So it happened. I'm on Day 7 of Phase I (first timer on South Beach) and all of a sudden our morning plan to hang out with another family got rescheduled because my daughter got sick. My husband and I got a little time to go on a date, and I all of a sudden wanted some Chinese dim sums!!! I knew that I couldn't resist the flaky egg tarts (lots of butter and sugar) and shrimp wrapped in flat noodles, but I went anyway and of course fell off the plan But the encouraging part is I don't feel overly guilty since I now know I'm in this for life. I will get back on the plan and finish phase 1. Not sure if I should start over or not but I have 7 days to think about that part.
Many people have mentioned that the lack of planning will lead to falling off the plan and it's sooooo true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Phase one is all about eliminating the cravings. If I were you, I'd start over, but I'm a bit of a purist about things like that. It's easier to pick back up where you left off once you get into Phase 2, but you don't want to make the transition still holding on to those physical cravings. It's meant to be two weeks for a reason.
That said, it's not healthy to completely eliminate all grains and fruits for a lifetime of slipping up and restarting Phase one. So, buckle down, PLAN, and get yourself through those two weeks! You can do it!
Thanks for the advice! I'll try my best to start over but I can't tell myself right now or else I'm going to want to give up. So I'll tell myself that let's get through another 7 days and then "maybe" I'll do another 7 days
Do the cravings really go away? I can't imagine never wanting a fresh donut or a plate of yummy pasta or fried chicken.....you get my point.
I find I still have cravings but they're easier to ignore if I'm not already stoked on carbs, and especiallly if I have planned food with me instead. An occasional donut is not an impossibility but you can have oven baked chicken with almond flour or some other type of coating and whole wheat pasta much more frequently than those greasy old donuts we used to love!
The I-must-have-it-now-or-I-cannot-stop-thinking-about-it-until-I-binge-on-it cravings DO go away! I didn't believe it could happen either.
The oh-my-goodness-my-husband-bought-doughnuts-and-put-them-on-the-counter-yum-that-would-be-good "wantings" don't ever go away. "Bad" food will always taste good and I will always *want* ice cream from the corner store, but this way of eating has helped me learn to listen to my body and respect my body by giving it food that will help it do its job.
I don't know if that makes any sense.
I've been doing South Beach since 1 June. A couple weeks into Phase 2 I added too many wheat products back in and the cravings (you know, the I-turned-into-a-monster cravings?) were fierce for a couple days, until I realized what had happened, reigned myself in, and now I feel more in control.
No eating plan or diet is magical. You still have to control what your hand puts in your mouth. There will always be temptations. But if you do a patchy Phase 1 then you will definitely be struggling with both kinds of cravings. Your body will not "detox" from the refined crud if you keep slipping and reintroducing it. I'm not trying to be harsh, but if you really want to change your eating habits, you have to DO it. You can't just have a day or two here and there of eating on plan and expect to get the results you would if you really stuck with it. This is for life.
I should really leave the pep talks to Nessa. She's much more direct!
Where is Nessa anyway? She's been very quiet lately.
I can't believe anyone else had cravings like I did. I wanted something sweet after every meal, and the wanting was so intense it was really physical, not mental. I'd get shaky and feel really bad if I didn't eat something starchy or sweet for a snack. I was in a real blood sugar roller coaster cycle, I think. I would never have believed the cravings would go away either, but they have. I still like sweets, but I've found better substitutes. The mental wanting still hits me occasionally, but not the intense physical needing. At least not yet, and it's been over six weeks now.
Thanks Kara! That's very nice of you! It really is a mental battle more than a physical battle (for me at least). I've only lost 4 pounds and it's probably just water weight but I feel better about myself. I went outlet shopping with my friend today and bought a lot of clothes, and I usually only have the bare minimum. I have so little clothes that even my husband tells me to go shop more. I probably only have 1 week's worth of summer clothes and 1 week's worth of winter clothes. But today after I bought 8 articles of clothing (for $121.05, yay outlets!), I decided to throw out the ugly or frumpy clothes I keep around in case I run out of clothes or in case I gain more weight. I feel prettier today and I'm determined that I am not gaining any more weight!!!
It's liberating and scary at the same time to take control of my own life. I'm 5'2" and have hovered between 149-190 my entire adult life. I've tried exercising, dieting, cutting out sweet, detox...but the weight has always come back. It's like I'm comfortable being fat, but I'm not! I feel insecure a lot and even though I appear to be a successful and assertive person, I feel fat almost everyday of my life. I've always been active and athletic but been heavy my whole life. I've felt resentful that I cannot easily lose weight. I feel like I don't eat as much as other fat people and I'm active, why am I fat? But at some point I have to accept reality and decide what I want my life to be like.
Thanks for being tough on me Kara. I was a little resentful when you told me to start Phase 1 over again and I started thinking what does a 5'4"-highest weight is 133 girl know about how hard it is for me to even be on phase 1 for 6 whole days?! Anyways, I repented of those evil thoughts and brought it back to me. I just really didn't want decide to do phase 1 over again and then fail again. But I'm going to go through with it this time! Thanks everyone.
Last edited by dreamy2007; 07-08-2007 at 11:40 PM.
I didn't start out at 133. That's where I was when I joined this board. But I can totally understand how you feel AND I'm glad you're not upset with me. I know there was a time when I needed to hear the hard words. Not harsh, but hard. I didn't want to hear them, but it's what I needed to face.
Remember that you don't *have* to do anything, but if you want the South Beach plan to work for you, you have to follow the South Beach plan!
Good luck! We are always here if you need encouragement or motivation!
Yeah Dreamy!!! So proud of you for being real about your feelings. And thanks to Kara for being understand. And yes Dreamy you are a pretty girl... do you have know any cute boys you can hook me up with? ha haa haa
Its true what Kara said you have to do whats best for you but you have to remember this is not going to be a walk in the park. One day at a time one meal at a time...but don't short change yourself because you'll get back what you put in.
I know you know this but I want to say you have given me so much support in my life I just want you to know that I am here to do the same. We have been through alot together and I want you to know that I am cheering for you at the top of my lungs
Thanks for being one of the greatest friends I ever had in my life. You can do this....NO.... WE CAN DO THIS!!! Love you my dear friend!
No plan = Falling off the plan!
But the encouraging part is I don't feel overly guilty since I now know I'm in this for life. I will get back on the plan and finish phase 1. Not sure if I should start over or not but I have 7 days to think about that part.
ha haa haa
