UGH

[HoneyBee]

Well, I have been diagnosed with a disease which requires me to lose weight, more than I had initially planned on :0P I am on the South Beach diet (a low carb, low sugar diet is necessary to treat the disease ) and I am exercising and getting a little DDR in every day.

My fiance continues to be supportive, and I am pleased at the thought of all that weight loss will help me prevent in the future, how it will help me manage my symptoms, and how it will make me feel, in addition to the appearance issue.

While I am sad to end up with a diagnosis for yet a THIRD life-long illness, I am pleased that I am rising to meet the challange, and grateful that I was given the chance to correct the damage before it was too late.

Honey-Bee

[abrannan]

Welcome to the Doctor ordered South Beach Diet club! I'm on it to correct my low HDL (good cholesterol) levels. Sor far it's been three weeks, and I've dropped 13 lbs(186->173). I get my blood tested again next week, so we'll see how much of a difference it makes.

As much of a pain it is to have a doctor diagnose you with something and have to change your life due to a diagnosis, it's a lot better than discovering an illness on your way to the ER.

Feel free to drop me a PM anytime if you need a sympathetic ear, or want to compare notes.

[SSC]

Abrannan, you seem to know what you're talking about when it comes to diets and the such. Could you give me some insight on this South Beach Diet... I'm contemplating going on it... with a doctors' conscent of course.

[abrannan]

South Beach in a nutshell....

The diet is sort of a hybrid of the low fat and low carb diets. Basically, instead of saying that all carbs are bad (ala old-school Atkins) or that all fat is bad (ala the traditional high carb, low fat diet), SB recognizes that there are good fats (Like olive oil, and Fish oil) and good carbs (High fiber, complex carbs that are harder for your body to break down). There are also fats to avoid (Saturated fats) and carbs to avoid (simple, processed carbs, like white sugar and white flour that are digested way too quickly and spike your blood sugar levels). SB recognizes that blood sugar spikes leave you feeling hungry faster, and foods that sit in your stomach longer to digest help you eat less.

The diet is three phases:

Phase I - Bad Carb/Sugar addiction detox: This is a two week phase that looks similar to traditional Atkins. No breads, pasta, rice, sugar or fruit. Low fat cheese, low fat meats, veggies. From experience, the first few days are HARD, but once you get used to not having breads and sugars, it's not so bad. They estimate you'll lose 8-13 lbs on this phase (I lost 10-11).

Phase II - The Diet: This pahse is where you'll adjust your eating habits and lose most of your weight. You stay on it until you reach your target weight. You get to reintroduce fruit (Except the really high sugar fruits, like Pineapple, watermelon, and raisins), and can reintroduce whole grain breads into your diet (and slow cook oatmeal, couscous, etc). They say you'll drop about a pound or two each week on this phase, and you develop the good eating habits to take with you the rest of your life.

Phase III - Maintenance: This is where you spend the rest of your life. You basically stick to phase II, but have a little more leeway to eat other things. You still monitor your weight, and periodically go back on phase I for a week or so to keep things balanced, and offset longer periods of cheating (vacations, holidays, etc).

The hardest part of this diet, for me, is cheating. The diet is fairly tolerant of little indulgences, but it's really hard to tell what's an indulgence, and what isn't. The diet is not numbers based (X grams of carbs per day on this phase, etc), so for a person who prefers a strict structure to your diet (like me) it's hard to tell if you're making the right judgement call.

[Laura Moncur]

I have heard that the body sheds the tears that we are unwilling to weep.

Three life-long illnesses suggests that there is a lot of crying you need to let yourself do.

I think the best thing for you to do is to keep a PRIVATE journal that is protected with a password (you can do it in MS Word by choosing "Save As..." Under Tools, choose "Security Options"). An entirely private journal is a safe place for you to write every thought that comes to your mind, whether you are ashamed or not. That way, NO ONE will see your deepest, darkest fears and memories. Give yourself this safe place to work through them.

[SSC]

Thanks for the insight on the SBD. I think I may look into it, because back when I was on Atkins (regret) I only lost like 5 lbs in a month without cheating, of course I wasn't excercising, but... I think I may give this diet a go... with some research.

[HoneyBee]

Thanks so much to abrannan and Laura for responding. I appreciate all the support, it helps tremendously.

Today, at the start of my 4th day on the South Beach Diet, I have lost 5 pounds, and already many of the symptoms I had due to my uncontrolled insulin (I'm not diabetic, it's just another part of my disease) are greatly decreased. I feel a million times better, and I have a great deal of hope for the future.

I'm glad I took control of my weight, and my disease, before it killed me.

Total weight loss is now 32 pounds. Only 120 left to go ;D

[abrannan]

HoneyBee said:

Thanks so much to abrannan and Laura for responding. I appreciate all the support, it helps tremendously.

Today, at the start of my 4th day on the South Beach Diet, I have lost 5 pounds, and already many of the symptoms I had due to my uncontrolled insulin (I'm not diabetic, it's just another part of my disease) are greatly decreased. I feel a million times better, and I have a great deal of hope for the future.

I'm glad I took control of my weight, and my disease, before it killed me.

Total weight loss is now 32 pounds. Only 120 left to go ;D

I have a friend who was prediabetic, and started eating roughly South Beach style. She dropped from a size 24 to about a size 6-8 in less than a year. She looks fantastic now. I hope you'll see the same results.

[HoneyBee]

Wohoo! Another pound bites the dust. I am hoping to drop 5 by my wedding, and THEN settle into a slower pace I've been on the dance pad all week, and I am being more active besides, and I feel much better. Thanks again for all the support!

[orangina]

I think SBD is one of the better diets out there except for the use of aspartame..I also like to use full fat dairy in moderation..though skim is fine.

[orangina]

Another thing about SBD you dont have to start with Phase 1. Some people need the serotonin from carbs and have trouble in Phase 1..or course others need it because they need to wean off sugar big time.
If you start on Phase 2 you can be successful also. Just a bit slower at weight loss.

[iamjay]

Is fiber bad for you? I might be mis reading your last message or something. or is it good for you? please explain which and why thanks dr know it.

[orangina]

I am not sure where you would get the idea that fiber is bad for you from my message. If you explain why you have that idea, I will clarify.
FIBER IS GREAT FOR YOU!

[abrannan]

Fiber is very good for you. For one, your body doesn't break it down, so it passes right through your system, cleaning out your bowels/colon. It's metaphorically like eating a brillo pad (NOTE: DO NOT EAT BRILLO PADS!). Since it doesn't break down, those carbs do not cause any sort of blood sugar spike/insulin response. Which is why Atkin's has that "net carbs" concept (total carbs - fiber = net carbs)

[orangina]

Hey A. I just saw your weight loss goal and wondered how tall you were?

[abrannan]

orangina said:

Hey A. I just saw your weight loss goal and wondered how tall you were?

5'6" (5'7" on a tall day)

[iamjay]

nice, so your saying eating raisin bran is like eating frozen water it barely affects you? if so i'm eating raisin bran for breakfast lunch and dinner. then i'll get sick of it and stop. yup...

[HoneyBee]

Wohoo!
8 pounds down since I started a week ago, 127 left to go!

[abrannan]

iamjay said:

nice, so your saying eating raisin bran is like eating frozen water it barely affects you? if so i'm eating raisin bran for breakfast lunch and dinner. then i'll get sick of it and stop. yup...

No I'm saying All-Bran will clean you out, and leave you on the toilet for the better part of the day. There isn't a much fiber in Raisins as you'd expect.

[HoneyBee]

Well, tomorrow is my wedding, and I have lost 12 pounds. I even had to alter my dress ;D I'm still going strong and I have planned ahead to alow myself to eat a slice of cake at the wedding. After all, it is a once in a lifetime thing!

Ahhh I couldn't be better. Thanks to everyone for their support.

98-123 pounds left to lose!