Starting Over after a heart attack... No eggs??!! HELP!!!
Hello South Beachers!
So I'm planning to come back to the only thing that's ever worked for me.... South Beach!
However, I have an issue that will make it a bit more challenging this time around. I have to limit my egg intake because I had a heart attack in April caused by a 99% blocked artery. I'm not on blood thinners, blood pressure medication and cholesterol medication. To top it all off, I have an under active thyroid and am now taking medication for that!
What I need to figure out is #1 how do I even get the motivation to start trying again since no matter how much I exercise and eat well I haven't lost an ounce (not gained either, which is good...) but also, how in the world do I do South Beach phase 1 breakfast without eggs?? PS... not a fan of cottage cheese, especially not without fruit!
My cardiologist isn't much help with what I can and can't eat. He tells me "every thing in moderation" whenever I ask but he did say to cut back on eggs, so if I ate 6 eggs per week, cut it back to 3. Well I was eating a heck of a lot more than 6 when doing South Beach LOL I asked him about egg beaters and he said, "I don't even know what they are actually made out of". He'd rather me get away from processed, chemical ridden foods and go with natural whole foods.
Welcome! I'm sorry to hear about your heart attack. Good for you, getting your health and weight under control!
As far as breakfast goes, I'd second the suggestion of egg whites. I think egg substitutes (like eggbeaters, etc) taste funky, and I don't like them. Egg whites (like 100% whites, if that's the correct name) taste like egg whites, so throw in some cheese or veggies and you're good to go!
I don't have much time for breakfast in the morning, so "breakfast" usually ends up being a glass of v8, a string cheese, and some nuts. Or something like that. I like to think of it as "meal 1, meal 2, snack, etc, etc", instead of "breakfast/lunch/dinner". For me "breakfast" means eggs and pancakes and biscuits, which obviously is NOT SB approved. "Lunch" mean a sandwich and chips (again, not SB approved), so re-framing them as numbered "times to eat" makes it easier to eat spinach at 8am and morningstar sausage links at noon, if that's what's available.
If you absolutely MUST have something breakfast-y without eggs, maybe try a smoothie, or yogurt? I think in the breakfast section there was a recipe for fake pancakes with Neufchatel cheese.
At any rate, good luck, and welcome back to the Beach!
Welcome back! I'm sorry you have so many new challenges. You have a remarkably good attitude, though, so I'll bet you'll do very well.
I thnk you've already been given very good advice and have none better to offer, so I'll just wish you the best of luck and ask you to post often so we'll be able to keep an eye on how you're doing
Welcome back, and I'm sorry hear about your heart attack and other health problems. Remember, though, that the South Beach Diet was created by a cardiologist for his patients, so overall you are following a plan tailor-made for your health concerns.
As far as eggs go, if you are looking for other alternatives, we have a sticky for some great ideas. Keep in mind that our FAQ section can answer a lot of your questions concerning this plan. Here is the link for breakfast alternatives -
I was sick of eggs after the first 3 days of Phase 1. I started just eating leftovers from the night before for breakfast. Like leftover chicken, steak or fish and salads. Might help to think outside the box of what is "breakfast food". For phase 2, I started making smoothies with frozen berries, greek yogurt and spinach.
So sorry to hear about the heart attack but glad you are doing ok.
I don't care for eggs and only eat them a few times a week. I like, in the morning, mexican of all things! Refried beans, chicken breast, salsa and cheese. YUM! Green smoothie? How about yogurt flavored with Crystal Light?
The recipe section is chock full of stuff too. I also suggest using egg whites
Thank you for all the help! I'll be sure to check out the "Breakfast Alternatives" section. I've also started looking through some old recipes to see what "snack" recipes I could use for breakfast such as the peanut butter "muffins" and such.
I do smoothies for breakfast. Now that I'm on phase 2 they have a little fruit, but for phase 1 I did a half cup plain Greek yogurt, a half cup unsweetened almond milk, a capful vanilla extract, a spoonful of an on-plan peanut butter, and sometimes a bit of cinnamon or a little unsweetened cocoa powder. I always add one or two packets of stevia, but Splenda or whatever you use works too.
I have become addicted to doing green smoothies in the morning and lately I've been doing green coffee smoothies. For these I take a handful of spinach, cold brewed coffee, a half cup of unsweetened almond milk, a big spoonful of plain yougart, a scoop of vanilla protein powder, a splash of egg whites (you could just omit this), and a bit of sugar-free chocolate syrup. They are SO good!
You could always do some little mini quiches in a muffin tin. You wouldn't need but a few eggs to make a big batch. What about a vegetable hash?
The possibilities are endless, you just have to think outside of the "breakfast" box!
Starting Over after a heart attack... No eggs??!! HELP!!!
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