Teresa Cockerham’s diet support group stretched from Texas to the UK
by Teresa Cockerham as told to Jennifer L. Smith at Prevention Magazine
When I overheard a colleague extolling the benefits of a new diet that allowed him to eat steak though potatoes were taboo, I piped up, “That sounds an awful lot like Atkins, and not very healthy.” But he insisted that the South Beach Diet* was healthier than Atkins and challenged me to find out for myself.
You can’t blame me for being skeptical. I was 5 feet 4 inches and 255 pounds and had tried one diet after the other. Weight Watchers worked for a while, but counting points was tedious. On the Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet, I developed kidney stones and my hair fell out.
I hadn’t always been overweight. In my 20s, I weighed between 125 and 135 pounds, despite being diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition that can cause weight gain and infertility. Luckily, I got pregnant and had no trouble losing the weight after my son was born. But when my daughter arrived 3 years later, things changed. I couldn’t lose the baby weight, I developed a major case of adult acne, and I started to have back pain—all symptoms of PCOS.
After my children were born, my marriage fell apart, and I turned to foods like fried steak, mashed potatoes, and biscuits to make myself feel better. I steadily gained about 10 pounds a year and began to feel the consequences. Walking from one end of the building to the other at the high school where I work left me winded. By the time my kids were teenagers, I was more than 100 pounds heavier than when they were born. I also had high cholesterol and was diagnosed with prediabetes.
As a single mom, I began to wonder, What will happen to my kids if something happens to me?
Web-Based Weight Loss
Out of curiosity, I took my colleague’s challenge and jumped online to find out more about the South Beach Diet. I discovered it wasn’t the Atkins knockoff I’d thought it was. It allows vegetables (and fruits after the first 2 weeks), and you don’t have to count points, calories, or fat. What was most appealing to me was that it helps keep blood sugar levels steady, something one of my doctors told me is important for managing PCOS. As I scanned the South Beach Diet message boards, I noticed a post recruiting others to begin the program. With my kids and my high cholesterol in mind, I joined, and the Blubber Be Gone Buddies support group was born.
The 11 women who are members reside in Texas, England, and lots of places in between, but we quickly became close friends. Each day, Ali in England starts the e-mail thread. Then we all join in, asking questions such as "Are you sure it’s okay to have that marinade?" or sharing recipes. And if one of us messes up, somebody is always there to make her feel better. In all my past dieting attempts, I never had this daily source of encouragement.
The diet is very restrictive at first—no fruit and very little dairy and carbs—but doing it as a group somehow made it easier. In just 1 week, I lost 8 pounds, but my second week on the diet coincided with a family vacation. There I was in a condo in Myrtle Beach, SC, with two teenagers and tons of junk food. What saved me was the kitchen. I brought all the foods I could eat—chicken, fish, nuts, and veggies—and cooked most of my meals. I was tempted to cheat, but checking in with my online buddies and having the right foods on hand kept me on track.
A Flexible Plan
As long as I stick to the recommended foods (most fruits and vegetables and whole grain carbs) and avoid ice cream and "white" carbs—bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes—I don’t worry about anything else. I start my day with Fiber One cereal, skim milk, and blueberries. For lunch, I’ll have grilled chicken, three-bean salad with vinegar dressing, and fruit. Dinner may be a chicken wrap, lean beef, or fish with lots of vegetables. For a snack, I enjoy a sugar-free fudgesicle. I also eat nuts, but I count out only 20; otherwise I’d eat the whole container.
A few months ago, when I bent over to pick something up, I noticed that my big belly didn’t get in the way. Even better, my cholesterol level dropped from 222 to 186 and my triglycerides from 270 to 98. I now weigh a healthy 134 pounds.
In the spring, I met two of my Blubber Be Gone Buddies in South Carolina. And to celebrate my success, my kids and I are going to Disney World. For the first time in many years, I won’t have to worry about weight restrictions on rides or whether I’ll be able to pull the lap bar down. I can ride Space Mountain and just be free!
Source:
http://www.theweighwewere.com/Read-W...ories/193.html
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