It all started as a surprise for my military husband who was working in the desert.

When I began married life more than 17 years ago, I weighed a slim 118 pounds, but after several moves, two children, and years of unhealthy eating, I had made it to 180 pounds. I was unhappy, uncomfortable, and had put myself into a trap of bad eating habits. I considered the Atkins diet because family members had successfully lost weight with it, but as I gathered information about it, I realized it wasn't for me. The fruit and pasta restrictions were a large drawback, and it didn't seem to be a very healthy diet.

At the beginning of 2004, my husband received a letter about his 20th high school reunion alongside orders for deployment. While he was gone, I began hearing about The South Beach Diet™ and how well it was working for some people in our church. I looked it up online and joined that night! Even though I knew my husband loved me no matter how I looked or how much I weighed, I wanted to wow him and his schoolmates. I decided that it would be a wonderful surprise for my husband to come home to a new woman, so I kept my South Beach experience a secret from him.

Expecting the huge sacrifices of a diet, I was pleasantly surprised by all the things I could eat. It was great to have breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks — and then dessert, too! The recipes were difficult at first because I don't like to cook and have an egg allergy. This made following the daily menus hard, but I overcame the challenge by using the quick recipes and recipe search features on the Web site. With these options, I was able to change items on the daily menus, replacing them with healthy alternatives.

The first two weeks on The South Beach Diet™ really helped me change the way I think about food. It wasn't chips or candy I wanted, but fruit! I began Phase 2 slowly, as I wanted to make sure I made it to my mini-goal. After continued success, I gradually added fruits, brown rice, and whole-wheat pasta for the remaining few weeks before my husband's return. My children and I were amazed at how quickly we saw the weight loss. The best compliment was when my teenage daughter thought my new jeans were hers!

When it was time for my husband's return, I had lost 4 inches and more than 20 pounds. His reaction at the airport was definitely worth every minute of being on The South Beach Diet™! He noticed our children first as they ran toward him, but then he looked past them and caught sight of me. He later said that he had felt the same way when he saw me for the first time 18 years ago, when he thought I was the woman of his dreams. Not only had I lost weight, but I was totally reshaped with a new haircut and highlights, snug jeans, and high heels. He was totally taken by surprise. He also told me that he knew I had at least partly dieted for him and that it was the greatest surprise he had ever received. As we walked through the terminal with our children, he kept turning to look at me and saying, "Oh, wow!" A few weeks later, we went to his 20th high school reunion and had a great time.

Since my husband's return, I have continued to lose weight and am now less than 10 pounds from my final goal. I feel better than I have in years! Every day I am amazed at the energy I have and how much I'm enjoying life.

Favorite snack: Sliced strawberries on a whole-wheat bagel.

Favorite exercise: I alternate between a great abdominal exercise video and a really, fun total-body exercise routine.

Best compliment: Definitely my husband's reaction to my weight loss!

Strategy to deal with temptation: Set "be seen" dates (to a movie, party, date, etc.) and a mini-goal. Specific goals really help when temptations arise.

Advice for other South Beach Dieters: No guilt. If you get off track for a meal or a day, it's okay! Consider it a treat for being good so far, and get back on track at the next meal or the next day.