Hi!

I'm Laurie, about to start SBD tomorrow. I currently weigh over 328 pounds (my scale no longer can display my weight!) and hope to get down to around 175 pounds. My doctor recommended that I try SBD, and since my husband and I hope to start trying for a baby in the future, I decided to give it a try. I currently am a graduate student who works in my college's Career Services office and takes classes at night. When I finish in August 2005, we would like to start trying for a baby, which I really want badly! Hopefully with the help of this diet, I will be near my goal weight by then. I would really like to be as healthy as possible so that I can enjoy my pregnancy!

Now, on to the questions...

• What can I substitute for eggs in the breakfasts of Phase 1? I HATE eggs...they literally make me vomit. If I substitute dairy (low-fat cottage cheese or low-fat cheese with ham or so), do I have to take away some dairy from the rest of the day? What portion size should I be looking for to maintain protein levels?
• Can I add a small amount of blue cheese to my dinner salads?
• Can I add some garlic, balsamic vinegar, or bacon bits to the steamed veggies in phase 1? I really dislike most veggies, and usually only eat them if I cannot tell they are there...so I don't know that I can stomach plain steamed veggies. Help?

Thanks so much for your help...I am really hoping that this diet will help me reach my goal!!!

Laurie

Hi Laurie and welcome to the beach.

The key to SB Diet is protein with vegies for breakfast, lunch and dinner and protein based snacks and deserts. Whatever order you have them in is up to you. The revised food list is in the FAQ section of this board.

There are lots of substitutes for eggs for breakfast. You can have a some bacon, turkey bacon, lean meats/poultry and fish, low fat cheese and cottage cheese. Try cooking up some bacon and mushrooms or making ham and cottage cheese roll ups. I don't know about limitatations on cheese. As far as I can make out you eat until satisfied and eat every meal and snack. There are limits on some things like nuts. Milk and yogurt are limited to 375 ml a day and it must be low fat. Yogurt can only be vanilla or plain.

Blue cheese is out. You need to stick to low fat cheeses which tend to be the hard cheeses. I make salads and use olive oil, low fat dressings or balsamic vinegar to add flavour. There is no reason why you can't use cheese, herbs or seasoning to flavour steamed vegetables. I eat italian veges in a tomato sauce (check for added sugar) and use canned tomatoes and add herbs or other seasoning. I season meat with ready made seasonings like moroccan or cajun spices because steak and chicken breast would get pretty monotonous after awhile.

The key to this diet is retraining yourself to eat healthy foods. I struggled with the vegies to start with but now really enjoy them. The trick is to cook them in interesting ways.

Great suggestions, Chick.
Welcome to the Beach, Laurie. I started having a bit of Stilton on Phase II. A little goes a long way flavour-wise.

Thanks, Chick! Great ideas!

My mom makes these amazing green beans...she steams them, then tosses them with several pressed cloves of garlic, a bit of balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper in a fry pan. The balsamic kind of carmelizes, and it just tastes amazing! I was hoping that I could do that. She also said that she made a similar dish, but with onions sauteed in olive oil, to which she added dijon mustard, steamed green beans, and bacon bits. That sounded really good...does it sound "kosher" for Phase 1?

Thanks!

Laurie