My history says South Beach is the only option - but I
Ok, so I've been working out 5 times per week for 3 months. Spin, Body Sculpting, Boxing, Weights, Jogging. I have changed my diet (for the better) by not eating at night, no booze, and no fries. I need to lose 90 lbs to be in a normal BMI, so with the changes in exercise and small changes in diet, I should be losing weight, right? Nope... wrong... I'm down 4 pounds in 3 months.
So... At my age (close to 40) I think I'm faced with going low carb or being the fat person who is good at cardio.. Doesn't seem fair at all, but it is what it is...
Here are my fears:
1. I've done low carb before but have had terrible "relapses" and when I start eating carbs after the 2 week induction I end up gaining all the weight back within a week.
2. I won't have proper energy to workout. I have finally gotten back to the gym and love the way it makes me feel, I don't want to "just diet" and not workout.
3. Low Carb is not sustainable. Maybe I can make it 2 weeks but given our culture and my habits is this way of eating really sustainable "long term"
4. I won't have any energy throughout the day and will be grumpy.
5. The meals take too much time to make and too much planning, I won't be able to stick to it.
As you can see, I have a lot of self defeating thoughts in my head. I would love to hear if some of you had these same thoughts and how you overcame them, or how they were untrue, or any positive experience you've had since going on South Beach.
Thank in advance.
Last edited by addicted golfer; 12-29-2014 at 08:24 PM.
Reason: Posted by accident before proof reading
I started at the same weight as you, although I'm substantially shorter, so I was fatter. LOL
I started my WL journey in 2005 without any type of formalized food plan. I exercised a lot and my WL was very slow-sometimes non existent. I eventually whittled down to 215 (in the fall of 2008) and I was feeling pretty decent. My WL averaged 2-2.5 pounds per month during that time. Over the Winter of 2008-09 I regained almost 20# and saw that my hard work was quickly evaporating. I decided in May of 09 to give SBD a whirl and I made a personal decision to go 6 months strictly OP, with a 100% clean Ph 1.
My results were overwhelmingly great! I lost 30# pounds in those first 6 months and I felt fantastic. I was off BP meds within the first 3 months and my tryglicerides went way down. My cravings, which had always left me hungry and disappointed, went away. I have more energy now than I did in my 20's. (I am 56)
Here is my take on your questions:
1. I think a healthy carb food plan minimizes the terrible relapses.
2. Healthy carb plan provides me with plenty of energy.
3. Healthy carb is sustainable.
4. My mood swings are gone.
5. I don't do much food planning. I took meals I enjoyed before and tweaked them to fit SBD. I eat very simple because my lifestyle is crazy.
Anyway, I wish you the best on your journey whatever lifestyle you choose. For me, deciding to change my way of eating for a lifetime has made a big difference in the way I look at things. Sure, there are foods that I eat very infrequently (or not at all) but that's the choice I make in order to be healthy AND to keep my weight off-for my lifetime.
PS-I think you're on the right track with your exercise! Congratulations! I'll bet your body is already restructuring in a way that will be greatly magnified if you choose to follow a healthy and structured food plan.
Everyone is right that SBD is a good carb plan, not a low carb plan (at least not in the long term). What it allows you to do is identify which carbs trigger food cravings and which you can eat without leading to a binge. It does take some work to identify which carb goes in which category! But once you do, you'll have a great deal of food choice. Also, even in Phase 1, the beans and veggies provide enough carbs that you won't feel exhausted. We haven't been doing it in the last week or so, but check out some On Plan Threads for menu ideas AND you can bet a lot of us will be doing a Phase 1 in the New Year, so you'll have others to commiserate and plan with. Personally, I will be starting a clean Phase 1 on January 4. Want to join me?
Good morning! Ruth is absolutely right about reading the book. I have done SBD several times over the last 5 years and I've always been successful. You would think that reading the book one time was enough but I find that every time I read it I get something new out of it. I'm in the midst of reading it again now and it's very encouraging.
I am the poster child for why you should make this plan a lifestyle rather than something to dread. Like I said I have been very successful over the last 5 years but the one problem I have is that I get lazy and fall off the program. I forget how great I feel when I'm eating the right carbs and that is where this wonderful group of people right here come in. Staying connected with other folks who have discovered the secret will help quite a bit.
I do agree that eating right does take a little more effort than just grabbing that convenience item. But...I have found that it is so worth it! My highest weight was 256 during the winter of 2009. I was able to get down to 200 in the spring of 2013. That is when I got lazy and started not doing what I should have been doing. Before I knew it I had put on 25 pounds. I kicked myself in the butt this last summer and got back to the gym but actually ended up gaining another 10 pounds and finally when the scale hit 237 last week I told myself that enough is enough. My joints are constantly hurting, my clothes are tight, I'm exhausted all the time, and I don't like the bloated reflection in the mirror. I look back to the spring of 2013 and realize how good I felt. Was I at my goal - nope - but I was much closer and I felt so good. My joints didn't scream all the time, my digestive system was working better, I had lots of energy (eating the right carbs really does give you lots of energy) and rather than see my flaws in the mirror I actually saw things I was happy with.
My DH and I are starting phase 1 on the 1st and we would love to have you join us! I am so excited to feel good again both physically and mentally. Yes...it is work but it's the kind of work that pays huge dividends!!
I am a maintainer and still consider myself to mostly eat on the South Beach plan.
Here's my thoughts about your points:
1. As others have said - this is more about the type of carbs you eat, not going low carb. But I found that certain foods are triggers for me and I do best to limit them or not eat them. When you switch to PH2, be sure to read the threads here about adding back.
2. I always worked out even during PH1. I will admit that sometimes maybe I had less energy. But I found eating beans for breakfast helped. They are a great source of carbs.
3. I've been doing this for several years and have found it very sustainable. But the saying is true - it is a lifestyle not a diet. I know that if I go back to eating what I used to eat I will weigh what I used to weigh. But I feel better when I eat healthy. Which leads to...
4. I have more energy and feel better physically and mentally when I eat this way. Over Christmas I had a major splurge and fell asleep on the couch one afternoon. I haven't had a food coma in so long I can't remember. But there it was - cause and effect. If you eat on plan, you will feel great. But that first two weeks can be tough as your body is detoxing.
5. Okay, yes, I will concede this one. Planning is key. But I will often make one dish and plan for leftovers, either in the fridge or frozen. I have several dishes that make 4 meals for me. Crockpot meals take less time IMO. I have "go to" meals and I know the other chicks do as well. I also found it very helpful to never let myself get home starving. I'd take veggies and water in the car, and always have a single portion of nuts in my purse.
This is a doable plan and doable lifestyle. I think you'll like it if you can overcome what you call your fears.
This was helpful for me to read, even as a "veteran" who has gone awry!
It really is a lifestyle change and I need to remember that. It's not about I can'ts - it's about I want to be healthier and I know white carbs and sugars don't agree with me.
Thank you for all of the responses. And, YES - mmckellen and mcagabby I do want to join! I think the community of people trying to accomplish the same thing will help a ton.
I just need to quiet the committee in my head about how this can't work and just do it. So far so good today! I have the book as well and will be re-reading it.
Thanks again everyone for your posts. They helped a ton. It shows that it's not only doable but sustainable. A buddy of mine lost 40 lbs recently just by doing this and he's not even working out. Meanwhile I'm at the gym just beating the crap out of myself with no real tangible weight loss. Time to try something new!
My history says South Beach is the only option - but I
