The first thing i noticed was fad diet, believe me i've tried them, personally i think i have this figured out finally, you have to be willing to change your eating habits for the duration of your life and not a just a snapshot of a moment.

Look at the science of calories, you can't eat on faith, " I burn this many = i can have this many ", take a good look at what is really important and what is simply over indulgence, eat a greater variety of foods ( more nutritious for your body), eat foods with a higher weight to calorie ratio, this will satisfy your impulses, don't totally deny yourself, restrict portion size instead.

Honestly i'm surprised at how much i can eat if i stay active and watch the foods i eat.

Good luck, you just need to find that spark within your soul and bring it back to life as a roaring flame, grab hold and don't look back on past failures.

I'm going to be totally honest and say that it is highly unlikely you will lose 60 pounds in four months on the South Beach diet. I'm sure there are other plans out there that could do that for you if you are totally committed, but this is not it. Now, if you want to lose 60 pounds over a year-long time frame and you want to keep it off, this plan will work for you. Read the book and check in here every day and you can do it.

I agree with Kara. Really, there is no need to rush. The end of the year will come no matter what we do - would you rather be there having lost a lot of weight really fast on a fad diet and then gained it back, or lost slowly and surely on SBD while really changing your eating habits but at a slower pace? We all cheat so don't think you can *never* have cake or anything like that. Read the book, look at all the info here, and then decide. SBD is the only eating plan that ever worked for me to lose weight at all, I couldn't even follow fad diets. You have to be patient though.

I agree, there's no way you will loose all your weight by spring break but you can be looking and feeling better by then.

Everyone is different, but in general the more you have to loose the more quickly it comes off. I'm 5'3" and also started at 205 lbs. I lost 50 pounds in 6 months and 1 week on South Beach. I rarely ate off plan (Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, were the only times and I didn't go crazy on those days, I had small, preplanned portions of off plan treats) and I exercised faithfully but didn't spend hours at the gym or anything. Mostly I just walked outdoors or on the treadmill and did the wii fit strength and wii fit step. I'm 30+ years older than you are, so you've got the advantage of youth and a better metabolism on your side. I know you've also got the disadvantages of a tight budget and the stresses of college, but I do believe you can do this if you choose to.

My advice would be PLAN your menus in advance and stick to them no matter what. Be prepared. Keep nuts or string cheese or something in your bag or in your car so you're ready for the unexpected. I relied heavily on SF gum, not only does it keep your mouth busy but it tastes good. Exercise every day, even if it's just 10 minutes. The longer you can stay gung ho the more successful you'll be and the better you'll feel about yourself. Each time you eat an off plan meal or skip the exercise makes it easier to give in the next time. There's something about telling yourself, "I've gone ____ days without cheating, I don't want to blow it now" that makes you feel strong and in control. Good luck!

Thanks ladies!

Heidi, your post was particularly helpful and inspirational! Congratulations on your weight loss. You give me hope Thank you for the suggestions

Thank you so much Your inspiration helps a lot.

I wholeheartly agree with Heidi when she said, ..." I do believe you can do this if you choose to." You have got to want it bad enough first and foremost. After that, the rest will fall in place with a little effort. I also agree with others who are saying to plan ahead and be prepared. So important to always know (or at least have choices) what you are going to eat next.

Having to account for my actions has also helped me. Coming back and posting both my success and failures has been a healing process and makes me stronger.

So, hope to see a lot of you here and don't be afraid to post what is actually happening, either good or bad. In the long run, it will make you stronger.