Article on USA Today from June 12, 2005

[TraciLew]

'South Beach' helps turn tide
By Nanci Hellmich, USA TODAY
Claudine Paris, 68, of Portland, and her daughter, LeAnne Anderson, 49, of Tigard, Ore., agreed to participate in USA TODAY's Weight-Loss Challenge this winter. Their first story ran April 4, and today we catch up with them.

When most people were pigging out last Thanksgiving, Claudine Paris was making plans to turn the tables on her own eating habits. She wanted to lose weight to be healthier and look better. She had high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.

So she read The South Beach Diet by cardiologist Arthur Agatston and started following the program during the holidays. The diet drastically cuts back on carbohydrates for two weeks and then turns into a moderate-carb diet, emphasizing whole grains, healthy fats, fish and chicken.

In November, she weighed 187 pounds. By February, she was down to 175, and she now weighs 161. She has lost 4 inches in her waist. Her blood sugar levels are now within the normal range, and she's off high-blood pressure medication.

Paris gave the book to her daughter, LeAnne Anderson, for Christmas, and LeAnne started the program in February. She has lost 9 pounds.

About the dieters

Claudine Paris, 68

Height: 5-foot-7
Starting weight (November): 187
Current weight: 161
Goal weight: 150
Occupation: Retired; owned a management training business

Eating program: Following the South Beach diet, limiting red meat and eating lots of vegetables, some fruits and whole grains. She cooks chicken and soups in quantities that will last a few days "to keep it simple." She says you don't have to be a gourmet cook to follow the plan.

She has fruits and vegetables cleaned and ready to eat when she's hungry. Some of her favorites: cauliflower, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes and raspberries. For sweet treats, she eats sugarless Jell-O and instant pudding with fat-free Cool Whip. "I'm seeing this as a lifestyle."

Exercise plan: Riding a recumbent bike for 30 minutes, five days a week; doing water aerobics four to five days a week

Setbacks: Had a knee problem that prevented her from walking for exercise for several months, but her knee is a lot better now so she's walking more often.

As far as her eating habits go, she says, "I've fallen off the wagon a few times. One day I ate a half-pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream in the afternoon and that evening I had another three-quarters of a cup of low-carb ice cream. At least it was low-carb."

Insights: "The good thing about losing weight slowly is you have to stay focused and stick with it. The longer it takes me to lose the weight, the more ingrained the new habits will be."

Benefits of losing weight: "It feels good. I can tell I'm not carrying that extra weight. I look so much cuter. Everybody notices it."

LeAnne Anderson, 49

Height: 5-foot-8
Starting weight: 191
Current weight: 182
Goal weight: 160
Occupation: Nurse

Eating program: The South Beach diet, focusing on eating more healthful carbs and fats. "It's really funny, but once you get away from all that junk, you don't crave it. At least I don't. Let's say you're having potato salad: You can have a taste rather than a whole serving, and you're satisfied."

Exercise plan: Doing the Stairmaster and/or walking about 2 miles a day, three or four days a week

Setbacks: "I've had some slough-off time from exercise this last month because I've been traveling. I know that to take off more, I'm going to have to work harder, doing more vigorous exercise."

Insights: "I would like to have taken off more, but I'm just happy I kept it off. Only half the battle is losing it; it's keeping it off that's hard, too.

"It's OK if the weight loss is slow and steady as long as I continue to drop. I'd be happy if I dropped another 10 pounds by the end of the summer."

Benefits of losing weight: "I feel better about myself. I fit back into more of my clothes. People are noticing it, too."

[RoseWaddles]

Thanks for posting this!

[justmarvi]

ditto Tracy!