Is this normal? I didn't expect to be losing super-fast, but shouldn't I have lost at least a couple of pounds?

I read the book and understand the concept behind the diet, and I don't want to get discouraged, since it seems that many people have had success, but I gotta say, eating all that cheese/sour cream/eggs doesn't feel quite right.

Anyway, I'm not giving up yet, but I would sure love to hear your thoughts on this.

Thanks!

Are you in phase 1? are you following the recommendations as laid out in the book? ARe you eating your veggies and drinking water? Phase 1 works wonderfully if you follow it carefully, but the results vary from person to person, esp. if you only have a little to lose.

Perhaps you could list what you have been eating and we'll offer some insight.

Yes, make sure you are eating exactly on par for Phase 1.
a broad abroad is right---don't forget to eat lots of veggies!! (I should take this advice sometimes!)

Most important of all, don't weigh yourself after only 4 days! I would wait until the end of the first 7 days...or even after the end of 14 days! You are likely to see much better results if you give it more time.

Don't be discouraged!! Good luck!

Lauren

While eggs are unlimited, I don't think the book says the same about cheese - even lowfat cheese. You shouldn't be eating a huge amount of cheese - and I see nothing in either the book or the updated food list about sour cream being permitted (on Phase1 that is). I haven't had any sour cream since I can't find out if I am allowed or not.

Post a sample menu for us to see what you have been eating - we may be able to help you tweak it some.

Sunday will be the end of my 3rd and final week on Phase 1, I haven't cheated once - I have lost 8lbs so far - would like that to be 10 by Sunday but I will be happy with 8.

Kim

A lot of the phase 1 loss is water weight. I only lost 4 pounds in all of phase 1 because I was on a diuretic and had already lost the water when I went on that. Do not get discouraged. This is a lifestyle change and the weight will come off. As to sour cream, I don't have my Good Fats/Good Carbs with me at work but maybe someone can look it up.

I really do credit eating lots of vegetables with my success. That can make a huge difference.

Good luck and welcome to the Beach!

I found that the weight loss always came at the end of the week and came fast -- it's not a steady kind of thing -- i would get your self and few more days and try again!

Lauren

correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought sour cream was allowed in limited amounts, and it counted towards your dairy servings...?

I found this about sour cream in a listing of allowed foods. It was under the seasonings area.
Sour Cream, light and reduced-fat - 2 TBS

I also found this (apparently there have been some additions to the official list such as turkey sausage):
here's the current Phase 1 food list from the official site:

Phase 1 Foods - Note: Portions are not limited unless otherwise specified.

FOODS TO ENJOY

PROTEIN
BEEF Lean* cuts, such as:
Bottom Round
Eye of Round
Flank Steak
Ground beef:
- Extra Lean (96/4)
- Lean (92/8 )
- Sirloin (90/10)
London Broil
Pastrami, lean
Sirloin Steak
T-bone
Tenderloin
Top Loin
Top Round

* Lean meat has, per 100 gram portion, 10 grams or less of total fat and 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat.

POULTRY (SKINLESS)
Cornish hen
Low-fat turkey sausage (3-6 grams of fat per 60 gram serving) can be eaten as an occasional treat (approximately once/week)
Turkey bacon (2 slices per day)
Turkey and chicken breast

SEAFOOD
All types of fish and shellfish
Water-packed tuna and other canned fish
Salmon roe
Sashimi

PORK
Boiled ham
Canadian bacon
Loin
Tenderloin

VEAL
Chop
Cutlet, leg
Top round

LAMB (Remove all visible fat)
Center Cut
Chop
Loin

LUNCHMEAT
Fat-free or low-fat only
Boiled ham
Deli sliced turkey breast
Steamship roast beef
Smoked ham

MEAT SUBSTITUTES (SOY BASED)
Unless otherwise stated, look for products that have 6 grams of fat or less per 2-3 ounce serving
Bacon - Limit to 2 slices per day
Burger
Chicken, unbreaded
Hot Dogs
Sausage Patties and Links - Limit 1 patty or 2 links per day
Seiten
Soy Crumbles - 1/4 cup (2 oz) suggested serving
Soy Nuts - 1/4 cup for a protein snack is suggested serving
Tempeh 1/4 cup suggested serving
Tofu All varieties, 1/2 cup suggested serving
Yuba (Bean Curd or Sheet)

CHEESE (FAT-FREE OR LOW-FAT)
Look for varieties that have 6 grams of fat or less/ounce
American
Cheddar
Cottage cheese, 1-2% or fat-free
Cream cheese substitute, dairy-free
Feta
Mozzarella
Parmesan
Part-skim Ricotta
Part-skim String
Provolone

EGGS
The use of whole eggs is not limited unless otherwise directed by your doctor. Use egg whites and egg substitute as desired.

MILK/DAIRY
(2-3 cups allowed daily, including yogurt)
Low-fat milk (fat-free and 1%)
Fat-free 1/2 & 1/2 (less than 2 tablespoons)
Low-fat plain, vanilla, or sucralose-containing soy milk (4 grams of fat or less per 8 ounce serving). Be sure the product does not contain high fructose corn syrup
1% or fat-free buttermilk
Fat-free plain yogurt

BEANS/LEGUMES
(Start with 1/3 - 1/2 cup serving)
Adzuki Beans
Black Beans
Black-eyed peas
Broad Beans
Butter Beans
Cannellini Beans
Chickpeas or Garbanzo
Edamame
Great Northern Beans
Italian Beans
Kidney Beans
Lentils
Lima Beans
Mung Beans
Navy Beans
Pigeon Peas
Pinto Beans
Soy Beans
Split Peas
White Beans

VEGETABLES
(May use fresh, frozen or canned without added sugar)
Artichokes
Arugula
Asparagus
Broccoli
Bok Choy
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Capers
Cauliflower
Celery
Chayote
Chicory
Collard Greens
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Endive
Fennel
Garlic
Green Beans
Hearts of palm
Jicama
Kale
Leeks
Lettuce (All varieties)
Mushrooms (All varieties)
Mustard Greens
Nopales
Okra
Onions
Parsley
Peppers (All varieties)
Pickles - Dill or artificially sweetened
Radicchio
Radishes (All varieties)
Rhubarb
Sauerkraut
Scallions
Sea Vegetables
Snap Peas
Snow peas
Spinach
Sprouts
Squash, Spaghetti
Squash, SummerYellow
Zucchini
Swiss Chard
Tomato
Tomato Juice
Turnip Greens
Vegetable Juice Cocktail
Water Chestnuts
Watercress
Wax Beans
Zucchini

NUTS AND SEEDS (Limit to one serving per day as specified. Dry roasted recommended.)
Almonds - 15
Brazil Nuts - 4
Cashews - 15
Flax Seed - 3 TBS (1 oz)
Macadamia - 8
Peanut Butter, Natural, and other nut butters - 2 TBS
Peanuts, 20 small (May use dry roasted or boiled)
Pecans - 15
Pine Nuts (Pignolia) - 1 ounce
Pistachios - 30
Pumpkin Seeds - 3 TBS (1 oz)
Sesame Seeds - 3 TBS (1 oz)
Soy Nuts - 1/4 cup
Sunflower Seeds - 3 TBS (1 oz)
Walnuts - 15

FATS/OILS
The following monounsaturated oils are recommended to be consumed daily:
Oil, canola
Oil, olive
Other Oil Choices that may be chosen (Polyunsaturated or a blend of Monounsaturated):
Corn
Enova
Flax
Grapeseed
Peanut
Safflower
Sesame
Soybean
Sunflower
Other Fat Choices:
Avocado - 1/3 whole = 1 TBS oil
Guacamole - 1/2 cup = 1 TBS oil
Margarine - Chose those that do not contain Trans Fatty Acids such as Fleishmann's Premium Olive Oil or Smart Balance
Mayonnaise - Regular - 1 TBS
Mayonnaise - Low Fat - 2 TBS (avoid varieties made with high fructose corn syrup)
Olives (Green or Ripe) 15 = 1/2 TBS oil
Salad Dressing - 2 TBS. Use those that contain 3 grams of sugar or less per 2 TBS. Best choices contain canola or olive oil. Low carb salad dressings may also be used if they meet these guidelines.

SEASONINGS AND CONDIMENTS
All spices that contain no added sugar
Broth
Espresso powder
Extracts (almond, vanilla, or others)
Horseradish sauce
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! Spray
Lemon Juice
Lime Juice
Pepper (black, cayenne, red, white)
Salsa (check labels for added sugar)
Use the following toppings and sauces sparingly (check labels for added sugar and MSG)
Cream Cheese, fat-free or light - 2 TBS
Hot Sauce
Low carb condiments, as long as they meet South Beach guidelines (have no added fat and are sugar-free/contain no added sugar)
Miso - 1/2 TBS
Shoyu - 1/2 TBS
Sour Cream, light and reduced-fat - 2 TBS
Soy Sauce - 1/2 TBS
Steak Sauce - 1/2 TBS
Tamari
Worcestershire Sauce - 1 TBS
Whipped Topping, Light or Fat-Free - 2 TBS

SWEET TREATS (Limit to 75 calories per day)
Sweet treats are items that contain sugar alcohols, such as:
Candies, hard, sugar-free
Chocolate powder, no-added-sugar
Cocoa powder, baking type
Fudgsicles, no sugar added
Gelatin, sugar-free
Gum, sugar-free
James and jellies, sugar-free
Popsicles, sugar-free
Syrups, sugar-free
Whipped topping, light or fat-free - 2 TBS
Some Sugar Free Products may be made with sugar alcohols (isomalt, lactitol, mannitol, sorbitol or xylitol) and are permitted on the SBD. They may have associated side effects of GI distress (abdominal pain, diarrhea & gas) if consumed in excessive amounts.

SUGAR SUBSTITUTES
Acesulfame K
Fructose (needs to be counted as Sweet Treats, Caloric Limit)
Nutrasweet (Equal)
Saccharin (Sweet & Low)
Sucralose (Splenda)
Whey Low (contains lactose and fructose)

BEVERAGES
Decaf Coffee and Tea
Diet, decaffeinated, sugar-free sodas and drinks
Herbal teas (peppermint, chamomile, etc.)
Milk (1% or fat-free) and soymilk (low-fat plain). See MILK/DAIRY.
Sugar-free powdered drink mixes
Vegetable Juice
Note: caffeinated coffee or diet sodas with caffeine added are allowed, but limited to 1 - 2 servings per day.

FOODS TO AVOID

BEEF
Brisket
Jerky, unless homemade without sugar
Liver
Other fatty cuts
Prime Rib
Rib steaks

POULTRY
Chicken, wings and legs
Duck
Goose
Poultry products, processed
Turkey, dark meat (including wings and thighs)

PORK
Honey-baked ham
Pork rinds

VEAL
Breast

CHEESE
Brie
Edam
Nonreduced fat

VEGETABLES
Beets
Carrots
Corn
Green peas
Potatoes, white
Potatoes, sweet
Pumpkin
Turnips (root)
Winter squash
Yams

FRUIT
Avoid all fruits and fruit juices in Phase 1, including:
Apples
Apricots
Berries
Cantaloupe
Grapefruit
Peaches
Pears

STARCHES AND CARBS
Avoid all starchy food in Phase 1, including:
Bread, all types
Cereal
Croutons, all types
Matzo
Oatmeal
Rice, all types
Pasta, all types
Pastry and baked goods, all types

MILK/DAIRY
Ice cream
Milk, whole

MISCELLANEOUS
No regular ketchup or cocktail sauce
No pork rinds - too high in saturated fat
No jerky - too high in sugar content

BEVERAGES
Alcohol of any kind, including beer and wine

And here's the current Phase 2 list of foods to reintroduce:

Phase 2 Foods
You can enjoy all of the foods allowed in Phase 1 as well as those listed below.

Foods you can reintroduce to your diet

BEEF
All hot dogs (beef, pork, poultry, soy) can be enjoyed occasionally (once/week) if they are at least 97% fat free (contain 3-6 grams of fat/serving).

FRUIT (Start with one daily serving, gradually increase to 3 total servings daily)
Apples - 1 small or 5 dried rings
Apricots - 4 fresh or 7 dried
Banana, medium-sized (4 oz.)
Berries, all - 3/4 cup
Cactus Pear Fruit (Prickly Pear)
Cantaloupe - 1/4, or 1 cup diced
Cherries - 12
Grapefruit - 1/2
Grapes - 15
Kiwi - 1
Mangoes - 1/2 medium (4 oz.)
Oranges - 1 medium
Papaya - 1 small (4 oz.)
Peaches - 1 medium
Pears - 1 medium
Plantain
Plums - 2
Prunes - 4

MILK/DAIRY
(2-3 cups allowed daily, including yogurt)
Yogurt - artificially sweetened non-fat flavored yogurt (limit to 4 ounces daily and avoid varieties that contain high fructose corn syrup)

STARCHES (Start with one daily serving, gradually increase to 3 total servings daily.) Unless otherwise stated, choose whole grain products that have 3 grams of fiber or more per ounce.

Bagels, small, whole grain - 1/2, or 1 oz.
Barley - 1/2 cup
Bread
- homemade breads using whole grains (buckwheat, whole wheat, spelt, whole oats, bran, rye)
- multigrain
- oat and bran
- rye
- sourdough (may be used, but whole grain is the best choice)
- sprouted grain
- whole wheat
Buckwheat
Calabaza (considered a starchy vegetable; count as a starch/grain serving)
Cassava (considered a starchy vegetable; count as a starch/grain serving)
Cereal
- Choose whole grain and slow-cooking varieties (no instant types) with 6-8 grams of fiber or more per serving
- Hot- 1/3-1/2 cup, uncooked
- Cold - 30 grams/1 ounce/3/4 cup
Couscous, whole-wheat or Israeli - 1/2 cup cooked
Crackers, whole grain with 3 grams of fiber or more per ounce and no trans fats
English muffins, whole grain - 1/2, or 1 oz.
(most contain 2.5 grams of fiber per half a muffin—varieties varieties with 3 grams of fiber are the best choice.)
Green Peas - 1/2 cup (considered a starchy vegetable; count as a starch/grain serving)
Muffins, bran - 1 small, homemade sugar-free (no raisins)
Pasta
Whole wheat is best choice - 1/2 cup cooked (3 grams of fiber or more per 1/2 cup)
Soy is second best choice - 1/2 cup cooked (3 grams of fiber or more per 1/2 cup)
Pita - 1/2, or 1 oz.
- stone-ground
- whole wheat
- (most contain 2.5 grams of fiber—varieties with 3 grams of fiber are the best choice.)
Popcorn, 3 cups popped
- Air popped
- Microwave, plain, no trans fats
- Cooked stove-top with canola oil
Potato, sweet, small (considered a starchy vegetable; count as a starch/grain serving)
Pumpkin (considered a starchy vegetable; count as a starch/grain serving)
Quinoa, 1/2 cup cooked
Rice - 1/2 cup cooked
- basmati
- brown
- converted or parboiled
- wild
Rice noodles
Soba noodles
Taro (considered a starchy vegetable; count as a starch/grain serving)
Tortillas, 100% whole grain, 3 grams of fiber or more per ounce, no trans fats
Winter squash (considered a starchy vegetable; count as a starch/grain serving)
Yams, small (considered a starchy vegetable; count as a starch/grain serving)

VEGETABLES
Carrots

OCCASIONAL TREATS
Chocolate (sparingly)
- bittersweet
- semisweet

SWEET TREATS
Pudding, fat-free and sugar-free (1 serving per day)

BEVERAGES
Wine (1 - 2 glasses daily with or after meals)

Barb, thanks so much for posting this. I will cut and paste into the FAQ Section. Do you know when these updates were made?

I don't know, Ruth but apparently someone on another site went to the paid site and looked at the updates (which I guess can be done even if you are not a paid user). They then asked someone to get the updated lists and this is what they came up with. I gather they are recent changes.

Thanks, Barb. I'll update our FAQ because there seem to be some differences.

Yes thanks Barb. According to this we can have pinto beans in phase 1. I never understood why we couldn't but glad to know that now they are "legal". lol

I don't see pumpkin on allowed foods. In the shoppers guide it's under very limited. Winter squash I guess would be butternut, acorn or speghetti are considered starches? Boy this is getting harder and harder. I am very confused. I have canned pumpkin and a butternut squash and it looks like it's a no no. Bummer.

BTW turnips is listed as good in the shoppers guide. More confusion