Hey all,

Sorry to have my first post here be a negative one, but I joined for positive support, right?

I started SBD 3 days ago after having given up bread for nearly a week. Today has just been a constant struggle, though. I woke up and was incredibly hungry, but was going to work out and had no yogurt or low-fat cheese in the house. So, I ate 1/2 of a cheddar cheese stick and drank some water, went to work out, came home and ate the other half and then went to work. I had breakfast with a student of mine which was actually really great - eggs and turkey sausage. I had a couple of other meetings, then headed home for lunch.

Sounds okay... well, once I got home (a short walk away) I was just totally uninterested in food. I couldn't bring myself to eat a salad or anything. So I had a couple pieces of turkey and headed back to work with a tupperware dish of celery and peppers and a bit of veg dip.

So, I'm frustrated because I'm not hungry for the types of food that are allowed... but something like a big ice cream cone sounds fantastic. It's got to just be the cravings starting to fade, but because I'm hungry I just can't get it off my mind.

Another thing is that I appear to not have lost any weight after 3 full days. What gives, and how long did it take some of you go start really losing the weight?

I'm also frustrated because I seriously pulled a muscle in my shoulder this morning while working out. And now I am supposed to go to a cardio-kickboxing class tonight with some friends and am starting to get overwhelmed by all this physical activity

Is there anything I can do to get hungry?

dear piratexsmile,

Thanks for your sharing. I can totally relate b/c I was having gestational diabetes in my last 2 pregnancies. I needed to control my weight gain to make sure the baby was not overweight. I then cut 100% rice and had only minimal intake of carbs. I couldn't have all the starch and sweets that other moms were craving for... it was v hard for me for 9 months!!! I think you are doing the right thing which is having protein in what you eat. It will prolong your feeling of fullness. You are probably a bit too harsh on yourself by choosing the "very healthy" food type which makes you psychologically crave for the things you can't eat. If you crave for icecream, try gelato b/c 70% of gelato is air, and therefore is a lot healthier than regular ice cream. You can eat a little bit of "fatty" food (as a reward) knowing that you will behave well at all other time. Sorry about your shoulder... hope it will get well soon. The key to weight loss is not to give up! Good luck.

Just hang in there. It will get easier... I started SBD @15 months ago. The first 2 weeks were the hardest because it takes that long to get over the carb crave. Back then I was over the big 300. The cravings were terrible. I cried a lot, hid from food, TV and everything else. It sounds silly to hide from the food but it was really the best thing I could do. Avoid all temptation at all cost. I didn't lose a single pound during the first 2 weeks. Week 3 wasn't really as bad and I lost 6 lbs. Although I didn't want to admit it, week 4 went the best because when I returned to my doctor for a recheck... I had lost a total of 16lbs.I am @75down with 80 to go...Just hang in there!!!
The reward is knowing that you can do it- not eating and sweets.

to all of you!

Piratexsmile, could you post what you've been eating since starting Phase 1? You shouldn't be craving sweets so badly by now, so I'm wondering if you are eating something with hidden sugars in it? Good for you, though, for reaching for proteins and veggies instead!
Phase 1 is meant to detox and eliminate all sugars and refined foods, that is why it is so important to stay within the guidelines to make it work. Are you making sure you're getting in enough protein, dairy, and your 4 1/2 cups of veggies every day? And try to incorporate beans into your daily diet. They will really help keep you feeling full and satisfied, too.

Gelato isn't allowed on South Beach since it has too much sugar in it, even though it is lower in calories. Once you're following Phase 2, though, you can enjoy 1/2 cup of NSA ice cream or frozen yogurt. Try having some SF jello with a tablespoon or two of ff Cool Whip for a legal sweet treat, or a No Sugar Added Fudgesicle. Check out the Phase 1 Desserts in the recipe section of this board for many other delicious ideas, too.

Hang in there, like the other chicks have said ph 1 is the hardest, and the first few days are the worst.... Day 4 for me I was having the weirdest cravings for icing... go figure. And like Cottage said make sure that you are eating enough. You need to have 4.5 cups of veggies. There is a recipie for peanut butter cups which helped some of the chicks. Just remember you are doing this for your health and this will become of way of life, don't think of it as a diet...... and post often we are always here to lend an ear and offer lots of support. You can do it..... Welcome to the beach.

Thank you for the support. I was able to get through yesterday and today and am feeling very full and satisfied after having a veggie burger with cheese and veggies for lunch. I actually couldn't eat the entire plate of veggies and cottage cheese I filled for myself! I got through a craving last night by making a peanut butter cup. Those are so yummy!

And... this morning I got on the scale at the YMCA and was miraculously down a little over 5lbs for the past 5 days.

This grasshopper needs to learn patience I suppose