my 2 cents
 

[QUOTE=fuzzy324]I guess my only real fear about regaining has to do with getting pregnant. I'm at the age when everyone is constantly asking my husband and I when we're going to have kids, and I'm really wondering if I want to put myself through the gain when I've tried so hard to lose. I know that I'll probably gain less while pregnant if I eat the way I'm supposed to and will therefore have less to lose afterward. But I guess that I'm just afraid I won't have the willpower to want to lose a big chunk of weight again. Seems like it would take less willpower to simply maintain, I guess.QUOTE]

I decided to live the South Beach diet because it is VERY much like a diet I was prescribed when I was pregnant. Long story short: I have BIG babies. My 2nd baby was 10 lbs 12 oz. I had 2 boys and wanted a girl but was scared to try. After reading about gestational diabetes and talking to my Dr. I decided to try for my girl. (Yes, I got her.) I met with a diabetic educator and followed a diet that's fairly similar to SB. I only gained 13 pounds and felt GREAT!

The South Beach diet seems safe enough to follow during pregnancy. Ask your doctor and hang on to lifelines like this forum.

My daughter just did the same thing with her recent pregnancy. She followed a combinatin of SBD and the diabetic diet during her pregnancy and gained 20 lbs. Since the pregnancy she has lost 25 pounds and is still losing. This has been good for her and whole family, because they are eating healthier than ever before.

Fuzzy - I find it so amusing that people would think that eating this way is resigning to living a sub-standard life. Actually, I enjoy eating this way. I love the food, I love the weight loss, I love the way that I feel. What is so bad about that? Yes, I will continue to eat like this. It also does not mean that I will never enjoy a treat once in a while, but they will be controlled.

When I was on holidays last week, I got together with an old high school friend. She met her DH in university when we were in first year (her DH was in his final year), and we had not seen them since the end of that year of school. That was 35 years ago - they are retired now. :lol:

Anyway, we went to their home for dinner last weekend and I had predetermined that I was not going to make the 'eating thing' difficult when visiting. Yes, I ate a baked potato and even had dessert (first ones since I started SBD in May). Consequently, I suffered a 1 pound gain that evening.

I don't intend to live my life being difficult with food, just eating what I know I can handle without inconvenience to other people. I actually try to eat so that noone even knows that I am on a diet. :D Most people (when/if they find out) are surprised to learn that I am on a weight loss plan. They can't figure out what plan it is because I don't make it very obvious.

When I cook at home, I make sure that there are plenty of OP foods, sprinkled with non-OP foods for family and guests. Dessert is always a choice - one OP dessert for me and non-OP desserts for the rest, depending on what they choose. When eating at someone else's house, I either plan, in advance to spoil myself a bit, or eat only OP foods that are served. Dessert is sometimes a problem because you know that it will always be non-OP, but I either eat more main course and then don't have room for dessert, or enjoy the dessert because I have planned to have it beforehand.

I know, I know, it is hard, but I think we lay the guilt feelings on ourselves when we attend these events with the intention of eating only OP foods...then are tempted beyond control to go off program. Try planning to be good for the week prior to the event, with every intention of eating non-OP foods - within reason - and enjoying without guilt. Tomorrow is a new day and we can be back OP to recover from the slight indiscretions. Remember - NO GUILT here.

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas I kind of floundered on the beach. I came down with a nasty sinus/cold/flu type thing that wiped me out physically for a couple weeks. I had absolutely no energy or will power to eat properly. When I feel really bad I want comfort food. cool whip and chocolate pudding, grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup.

I got out of the habit of walking because I had no energy. I slipped with my vegetables....I know that vegetables are good for me and a necessary part of this woe...but....I don't really like them and it's easy for me to get out of the habit of eating them.

I hit a red line number on the scale and decided that I'm not going to regain this weight! I've accomplished too much to allow myself to self destruct and regain it all.

I remembered all the advice I got from this thread and got back to walking and taking the stairs, I went back to phase 1 for a couple days just to remind my body what I'm supposed to be doing, drank my water and daily V8 juice, ate my salads and veggies with every meal and I'm back on track. :D

Thank you all for your wonderful advice.
Sarah

I thought I'd throw this back up to the top for the person who's having problems maintaining her weight loss. This thread had a lot of good information.

I've fluctuated +/- ~5 pounds since I've lost the weight. Other then this long stall, which I really believe is me eating too much, I've not regained what I've lost.

Sarah

I wish I could add some words of wisdom..so much great advice already! I like the 5 pound rule....I am still in mourning to be back to 128 pounds and still beat myself up over it. I lost about 45 pounds 10 years ago by LF dieting and MEGA exercising. I loved the stares of men. I knew I was attractive after seeing one bump into a wall and another near fall off his motorcycle...so it's not that I fear that component..I am an emotional eater.. Traumatic experiences, stress, boredom are all triggers for me.. I never ate large portions of foods, just all the wrong foods.. I had to do some real work emotionally to figure out why I became Fat at 8 years old, why each time I lost weight I would regained it...I was always chubby, but not obese like I am now.. let me tell you, I can't speak to pregnancy, but I went into early menopause at the age of 29, and it seemed in a blink of an eye I went from chubby to obese and have struggled to lose weight since then. Now, I understand myself so much more, and feel in my bones that I will get healthy, and will maintain my weightloss. I feel so much better eating this way. no more heartburn, no more sciatica pain, no more bloating..not lethargic come 2PM and I feel in control.... Well I know this is a long post.. thanks for listening.

Schatzi..just a quick question..HOw come you went through an early menopause? I just kinda got scared there because I REALLY want babies but wont be able to till my late 20s...I dont imagine that its normal to stop your period that early...i was just curious....

*I think this thread it great by the way :)

Hi Angelshine, "they" say that approximately 30% of women go through early menopause.. No family history that I am aware of ....I had always had very difficult periods, and quite frankly over 2 weeks of every month I wasn't myself. But it was regular as clockwork. I went to my GYN and told them that the quality of them was changing, and I started to get irregular..and then would miss a month or so..Anyway, during this time there was alot of upheaval in my life , so they thought it was stress related.. Who would think to test for my LTH and FSH levels when I was only 28?... I then went to a Fertility doc, and they tested my uterine lining and said it was "curious"... went to another at a teaching hospital who redid the test and said I was in menopause....no eggs left in my nest... could opt for GFT.. I was in shock- his words didnt sink in..During this time, I started to get wierd.. couldnt handle crowds, loud noises, couldnt remember anything... was gaining and gaining weight, loosing my hair, horrid hot flashes that have lasted YEARS...... 2 Years later at my normal check up they found Cervical cancer..stage 2...was treated surgically... since then I slowly became myself again... :)
In some ways no longer getting my period is a blessing. Like I said, I really BAD ones and half my months were spent in horrible pain, lethargy, PMS , Post Pms--... so I couldnt have children... we thought about adopting ..but thats another story......

o god...that so awful....I dont know whats wrong with me..I had a ruptured cyst on one of my overies last summer that had to be removed ...it was pretty scary. But every sense then i guess i have had a normal pap....I am so terrified that i wont be able to get pregnant...:( I used to get horrible cramps..tired, face broke out... crazy MOOD swings!...and now that I am eating healthy my period has been better..and regular.....I guess I am just terrified that I am gonna wait and then it will be too late..
:(
i suppose i just have to wait till I graduate right hahah (i am kidding).....:)
I am adopted ..but I really want babies of my own....