Great job briggsy! I lost 5.3 lbs in the 2 weeks!
Today I begin my transition into phase II but will stick around here for a while because I'm sure I will have to have a few phase I days after Thanksgiving! All I did so far was add some berries to my greek yogurt with splenda. I think that's all I'll do for today. I've read the 1.5 boards but am still nervous about adding things in!

I've never tried a jicama, what is it?

asphyxia- I'm nervous about adding stuff back too! I'm going to the store today to get some bread, apples and some whole wheat flour to bake with. I'll also be doing a few days of phase 1 again after thursday. I'm not going to go crazy but I am going to eat some extras.

Menus:

Breakfast:
2-3 eggs scrambled with 2 slices turkey bacon, all cooked in 1 teaspoon of smart balance

snack: one serving of raw almonds

Lunch: salad with greens , one serving of oscar mayer turkey deli meat cut up, 1 oz RF cabot cheddar, chopped tomato, 2 tablespoons hidden valley ranch, cucumber

Snack: cup milk, celery and hummus (2 tablespoons)

Dinner: Grilled chicken seasoned with Mrs Dash and grilled
Green beans

Dessert: cup cinnamon cottage cheese

*********

The menu is the same everyday, the only thing different is the dinners and I'm struggling to remember what I ate every night but it's all been OP! After the first day I bought SF fudgesicles and have been having them at dessert.
*********

Other dinners:

Pizza Burgers: one burger made with ground flax, garlic, onion powder, an egg... topped with tomato sauce (homemade with a tiny bit of olive oil, garlic, onion, italian herbs, a pinch of truvia). Topped with skim mozarella.

Turkey, mashed cauliflower, green beans. Mashed cauliflower had RF cheddar, garlic, onion, bit of sour cream, smart balance.

Grilled chicken breast marinated in hidden valley ranch, topped with RF cheddar. Green beans and mustard greens for sides.

Salad from hardees, added olive oil to it because the chicken tasted sweet. 1 packet serving of ranch.

And that's basically it, I've been eating a lot of grilled chicken and veggie sides.

I'm thinking I may know the culprit though. I have been eyeballing oil serving sizes when cooking because the measuring spoons have been packed up, but I've got one from my landlord and I'm going to use this meticulously from now on. Stuff like nuts and milk I've measured out.

I guess this is what is going on? Still, even the eyeballing is something I've always been good at. I know what a teaspoon and tablespoon looks like. But apparently not as well as I thought??

I don't know what's going on. Not a lb loss on the scale. However, my stomach does appear flatter but this could be wishful thinking.

Thank you for noticing that Cyndi, it is motivating for my efforts to noted! I think it finally sunk in how to change my dietary plan over the past year. It was hard without the internet, I didn't have the support of this forum to do it and I would make excuses, thinking I couldn't do it if I didn't have the internet to hold me accountable. But one day I stopped making excuses and just did it! Did a clean phase 1, lost weight, was doing a great phase 2! Kept at it for awhile! It had finally sunk in! Somewhere along the line this year I went off plan again when I let personal problems get the best of me. And gained weight since. I did a clean Phase 1 again after a few months of this backslide, and was doing really great again. Moved to this new house and was eating terribly everynight to 'celebrate'. Bad, bad decision. Now I am totally in need of bad food detox.

That's why I am a bit frustrated, I had done so well and finally made that lifestyle change and got the hang of it, when I went back to my old habits and now that I'm back on Phase 1, I'm seeing no results and don't know what I'm doing wrong.

You know what guys, I don't like to do it but I might need to count my calories as well, just to see what's going on.

Edit: I do know what I'm doing wrong, as far as the backslide, that is completely my fault, I made the choice to eat the bad foods! Just thought I'd add that because when I re-read it looked like I wasn't accepting responsibility. Oops!

My hubby and I have started and I've lost 15 pounds on week 4 now. My hubby seems to be having a harder time of it then me. He's not lost any yet..
I believe it's because he doesn't eat breakfast. But he's a creature of habit.

Hey Melanie - Just noticed the menus A couple of things jump out at me, and you won't be surprised I bet.
- are you getting enough veggies? You list some in other dinners but are you really getting 4 1/2 cups a day? That will really help fill you up. Not just salad greens either. Those are okay but you need more bulky veggies - cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, etc
- looks like the sodium might be high. That will slow your Phase 1 water loss
- Of course I'd add some beans for fiber. Refried beans are a great breakfast side and will lower the fat in that meal

Overall though it looks like you've made a lot of progress from those early days Just stick with it and you know it will work. Every time you lose and regain it's a little harder the next time so your body may just take a little while to catch-up.

As far as counting calories goes, well you know I do. I have a real issue with portion control and still need to count calories and even measure servings once in awhile to make sure I'm not overdoing it. If you've eaten out a lot you probably don't have a good sense of a portion size so a week of weighing and measuring might really help.

You are on the right track Mel - keep it up

Finally I did seem to drop at least a lb on the scale. Whoo hoo.

Charmed4blue, congrats on the 15 lb loss!!!!! I do think your husband's problem is that he isn't eating breakfast. Breakfast is very essential! Don't let him skip it.

Cyndi, I think you're right!!! I am, until I get a sense of how much I should be consuming, going to measure out my veggies because that is probably it. And I haven't had any beans whatsoever, I have forgot all about those! I used to enjoy the roasted chickpeas. Time I made some of those. For thanksgiving one of my side dishes to avoid eating the extra stuff I'm making for DH and DS, I'm making a big pot of turkey-bacon seasoned lima beans. Portion control has always been a problem with me too, I always feel the need to get seconds, I always need the fullness feeling. I have to learn to become comfortable with the satisfied yet not overly full feeling.

Thanks for the tips! .

Hi everyone. Thanksgiving is over and I'm back on Phase 1. I started about a month ago -- did phase 1, lost 3 pds and then failed and gained it back. I'm back to it this morning. I went through my book and have a list of things to pick up today (my normal shopping day is tuesday but I don't want to wait till then). I'm keeping the book out and need to keep reading it each night to make sure I stay on track. Any help/suggestions would be welcome!

So far for today --- bf - yogurt ( i strained plan, ff yogurt overnight, created my own greek style. it was super think and yummy!).

BBL.

Melanie - do you think 15 pds is possible in a month? I'm entrigued! I love a challenge - 4 weeks till Christmas. I think I shoot for 10 pds. I'm going to change my siggie as well. Hope you don't mind me jumping in on your challenge.

I'm 7 lbs down as of today and TOM is here, so I'll drop another lb or 2 next week
Not great eating wise, but trying to do my best. Had broiled eggplant with tehina (sesame paste) for supper last night - great!
I've been reading back issues of Vegetarian Times mags (we are not vegs, but I everyone here loves veggies) and found lots of recip0es that can be adapted to SBD, recipes that use soy, chickpea flour, etc.

Blessedwith, did you think about why your first try at P1 didn't work? That's the best way to plan for success--think about why things didn't work out before and how you can keep them from stopping you in the future. If you want help with that, post on here and we'll give suggestions.

RRB2, that eggplant sounds good!

I'd like to jump into this forum if you don't mind Today is my first day of Phase 1 and so far so good. I am an admitted carboholic and that is what I am trying to get into check. I have been known to eat a whole package of pita bread that I would make into chips. Now it was whole wheat (or maybe just wheat) but when you eat the whole package in two days that can't be good!
You all have such good suggestions and I am learning so much!
I do have a question.....on phase 1 is sugar free International coffee allowed and how about sugar free Cool Whip for sugar free Jello? I haven't had any- I have the SF fudsicles but was wondering about the coffee and Cool Whip.
Thanks so much

Jank, list the ingredients out on the coffee. Most of them have bad fats (hydrogenated oils) and some have corn syrup solids. Not healthy stuff. SB does say you can have the light cool whip in limited amts.
Whipped Topping, Light or Fat-Free - 2 TBS
But it's loaded with a lot of nasty stuff too.

COOL WHIP SUGAR-FREE:
Ingredients: WATER, CORN SYRUP*, HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL (COCONUT AND PALM KERNEL OILS), LESS THAN 2% OF SODIUM CASEINATE (FROM MILK), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, XANTHAN AND GUAR GUMS, POLYSORBATE 60, SORBITAN MONOSTEARATE, SODIUM POLYPHOSPHATES, ACESULFAME POTASSIUM AND ASPARTAME* (SWEETENERS), BETA CAROTENE (COLOR). *ADDS A TRIVIAL AMOUNT OF SUGAR. **PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE