Forgive me if I sound long-winded here, but I am looking for some insight.
I came onto Phase 2 on Tuesday and lost almost seven pounds during Phase 1.
Since Tuesday, my weight has gone from 139.8 to 146.6 (heavier than when I even started SB almost three weeks ago) and down to 144.2 today.
On Phase 2, I have had two to three servings of grain (2 slices of whole wheat bread and 1/2 cup of oatmeal) and one to two servings of fruit (apples and bananas) a day. I am also drinking Chardonnay at dinner (two to three glasses) and had Merlot one evening.
I had three servings of grain one day and two servings the other two days. I have had two bananas in the last four days and three apples in the last four days.
I also caught a bug on Tuesday at about 12:30 PM (yes.... I am that aware), which was also my first day on Phase 2. I don't think this is SB flu or anything like that; it's a common cold which even Dayquil can't quash.
Diva, have you read the What's your P2 Combo? thread? It has some great advice. Basically, when you start Phase 2, you want to pick one thing (a fruit OR a starch) and add it in. Only add that for the first few days (at least) and up to a week. If you aren't craving or gaining, you can add one more thing the next week. If you have trouble, try eating that thing at a different time or with a different combo of food (for instance, I crave with fruit unless I eat it with a protein). Just take it VERY slowly and start with lower Glycemic Index (GI) foods first.
I think the issue here is that you've added too many things at once, and some of them are pretty high on the GI (like the bananas), so should be saved for a bit later in your Phase 2 journey.
You also should probably save wine for something you try later on and keep it to no more than a glass. I know many of us have trouble with even one glass of wine influencing our weight loss, especially when it's at night. I have a glass every 2 weeks or so and don't have trouble. However, when I had one or two drinks every night in Ireland, I managed to gain nearly 15 pounds in one week! I ate other things there and there were other factors, but I know the alcohol had a huge impact. Perhaps Ruth can address this, too? I know she's debated about the effects of a glass of wine with dinner on her own weight loss.
I'm sorry you've been sick! That can have a huge impact on your weight, especially in terms of water retention, which may account for your gain. Diva, I'm confused--you noted that you lost almost 7 lbs in P1, but say that you gained approximately 4.8 lbs since Tuesday (when you ended P1) and that you're now heavier than when you started. Where'd the other 3 lbs go? 4.8 lbs could certainly be water weight. See how you are after you kick this cold. Try adding things in slowly so you can see how they affect you and cut out the alcohol until you are sure the scale is moving downwards again. That's my $0.02.
Clicking on your Fit Day link, it doesn't look like you've been following SBD principles. The diet is heavily filled with vegetables and legumes, which are lacking in your diet. You also leaned heavily on wines during Phase I.
I've never calorie counted before (except early on, just to see what my intake was), which you seem very good at. However, it seems you've had a hard time integrating the SBD principles. I don't know if that has anything to do with your weight fluctuations or not.
i agree with twynn i think the lose is due to the low calories you were taking in. also noticed you had french fries and hashbrowns on several days....doesn't look like your getting in 3 meals and 2 snacks. i'm not sure where shrimp scampi comes in but doesn't seem to be sb friendly. if you take out the wine on most days you are getting less than 800 calories from actual food. i'd be hungry all the time on that.
ETA: maybe it would be more helpful if you posted your menu each day and get constructive critism on it
What is ETA? I asked this in the other thread but heck if I can figure it out.
The french fries were during the Restaurants are Evil fare. I have no idea how many french fries are in a cup but I took four from my girlfriend's plate. On FitDay, as I count calories, I always err on the side of caution.
Shrimp scampi was something I made here, sauteed in olive oil, with whole garlic cloves. Fitday isn't very thorough in its food choices, and scampi was the closest I could come to it. Lots of protein, zero carbs, didn't think that would be a problem.
The hashbrowns were some potato thing in an omelette. Have no idea how much of that got in there. I think the diner we went to makes the omelette on the same griddle with the hashbrowns and it just "melded" together. There was definitely potato in there but it wasn't an "order" of hashbrowns.
The calories may seem low but honestly, I never feel hungry. I don't particularly crave foods, get a hankering for anything, or feel deprived. Life is virtually stress-free for me and eating doesn't make me feel better or happier or whatever. I can't see the point of eating a snack if I'm not hungry or feeling lethargic. If there is one thing that I have a hard time with, it's saying no to wine with dinner.
I'm going to limit that to one or two nights a week and see what it does. I only had wine a couple of times a week during Phase 1 and still managed to lose a respectable amount of weight.
I wouldn't know where to post a menu every day. There's a thread for Phase 1 but I don't think it right to jump in there and post fruit and grain and all that. Phase 1 folks may get really confused.
i use fitday to i find if i just keep the package you can click add new food. and use the nutritional info off the package and its more exact. once you have a food in just go back to recent foods.
we used to have one on here for menu's maybe someone can start one again
Last edited by beachgal; 03-20-2009 at 10:22 AM.
Reason: If you want to add something to a post you've already written, just hit the "Edit" button
Diva, the other chicks have offered good advice. I just wanted to add that I think it's fairly normal for weight loss to stall when you transition from Ph1 to Ph2. It is temporary and then your weight loss will pick up again and become steady if you are sticking to plan. If you want to post menus you can do your own thread asking for input, or just post it in the daily. But of course you should only do that if you want your menu evaluated. If you get the principles of SB, you should be able to take a look at your daily menu and do a quick check yourself. I used Fitday for a while but it seemed like too much work to me, and I had a hard time finding the right foods, so I would have to spend a lot of time entering custom foods. Here's what I do now every day - simple and quick, I just check these off as I go through the day.
Water - XXXX
Veggies - XXXXX
Dairy - XX
Beans - X
Grains - XX
Fruit - XX
Fats - XX
Nuts - X
The first group I am checking off to make sure I get at least the recommended servings. The second group I am tracking to make sure I don't go over the recommended servings. Then if I have a sweet treat or wine, I make a note at the bottom.
Slowly integrating fruits and grains allows you to evaluate how they affect you. For example you may find that you do great with berries, but when you add a banana, it sets off cravings. Or you may find that you can eat grains with dinner, but if you have them in the morning, they will make you want to eat more. It basically allows experimentation with different types of foods, different combinations, times of day, etc. You start with one each, doing fine, go to two each, still doing fine, try three grains for a week, and all of a sudden you are stalled. So you know your Ph2 combo for weight loss includes not more than two grains.
ETA is "edited to add."
Hope this helps some.
Last edited by Schmoodle; 03-20-2009 at 10:30 AM.
Reason: Fix bean servings.
Beachies, you are doing a fantastic job of helping Diva out. Thank you!
Diva, I'm not entirely sure what your question is in regards to the P2 Combo thread. Did you have a question about it? As for adding things slowly, Schmoodle explained it perfectly.
I love my wine with dinner but know that I do not lose weight when I drink it. It'd be better to skip those wine calories and have something more nutritionally sound.
You also are very close to a normal weight for your height and may find it very difficult to get below 130. We lose in % of our weight and the loss gets less and less as we lose more.
I suggest sticking to a pure Phase II with no wine and two servings of starch plus two of lower cal fruits - like berries or apple - and see what happens in a week.
I think we've answered what we think is the problem so will close this for now. Please start up a Phase II menu thread if you want further suggestions.
Phase 2 Questions
I ate other things there and there were other factors, but I know the alcohol had a huge impact. Perhaps Ruth can address this, too? I know she's debated about the effects of a glass of wine with dinner on her own weight loss. 
That can have a huge impact on your weight, especially in terms of water retention, which may account for your gain. Diva, I'm confused--you noted that you lost almost 7 lbs in P1, but say that you gained approximately 4.8 lbs since Tuesday (when you ended P1) and that you're now heavier than when you started. 
