I am brand new to this board and this is my first post. I had success with the SBD back in 2004 (lost 35 pounds) but then lost control when I went to Paris for a work trip (I HAD to eat French croissants!!!!!)... lol
My weight is at a point that I need to do something about it. Tomorrow will be exactly 1 week on Phase 1 and I am struggling. I think about food all the time. I think about all of the food I cant have- chips, icecream, etc.. I dont wish to eat these foods per se but I am heavily tempted. How do you boost willpower??
I have been eating alot of the Phase 1 foods but having trouble with the portions. I know that I am eating more than I should of hummus, nuts and avacado. Plus, I dont feel any different from the previous week.
Hoping I can handle Thanksgiving as I will be the chef that day..
Any words of wisdom???
Simi

Hi Simi,
I just finished P1 yesterday. What I did was go through the recipe section of this board and looked for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack recipes that I thought I could make and enjoy. I really don't like eggs for breakfast, so I found several recipes that sounded good. I copied them and pasted them in a Word document. I also made loads for roasted veggies from the recipe in the SBD book. Everyone, except my kids loved these veggies. I even found myself getting a bit resentful when DH took too many and I had to make more the next day! So I just made more!
I know what you mean about ice cream. For me,giving up Golden Spoon NF frozen yogurt has been really hard, so I tried to find a substitute for it here. In the desserts for P1 there is a sticky for "Peanut Butter Cup - Phase I and onward", at first I thought, that isn't enough food to bother with. But one night I REALLY wanted frozen yogurt, so I tried the recipe. It was WONDERFUL!!! It is small, but I have to learn to deal with proper portions. But it has helped me. I'm making baby steps and you will too. Hang in there. This is a great place for information and support. The people here are very kind.
Take care and you can do this.
TripMom

Hi Simi-and welcome to 3FC!! I'm sure you will find this forum just as helpful as I have!! I've been on South Beach for 3 weeks. This will be my fourth. So far I've lost 16lbs which I consider to be very successful in 3 weeks.

My only advice I can give you for Phase 1, is; stick with it no matter how hard!! If you really believe this is a diet you can live with, just stick to it. Its amazing how after the first week you really don't crave those foods anymore. By the time I was done with Phase 1 I didn't even miss the food I couldn't have. Like TripMom said, read through the recipes. The worst thing is to start a new diet and be eating the same stuff over and over. There are SO many recipes that if you get creative with your eating you will forget all about the chips and the ice cream. It might be hard now, but don't give up! You can do this and trust me when I say, your body and mind will adjust and make it easier on you.

For right now, I wouldn't worry about portions so much as beating the cravings. Sometimes it just boils down to willpower and that's the hard part. Deal with portions later and cravings now. Just give it time.
Every time I wanted to cave in and run for the chocolate or chips, I'd think about how I would one day look in my "little black dress". I would also think of that stuff as poison (and really it IS!) Now, when I think back, junk is no where near the feeling of accomplishment I feel. The satisfaction of eating junk is very temporary, but strutting around in the little black dress is just divine and lasting....you CAN do this...if I can anyone can, I promise!

Simiesue!

I'm mostly repeating the advice that's already been given in here, but I agree with everything that's been said. You should eat enough to satisfy you at every meal, and make sure you include your snacks. Try to eat every 3 hours. It is important to limit your nuts and avocado, but have them with something to make the portion seem larger. Are you including a serving of beans and getting enough dairy every day They really help control the cravings and fill you up. There's a great recipe for Bean Brownies in the Phase 1 desserts that tastes pretty much like the real thing, especially with a little FF Cool Whip on it. And SF jello really helps when you want something sweet, too.
I hope you find these suggestions helpful, and, as always, make sure you drink plenty of water.

and come and join the other Phase I Chicks on the Phase I thread.

Hi there!
Everyone has given great advice already, so there isn't much else to say

If I could add anything, I'd say - come here for support whenever you feel like you're hitting a rough patch. The ladies here are so amazing and knowledgable and will really pull you through.
Also, what works for me is having some kind of non-food reward system. Let's say, for every 5 lbs (or less... or more), give yourself a little treat. Not food, though. The way I do it - every lb. is worth a certain amount of money , so it's up to me whether I want to save up, or keep losing and "making" more money for something pricey. I told my DH about my plan and he is holding me accountable.

You're already doing great, with or without major weight loss. Good luck and hang in there!

Thanks everyone for the support. I am truly appreciate it. I just weighed myself since today is exactly one week on Phase 1. I lost 6.5 pounds so now I weigh 309.5. I am happy but I also know that it is easy to put them back on.
THanks again...
HUGS,
Simie

Hi Simmiesue!
Hang in there, you're doing great.
Like Cat, I make Ph1 less about weight loss and more about beating cravings. If I want to eat, I do, even if I know it's psychological rather than hunger. Hey, I figure an extra fudgesicle isn't going to hurt, if it gets me through.
And since you've done this before, I'm sure you realize how important PH1 is. Once you get past those cravings, things are SO much easier. I'm putting myself back on Ph1 next week, since I've been sliding lately.