So, I started on Phase 2 one week ago. I wasn't feeling very good about it, I had only lost one pound on my final week of Ph1 and I was certain that adding carbs was going to see me stall out altogether.
I was so discouraged, in fact, that I had a beer and some chips and pretzels on Phase 2, Day 1. But, I decided to stick it out. I promised a friend who is also doing SBD, that I would give it one more week and re-evaluate.
So, I added one starch per day (no fruit, as I'm not a big fan of fruit anyway and I didn't feel like wasting my carbs on fruit that I won't even enjoy... give me a bowl of plain oatmeal, that hits the spot.) I had a couple of small cheats, like a sip of my boyfriend's beer the other night when he was over for dinner. I also had an Atkins Endulge chocolate bar one day, and a couple of bite-sized pieces of pastry that were being offered as samples at Starbucks. I also had more than just my 2 cups of milk -- I'm a milk fiend, I would drink it all day if I could. Those were my cheats. (Oh, and I know that I went over my 75 sweet treat calories a couple of days by having an extra s/f fudgesicle after dinner.) I did have three solid exercise sessions (2 soccer games, and one attempt at going for a run by myself -- only managed two five minute stints with 15 minutes walking in between), but it wasn't much.
This morning, I got up and got on the scale... and...
I AM DOWN THREE MORE POUNDS!!!!!!! (Nine in total since starting.)
Hold me, baby, I'm gonna faint! I could hardly BELIEVE IT! I'm completely rejuvinated and, while I have a stagette to go to tonight, I'm not even thinking about what I'll be missing by not having beers with the girls. We're going to The Keg for a steak dinner beforehand, and I'm just looking forward to the delicious sirloin and the caesar salad I'll have -- I'm not sad about missing the Keg's rice pilaf (my FAVORITE) or the delicious warm bread they serve with the meal. I am so excited to be able to say that I'm down nine pounds in total! The saying is true: Nothing tastes as good as I feel right now!
Yes, I'm still 20 lbs away from my goal... but the progress is exhilarating.
So, for all the women out there who are feeling discouraged and down: please, just give it your all and you will see results! This plan is hard work, no doubt about it. Your options may seem limited. I feel some days like I am -- I would love to have a piece of Banana Bread for breakfast with my coffee every morning like I used to, but instead I have to figure something out with eggs, which I don't really like but know it's a necessity.
That said, being able to put on a top that didn't fit 9 pounds ago today, was the best feeling.
Thanks to everyone for your support on here. Having questions answered when I've been in a funk or worried that I'm not doing this right, that's been so helpful, I can hardly tell you! Thanks, thanks thanks. Laughing for joy!
Isn't it weird how you can suddenly drop a few pounds like that. I have a friend on ww who totally stalled, tried cutting her points, exercising more, nothing worked!. Then she went on holiday and ate out a few days in a row and went completely over her points and lost weight! Must've been her metabolism finally kicking in.
Isn't it weird how you can suddenly drop a few pounds like that. I have a friend on ww who totally stalled, tried cutting her points, exercising more, nothing worked!. Then she went on holiday and ate out a few days in a row and went completely over her points and lost weight! Must've been her metabolism finally kicking in.
Actually, Chick... what I believe it might be... there's a common theory that I'm surprised isn't included in this plan at all, that when you get into fat-burning mode like this, your body sometimes needs to be reminded that it IS getting enough calories. So, a lot of fitness professionals (and I'm not talking body-builders or those types, I'm talking dieticians and such) suggest that one day a week should be a "cheat day". Not a binge-all-day thing, but a day where you have a few treats -- regardless of whether they're "On Plan" or legal or allowed on your diet or however you want to put it. I fully believe in that, and I'm thinking of incorporating it into my own routine on SBD.
The problem is (and maybe this is why it's not included) -- too many people say, "Cheat day? RIGHT ON" and go hog-wild on Krispy Kreme and McDonalds and Pizza Hut. That's not the point of a "cheat day" but too many people stretch the definition and go all out. Then they either have a total problem getting back on plan, or they gain because they actually exceeded the number of calories they burned that entire week. (I think it's the getting back on-plan that makes it impossible for so many people.)
I've stated my opinion on cravings -- I don't believe they go away, at least they haven't for me -- so it doesn't make life worse for me either way. I'm going to want the bad stuff whether I have it or not.
So there you go. I'm going to likely have a lite beer tonight with my steak dinner -- just like I did last week! Just one, that's it. But I think it'll be enough of a cheat that my body will know, yep, it's getting enough calories so it can keep on burning!
GRRRRRRRREAT!!! Thanks for posting ...my daughter who is doing this with me, really needed to see this!
Enjoy the feeling today!
Lisa
Thank you! I will! And tell your daughter, especially if she's got relatively little to lose like me... sometimes it does take that extra exercise or whatever, and certainly an iron will to steer clear of the pastry cooler at Starbucks, but a small cheat isn't going to kill you as long as you get back on plan AND... sticking with it is the only way to see results.
I am glad this thread came up. I was feeling really guilty because I had a rocky road cake yesterday and knew that it was not OP. I just felt that I needed it at the moment and had been stalling at the same weight for the past week.
This morning, I was down an extra pound. I think you are right when you say that you body sometimes needs to be reminded that it is in fat burning mode. It seems to work that way with me.
I understand 'fit for life' has a cheat day built in. I emailed this friend on ww the article on the wendy principle that was posted on this site. She told me she wasn't going to do it because she was losing weight but once she stalled and this happened she is convinced that you need to have a few splurges once in awhile to continue to lose weight. I wonder if that is why those last 10 pounds are always hard to lose. Maybe you need to 'take a break' making sure you don't regain any weight then start on the dieting again. Just a theory.
I have been wondering if you are going to cheat if it is better in a lower carb sense to cheat with regular fat cheese that a bread/ cake product. or eating some higher fat meat like a regular bratwurst or something. I see it as leaning towards the Atkins plan on occasion. I like blue cheese and regular fat cheese sometimes.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
Thank you for posting this. I needed the boost and I'm sure all the other chickies are tired of hearing about my bouts with cheating. It's so hard sometimes because I equate enjoying food with enjoying life since it is such a big part of who I am. I have to think though, is the food worth my self esteem? That's my mantra for the second week of Phase II.
:-)
VT
I haven't cheated and am thinking maybe I should have, maybe I would loose faster!
I'm 6 pounds from my goal and I'm going SOOOO slow!
RN -- Maybe you DO need a cheat day! I mean, I'm not advocating cheating in a general sense. If you wanna lose weight, you've got to pick a plan and be strict with yourself and consistent or it's just not going to work. Hut you're so close, and maybe you need to give your body a shock. Because, keep in mind... once our bodies become accustomed to one thing, they'll go with it. Sorta like how you can hit an exercise plateau. You have to challenge your body or it won't change.
BUT, Chick On The Beach is right: Body For Life (aka: Fit For Life) does include a cheat day, once a week. MIND you, the difference there is that Body/Fit for Life is a program that is HEAVY HEAVY on exercise. It's not strictly a diet, it'a complete eating and exercise plan. (And it's HARD. I tried it and couldn't keep up to what he demands of you for exercise. Plus, you eat enormous amounts of protien to feed those muscles.)
SO, if you're not exercising regularily, a heavy cheat day could see you put on weight on SBD. And, as I mentioend before, it also could undermine your success if you stretch a cheat day into 3 or 4 days off plan.
***I'm adding this: Dr.A wrote this plan WITHOUT a cheat day in it. That's for a reason. So please, don't anyone thing I'm advocating cheating as part of this plan. I am absolutely NOT. I was just sharing my experiences of what happened after I cheated, and why I thought I may have lost weight. Just wanted to make that clear! Cheating is not part of this plan, until Ph3, and even then it's meant to be sensible. If you start cheating on a regular basis, you won't see results -- that much I think I can say with a lot of confidence.
Last edited by MittenNKim; 07-05-2004 at 01:06 PM.
Reason: Forgot one thing...
Reason #1 not to give up...
Laughing for joy!
