Lurker saying Hello!

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-16-2006
Lurker saying Hello!
4
Tue, 07-18-2006 - 9:01am

Hello!

I've been Lurking on the board here for about a week. I have been doing South Beach phase one since thursday and I love it!

I have struggled with weight since I was 12. At 25 I peaked out at 240 lbs on my 5 foot 2 frame. I basically starvation dieted myself down to 198 when my husband and I divorced. I then spiked back up to 215 for about year. Then I decided to date again and wasn't happy with my weight (not that I ever really was) and did slimfast down to about 189 lbs. Met my current BF and we moved into together. I continued to slimfast diet and calorie count and got down to 169 my all time adult low and a size 10/12 which I had NEVER been as an adult. Then I got a new job got lazy and put back on all the weight. About 6 weeks ago I had my annual physical and reality set in again when the DR said I was 196 lbs. I also has dangerously high cholesterol, Was pre-diabetic and in the prehypertension range. I was 29 and a walking disaster.

My Dr then recommended I buy the Atkins book and do a low carb diet. I did. For 3 weeks I stayed on the Atkins induction. My dr had recommended 4 weeks of induction since I had so much weight to lose, she said I should be about 130 for a safe, healthy weight. And I did lose 10lbs in that time BUT here is the problem. I was sick the whole time. I could not get enough food into my body. I am Vegetarian and Atkins in not forgiving. I could only eat so many eggs. I also dislike the taste of splenda so the atkins products do not work for me. I got to the point where I just wasn't eating because I couldn't face another Atkins meal. I wanted the veggies but knew I couldn't have them without the protein so i just didn't eat. My immune system dropped. I got sick a lot and my energy was nonexistant. I went back to the Dr she took more tests thinking maybe I had mono, but now she said I was starving myself of the nutrients I needed. She told me to immediately stop Atkins. She instead gave me a short article on south beach diet-which she said was vegetarian friendly. Then she told me to take a week off from dieting and just eat sensibly to get my health back.

So I took my week and now i'm 5 days into phase one of South Beach. And can say I am a complete convert. I love this diet. I am losing weight, my clothes are noticably looser and I still have my energy and feel great. I have back foods that as a vegetarian I need, Tofu, TVP, Soy Milk, Seitan, Legumes, and Peanut Butter.

I don't know how many of you are vegetarians. It doesn's seem to be very many but I wanted to say hi and let you know that I'm new here. In 5 days south beach has done for me what Atkins, Slimfast, Personal Trainers/nutricianists/ and low cal diets have not been able to do. I have control of my eating. I have never been able to say that before. I have the ability to make the right choices for my body. And the ability to make that choice feels much better then the oreo that I wanted.

So Hi!

and thank you for all the support and information that the board provides!

Sarah

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 07-18-2006 - 9:08am

Hi Sarah! Glad you're here and enjoying life on the SBD. Good luck with continued weight loss, don't give up, and use us on the board for questions, complaints, whining (we all do it sometimes!), good news, etc. I highly recommend keeping a food journal (see down below on the board) so that you can track what you're eating. The CLs here are great and they'll occasionally pop in and comment on your journal if they notice that you're having difficulties (i.e. not getting enough dairy, eating too little, etc.).

Good luck,
Mags

South Beach siggy
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2005
Tue, 07-18-2006 - 11:52am

Hi Sarah and welcome! I am glad you decided to join us!!


It sounds like you have found the right diet!! Be sure to take a look at all the great stuff in our Getting Started thread: http://messageboards.ivillage.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=iv-fbsouthbeach&msg=21190.1&ctx=256


And these threads may be of particular interest:


Switching over from Atkins to South Beach? Info to help: http://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-fbsouthbeach/?msg=13264.3


Vegetarian Tips: http://messageboards.ivillage.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=iv-fbsouthbeach&msg=15635.1


Vegetarian foods to enjoy lists:

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2004
Tue, 07-18-2006 - 1:03pm

Hi Sarah,


welcome


I'm glad you found us.

Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-19-2002
Tue, 07-18-2006 - 3:28pm

Hi Sarah, welcome!