[athensmomof3]

I have been on the SBD for almost a month and have lost NO weight! I did phase one strictly for 10 days and then decided (we were going out to dinner to a great restaurant) to have a couple of glasses of red wine with my salmon and roasted asparagus!

I have had wine once or twice since then (only a glass), have had no whole grains other than one bowl of All_Bran extra fiber, an occasional piece of fruit in the morning only (bought some fresh peaches and had to try them) - really have been very good! Only other slip up has been a couple of overindugences in nuts after I went to the gym, but kept track of those calorie wise so even that was not too terrible!

I know I don't have tons to lose but I certainly have at least 15 more pounds to go by anyone's standards! I have lost a lot of weight - still working on my pregnancy weight from last baby but was 190 when I went into the hospital so have come a long way.

I have started tracking my calories again thinking this may help and am considering going back on Phase 1 full force (although I really have no cravings so I don't know if this will matter).

Any tips?

[beachgal]

Hi, Athens! Sounds like you can use a hug!

Okay, first things first, please list at least one (though two helps more) daily menu so we can see what you're eating. This almost always reveals the issue. If that doesn't do it, here are some things to consider:

• When you're this close to goal (yay, you! ), the weight comes off at a snail's pace! It's frustrating, but at least you know you aren't alone!
• Are you drinking a lot of water? That helps a lot! 64 oz a day AT LEAST!
• Are you exercising? Cardio will help you lose calories and get rid of fat (not to mention that it's good for your heart) and weight lifting will help build muscle, which burns calories AND tightens you up so you are smaller even if you weigh the same.
• Are you eating at least 1200 calories??? When you eat less, your body thinks you are starving and holds on to what you have. Tracking your calorie intake may help.
• Try adding more fruit and starches, especially if you aren't craving. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but your body needs those nutrients and may be holding on to what you have on your body if it thinks you are depriving yourself. All of us have experienced that weird time when you binge and then lose a ton! It's your body finally thinking that you're eating again and letting go of what it's been holding on to (or so I've been told). Try adding fruit or starches, one at a time, so you can see how they affect you. You should be able to have at LEAST one fruit or one starch a day...many people have several servings of each and still lose. Your body will tell you what works for you.
• Are you measuring your inches? You may weigh the same but be getting smaller anyway! Check it out!

Hope this helps...keep posting and let us know how it goes!

[athensmomof3]

Thanks for the tips - I'll post yesterday and part of today's menu since I can't remember much further back than that:

Breakfast -

two scrambled eggs in pam, 2 pieces canadian bacon, large glass v-8 juice

snack:
30(!) almonds - I know! Just finished killer spin class at the gym and was dying

lunch:

raw broccoli with 2 T. hummus
1/2 c. cottage cheese on a bed of lettuce with chives
2 light turkey hot dogs, carb one ketchup

snack:
1 oz 2% white cheddar

dinner:
steak taco salad no bowl at Qdoba (lettuce, black beans, fresh salsa, steak, cheese, light sour cream, picante ranch dressing on the side)
snack:

snack:
sf/ff fudgesicle
1 oz cheddar cheese 2%

exercise - 60 minute spin class

Today:

breakfast:
skim milk in coffee
2 hard boiled eggs/v-8 (rushing to get kids to camp)

snack:
1 T. smuckers natural peanut butter

lunch:

cottage cheese on sliced tomato with chives
small side salad with newman's own balsamic

Exercise - muscle cut class at gym (one hour of weight lifting)

To answer the rest of your questions:

- not drinking enough water - I know that and need to start measuring it to be sure i get it in
- know it is going to come off slowly but believe me there is still plenty of flab, especially in my tummy!
- Calories including yesterday's exercise were around 1400 according to my fitness software - goal is around 1300 a day, more if I exercise
- Need to measure inches - scared about that waist measurement though!

Thanks! Anyone else have any suggestions?

[beachgal]

Hi, Athens!

Thanks for posting your menus!

Why are you striving for 1300 calories a day? I'd say that is exactly your problem. It's very small...and is probably the reason why you felt so starved after your spin class. I'd look at upping that closer to 2000. You can always back off some if you see things going in the wrong direction, but I bet you'll see the weight come off more when you are eating more. Honestly.

Looking at your menu, I see a lot of calories from fat, tons of protein, but few veggies and not enough carbs, by far. Remember, SBD is not a low carb diet but a good carb diet. Try to get about 3.5 to 4 cups of veggies in a day. That works out to veggies with every meal (including breakfast) and at least one snack. When you combine protein with veggies (or, in your case, adding veggies to your protein), you make for a powerful combo. The veggies fill you up and the protein keeps you full longer. Just protein alone will leave you feeling deprived and unsatisfied, because it doesn't fill you up.

Remember that we're aiming for good fats, so try to eat a bit less cheese and instead have healthier soy nuts and use healthy oils in your cooking or as dressing on salads.

The nuts can totally get out of hand (trust me, we've all been there! ). Try planning your snacks ahead of time, and put them together the night before or the morning of so they are ready to grab and go. It can take as little as 15 minutes to do. When I don't do that, I end up grabbing whatever I can get quickly and it's usually unsatisfying and not nearly as healthy.

The beans in your salad at Qdoba were a great addition! Beans have tons of protein without the saturated fat you often find in meat and cheese. The fiber in them helps deal with the constipation you sometimes find on SBD. They have good carbs in them as well which will keep you feeling full and less deprived, keep your seratonin and other 'feel good' hormones higher so you'll feel happier, calmer, and more committed/energetic/healthy/driven.

Some other good carb sources that are okay even in P1 are tomatoes, bell peppers, and all beans.

One more thing to think about...the hot dogs you had are probably rife with sugar. The only meat-based hot dogs that are mentioned as okay in the GFGCG are reduced fat beef. Watch for ingredients that aren't SBD-safe; I find that the kosher red. fat beef ones are best. You can have tofu dogs as well, but neither of them are supposed to be eaten often. We figure you can have the red. fat beef hot dogs (1 is a serving) once a month. I know! It's a hard thing, especially for someone like me who ate hot dogs at least once a week pre-SBD, but it's worth it considering how great you feel.

You really do need to up your carb intake, Athens. Aim for at least one fruit or one starch every day...see if you can do more than that. The goal is to find the most you can eat while still losing weight, okay?

Keep posting and let us know how it goes!

[athensmomof3]

Lots of good advice -

Calories are based on the fact I need about 1800 a day to maintain this weight if all I do is light activity (no gym, just hauling kids around, housework, etc.) A pound a week puts me at 1300 a day. I have found in the past if I go any higher than that I don't lose, but that is where I am now so I might try raising them a bit.

Also, I think I have at least 4 cups veggies a day, but need to strive a bit for variety.

Great idea about the snacks - I know I need to prepare more for when I leave the gym and keep something in the car I can eat (which is why I had nuts - they were there so I ate them!)

Can we have soy nuts? Is there a limit like other nuts (since they are beans not nuts?) I was wondering about that.

The hot dogs are an occasional thing but are fine for SBD I think - organic with no added sugar and no nitrites - basically turkey and herbs, but I will double check the label. I remember the nutrition was better than the light beef ones so that is why I bought them!

Thanks again - we will see if things start moving if I switch things around a bit. Hubby thinks I should be satisfied with a couple of pounds a month at this point since I am within my "ideal weight" zone - just getting a bit frustrated!

[Barb0522]

Athens - Have you checked with your doctor to see what you should weigh? My doctor recommended 125-135 for me as medium build and 5' 3". You are quite a bit taller but I don't know what frame size. Maybe your body just is happy where it is. I'm sure it will come off much slower since you don't have much to lose.

[Ruthxxx]

Barb, I was thinking the same thing but couldn't find the BMI calculator. Sometimes our bodies know better than our brains.

[athensmomof3]

I am definitely a "healthy" weight - BMI is around 23.5. My goal weight is based on my pre-pregnancy weight and the weight I was until I had kids, which was between 123-128 . . .

I know I look fine at this weight - not terrible at least - still have a good bit of flab in the belly and a small bit elsewhere. Still not back into the clothes I wore after my first pregnancy, though . . .

I do realize I am almost 40 and have had 3 kids so I may need to adjust the goal up a bit - one of those "I'll know it when I get there things" - but I am not there yet!

I'll just keep on keeping on and try to be happy here because it is certainly better than where I was . . .

[Kiko]

Athens,

Funny that Barb mentioned that, because I was thinking the same thing. Maybe your focus should be on exercise and toning. I am your same height, 37 y.o., 2 kids, and my goal weight is 145. Your body may be perfectly happy at this weight! If you haven't been eating healthy prior to SBD, maybe just focus on healthy eating and exercise.

Just a thought......

[quagmire]

I'd like the reiterate the veggie comment. Especially if you are not drinking alot of water. I've found that my most rapid weight loss comes from having fresh veggies every day.