South Beach Diet - Phase I - Second week of April

This thread is for new folks, old folks restarting and anybody working on Phase I. Post your questions, concerns and helpful hints in here.

(Remember to join us on the Daily Chat too. There's more to life than dieting; it just doesn't feel that way sometimes. )

I'm starting this way of eating Monday (well technically today since it's after midnight).

Here are a few questions:
Turkey bacon - why only 2 slices? also, is it a particular kind b/c mine does have sugar in it, but so did all of them I saw....

Dressing for salad - what do you use?

Deli cheese - I always get my cheese from the deli, you know where they cut it when you order it. Is that high fat cheese and not acceptable? Do I have to buy "processed" cheese to get the low fat stuff?

Thanks all and good luck! I'm starting with soy milk and turkey bacon in the am. :)

Hi all- one week down and down 5 lbs- :carrot: I was hoping for a little more, but I'll take the 5 in a skinny minute (pun intended). And I was on program nearly perfectly except for eating two slices of real bacon.

Katrs5: welcome aboard. I am not sure about why the turkey bacon is limited, probably because it has a little bit of sugar and is probably high in sodium. Regarding the salad dressing: most of the bleu cheese dressings are sugar free or very low. I was really surprised to find so much sugar in the salad dressings.

Off to week two and really not craving any carbs except for popcorn at the movies. My mean old mother went along and had to buy a tub of it that I usually helped her polish off lickety split. Good luck to all you fellow SB'ers.

:welcome3: katrs5 and SuzrBeth!

katrs5, I think the reason we're limited to 2 slices of turkey bacon is because of the sugar and sodium in it. One serving has very little sugar in it, but if you have more than that, it could set off those cravings that we are trying to quench in Phase 1. We can have any salad dressing that contains no more than 3 grams of sugar, but keep the serving size to 2 Tbsp. or less. The calorie count in a lot of dressings can really add up. Stay far away from processed cheese, processed foods in general is what we are to avoid on the SBD. Look for low fat or reduced fat cheeses. For more information, check out the up-to-date Phase 1 food list sticky in the FAQ section of this forum.

Hi Ladies:
Its my first day back on the Beach! So far I've had a cottage cheese and string cheese for Breakfast and the same for Lunch ( I didn't have time to pack salad and turkey) tonights dinner will be a veggie burger and baby greens. After this weekend I NEED TO DETOX!
Kat Have you tried Morningstar farms sausage? if you get the pattys they taste like the real deal!
gotta run!
Kier

Morning ladies!

Week 2 and I'm doing well. One thing I have noticed this time around is that I'm really not as hungry as I used to be. I'm eating breakfast, lunch, dinner, 2 snacks and dessert. When I did this diet in the past that didn't seem to quelch it on P1. I've been keeping a food diary and noticed how much green tea I've been drinking. I really think that's the ticket for controlling my hunger!

I used to not drink tea at all, but I've found that I can take a cup of green tea and add some Crystal Light lemon drink mix to it and it's such a treat! I've started making gallons of the stuff. This morning was raspberry flavored. FANTASTIC!

Also the PB cookies have really been a great help. They are in the recipe forum. I pushed my dough into little star shape cupcake "pans" and froze them. When I want one they are great right out of the freezer!

Back to class, hope everyone has a good week!

Hi all!
I am starting week two. Week one went really well, my husband started with me so it has been fun to try new dinners. He isn't much for veggies, so it has been a little hard trying to get him to try new things...I hate seeing him make the "you want me to eat that face"...I want to hurt him:)

Anyway, the last two days I have felt hungrier than I did last week. I don't think I have done anything "illegal" but will watch extra careful today.

Oh, I lost 4.5 pounds on week one:)

Hi everyone!
I am restarting SB today! I did phase one successfully, but started floundering and finally sunk in phase two. I just didnt know what to eat, I hadnt bought the book at that point and didnt know the program. So after the rigidness and tight structure of phase one was gone I was lost. Went back to WW ways, gained it all back.
So! I bought THREE South beach books! (One is the cookbook) The other two are Good Fat/Bad Fat and The South Beach Diet.
I am ready to do this ladies! In the first try, I lost 13 pounds...and noticable stomache fat!
I have one question at the top of my head this morning, regarding yogurt. Why does it have to be plain??? I understand no fruit in phase 1, but ewwww! What about vanilla? If it HAS to be plain...how do you "doctor" it up? I LOVE yogurt for breakfast....
Thanks in advance!
~Tracie

:welcome: to The Beach Tracie. Be sure to check out the Recipe Section and the FAQ section for hints and ideas.

Vanilla flavoured yogurt is fine as long as it is LF and has no added sugar, thickener or other crud in the ingredients. The sugar listed in the nutritional content is lactose and is OK. You can also perk up plain yogurt by adding a tiny bit of SF Jello powder and counting it towards your 75 calories of treats.

thanks for the welcome Ruth!
I have printed so much material from this awesome site! recipes, product lists, etc. This site ROCKS!
I dug out an old container to post the ingredients. Will you tell me if it has ok stuff?
ultr-filtered Skim milk, Flavor Base (Vanilla and Creme' flavor with other natural flavors, food starch-modifed, Citric acid, Sucralose, Potassium Sorbate as a preservative, Annatto Color, FD&C Yellow 5) Cream, Whey Protien Concentrate, Kosher Gelatin, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D3, Cultures.

Katrs5: regarding cheese: anything with 6 grams of fat or less per ounce is the guideline for phase one. (Reference: Article 1 (http://health.yahoo.com/topic/weightloss/dietplan/article/prevention/23099), Article 2 (http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/southbeachdiet/a/dairysouthbeach.htm))

Hello everyone...

I was on SB in the Fall before Thanksiving and got down to the lowest weight I have ever been (144). I have gained about 10 pounds since then. I don't want to continue to gain and with summer fast approaching I want to get back on track.

I will be starting Phase 1 tomorrow. I went shopping tonight and bought all of the food items that I ate last time I was on SB. I even posted the Foods to eat/foods to avoid list on my Frig.

I found this site to be so helpful and encouraging last time I was here. I am excited to start again!

Hi everyone! I started SBD in January and lost 15 pounds but started slacking and gaining weight back. So I'm refocused and started Phase 1 today. I had been using SBD online but then found this site. It has so much great information, tons of recipes and it's FREE!!

The day has gone great so far and I'm really looking forward to getting those nasty carb/sugar cravings back under control.

Hi everyone!

I have decided to get back on the beach after a few year hiatus. I wasn't good at it the first time around but now I've reached my highest weight ever and I simply HAVE to do something to reverse this trend. I've always agreed with the SBD eating principles and am so happy to have found this group!

Yesterday was supposed to be Day 1 of Phase 1. However, I let myself get hungry and then was pursuaded by coworkers to get chinese. I felt really bad afterwards, especially because I had been so good all day!

So far today I've had eggs with cheese on them (probably not low fat cheese though :( ) Then I brought some low fat cheese for snacks. For lunch I'll more than likely have a chicken salad and then for dinner I have a barbeque to go to at a coworkers house. That will be difficult but I'll stick to either a chicken breast for a veggie burger.

My biggest challenge this week is that I am traveling for work so I have limited control over my food options (hence the non lowfat cheese this morning). I am going to try to do the absolute best that I can. Any words of advice? :?:

Happy beaching!

SlimmingDown, I've discovered that one of the biggest challenges of this WOE is eating out. Sometimes a seemingly innocent food that appears to be SB friendly is loaded with additives and other ingredients. As much as I like to eat out, I don't go out as often as I used to. When I make it myself at home, at least I know what's in it! Friends and co-workers always seem to present a challenge, too, trying to entice you to cheat "just this once." Be strong and show them that you can do this! Only you are in control of what you put in your mouth.
South Beach has a guide book, Dining Out, that has many popular chain restaurant menus listed in it and tells you what the best choices are in each restaurant. That may help you. Just remember to order your meats baked, broiled or sauteed without sauces, and order steamed veggies with no butter or sauce. Order salad with the dressing on the side so you can control how much you use, and be mindful that it's a SB friendly dressing. Good luck to you, with diligence, you can do it!

Good morning to you ladies!

Lots of new faces! Justcallmetracie - your yogurt looks fine to me. Is it Dannon's Light and Fit? That's good stuff! :D

I hard-boiled another 7 eggs this morning, my favorite way of having them. Right now I'm putting together a mock menu and grocery list and then I'm off to the store!

Keep snacking gals!

I took a look at the yogurt ingredients and I saw the food starch and the cream and those raised flags for me. For phase 1, especially, I think it is better to stick with nonfat plain yogurt. How can it be nonfat if it has cream in it?

after a horrible weekend i told the hubby we can't count the few days last week as phase 1. period. so we technically restarted yesterday. doing good so far. just have to find the energy to cook at night my only downfall!
hope you all are doing wonderful!

Hi all- very new to all of this "posting" business. Started phase 2 today and struggling with knowing exactly what and how much to add back in. Also, not really craving anything, but should probably start adding fruit back in, right?:dizzy:

2boyslater - Welcome! How much did you lose in Phase 1? I just started today.

OMG! I am having horrible withdrawals! I am craving candy SO freakin' bad! Help! I am proud that instead of going up to the vending machine I came online instead. I realize that I am not hungry, just having cravings. Evil evil cravings.

tiggre - thanks for the cheese info - that helps a ton...now if I can only get through a whole day!

Hi all,

I restarted phase one yesterday. I did it at the beginning of the year and lost 10 pounds, and then another 15 on phase 2...but the past couple of weeks I've been moving and haven't been adhering to anything at all! So I figure jumping back in at the beginning will re-teach me the fundamentals and then I can work on sticking with phase 2 a little bit better!

Of course, the move included coming back home, where my parents have all sorts of no-nos in the house. I went out and stocked up on all the food I can have, and every time I want some leftover easter candy, I reach out for a cheese stick instead.

Well girls I did SB a long time ago and decided to try it again. Checked it out this morning and gathered some info and now I am off and running. I did well today and hope to continue to try hard to stay focused. I am a little unsure of somethings so I will keep reading the post here and ck the site for more info. I was able to down load some recipes and ideas today at work. Ooops. Oh well if I am fit they will get more work out of me. At any rate this first 2 weeks will be tough no pizza huh??? Any ideas on a replacement for that product? Just kidding oh but I do like it. Have my lunch packed for tommorow. Healthy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For those of you starting Phase 2 or thinking about it, please check out the "What's Your P2 Combo? (http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83406)" thread. There's tons of advice on how to do P2, how to find the right combination of fruits and good carbs for you, and more. It's REALLY helpful! You'll also find the Emergency Handbook for Phase 2 (http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=59321) helpfull as well, I believe. Check 'em out, and if you still have questions, post 'em in the daily or start a new thread, okay? We're here to help! :corn: <--(well, not by eating that stuff! :o )

Slimming Down, those cravings are AWFUL, aren't they? :cry: :grouphug: I'm thrilled that you came here instead of going to the :censored: vending machines! :high: YGG!!! The cravings will go away...in the meantime, think how you'll have to go through three to five days of them AGAIN if you give in...and don't! Take a walk, talk to someone, write about your feelings here or in your online journal, drink water, chew SF gum or have a hard SF candy...or even splurge on a non-fat latte with SF syrup. Or have a cup of tea! Just find a way around or over it...you CAN do it! :cheer2: I had awful cravings this evening, but I made a really yummy cup of chai tea with a teabag and 1% milk (I splurged!) and splenda. Yummm... :T Oh, and I drank a lot of water, cuddled with DH and told him how much I felt like eating, and concentrated on how full I actually was. I'm glad I made it through, because the third day is the hardest for me. I WILL do it, though! :strong: So will all of you!

:dust: for everyone's third day!!! :cheer2: :broc:

Hey Everybody...

I have discovered that I do need to do a bit of planning to stay on track. I moved all of my non-phase 1 foods into one cabinet and have stock up on yummy P1 foods.

My biggest problem is at work... the community snack table is right next to my desk... every time I leave or come back I pass all of the goodies... and to top it off, all of my co-workers come to my desk to munch and socialize. I am trying to keep crunchie veggies, yogurt, and lunchmeat roll-up nearby to keep those urges at bay.

I hope everyone has a GREAT day today!

cacmsc - You can have something very like pizza if you use a portabella mushroom as the crust with a no sugar added pizza sauce, reduced fat mozzarella and veggies for toppings. Turkey pepperoni and canadian bacon should be okay too. You can also top eggplant and that tastes really good. I think there may be some recipes in the forum.

I managed to slip up again yesterday. Phase 1 is definately tougher than I expected. I started to get a head ache and I think that it was from withdrawals! I didn't know that could happen.

Today I am back on track. For lunch I am going to have a veggie burger with cheese and onions and no bun with a salad on the side. I feel so guilty putting regular dressing on my salad. I wish that the cafeteria here had the nutritional info on the bottles of dressing. I think that yesterday I put around 300 cals worth of dressing on my salad!!!! That's so much!

How is everyone else doing with the cravings? Please tell me that I am not the only one having a hard time!

P1 starts TOMORROW (isn't that always the case) I'm going to the store tonight so there are no EXCUSES tomorrow. This is going to be hard. I know I can do it I had a great run with SBD in 2003- lost 25 lbs. in 3 or 4 months. I need to do that again -I turn 30 in Aug. and want to look hot ;) aha-the real motivation shines through!
Wish me luck!!!
...t.

ALSO, some advice from the pros, please. I can live w/ RF mozzarella,cause frankly i'm not a Mozz. fan so whats the diff. HOWEVER 2% Cheddar is the best I can do. I am a taco fan and have no problem switching to salad instead of shells but FF cheddar is revolting. I'd rather not have cheese than go to FF cheddar! I always feel like i'm cheating or changing the rules then I just quit-cause I can't even follow the guidelines properly. Boy, that sounds completely defeatist!! This is thinking I am trying to change. But in the meantime what about that cheese?
...t.

I just started the SBD on Monday, April 9th. I'm experiencing some crazy sugar withdrawl and I believe it's causing headaches, however, I can't be sure if its the no sugar or work :(
In any case, I see that people have posted recipes including peanut butter. I would KILL for some peanut butter right now, and didn't know this was allowed in phase1 (don't see it in the book anywhere).

Also, I've read that some people stay on Phase1 beyond the initial two weeks to lose more weight. Personally, I don't like torture, but wonder if that would really work.

Thanks, and it's great to read about everyone's journeys!

:welcome: to the Beach, Doozy.

Please spend some time reading the FAQ Section in this South Beach Forum. There is a comprehensive and updated List of Phase I Foods that will help you. Having milk and legumes will certainly help with the carb withdrawal cravings. Remember, we eat GOOD carbs, not NO carbs.

tifanicole - Welcome to the Beach! I always use 2% cheese rather than nonfat. That is perfectly acceptable on SBD. Do check the food lists and they are updated from what is listed in the hardback version of the book.

tifanicole, I always use the 2% cheeses, too. The nonfat cheeses are awful, IMHO.

:welcome3: droozy!

ok the last of the sweets is gone, and I can shop tomorrow, so I feel like I will be on plan all day for my very first day. Wish me luck! I'll report in how I do, b/c I HAVE to get this right and quit fooling around with it. Chocolate cake is NOT worth all this.

I had some serious sugar cravings yesterday. We have Easter candy all over the place here but I didn't give in. I think the key was cup of hot chocolate w/skim milk, cocoa, splenda, vanilla and a dash of cinnamon -- yum! Plus, it snowed here yesterday so it was perfect treat! Hoping for a smooth Day 4. Have a great day, everyone!

Thanks guys! I know it probably seems trivial, I suffer from perfectionism and get caught up in the details sometimes. I need to just relax.

Good Morning P1D1- Just arrived at work and am making 2 scrambled eggs and some coffee w/ spenda and sugar free coffeemate (hazelnut, if you care)

Last night I binged on Little Ceasars pizza, crazybread, pop and had chocolate cake - I know that sounds crazy but I was like throwing myself a going away party. I am a new woman today. I am taking control of my life and my health starting NOW. I even told my family that we would be eating pizza only once a month. Saving money for our annual disney trip (yeah, like we go only once) and saving our health at the same time. My kids LOVE healthy food, but I'm lazy and always making them eat pizza (working moms, ya know?) So they were actually glad. Hooray, even hubby (for the first time ever) said he could use a diet overhaul as well.
Good luck for a great day to all of you P1-ers.
My mom (also my boss) says I will be addicted to 3fc soon instead of sugar!! hahah
...t.

Morning ladies! Day 10 P1 and going strong. I'm so pleased with myself that I'm not craving all the junk! I'm not even tempted, and for me, that's amazing. It's gotta be all the green tea.

SIL is spending the night with me so we're off to go play racquetball. Just online getting some recipes to try for the weekend. Made "Chinese Tacos" lettuce wraps yesterday that were yumalish!

Just found a bag of double chocolate cookie crisp in my desk drawer and THREW IT OUT!!! It could have been there for a month for all I know, I would have eaten it anyway :) I mean, if I weren't the strong and resolved individual that I obviously am, I mean I made it through breakfast, right??

Snack Time.. 1 0z 2% Sharp Cheddar (cracker barrel) I'm not hungry yet, I had 2 cups of coffee, but it's time and those are the rules!
...t.

D1P1 starts tomorrow for me officially. I've had a few false starts this week and today and going to look up yummy recipes on the site and make a grocery list. Tonight I'll go straight from the airport to the grocery store and tomorrow will be a whole new day!

Tifanicole - WTG on throwing out the cookies! I probably would have interpreted it as a sign and caved in :rolleyes:. You seem to really be doing this the right way and that is awesome. I bet that your perfectionism will help out in the long run!

AdiaFaith - :bravo: on Day 10! It's refreshing to hear that you aren't craving bad foods and what not.

New here and I just started SB again, day 10 of p1. I fell off the wagon sometime last May during finals. It's funny but p1 doesn't seem as hard as it did last time. I mean I had headaches and crazy cravings. By day 4 I thought I was gonna die but this time I'm doing good. I'm actually not craving bread and if I want something sweet I go for a splenda sweetened fudgesicle. I think it was easier because I eased myself into p1 instead of having a binge party like I did the first time. Although I have to admit I love chocolate!!! When will they invent the magic pill that lets you eat whatever you want and not gain any weight? (oh to dream)

Green tea is a life saver.

:welcome: BrowneyedGirl. I'm glad to see you de-lurked and are now legit. You'll find lots of info and support in here. You were wise not to have a piggy party before starting this plan. I think it really helps with easing initial cravings. Remember to eat dairy to ease any cravings.

Slimmingdown. This is all about choices. You do not need to wait till tomorrow to restart. I'm emploring you to restart NOW recommit yourself right this second. The next snack or meal is another opportunity to make a better choice. You'll no doubt have noticed my posting everything I've put in my mouth today- P1D1 for me is 1 choice at a time. One bite at a time, one snack at a time. Being a perfectionis ( a title that I loathe!) means that I have little margin for error. If I make a bad choice (am less than perfect) my tendency is to shake the whole thing. Something worth doing is worth doing perfectly. This thinking has ended me at 163 pound (as the Publix scale flys) I will not let it be my undoing this time. making one bad choice is NOT an excuse for making more. I believe that you will make better choices today. Forget restarting- resolve, right now, to make a better choice at the next available opportunity. YOU CAN DO THIS, we'll do it together.
Join me at the Beach...t.
"In the beginning, it is always dark."-the childlike empress

Oh for those of you who are fighting hard to beat those cravings here's some possible inspiration. The first time I did Sb I lost 14 pounds in p1. My mom lost a whopping 22 pounds. How she did it I don't know but apparently it is a possibility.

Please remember that the amount you lose on Phase I is proportional to the amount you are overweight. A larger Chick will probably lose more than a slimmer one.

Lunchtime 1/2 cup LF cottage cheese mixed w/ 1/2 cup tuna salad w/ egg (this is my slip up it's made w/ miracle whip and relish-only a little) I'm at work and there is no pepper to season the cc w/ so I used a little of my moms left over tuna to help it out. and a RF mozz. stick. I also refilled my 24 oz water bottle while I was away from my desk. :) :) :) Thanks for seeing me through day 1 guys!
...t.
" In the beginning, there is always darkness"-the childlike empress

For lunch I had 2 pickles, 2 burger patties (no bun obviously), with ketchup and mustard. I've drank 2 - 16 oz glasses of H20 too...so I'm on track. I did skip breakfast (but I'd slept in, so really it was lunch by the time I got going).

My husband had buns and pretzels - and he was very supportive of me not having them (usually he'd say "want some pretzels babe" etc...). So far so good. Going grocery shopping in an hour.

No veggies AND no breakfast!!! Ahem! :nono: Pickles are not a veggie by the way! Try to get some low carb ketchup when you shop and don't forget Veggies, dairy and some canned kidney beans or other legumes.

It's great that your DH is being supportive. Give him extra hugs.

Day 4 is going well. No sugar cravings so far today -- woohoo!! I was out of eggs so ended up eating a salad and cheese for breakfast followed by a nice cup of coffee. Lunch was tuna w/hard-boiled eggs, onion, celery and a little RF mayo. I had salad on the side and I also had a cheese stick. I'm defrosting chicken and saw some very interesting recipes on this site so I think I'll try something new tonight!

I have already vowed to make sure dinner was veggie heavy. I got going late and had to bring eggs with me to -MICROWAVE, how gross (ok, it wasn't THAT bad) at the office. I am planning on having chicken w/ veggies and a salad for dinner. OH wait I did bring tomatoes for my 2nd snack today. Hooray, see I did plan sensibly! Yay me.
Caryn it's you and me babe-all the way!!!

"Good night Wesley, I'll most likely kill you in the morning."

See less of you chickadees, bright and early!!! Have a healthy dinner and sweet dreams.

P1D2 is on the horizon.
Caryn-You look like you got a tan today!
Slimmingdown-don't make me pull this car over!!!

Okay, so, Phase 1 is going really really well for me so far, and I feel pretty good about everything. But my dad is driving me a little bit nuts! He's trying to be supportive, but he thinks he knows everything there is to know about dieting since he lost 50 pounds on his own plan (and believe me...it is NOT worth writing home about health-wise). So he keeps insisting that I can have a little bit of pasta, and that green peas are a vegetable so of COURSE they are okay. I've printed out the entire list of Phase 1 foods and have highlighted the parts that are NOT allowed in the hopes that it will keep him quiet about this stuff. I love him dearly, but in this case father does not know best!

Wow, you ladies are doing well and posting often!

Jenny - everyone who has ever lost 5 pounds has their own way of doing it and it's hard to not want to spread the secret since it is so sought after. My advice? Play stupid and cheerful. Nod, smile, and don't eat the peas! ;)

Tif - Good luck to you for the morning! Get up early and eat something yummy and OP before you run off to work!

Browneyedgirl - Green Tea is my hero! I've had 10 cups today! Wooo hooo! Take that water intake! (I know, I've been drinking the real "pure" water too, relax!)

I finished my paper for tomorrow, as well as a cover letter and resume for a new restaurant coming to town. Now I'm going to walk home and enjoy parmesan chicken fingers and green beans for dinner!

Good night ladies!

hi everyone i think im going to try and join u,...u are on ur 4th day?

Melisa, everyone started on a different day which is why it's weekly thread. Hop right in - that water's fine! And :welcome: to The Beach!

Hi all! I'm new to this site, and I don't know if I'm posting in the right place or not!!! I am at the end of my 3rd day on SB. I'm digging the food, but the scale doesn't seem to budge! That's ok though, b/c I have been feeling great!
I love all the info and recipes in the posts.

Hello all! I have made it through the first 2 days and this is the start of day 3. I am feeling good so far and can't get over that I have been doing okay except for a slip up of a glass of wine. I am adjusting well so far. Breakfast is a bit tough as toast and oatmeal were my norms. But now I am searching for phase 1 ideas just got the SB book out of the library so that will help. I had a lunchoen at work yesterday with lots of great goodies. I managed to eat feel guilt free and stayed away from the carbs wow that was an accomplishment. I did my wt. this morning and will now monitor to see how that goes. I use salsa instead of ketchup and its not so bad also like hot sauce ck it out. Thanks for the pizza idea using portebello mushrooms I will try that. Also the talk about the 2% cheeses wow do I agree some of the ff taste like eating plastic. Have any of you used the laughing cow cheeses? Those are real good and now they have several different ones to choose from. Well off to work I go and wow its so good to have reached friday. The weekend will be tough on this diet but I am going to make it work. Grocery shopping will be helpful as I can explore some new items to try. Thanks for the support and ideas here!

Today is the same song as all of the others for me. I am starting over. I feel very frustrated with myself. I am going to look through some P1 recipes and then head to the grocery store and stock up. I am working from home today so I won't have nearly as many temptations since my cupboards are almost bare (I basically buy food as I use it).

Tif - Thanks for your words on wisdom. It's just so easy to put things off. I am back on track now though! Congrats on a great day 1.

Hey SlimmingDown, don't be so hard on yourself. If it were easy, none of us would be here. Besides, starting over is better than giving up. Hopefully surrounding yourself with healthier foods will help keep you on track ... and there are plenty of recipes to help keep things interesting. Good luck!!

Slimmingdown, carynm is right don't be hard on yourself it's a little difficult to get started. I tried to start ph1 again last month and kept having set backs. My DH is an enabler.:) No but this time I'm officially on day 12 and doing a lot better this time around. The first time I did SB it took me forever to start. Besides if you're kinda doing the diet it will be a lot easier to transition into ph1. Try adding some green tea sweetened with splenda. I like adding a lemon juice. It takes the edge off for me and helps a ton.

Good afternoon my little(er) chickadees! I forgot that I didn't have to work today and slept IN!!! Got up at 10 and made breakfast for me and my little chick- a 2 egg omlet w/ hotsauce, chicken(I grilled 3 extra breasts last night for a no excuses lunch!!), 2% cheddar, green & red peppers and onions. Put a little salsa on it then realized that it had 1g of sugar and nixed it.
My pc is on the fritz so I headed over to my MIL's to "visit". She's not home so I thought I'd stop by and see what the waters like in your neck of the woods. Also, I packed my lunch- a salad w/ left over chicken and chickpeas(my favorite) and snacks, hard boiled eggs, and some cheese. I had to make a concious effort to NOT eat strawberries while I was cutting some up for lily for her snack. MMM... strawberries. I can't wait for P2.
HELLO slimmingdown!!!This is the start of a brand new day, lots of choices to be made, let's make good ones together!! Take it easy greasy, it's a LOOONG slide home!
Caryn, way to go on day 2- you are an inspiration. The next time I want to reach for something unauthorized I'm going to remember that you had a salad for BREAKFAST- that is intestinal fortitude!!! Keep up the good work
Hello to all the new chicks-good luck. Keep posting, let us know how it's going.
I'm so glad we have this thread to get us through the beginning of our journey.

I am doing much better today! Finally!

The grocery store was an adventure. I definately looked at foods in a much different way than I have in the past. I really almost enjoyed SBD when I attempted it a few years ago, I changed a lot of my habits and I think became an overall healthier person even though I wasn't very successful with weightloss. This time I am going to try to keep health as my overall reason since I lose weight very slowly normally.

Thanks for the support everyone. Unfortuantely I do tend to be hard on myself. I'm still recovering from an ED so I have a tendency to let food REALLY affect me. I love the support around here! Y'all are great!

tifanicole - The 1gm of sugar in the salsa was probably from the tomatoes and that is perfectly acceptable. Just make sure there was no added sugar. That is why you have to check the ingredients instead of just the nutritional information.

1. OMG Jill, you are BEAUTIFUL!!!! and Barb, thanks for the support but I checked, at the very bottom of the list there it was SUGAR. I thought the same thing- I didn't even think about it at first. Good thing I checked. I wasn't on the Beach when I bought the salsa, I'll be sure to check from now on I can NOT live without salsa!!! I am skipping my mil's meatloaf tonight at dinner and had the courage to ask her (you know Italian woman and their cooking) to leave out some chopped meat so I could have a hamburger, thenI stopped at the store to get asparagus and SBD friendly salad dressing and black beans to make those brownies. Hope you all have a sunny weekend on the Beach!!!

I'm on Day 5 and it's going pretty well. I met my hubby for lunch today. He's running a half-marathon Sunday and is carb loading so we went to Olive Garden (not my favorite place to begin with but sometimes you have to take one for the team :) ). I never realized how heavy-sauce laden the menu is so I created my own dish. I ordered grilled chicken w/double vegetables on the side and plain salad w/vinegar and oil on the side. The veggies were a little on the oily side but at least it was olive oil (w/basil and garlic) and with so many on the plate I was able to choose the "drier" ones. Surprisingly satisfying.

So we'll be traveling to St. Louis for the race and I'll do my best to stay on plan. We used to live on the East Coast and would travel to Chicago a couple times a year to see family so my kids are accustomed to car rides, but we established some traditions over the years ... one being we ALWAYS bring Pringles and licorice in the car. We do include healtier choices, too, but being on Phase 1 makes things a bit trickier. We'll bring a cooler with so I'm packing cheese sticks, chopped celery, laughing cow cheese and natural peanut butter. I also found some s/f licorice at the store so I figure I can join in the fun (and, of course, count the calories as sweet treats). Dinner tomorrow night will be tricky as we'll be eating at the home our our friend's parents, but I'm make the best choices possible. Other than that, I'm focused on smooth sailing.

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Well I passed up the huge muffins at work today. I was brave and actually surprised that it really didn't bother me to much. I was proud of my accomplishment thats not easy when there is a whole platter sitting in front of you at a meetinG. I had some black coffee instead that was good coffee. Then went back to my office and ate some lunch. I was satisfied. Then tonight broiled some haddock and scallops for dinner and had cottage cheese. Any good recipes or ideas for nonfat yogurt for stage 1? Thanks again for the support. Carynm good idea to bring your healthy choices I like the laughing cow got groceries and forgot the dang cheese next round I will get it. Can we have the ww popsicles? On phase 1?

Oh the scale is showing another lb. gone hurray! Just wanted to share my good findings with all of my support system. I am reading the SB book I got from the local library. Interesting reading. I do have to say I would love a crunchy bowl of grapenuts right about now. But I am off to make some eggs and turkey bacon for my breakfast the scale going down will help me make good choices throughout my day today. Have a great one!