I was thin growing up, but when I moved to the United States in 1984, I put on about 20 pounds from all the fast food that is so effortlessly available. In 1987, I started running and switched to a low-fat diet. I lost the 20 pounds in time for my wedding and even more afterward. Over the years, some of it crept back, but my weight was under control. Then, in 1998, I started a high-pressure project at work. It lasted five years, and I gained 10 pounds each year. I didn't have much time to exercise, and I felt I was working so hard that I deserved to eat what I liked — breakfast sandwiches on the way to work, candy from vending machines, and after-dinner snacks when I worked late. My weight ballooned to 237 pounds. When I took up karate in 2003, I became stronger, but my weight didn't drop the way it had when I was younger. I had also been trying to avoid high-fat foods for about six months, but that was totally ineffective.
New Year's Eve 2003, I resolved to lose weight and get in shape. I'd made the same resolution the year before, but this year a coworker told me about The South Beach Diet™, raving about how good the food was. I looked into it, decided that the diet was a lot healthier than Atkins, and signed up online. The first few days of Phase 1 were tough. I wasn't hungry and didn't have cravings, but I was irritable and found it hard to concentrate. That passed when my body adapted to the new way of eating. The results were immediate: I lost 15 pounds in three weeks on Phase 1! After I switched to Phase 2, I continued to lose a consistent 2 pounds a week until I met my goal of 184 pounds after five months. Not many things in life work out exactly the way you plan, but this did. Even after switching to Phase 3, I lost a few more pounds, down to 180. It truly is a lifestyle change.
My best motivational strategy was recording my target weight loss. I bought a new scale, weighed in, and marked it on a graph. On the rare occasions that I was above my target, I was extra-rigorous in following the diet and watching portion size until I was back on track. I lost 57 pounds total, and reduced my body fat from 35 to 19 percent. My waist went from a size 40 to a size 34. I look and feel terrific. Sometimes I catch sight of myself in the mirror and can't believe it's really me. Once I lost about 30 pounds, I was able to take up running again. Before, I would get out of breath right away and the extra weight was too hard on my knees. Now I cruise up hills, and it seems like I could run forever. I encourage anyone on the diet to do some form of exercise — I'm sure it helped me reach my target weight more quickly.
The greatest thing about the diet is the food. I always liked to cook but hadn't made time for it. When I went on the diet, I took over all family cooking for five months and rediscovered how much I enjoyed trying new recipes. It took a while to find some of the more exotic ingredients of The South Beach Diet™, such as Laughing Cow cheese and espresso powder, but I tracked them down. I spent a while exploring different supermarkets, health-food stores, and gourmet outlets — it was kind of fun. The gourmet quality of the recipes, and the fact that I didn't have to count calories or measure portion sizes, were my favorite things about the diet.
Anyone who hasn't seen me in a while has the same comment, "Wow, what happened to you?" Perhaps the best compliment was from a former coworker who spotted me outside work. She later said to a mutual friend, "Does Bill have a brother? I saw someone who looked just like him, but it couldn't have been Bill, because he was much thinner and younger." I especially liked the younger part!
Favorite snack: Low-fat mozzarella cheese sticks. So simple to just grab and go.
Favorite exercise: I love the purity of running. You can do it anywhere, anytime. All you need is a pair of sneakers. And it gets you into the fresh air.
Most effective strategy when facing temptation: Zero tolerance. Once you start "just having a nibble," you're headed down a slippery slope. If you make up your mind that some things are completely off-limits for now, you won't miss them.
Best advice for other SB Dieters: Stick with Phase 1 religiously for two weeks and don't even think about cheating. The early success will motivate you to continue, and after two weeks you won't even miss the foods you've given up.
