I have to say that I
totally agree with the sisters who started 3FC (and wrote a fantastic book,
3 Fat Chicks: Because We're All In This Together, about dieting that reviews tons of plans and gives great advice! You can purchase it through Amazon using the link in the stickies on this page...). They say that you can lose weight on any plan...what you have to do is reduce calories in and increase calories out. That said, they also remind us that your success is often due in no small part, to picking a plan that works for you. If you can eat the things that you are craving in moderation, you may find yourself doing better with a plan like Weight Watchers, which works more on moderation of amount/portion size than on restricting any specific food groups. But if, like me, you find that when you eat those things, you crave more and more and just can't stop, then SBD might be for you.
When you are on SBD, have done P1 totally, you can
easily give those things up, in my experience.
Your mind may still want them (and oh does mine sometimes!!!
), but your body won't...so it's MUCH easier to cope with. Your mind wants them not because they taste good (though they may) but because you want something else...and you have learned to substitute food for whatever that is. As cheesy as it may sound, what Oprah said years ago is right. These are
"pounds of pain", chickies.
We feel not good enough...and we eat. We feel scared, anxious, worries, bored, alone, suffocated, whatever...and we eat.
To lose this weight, and lose it for good, we have to fight that urge to eat what doesn't help us and doesn't make us feel good afterwards.
That said,
there's NO reason why you shouldn't enjoy what you're eating or force yourself to eat things you hate! You can learn to like healthy things by cooking them in ways that you enjoy. Some things may never become something you're fond of...I don't think I'll ever love brussel sprouts, lima beans, or fennel. I've tried them a gazillion ways and they just don't do it for me.
But I've learned to love tons of veggies when I used to eat none at all.
Variety is the key to this diet (and any, I think!) When you feel bored with what you're eating, you're more apt to quit. Check out our amazing recipe forum for tons of ideas!!! Check out other cookbooks...I love vegetarian ones, ones that are low-carb directed (but check out the ingredients to make sure it's SBD-safe and be ready to make substitutions!), the SBD ones, The Good Carb Cookbook, and my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE,
Cooking Light. CL is SO easy to SBD-ize...I never get through even a third of the recipes I could make each month and I cook almost entirely from their magazine. You can get recipes
online for free for a month (you have to register though...), buy the magazine, or buy/borrow the yearly 'yearbooks' or other cookbooks by CL. If you have trouble modifying a recipe, post here and we'll all help!
There are almost no items that you can't make SBD-friendly and eat in Phase 2 other than things that call for carmelizing of sugar, like creme brulee. Otherwise, it's totally possible. When I crave something, I make it for myself and eat healthy portions of it. Is there something in particular you're craving? Let us know and let's figure out how you can make it, okay?
In addition,
if you plan an off day or meal, just plan ahead! Don't feel guilty and get on Phase 1 immediately so you can head off those cravings. Do P1 just until the cravings are gone--3 to 5 days for most people. I find that doing P1 is not worth the cheat most of the time, but I know I have the option. When I went to France earlier this year, I was off plan the entire time. I ate a lot of fruits and veggies, I walked and took the stairs everywhere, but I ate a lot of French carbs too!
I enjoyed it, but I felt awful physically compared to how I feel now. I was relieved to do P1 when I got home, but I'm glad I did it...it was quite the experience!
would like to be bad for one meal
Me too
