KimberlyHeidi, my doctor recommended South Beach. I also was at a point where I was ready and the diet actually sounded not only like something I could do, but like something I could maintain. That's why I started.

As to why I have kept on it, well I chalk that up mostly to the lack of cravings which makes it possible for me to feel better than I have in years. :) It's been wonderful for me.

I sent another IM but my AIM is na799 in case you can't get to it. For anyone else that wants to IM me, feel free :dizzy: Just make sure you put "hi this is <sn> from 3FC" or I will think you are just some weirdo. I remember waaaaaay back when we had aol about 6yrs ago and I got IM's all the time from freaks!

Angela

Five little words caused me to try the SBD:

YOU'RE BECOMING JUST LIKE ME!

It is amazing that doctors can harp at you forever but your mother can say just 5 little words and it will motivate you to no end.

I have PCOS but I'm not IR yet (and hope this will keep me from being there). My blood work comes back fine every year also with the exception of last year and my tryglycerides were a little high and my choles. was up just a little but both were still very much in the normal range. However, my mother had motivated me and I decided to try Atkins. I also had two friends who were doing Atkins and loosing weight but they looked like crap all of the time. I read the book, had talked to my doctor and was thinking about starting it but my mind was just having a hard time getting around eating all of that fat when a woman I work with told me about her friend that was doing SBD. I went on the net and read a little bit about it and decided to get the book.

I decided after reading the book that this was more of what I was looking for. I knew from previous diets I had tried that I needed to retrain myself on how to eat and this made so much more sense to me.

So here I am almost a year and a half later and 50 pounds lighter. I was really strict from Feb-Oct last year and lost 35 of it without much exercise. Then in October I kind of fell off the OP Beach. But when I started back on it again in April this year I had discovered that I really was making better eating choices than before so all in all it really works for me in retraining myself on how I should and shouldn't eat.

Karla-WTG. looks like you are doing great!
Atkins sucked for me. I hated every second of it and would gag if I saw another egg, piece of cheese or meat. I lost a lot but I was miserable and would always cry to my husband. Went off it and binged to no end and gained it all back and more. I didnt do this diet before bc I thought it was another Atkins

I'd tried everything else. I've joined WW around 20 times.Really.Usually can only handle a few days of counting points STILL feeling hungry even when I have eaten all my points. Tried several other clubs in the UK that are similar to WW - get a meal plan and pay to get weighed each week.Nothing worked- I could lose a little weight but I was so unhappy with cravings and bingeing.

The only time I managed to lose more than a few pounds was 2 years ago when I did WW and did weight training at the same time. I was very highly motivated at the time to lose some weight, but the reason I wanted to lose weight was external, not within me. So after 3 months my loss stalled, and I regained. And became even higher than I was at the start.

SBD is not very well known here in the UK, but it was 3FC that led me to it. I liked the look of it because of no counting points or calories. It seemed a healthy way to eat. One thing that has gotten a lot of media attention in the UK in the last year or so is the GI - and I noticed that SBD took GI into consideration too - which sounded great. The science behind GI, especially for people who are heavy, is very relevant.

So then I got the book and read Dr A saying my cravings would disappear - hmmm I didnt believe that. But thought I would try it.

Tried it once and messed up back in October 2004.

Here I am again, fully commited. I'm not expecting perfection from myself this time. There will undoubtedly be times when I slip and have a relapse. But this time, instead of beating myself up because of it, I'm getting right back OP at the next meal.

I'm also commited to exercise this time, when I'm off P1 my workouts will be weight training (which I love), cardio and some flexibility, either yoga or Pilates.

This is it for me. I'm 43 and started this time at my highest ever weight. I'm committed to the Beach.

I tried a few other diets, but nothing motivated me to stay on the diet. I have Insulin Resistance, but not PCOS (how are they related, does anyone know?) My doctor told me that if i didn't lose weight, i would eventually develop diabetes. I am trying to avoid diabetes like the plague! So this is my 4th day on SB, I really like the food, i have no cravings, and i'm down 5 lbs. I like the progress so far, and i think i'll stick with it.
Lauren

Over the years I've tried so many diets. Just this year alone, I bought the Richard Simmons Blast off program , Michael Thurman Body Makeover and I joined Weight Watchers again for the umpteenth time. I was not able to stick to any of these programs because I still had cravings for junk food and I'd always end up giving in to those cravings. I read about the South Beach diet and how it got rid of cravings. I must admit that I hesitated for about a year before trying it because I didn't think I could give up fruit for two weeks. Much to my surprise, today is my 14th day and I've had no problem doing without fruit for two weeks. It is so amazing how my cravings for junk food have disappeared. The other day I walked down the aisle with chips, cookies & candy and nothing was appealing to me. I couldn't believe it! I know with this program I will reach my goal. The foods that I am eating on this program are very satisfying and I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. So far I have lost 12 pounds on Phase 1 and it would take me four months to lose that amount with the other WL programs. I am a true believer in the SBD and I have encouraged my SIS and BIL to start it. My BIL's Dr. also recommended it to him. Wishing everyone else much success with the SBD :D

I've tried so many other diets and just couldn't stick with them but a friend told me about South Beach and how great it was so I decided to check it out. It really sounded like something I could do. I hated couting points on WW and when I tried Slim Fast I was always craving real food. So I bought the South Beach book, read it in two days and decided to just go for it!