Daily Dish - Sandi went from a size 22 to a size 14!

[justmarvi]

Sandi went from a size 22 to a size 14!

Sandi V., Indianapolis, Indiana

I am 58 years old, and I started the diet in October 2002. I weighed in at 190 pounds, and since I'm 4 feet 11 inches, every pound showed. I was embarrassed about the way I looked and had some serious health problems, like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and a chronic lung disease. In essence, I was a wreck.

I began the South Beach Diet™ and thought if I could lose a few pounds, I would feel better. (But I really wanted to get down to 130 pounds.) Once I got into the regimen — eating right and seeing the scale going down and not gaining any weight back — I thought to myself, "This really works."

When I began losing weight and checking in every two months with my physician, he was amazed at my weight loss. Each time I would see him he would say, "How much are you going to lose?" I told him my goal and he just shook his head. I don't really think he thought I could do it.

Well, my blood pressure started going down, my sugar levels stabilized — and he was really surprised. I don't take meds for my diabetes; I keep it under control through my diet. I still take blood pressure medication — but my blood pressure has gone from 150/90 to 128/62. Big difference! Before, I could not walk across the house without gasping for breath, and now I have been able to cut my lung medications in half and, hopefully, will be able to get off them eventually.

Today I feel like a new person. I went from a size 22 to a 14, and am working toward a 10 to 12. People I haven't seen in a long time are amazed at how I look. My husband is especially proud of my accomplishment. My son made a comment the other day about my weight loss: He said he didn't want to make my head swell, but I was looking good. That made me feel so proud!