Okay, so ive been on phase 1 for...3 weeks, and finally decided to try switching over to phase 1.5... I cant have gluten or wheat and fruit is a definite no no for the most part because im type 2 plus it triggers my cravings very easily and sends me into a downward spiral..but i thought since popcorn was on the list of good things to eat in moderation on phase 2 i would try adding corn pasta into my diet..about 1 cup per day..not every day of course..its just corn-flour..since i cant have wheat.. but..im noticing my scale not going down..just like when i added in 2tbsp of no-sugar-added jam in attempts to sweeten my plain fat free yogurt...but no loss..Ive been on South beach officially for 3 weeks and i have lost only 9 pounds..which is kind of sad cause it seems to me that a lot of people lose way more then that in 3 weeks..in fact, the first three weeks last time, i lost 14 pounds.. But i am constantly going between 283 and 284 and i dont understand because im following this to a t and working out for at least an hour every single day..im watching my caloric intake daily as well..I have lots of weight to lose but my body doesnt seem to want to get rid of it..it just keeps going between 283 to 284..
And by the way..anyone find that eating that 3 minute flourless chocolate cake when on phase 1 to hinder weight loss or no??? could that be the cause???
You might want to try introducing carbs back even slower? A cup of pasta a day is a lot IMO. I eat pasta a lot less now- the last time I had pasta was in January.
To me phase 1.5 means adding back one carb item per day. So if you were getting like 30-50 grams of carbs a day on phase 1, then change it up to over 100 grams you went too fast. Try going up only another 20 grams.
Also remember if you eat over 100 grams of carbs a day that can put you out of ketosis which is a good fat burning state.
I know a lot of south beach people do not concentrate on counting carbs to where they won't go past a certain number but I do. I find if I eat over 100 grams of carbs my weight loss stops.
Do you track carbs/calories? Do you know what you were eating on phase 1 and what you are eating now?
corn has a very high glycemic load. something to enjoy "in moderation" is probably not the best thing to start off with. why not try quinoa or millet? both are low GI and gluten free.
for me, the purpose of phase 1 was not to lose weight but to get rid of the cravings. i cut out all the sweet stuff - no fake cakes or anything because i found that even when i ate phase 1 friendly cakes, they still triggered tons of cravings. maybe that would be something to consider.
and like everyone else has said, 9 lbs. in 3 weeks is fabulous. Sometimes worrying so much about the number makes it not move...kind of like a watched pot never boils? a watched scale never moves.
Have you tried spaghetti squash? That's a tasty substitute for pasta and it's full of veggie power. We like steamed broccoli slaw as a pasta substitute, too. Broccoli slaw with meat sauce is our "oh, oh, got home late" meal these days.
Zeff suggested quinoa, if you've never had it I hope you'll try it. We love it, and it cooks itself in my rice cooker.
It seems like plenty of people do well when they eat "legal" breads, pastas and the 'mock' cakes and things, but they don't work for me. I'm blessed not to struggle much with cravings, but I have decades of bad habits to deal with. And breads, pastas and baked goods are at the root of my bad eating habits. It's much easier for me to enjoy a moderate sized serving of veggies with pasta sauce than a moderate sized serving of pasta. I experimented with on breads last winter but I found that I'm much happier just avoiding breads than I am limiting myself to 'just one serving'. The same with the desserts. They're a life saver when I'm going to an event with lots of sweets - I can be just as happy with my SF peanut butter cookies as with chocolate chip cookies. But I don't keep them in the house. Not even in the freezer.
The biggest changes I've made haven't been in what I eat, they've been in the way I plan and the choices I make. It took me a lot longer than 3 weeks to figure out what works best for me. But the weeks when the scale hasn't moved much have been just as valuable as the weeks when it did. I've learned how to feel good about healthy choices and good decisions, rather than letting the numbers on the scale rule my emotions.
Be patient with yourself. Be willing to try new foods and/or new ways of preparing foods and be vigilant about planning ahead. You'll get the hang of this yet.
I will reiterate one of my favorite points: 1-2 lbs per week is AWESOME weight loss. 9 lbs in 3 weeks = 3 lbs/week average, which is a full pound over what you should expect to lose each week. Don't get used to losing at that rate, because there will be times you won't lose any weight for a week, two weeks, even more.
Also, the first time I did Ph1, I lost 16 lbs. Now when I do Ph1, I'm lucky to lose 5. It varies, and the point of Ph1 (as zeff said above) is not to lose weight, but to kick the cravings so your healthy lifestyle gets off to a good start.
One of the perks of South Beach can be weight loss, but if you're doing South Beach for weight loss and weight loss alone, I think that may be where your problem lies. Focus on being excited each day that you're 100% OP rather on the scale.
I thought corn was a big no-no due to high GI, especially something as processed as corn flour. Most of us had a weight plateau or small gain when starting Phase II (or 1.5). Very normal. I think 9# is great!
What everyone else said. I've stalled and actually gained a bit since switching to Phase 2, but I also know that when I loosened up on the carbs *magically* I loosened up on other things too, which I shouldn't have. I want to say that corn is a no no for me, maybe for you too. Why don't you post menus, exactly what you eat each day, for a couple of days so you can get some feedback?
yah now that i think of it.. im not sure if corn pasta works after all..cause you are allowed 3 cups of popcorn..but is that more fiberous then corn pasta itself?? maybe i need to quit that too..its the only thing ive added..
I honestly don't think the corn pasta is a whole grain. I like brown rice as a substitute for pasta. We'll do brown rice with a veggie-filled tomato sauce as a dinner here and it's filling and satisfying.
This is not the plan to be on if you want fast and huge weight loss. If that is what is frustrating you, then choose something else. There is no one here who is going to tell you you are going to be able to lose ten pounds a week on this plan. That's not healthy or sustainable. Maybe what you need to do is shift your focus. Eating this way is good for your body so focus on that. The weight loss is a byproduct of your healthier lifestyle.
If you live and die by the scale you will lose motivation.
Making sure I was getting enough fiber is helping me through the 1.5. I stalled a little bit but took the advice I found here and making dishes with black beans, refried, canelini, etc.
I haven't added corn "ANYTHING" back. I am not sure I will. It's a trigger food for me - no HCFS is okay in my world. There is a good recipe on this board for mock cornbread that is really good (made with the canelini beans). http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/entr...casserole.html
Remember, you are getting healthy, not just losing weight. 9 pounds in 3 weeks is a HUGE weight loss! Be happy about it! It can be challenging to find the "right fit" of foods to continue losing into Phase II but it is worth the work.
Has phase 1.5 killed my losses?
We like steamed broccoli slaw as a pasta substitute, too. Broccoli slaw with meat sauce is our "oh, oh, got home late" meal these days. 
