Hello everyone, my name is Echo and I have lurked around 3 fat chicks for a long time, here and there. I keep up on the whole foods posts and have done lots of calories counting in the past. It has worked for me but I go NUTS and binge if I have a bad day and keep starving myself (at least psychologically I am sure 1600 cal is not starving lol) and I make horrible food choices that I justify if they fit in my calories.

Anyway I disappeared for a while because I was having issues and decided that health before calorie counts. I discovered I cannot eat gluten, at all, can't even use the same toaster as the family! I have celiacs disease or a very bad gluten intolerance. Also lactose intolerance, and a kid who freaks (add/adhd) when he has artificial color, flavor or scents. (we are very strict about color and try to avoid the rest)

After reviewing about south beach I am very interested, it seems like it would fit a whole foods, natural eating mindset very well and my gluten intolerance fairly well also. Anyone else do this with food allergies that are similar? I want to get the book but we are fairly well snowed in (libraries have been closed) here in Seattle area!! Weird right?!

So, no gluten, no lactose (yogurt, cheese and sour cream are ok), no artificial stuff if we can and no artificial sweeteners. Any advice, anything really important to know during the first phase, I have read through the stickies some and will check out a book asap.

Also has anyone done this with full fat cheese in moderation, I CANNOT stand low fat cheese and I prefer my cheese to be as little processed as possible (often times they use chemicals to remove fats from milk, like to make it 1% instead of whole milk, we found that out doing research for my son).

Sorry about the long post but I am excited to do this, it seems like something I could do for the rest of my life because it fits so well into my food allergies. Thanks for your replys.

Welcome! and good luck

to The Beach, edzard! We're pleased to have you joining us! I'm not too familiar with Celiac's, but I hope this plan works well for you. We do stress the importance of eating at least 4 1/2 cups of veggies every day, and making sure you include legumes and dairy in your daily menus, too. You can substitute lactose-free dairy if you are lactose intolerant, though.
I'm glad to hear you plan on reading the book, it's vital to understand the principles behind this way of eating. In the meantime, though, we have the latest Phase 1 and Phase 2 food lists in the FAQs, so at least you'll know what you can and cannot have. Good luck, and I'm looking forward to hearing from you often. We usually have a current Phase 1 thread going, and I know they'll be a lot of Phase 1er's after the new year begins!

I sure hope your wacky weather gets back to normal soon!

I actually eat full fat dairy every once in awhile. I just keep conscious of the fact that it is more calories and make sure that I compensate for that somehow. I don't throw as much cheese on things so I guess that's why it doesn't make much of a difference for me. I do have a regular latte every once in awhile too because I miss the richness of it rather than the watery version of the "skinny" lattes.

Hi,

I'm restarting Phase I again. I don't have some of the limitations (dairy and gluten) that you have but I realized that I do much better if I cut out artificial sweeteners (even though the book recommends them).

I'm interested in what you said about lowfat/full fat dairy products. I'm on the fence about that myself. Have you read In Defense of Food? He says the same thing. I think that the limitations you are setting sound a lot like what Pollan recommends.