Hello! I'm 17, 5'3", small frame, 134 pounds. After losing 15 in May-June I've been trying desperately to get out of this plateau. It seems cutting calories and walking a few times a week aren't going to be enough if I ever want to make it down to 110 pounds. The fact that I have 24 pounds to lose just scares me to death. I just think, '24 pounds - why, that's the weight of my cat!' and go back to eating something I shouldn't.

I want to try the South Beach Diet because it seems promising. It makes sense. It's a heck of a lot different from what I'm doing now (pretty much all of my diet comes from the "avoid" list for phase 1 - fruits, cereal, etc.) which seems like, if I do something completely different, I may get out of this rut and maybe I'll be almost halfway to my goal in a few weeks. Maybe I'm hoping too much. I don't know.

I exercise a fair amount. I walk/run 5 miles on the treadmill every day, ride my bike about 5-10 miles one to three times a week, and do about 250-500 crunches a day, as well as some other things. But it's been nearly 2 months now and my weight won't budge below 134. It's certainly frustrating.

Besides just introducing myself, I did want to ask this question: when your diet is completely different from that of phase 1 of SBD, should you have better luck those 1st two weeks? It seems like it may jumpstart my metabolism or something. Maybe I'm just making this up because I know it's what I want to hear!

Hello Dinosaur,

Welcome to 3FC. First, I'd like to ask - why do you feel like you need to lose another 24 pounds? Are you very small boned? 134 is a respectable weight for your height (I know, because I'm also 5'3"). I could see possibly another 5 pounds, but 24 seems like an awful lot. What does your doctor say?

It sounds to me like you are quite healthy. If your body won't lose any more weight, than perhaps that is because it is happy at your current weight. Remember, physical activity builds muscle, which weighs more than fat.

Finally, the SBD isn't really a quick-fix weight loss diet regime. It's about exchanging bad dietary habits for good ones and living a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle does not necessarily mean being skinny - just healthy.

I would suggest talking to your doctor. Ask him about your current weight and BMI, and see if they are fine. If you are just looking to be healthy, than welcome to SBD - but don't assume you will lose a lot of weight.

I've asked two doctors (one back in April and one in July) and they both suggested my weight be in the 105 to 115 range. 110 seemed like the happy medium. Plus I have a very high body fat percentage (I think 27-30% - which is really what I want to change more than the weight).

Also, my mother is my height and she used to weigh 105 pounds and looked perfectly healthy, not skinny, but not fat. We both have the same bone structure and similar faces so my entire life I've been plump and always wanted to look how my mother did when she was 17.

I have changed my entire lifestyle around. I never eat fattening or processed foods anymore and don't want to either. I just thought that since my diet is low fat and low cal but mostly grain and fruit-based, if I changed it around to entirely vegetables and protein for a little while, my body may decide to begin losing weight again, and then after that I can begin to incorporate fruit and oatmeal back into my diet and keep my diet balanced.

Welcome, Dinosaur!

Don't beat yourself up about the numbers or the look. You may get to 120 and find you look fantastic... particularly if you're exercising regularly.

As for not losing... are you eating enough? You may not be getting enough calories, which will slow down your metabolism. If that's what's happened, not even South Beach can help you. Try putting your menu through Fitday.com to see that you're getting enough to eat.

Welcome to the Beach, dinosaur! I know that you think that you have a lot to lose but compared to most of us, you have very little. I would not expect you to lose much in phase 1 especially since it sounds like you eat healthier than the average teenager.

Please run your food through Fit Day. It is possible that you are already too low on calories because you do a lot of exercise. Read through the FAQ section thoroughly. It is important to get enough healthy carbs during phase 1. You also may not have the energy to keep your exercise up and may have to take it easy during phase 1. Don't worry. The energy will be back in phase 2. And remember you should only stay on phase 1 for 2 weeks.

Dear Dinosaur,

I am 32 years old and 5'2". I had my second child 7 1/2 months ago, and for some reason couldn't shed the remaining 16 pounds of "baby fat" I had accumulated from overeating during my pregnancy. My long term goal is also 110 lbs. which is what my OBGYN and my GP recommended I get back to. I echo what the other posters have said about a couple of things. First, you may just decide that 120 is where you want to be and that will be okay. Being healthy does not necessarily mean weighing less. Muscle does weigh more than fat and you are obviously working out quite a bit. Secondly, because you are working out so much you may need to step up the proteins and good carbs you are taking in. I think The Beach is a great place for you to start. You'll love it.

I am currently at 119 and in week 2 of P2. Although I have more fat to burn and more lean mass to gain, if I stay at 119 and still accomplish those two things AND remain healthy then I will have done something fabulous for my overall well being. I AM EXCITED about my progress and look forward to more results.

WELCOME TO THE BEACH!

welcome..