Hello All, Thought I'd Introduce Myself

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-01-2004
Hello All, Thought I'd Introduce Myself
5
Fri, 11-05-2004 - 1:11am
Hi! I've been learning SBD for about 3 weeks now. I lost about 10 pounds during P1 and have moved into P2 during the last week. It was my brother that got me encouraged about trying SBD. He and another friend tried it together and he lost 14 pounds during P1 which is exciting since he is pretty much wheelchair bound and not really able to exercise. His friend lost 13 pounds and learned to cook!

My partner and I are both learning this new way of life. I really hate referring to SBD as a diet, for me that brings back painful memories of all of the times in my past that I have tried and failed on diet after diet. Those failures all reinforced my own self-loathing and low self-esteem. In fact, it got to the point that I was trying so many different diets - both commercial and non-commercial that people would only smile and shake their heads when I would tell them about my latest endeavors. I think we both knew that "it" wouldn't last long.

One of the things that attracted me to SBD was that this diet was created by a doctor who obviously cared/cares about his patients. This is a whole new experience for me. My experience with doctors tend to go something like this..."I'm having chest pains. When are they happening? Sometimes on exertion, sometimes just sitting. Your blood pressure looks good...give me a minute while I look at your chart. I see that you take _____, isn't that for depression? Yes it is. Your chest pains are probably coming from your ribcage because you're so heavy. The fat pushes the ribs out of alignment and it hurts. You're also probably depressed because you're fat and fat because you're eating when you're sad. Get some exercise, lose weight. You'll stop feeling depressed and won't have chest pains. I don't think you need to come back to see me anymore." This incident actually happened about 6 months ago.

Another point of attraction is that SBD is a life-plan, I think it's a shame to call it a diet. As I read through the posts on this site I see words like, "cheat", "failed", "legal" and many other terms with such damaging connotations for us. I hear so much pain and panic in many of the posts and so wish that (1) there weren't so many others in the world like me and (2) that I could hug us all at once.

I am only now learning that I deserve all things good. I am also learning that I must take time for me, every day, be selfish, be loving. What that means for me is learning how to live a healthy life-style. Learning where exercise fits in, where food fits in and how the changes help me feel. I am a wife, sister, boss, co-worker, client, etc. etc. I play a thousand different parts everyday. What I must now learn is that I am also me, valuable, beautiful (at any weight), creative. I must nuture myself as I nuture others. SBD has given me a path for doing so. Everyday I must stop and think about what is best for me, I must plan my success, I must focus on my life just for today. These revalations and resolutions have been a bennifit of SBD that I never expected, nor did I realize how powerful they have been until the writing of this message.

In all of this long-windedness I guess what I am saying is that there is no such thing as failure...for any of us. When a child begins to walk, then falls and decides to crawl for a while longer because they skinned their knee or "broke their butt", do we see them as failures?!? No, we laugh, dry their tears and let them know that we love them. We know, as does the child, that they will try again....and succeed.

So, just for a little while, my sisters, my comrads in arms, can we let ourselves be that child again and laugh at the setbacks while celebrating the steps that were taken before the fall, knowing that we are strong, confident and will return again to succeed?

In Love and Support of us all,

Betty

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2004
Fri, 11-05-2004 - 5:26am

Wow!

Photobucket
Community Leader
Registered: 10-08-2002
Fri, 11-05-2004 - 10:20am

Welcome Betty!


Kristin


Photobucket

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Fri, 11-05-2004 - 10:35am
Welcome! And thank you so much for the heartfelt post. You are so very right about this not being just a diet. I will never stop eating this way, whether I continue to lose weight or not.

That was one of the selling points for me when I switched from Weight Watchers. I think WW is a wonderful program, and I learned SO much from doing it for 6 months. I lost 25 lbs, too. But as I got closer to my first goal I started having these moments of worry, "What am I going to do when I get to my goal weight? Do I have to count points forever?" Once I started the SBD, I realized that this is just a healthier way to eat PERIOD. We never buy white bread anymore (except this summer when DH hosted a bbq for his softball team, he bought a Sam's Club pack of hotdog buns -g-). We rarely buy white potatoes, chips or Doritos. All our bread is whole wheat, rye, or pumpernickle. We do have non-SBD friendly foods in the house, such as frozen waffles, but I try to make smart choices when I buy them. And for the sake of my weight goals, I choose not to eat them.

You have a good point about using the words "cheat" and "failed". It does set you up for a certain mind-set that is counter productive. Although we do need some terminology so that we can clarify what is SBD approved foods and not. Otherwise, we may unintentially go off track. When people ask me about how I've been losing weight, sometimes I say that I stopped eating sugar and white flour. That in itself is a pretty radical change in a typical American diet!

Thanks for your long post! I enjoyed reading it, and it was a very good reminder to me about keeping a positive frame of mind.

Leslie

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-19-2002
Fri, 11-05-2004 - 4:19pm

Hi Betty,


Welcome, and thank you for your wonderful post!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2004
Fri, 11-05-2004 - 9:11pm
Betty,

First off welcome to the SBD board. You'll like it here. Congratulations on the success you and your brother have had on P1. Great job! :)

Second, ITA with what you said about there being no failures on SBD. We are not perfect. If we were, there'd be no need for this board to begin with. We'd all be at a perfect weight, right? In order to see the long goal of being healthy and happy, you have to be willing to take the hardships along the way. Nobody ever said change was easy, and that rough times will come. But, you also grow and learn from changing yourself. I found that to be true of myself on this WOE.

I went from being overweight, tired and depressed, to considerably thinner (71.5 lbs. and counting!), full of energy and happier. I have more confidence about myself and what I'm capable of. My friends, family and coworkers have noticed this and commented about it. I think that is why I like SBD. It is not only a WOE, but a way of improving yourself mentally. With success comes confidence. Even the dreaded failures and setbacks can become positives, if you're willing to do so. You have to learn from both your mistakes as well as your successes. I know, personally, I will have bad days, but I won't give up because the positives outweigh the negatives. If I have a bad one then, as Scarlett said, "Tomorrow is another day." I have just learned not to sweat the small stuff, and do the best I can.

Again, thanks for your nice message and good luck on P2!

Hugs,

Christina :0)

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