS: Married

TOP WEIGHT:330

SB STARTING WEIGHT: 330

GOAL WEIGHT: 154

HEIGHT: 5'6

EYE COLOR: Brown

HAIR COLOR: Black

FAVORITE COLOR: Blue

FAVORITE FOODS: Rice, fried plantains and chicken.

FAVORITE EXERCISE: N/A

PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: Wanting to eat junk foods!

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: My health is being compromised, I'm prediabetic and have HBP!


Beyond the facts
Favorite books: Romance novels.
Favorite kinds of music / bands: I like music of the 60s& 70s
Favorite movies: Harry Potter movies, Closer and the Godfather Trilogies
Favorite saying / quote: I came, I saw, I conquered.
Favorite holiday: Christmas
Hobbies: Internet (obviously), Reading and Journaling
Passions / obsessions: Family and Friends and being a good Christian.
Are you a camping and hiking kind of person or do you prefer less sweaty and “roughing it” kinds of activities? Definitely not a camping or hiking person.
Got pets? What kind? (feel free to add some adorable photos) No pets
Do you live somewhere urban, rural, or suburban? Suburban
The place you’d most like to visit: London
Best thing that ever happened to you: Being born
Tell us something else about yourself that you want to share that not too many people know: I am still a virgin and plan to remain that way till marriage.

__________________

Basic facts:
Name (real first name if you feel comfortable): geekmomba / Christy
Gender: Female
Age (or general age group): 56
Where you live: Lynnwood, WA
Where you grew up: Seattle, WA
Other places you’ve lived: Fall City, WA; Sedona, AZ; Henderson, NV
Do you have kids? How old? Kids are grown and married. :)
Are you an oldest, youngest, middle, or only child? How many siblings? Oldest with one brother, two years younger
Languages, beside English, you speak: I wish.
Who do you live with (spouse, kids, parents, grandparents, roommate, pets, alone, etc)? Currently living with a roommate and her dog, Cadence.
Current job or field of work / studies: Unemployed, looking for an IT project manager position
Why did you choose South Beach? I have hyper-insulinism, and this works well with that problem.
What are your ultimate lifestyle change goals? To lose weight and be healthy.
Are you going at this plan by yourself or do you have support (other than us of course)? My daughter and roommate are currently South Beaching as well
BIRTHDAY: March 29

MARITAL STATUS: Widowed <sigh> in July of 2009...lost the love of my life to cancer.

TOP WEIGHT:278

SB STARTING WEIGHT: 275.2

GOAL WEIGHT: 140

HEIGHT: 5'3

EYE COLOR: Brown

HAIR COLOR: Medium Ash Brown (from a bottle...no gray for me ;) )

FAVORITE COLOR: Purple

FAVORITE FOODS: Chocolate, Earl Gray Tea, Brown Rice

FAVORITE EXERCISE: Water Aerobics

PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: Being a social eater; loving desserts.

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: This is not a DIET it is a LIFESTYLE...I am not looking for a quick fix.

Beyond the facts
Favorite books: Too many to mention...even too many genres.
Favorite kinds of music / bands: Everything except RAP
Favorite movies: The Shooter, The Blind Side, Star Trek
Favorite saying / quote: Christy's Rule of 85: When I'm 85, is this something I'm going to care about?
Favorite holiday: Christmas
Hobbies: All things geek; crafts, reading, playing piano.
Passions / obsessions: Grandkids and being a good Christian.
Are you a camping and hiking kind of person or do you prefer less sweaty and “roughing it” kinds of activities? Like it all.
Got pets? What kind? (feel free to add some adorable photos) Had a cat, but roommate is allergic.
Do you live somewhere urban, rural, or suburban? Suburban
The place you’d most like to visit: Tuscany, Italy; Australia
Best thing that ever happened to you: Becoming a follower of Jesus Christ
Tell us something else about yourself that you want to share that not too many people know: I was molested as an 8 year old, and to this day I wonder if this had something to do with my weight gain.
__________________
__________________
Starting weight: 275.2 pounds
Current weight: 269.9 pounds

Doing a 40 day challenge...go sista, go!

Basic facts

Name (real first name if you feel comforable):Madeleine, or Maddie
Gender: Female
Age (or general age group): 23
Where you live: Maryland
Where you grew up: Maryland
Other places you’ve lived: Virginia
Do you have kids? How old? Don't see them in my future. But I like other people's kids because you can give them back!
Are you an oldest, youngest, middle, or only child? How many siblings? I am the oldest. I have a younger brother and sister.
Languages, beside English, you speak: none
Who do you live with (spouse, kids, parents, grandparents, roommate, pets, alone, etc)? I live with a roomate and my bf basically lives with me :-)
Current job or field of work / studies:I am a receptionist and a part time student.
Why did you choose South Beach?It worked for my momma, who is also a member of 3fc, and because I was so dependent on sugar and carbs. I wanted to see if I could wean myself off of them. In the meantime I found my love of vegetables!!!
What are your ultimate lifestyle change goals? Short term? Long term,I want to stick to my goal weight and not give up!
Short term; I'd just like to make it through these two weeks of phase one again and actually see a large change on the scale :-)
Are you going at this plan by yourself or do you have support (other than us of course)?My mom is been on plan for years now, she is my biggest support in this diet bc she is so suprised at how much I have changed my eating habits in the last 7 months.

Beyond the facts
Favorite books: VOGUE and Shape Magazine. The only books I read are my school textbooks :-(
Favorite kinds of music / bands:So many; Missy Higgins, Britney Spears, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, and anything else you can dance to!
Favorite movies: Marie Antoinette
Favorite saying / quote: Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels!
Favorite holiday: Valentines Day
Hobbies:Dance, working out, cooking.
Are you a camping and hiking kind of person or do you prefer less sweaty and “roughing it” kinds of activities? I hate outdoor activities. I am too high maintenance.
Do you live somewhere urban, rural, or suburban? urban
The place you’d most like to visit: Nepal, Italy, Greece, and France.
Best thing that ever happened to you: Finding my bf.
Tell us something else about yourself that you want to share that not too many people know: I secretly am addicted to working out.
And now questions unanswered above from the original questionnaire:

BIRTHDAY: March 31

MARITAL STATUS: In a relationship

TOP WEIGHT:175

SB STARTING WEIGHT: 155

GOAL WEIGHT: 129

HEIGHT: 5'4"

EYE COLOR: Blue

HAIR COLOR: Blonde

FAVORITE COLOR: Pink and Black

FAVORITE FOODS: Love anything spicy!!! I love sushi!

FAVORITE EXERCISE:Dance class, Crossfit. Yoga, Boxing.

PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: I always want to drink on the weekend and it interferes with my weight loss.

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: I am so close to my goal weight, and I want it so badly.

Bios
 

Basic facts:
Name (real first name if you feel comforable):Chris/Cheelay
Gender:f
Age (or general age group):34
BIRTHDAY: April 2
MARITAL STATUS: 15 yrs married
TOP WEIGHT:330 good heavens
SBD STARTING WEIGHT:330
GOAL WEIGHT: 160 lbs
HEIGHT: 5'6
EYE COLOR:Hazel
HAIR COLOR: Blond/brown

Where you live:Quebec
Where you grew up:Ontario
Other places you’ve lived:Mexico
Do you have kids? Nope
Are you an oldest, youngest, middle, or only child? How many siblings?Only child
Languages, beside English, you speak:French, Spanish
Who do you live with (spouse, kids, parents, grandparents, roommate, pets, alone, etc)?My husband Paul
Current job or field of work / studies:Accountant
Why did you choose South Beach? Love it and it works fast.
What are your ultimate lifestyle change goals? I want to live instead of existing to live for food.
Short term? Be able to be more active.
Are you going at this plan by yourself or do you have support (other than us of course)? My husband is super supportive, and so are my co-workers, amongst you guys...

Beyond the facts
Favorite books:Healing, Reiki, and Spiritual/Crossing Over
Favorite kinds of music / bands: I love the old 80's music.
Favorite movies:PS I love you.
Favorite saying / quote: Well ain't that the cat's ***.
Favorite holiday:Christmas
Hobbies: Cooking, travelling, nature and pets.
Passions / obsessions:Cooking and travel, obsessed with Chinese food.
Are you a camping and hiking kind of person or do you prefer less sweaty and “roughing it” kinds of activities? I love roughing it as much as I love the spa for a day...
Got pets? I have Cheelay who is blind in one eye chinchilla whom I rescued, he's my baby and has been with me for 3 years. I also have Ruby, she is a gerbil, crazy and very active...
Do you live somewhere urban, rural, or suburban? I live in the city, beside the mountains. Country like setting.
The place you’d most like to visit: Machu Pichu - I want to climb to the top and feel the vibe.
Best thing that ever happened to you: My husband Paul, he is my lover, my best friend, my soul mate.

FORMER OCCUPATION: Accountant again...
FAVORITE COLOR: Green
FAVORITE FOODS: Authentic chinese food, greek food, lebanese food and giant rib steaks hot off the BBQ with yummy baked potato and ceasar salad...
FAVORITE EXERCISE: Walking and yoga when I'm thin enough to bend over. lol
PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: I LOVE FOOD!
WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: I have to live, I want to be with my husband forever.

Name (real first name if you feel comforable): Shannon
Gender: Female
Age (or general age group):30
BIRTHDAY: September
MARITAL STATUS: Single
TOP WEIGHT: 351
SBD STARTING WEIGHT: 351
GOAL WEIGHT: 150 lbs
HEIGHT: 5'7.5 (always get my 1/2 in there!)
EYE COLOR: Brown
HAIR COLOR: Brown

Where you live: Southern California
Where you grew up:Cali girl, born & bred
Other places you’ve lived: NYC
Do you have kids? No
Are you an oldest, youngest, middle, or only child? How many siblings?Only child
Languages, beside English, you speak: Spanglish. Okay, nothing else.
Who do you live with (spouse, kids, parents, grandparents, roommate, pets, alone, etc)? Currently back at home with ma!
Current job or field of work / studies: Unemployed Writer, hence: (see above)

Why did you choose South Beach? Had leg pains; in 2006, dug the book out of a drawer and put it to work!
What are your ultimate lifestyle change goals? I want food to be mainly fuel and no longer my top priority. I want to be fit and strong, as well.
Short term? Fit into the pea-coat I bought in England 3 years ago!
Are you going at this plan by yourself or do you have support (other than us of course)? My mom actually helped me lose my 1st 100 lbs by creating/cooking a variety of SB-friendly recipes. She's great to have in my corner!

Beyond the facts
Favorite books: 'James and the Giant Peach', 'The Bridge of San Luis Rey', 'Memoirs of a Geisha', anything by Jane Austen
Favorite kinds of music / bands: Everything, especially 80's music, musical soundtracks and Alt-pop.
Favorite movies:'When Harry Met Sally', 'Sense and Sensibility'
Favorite saying / quote: "That's Craaaazy" or "Cool Beans"
Favorite holiday:Christmas
Hobbies: Movies, Television, Pop-Culture
Passions / obsessions:Writing.
Are you a camping and hiking kind of person or do you prefer less sweaty and “roughing it” kinds of activities? Roughing it for me is s'mores... On the patio of a bar.
Got pets? Deliciously fat 14 year-old cat named Maximillian. He needs no diet!
Do you live somewhere urban, rural, or suburban? Suburban, but I dig Urban.
The place you’d most like to visit: Buenos Aires & Rio De Janeiro.
Best thing that ever happened to you: Losing my 1st 100 lbs!

FAVORITE COLOR: White. Which technically isn't a color. Dig green, too.
FAVORITE FOODS: Anything sweet or fried. Preferably both.
FAVORITE EXERCISE: Walking while jamming to iPod.
PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: Living to eat
WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: Much as I want to deny it, my weight holds me back. I'm too fabulous to feel inhibited!

User name/name: Mum2Monkeys / Jess

Age: 29

Birthday: July 31

MARITAL STATUS: Married since 2003

Children/ages: J. 5 1/2, Z. 3 1/2

HEIGHT: 5' 5"

EYE COLOR: Green Hazel

HAIR COLOR: Varies lol Light Ash Brown at the moment

HOBBIES/INTERESTS: Reading, painting, photography

OCCUPATION: stay-at-home mom, portrait artist

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION: Southern VA

FAVORITE COLOR: Blue, Green, and Purple, in that order

FAVORITE FOODS: BBQ Ribs

FAVORITE EXERCISE: Sleeping? :P Walking (treadmill) or Pilates

FAVORITE BOOK(S): Romance novels.. Any romance novels lol

FAVORITE MOVIE(S): Pride and Prejudice (A&E version), A-Team, anything Tim Burton

FAVORITE MUSIC: Varies by mood, but at the moment, Pop, R&B, and Industrial

PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: I'm an "all-or-nothing" type of person in general, and in weight loss, this means that if I "slip", I tend to say "to heck with it" and give up

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: My husband is doing this with me, which will help me over the initial hurdles

User name/name: cafelatte

Age: 57

Birthday: September 22nd

MARITAL STATUS: Yes!

Children/ages: year old dog

HEIGHT: 5' 4"

EYE COLOR: Brown

HAIR COLOR: Silver

HOBBIES/INTERESTS: old movies, reading.

OCCUPATION: Retired

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION: California

FAVORITE COLOR: Red

FAVORITE FOODS: Sirloin Steak

FAVORITE EXERCISE: Walking

FAVORITE BOOK(S): The Bible

FAVORITE MOVIE(S): The Ghost and Mrs. Muir; Lars and the Real Girl

FAVORITE MUSIC: All types

PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: Trouble in Committing to a Plan

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: I'm making this a lifestyle, not another diet.

USER NAME/NAME: justmary/Mary

AGE: Very Old...I mean 53

BIRTHDAY: November 13

MARITAL STATUS: Divorced as of June, 2010 after 26 years of marriage

CHILDREN/AGES: 2 sons, 25/23

PETS: One cat, Siamese mix, 6 years old named MamaKitty

HEIGHT: 5' 5"

EYE COLOR: Blue Hazel

HAIR COLOR: Really gray...need to color it

HOBBIES/INTERESTS: reading, watching Netflix, spending time on computer

OCCUPATION: not employed

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION: Arkansas

FAVORITE COLOR: Red

FAVORITE FOODS: Fried chicken, potatoes/gravy, iced sweet tea:o

FAVORITE EXERCISE: Walking

FAVORITE BOOK(S): Harry Potter/LOTR/Wheel of Time series

FAVORITE MOVIE(S): Harry Potter/LOTR

FAVORITE MUSIC: Christian, country

PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: Trouble getting started. Once I make that hurdle, I can usually do ok.:crossed:

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: I'm doing it for my oldest son (to help him) as well as doing it for my health. I'm about 175 pounds overweight, have uncontrolled diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and asthma. I don't want to die. With time running out I've now decided I really want to live.

Name (real first name if you feel comforable): claire0412 / Claire
Gender:F
Age (or general age group):25
BIRTHDAY: 4th December
MARITAL STATUS: Single (seems wrong to write single when I live with my bf!)
TOP WEIGHT: ever, hmm around 165
SBD STARTING WEIGHT: 152
GOAL WEIGHT: 140 ish
HEIGHT: 5'8''
EYE COLOR: Green/yellow/blue mix
HAIR COLOR: Dark brown

Where you live: Vienna, Austria
Where you grew up: London, UK
Other places you’ve lived: Krems, Austria
Do you have kids? How old? None yet!
Are you an oldest, youngest, middle, or only child? How many siblings? Oldest of three
Languages, beside English, you speak: German (all day every day!)
Who do you live with? my boyfriend
Current job or field of work / studies: primary school teacher
Why did you choose South Beach? I think sugar is evil, but unfortunately I addicted to it. I blame it for everything including my hormone problems, skin problems, stomach problems and extra flab. I want to see if I'm right!
What are your ultimate lifestyle change goals? I'd love to shake the sugar addiction, to not be a slave to my food intolerance, to set a good example to the kids in my class (what some parents consider good brain food for school is shocking) and to get clued up about nutrition / out of the diet cycle before I have children of my own, so they don't learn my bad habits.

Beyond the facts
Favorite kinds of music / bands: Britpop, neue deutsche Welle, Tocotronic
Favorite holiday: backpacking around or snowboarding (active, active, active!) I can't imagine a more boring holiday than a beach holiday.
Hobbies: Cooking, meeting friends, photography, creating cool teaching props
Passions / obsessions: food and cocktails
Are you a camping and hiking kind of person or do you prefer less sweaty and “roughing it” kinds of activities? roughing it! I love hiking, especially in the snow.
The place you’d most like to visit: South America esp. Peru; Cuba before Castro dies; New Zealand to visit relatives; anyway North enough to watch the Northern Lights.
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FAVORITE COLOR: purple
FAVORITE FOODS: chocolate in any form (oh dear); salmon and Asian food.
FAVORITE EXERCISE: running. I'm training to beat my 1/2 marathon PB.
PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: Giving up on the chance to have my perfect body because I can't be bothered. Thinking a little bit of extra wobble is worth the extra chocolate...

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: I think it'll be easier to run the 1/2 marathon if I am a bit lighter. Also, I really want to do this to get rid of the sugar crashes and aforementioned problems. I really think a high carb diet disagrees with me, and if I carry on eating high carb, low fat, i'll be missing out on lots of important nutrients. I want to improve my health, and not just my waistline (although that as well). I also feel like, at 25, I only have a few more years until the body wrecking ball (pregnancy) hits and i'd like to enjoy a few years of a flat stomach ;-)

Basic facts:
Name (real first name if you feel comforable): Samantha

Gender: Female

Age (or general age group): 22

Where you live: North Carolina, USA

Where you grew up: Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania

Other places you’ve lived: 29 Palms California, Meridian Mississippi

Do you have kids? How old? Nope.

Are you an oldest, youngest, middle, or only child? How many siblings? I'm a middle child. Three sisters (24, 18, 14)

Languages, beside English, you speak: None.

Who do you live with (spouse, kids, parents, grandparents, roommate, pets, alone, etc)? I live with my husband.

Current job or field of work / studies: I currently do not have a job.

Why did you choose South Beach? I really didn't want to "diet" and have to count calories, carbs, points, etc. I just wanted to eat healthy.

What are your ultimate lifestyle change goals? Short term? I just want to be comfortable with who I am and enjoy looking at what I see in the mirror. Short term? I'm not really sure there is a short term goal with this lifestyle change.

Are you going at this plan by yourself or do you have support (other than us of course)? My husband - although I think he's going to struggle a bit. He's naturally tall + thin, and I just think he wants to eat those hamburgers + drink his Coke.

Beyond the facts:
Favorite books: I'm a huge fan of mystery novels. Also, the Shopaholic books... but I haven't read the newest one yet. Hope it's as good as the rest of them!

Favorite kinds of music / bands: I'm pretty open to everything, but I really like indie music.

Favorite movies: Oh, this one is hard. I can do my newest favorite movie? Black Swan.

Favorite saying / quote: Oh - I don't have one of these.

Favorite holiday: I really like all holidays. But maybe Easter??

Hobbies: Scrapbooking, cooking/baking, reading, watching movies, cross stitching, shopping

Are you a camping and hiking kind of person or do you prefer less sweaty and “roughing it” kinds of activities? I definitely like camping + hiking, but I do not like all "roughing" it activities.

Do you live somewhere urban, rural, or suburban? Extremely rural.

The place you’d most like to visit: Oh, I think that's every place in the world! Top places? Japan, Sweden, Africa, and Australia.

Best thing that ever happened to you: Meeting my husband.

And now questions unanswered above from the original questionnaire:

BIRTHDAY: 6 June 1988

MARITAL STATUS: Married since October 2010

TOP WEIGHT:167

SB STARTING WEIGHT: 167

GOAL WEIGHT: 135

HEIGHT: 5'5"

EYE COLOR: Green

HAIR COLOR: Reddish Brown

FAVORITE COLOR: Green + Purple (I can't choose!)

FAVORITE FOODS: Sushi

FAVORITE EXERCISE: Running

PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: Not being able to eat everything I want...

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: I suppose desperation? I'm tired of waking up in the morning to clothes that don't fit... and just feeling unattractive towards my husband. I have never been this big - but about a year ago I got out of the Marine Corps... was put on a new birth control... got a job at a fudge shop... and gained about 30 pounds. It just needs to end.

Basic facts:
Name : Jess
Gender: Female
Age : 25
Where you live: Virginia
Where you grew up: Virginia
Other places you’ve lived: Alabama, Georgia, California, Texas, Massachusetts
Do you have kids? Nope
Are you an oldest, youngest, middle, or only child? How many siblings? Oldest with two younger brothers.
Languages, beside English, you speak: Allegedly I speak French and Russian, according to school transcripts (I do not)
Who do you live with (spouse, kids, parents, grandparents, roommate, pets, alone, etc)? With my boyfriend. It's really like having a child.
Why did you choose South Beach? I like SB because (a) the rapid weight loss of Phase 1 helps rev me up with instant gratification, (b) almost everything that I eat that's bad for me is on the "no" list, and (c) I've had a lot of success in the past.
What are your ultimate lifestyle change goals? Short term, to get back to college weight. Long term, to train my eyes and stomach to agree on what are good food choices so I don't ever have to diet again.
Are you going at this plan by yourself or do you have support (other than us of course)? My boyfriend has agreed not to make fun of it, if that counts as support. My family is behind me as well.

Beyond the facts
Favorite books: Cat's Cradle, A Song of Ice and Fire, American Psycho
Favorite kinds of music / bands: Classic Rock/Ironic 80s Music
Favorite movies: The Princess Bride, Star Wars
Favorite holiday: Halloween
Hobbies: Internet, video games, singing, going out.
Are you a camping and hiking kind of person or do you prefer less sweaty and “roughing it” kinds of activities? I'll do anything active!
Got pets? What kind? (feel free to add some adorable photos) Two cats that are currently crashing at my mom's.
Do you live somewhere urban, rural, or suburban? My city has sprawled to the point where urban and suburban have combined.
The place you’d most like to visit: Australia.
Best thing that ever happened to you: Getting to pet the dolphins at Sea World
Tell us something else about yourself that you want to share that not too many people know: I sometimes sneak in romantic comedies when no one is looking.

User name/name: Sparklylikeahoilday / Zannie

AGE: 35

BIRTHDAY: December 8

MARITAL STATUS: No longer married.

Children/ages: 8 year old boy.

TOP WEIGHT: 253

CURRENT WEIGHT: 209.5

GOAL WEIGHT: 165

HEIGHT: 5' 2"

EYE COLOR: Brown

HAIR COLOR: Black

HOBBIES/INTERESTS: Reading, iPadding (is that a word?), dancing, hiking, painting, crafts, hanging out with friends, movies/tv, home decor.

OCCUPATION: Public Safety Administration

HOME LOCATION: Washington DC Metro Area

FAVORITE COLOR: Chartreuse

FAVORITE FOOD: Ice Cream

FAVORITE EXERCISE: Hiking

PROBLEM IN WEIGHT LOSS: Mindless eating.

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME THAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL: I am changing my lifestyle due to a scary health issue.

I'm P&C. Not always PC, and definitely not P&G. You all can call me Peas.
I live in the PNW.
I've got three kids and a husband, ranging in age from one to thirty six.
I'm thirty. I helped my husband beat type 2 diabetes with diet and exercise, yet I can't quite bring myself to even try to be healthy. I know I need to be for my children.
I have to lose just over 100 lbs to get to a normal BMI.
I'm a talk big, but lack the followthrough.

I dream of being 140, but that seems so far away.

I'll add more to my bio as I get comfortable.