Yesterday was my first day without Splenda/sucralose. I did use Truvia (stevia) in my morning tea. I feel pretty good today; I don't know if that is a direct effect of the no sucralose or just because it is the weekend!

I am going to keep trying to avoid sucralose and see if that helps. I was doing some research online and some people have horrible reactions to it (and of course it doesn't bother others).

Hi everyone! I just started BFC after reading and researching for about a week. I officially started yesterday and so far I'm really liking it even though I had the dreaded sugar withdrawal headache on and off for most of the day today. (Hope that doesn't last too long?) I shopped and loaded up on lots of BFC friendly foods - spent a fortune & probably bought way more than I needed but wanted to have lots of options. My 13 (almost 14) year old daughter is doing this with me. I don't encourage her to diet but this feels like a healthy WOE and as long as she doesn't get obsessed I'm glad to have a partner.

From what I've read, a lot of you don't eat your 6 servings of carbs every day. I'm going to try to start out eating all of them since that is what drew me to this WOE but if I find I'm not losing, I will probably slowly cut 1 or 2 servings and see how that works. I did the South Beach Diet about 6 years ago and got down to about 135 and looked and felt great but slowly went back to old habits. I would love to get back to that weight but would be happy to be in the 140s right now.

Would love to hear everyone's favorite tip as to how they stay on track!

Hi there! I don't post here often, but I wanted to chime in b/c I am one who feels the need to have a sweet treat every single day so I don't feel deprived, and i've been very successful with BFC (down 30 pounds since March and have surpassed my goal weight, am just maintaining now). There are quite a few chocolate products out there made with sugar alcohols, which are allowed (as opposed to splenda which is a big no no according to Jorge). At the regular grocery store, I can find these small bags of Reese's PB cups that are Sugar free (made with malitol, I believe) as well as Hershey's Sugar free dark choc (also made with malitol or another sugar alcohol). In my store, they're always with the Russell Stover SF stuff. Also, my favorite is the Simply Lite chocolate bars at Trader Joes made with malitol. They're SO good and I will have about 4 squares a day (for one serving of carbs). And, if you can find it, Clemmy's ice cream is really yummy. I eat a ton of veggies and eat pretty healthy, overall, but having my 1 (sometimes even 2 ) carb servings of SF chocolate a day definitely help keep me going

Sage1313,
Welcome and thanks for sharing your tips. Please give us a detail success stroy and how you did it. If you prefer you can send me a private message.
I need your kind of inspiration, you have reached your goa. I know there must have been some challenges, please share.

Sage - I too was having a treat everyday and I think that might have been what was keeping me from seeing any progress. I am not sure - I am grasping for straws on what I am doing wrong. I do like the Simply Lite Dark Choc w/ Almonds from Trader Joe's. Very yummy.

Fitchy - I am counting carbs (not net carbs) but thanks for the suggestion.

I am just trying to figure out what is what. I am going to keep on keeping on, but it is frustrating to not being losing anything when I am busting my butt in the gym running miles and lifting weights and then I am constantly passing on all the treats at work.

It gets frustrating to not see results after weeks. I start to get that "why bother" feeling because it isn't working. I was at 1700 calories and I wasn't seeing any results so after a few weeks I dropped to 1600 and still no results. It sucks because I get hungry with all my workouts.

Another thing I noticed is that I don't eat a ton of vegetables. Does anyone think that might help?

Or, I was going to try and calorie cycle a bit. Keep it lower (say 1400 ish) for a few days and then bump up to 1800 for a day. I know w/ BFC we aren't really supposed to need to calorie count but...

Grrr...sorry for the long rambling rant. I am just at my wit's end. All I can do is focus to being healthy, happy and enjoying the ride. Thanks for listening.

Jms,
I know how frustrating it can be. I think you need to eat a lot more fresh green vegetables - they fill you up and are full of fiber to keep things moving. Just don't include the starchy vegs like potatoes, corn or peas. I like to make a "wrap" of lettuce leaves around deli meat, cheese, and peppers - kind of like a sub. I don't eat bread any more so the vegs are my complex carbs. Oh, and don't forget to drink tons of water.

jms423

I definitely think you should be eating lots of vegetables - as many as you can fit in with the sugar limit. In fact, why don't you try to get your carbs primarily from fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts and only from grains if absolutely necessary?

Can you show us a sample menu of what you have been eating?

Hello ladies,
here is the link to the NEW BFC fast track. Check it out and maybe it will help.
www.jorgecruise.com/fasttrack-FREE-menu

You guys are just amazing to be willing to help me!!!

Here is a standard "good" day. I did get some veggies in, but that is about the most I usually get in.


Breakfast Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sugar Fiber
the Organic Coffee Co. - Organic French Roast Coffee, 4 fl oz 2 0 0 0 0 0
Truvia - Nature's Calorie- Free Sweetener - 1 Packet, 0.5 Packet (3.5g) 0 1 0 0 0 0
Blue Diamond Almond Milk Chocolate Unsweetened - Almond Breeze Unsweetened Chocolate Milk, 1 cup 45 3 4 2 0 1
Jay Robb's - Whey Protein Powder, Chocolate, 15 g (1 scoop) 55 1 0 13 0 0
Trader Joe's - Peanut Butter - Creamy, Salted, 1 Tbsp. (32g) 95 4 8 4 1 2
Food for Life - Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain English Muffins , 1/2 muffin 80 15 1 4 0 3
Add Food Quick Tools 277 24 13 23 1 6

Snack
Thinkthin - Chocolate Fudge Bar, 1 bar 230 24 8 20 0 1
Raspberries - Raw, 0.25 cup 16 4 0 0 1 2
Add Food Quick Tools 246 28 8 20 1 3

Lunch
the Laughing Cow - Light French Onion Spreadable Cheese Wedge, 1 wedge-21g 35 1 2 2 1 0
Generic - Celery, Raw, 2 ounce (28 g) 10 2 0 0 1 1
Toufayan - Baked Pita Bread Low Carb, 0.5 Whole 65 8 1 6 0 5
Sprout's Farmer Market - Gyro Meat Slices, 2 ounces 190 4 15 9 0 0
Baba Foods - Tzatziki Cucumber Yogurt Sauce, 1 tbsp 15 1 1 1 1 0
Add Food Quick Tools 315 16 19 18 3 6

Snack
Homemade (Sam) - Pasta Salad (Rotini With Celery, Carrots, Broccoli, Red Pepper With Zesty Italian), 1 Cups 120 19 3 3 2 2
Add Food Quick Tools 120 19 3 3 2 2

Dinner
La Tortilla Factory Sonoma - Carb Cutting Tortilla, 1 Tortilla (36g) 60 11 2 5 0 7
Kroger - Frozen Diced Grilled Chicken Breast, 3 oz 100 1 3 21 0 0
Generic - Green Onions, 1 stalk chopped (12g) ~1/8 bunch 3 1 0 0 0 1
Sargento - Reduced Fat Colby-Jack Shredded Cheese, 1/4 cup (28g) 90 2 5 7 0 0
Add Food Quick Tools 253 15 10 33 0 8

Snack
Simply Lite - No Sugar Added Dark Chocolate W/ Almonds, 3 pieces 110 13 9 2 0 2
Blackstone - Merlot, 3 oz 69 0 0 0 0 0
Jay Robb's - Whey Protein Powder, Chocolate, 15 g (1 scoop) 55 1 0 13 0 0
Trader Joe's - Peanut Butter - Creamy, Salted, 1 Tbsp. (32g) 95 4 8 4 1 2
Add Food Quick Tools 329 18 17 19 1 4

Totals 1,540 120 70 116 8 29
Your Daily Goal 1,600 120 62 140 15 35
Remaining 60 0 -8 24 7 6
Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sugar Fiber

jms423

Disclaimer: Normally I wouldn't criticize someone's food choices so much but since this isn't working for you... Anyway don't feel like you have to change everything at once, or that I or any other commenter is an expert. You know your body best.

My first impression is that you have a lot of processed food on here, especially grains. We have already discussed the sweets and grains (English muffin, pasta salad, tortilla, pita) and how to substitute those out if you want. What about having a salad for lunch or dinner with spinach, tomato, beans, and your choice of other vegetables and some fats (dressing, cheese, avocado)? That will still provide you a lot of carbohydrates but with a greater variety of nutrients than just bread or pasta.

While the BFC doesn't prescribe a certain fat/carb/protein ratio, personally I eat a lot more fat, a lot less carbs, and a little less protein. You mentioned before your workout routine - are you eating all the carbs and protein to sustain that? Why are you using the protein powder instead of food? Unless you have good reason to be at those numbers, I'd try cutting down the carbs and increasing your fat and possibly reducing the whey protein powder and seeing how your body responds.

Lastly - and this is a basic calorie-counting question, not a BFC one - are you weighing/measuring all your food? If not, you could be consuming more than you think you are.

No - bring on the criticism! I asked for it and need it!

I know I eat too much processed food. I work full-time, go to school full-time and still try and work-out and be a wife. But, I can't use that as an excuse.

Tomorrow I packed my lunch and I have celery w/ a laughing cow wedge, green bell pepper strips w/ hummus and added spinach to my low carb wrap (I eat on my way to class). Snacks are walnuts/almond pack and 1/2 protein bar postwork-out (I have an hour drive home and need something).

Does that look better? I think I knew my downfalls of my diet but kinda didn't want to admit it (if that makes sense). I will work on adding the veggies and taking out some of the processed/easy food. I did have a spinach salad for dinner today which I don't normally do - you all inspired me!

I will keep you guys updated and thank you thank you for the help!

Yes, I think those are great changes. I'm not sure if this suggestion would be helpful for your lifestyle, but it works well for me: Once or twice a week I cook something in our slow-cooker - usually split pea and ham soup or meat, vegetable, and bean chili - and pack it up in individual serving sizes to grab for my lunches at work. It takes barely any time to prepare food to go into a slow-cooker and you end up with quite a lot of meals. For me it's a great timesaver.

Bean chili or ham soup would be great! Do you have a recipe you could share? It is still 100 here in Phoenix, but it should start cooling down soon. That sounds really good!

jms 423,

The sugar alcohol maltitol is somewhat controversial. I read that it may have some impact for some people (not all, as evidenced by sage 1313's wonderful success). You may want to try to avoid maltitol for a week to see whether that helps.