4 months ago, I was 130lbs..I've gained 30lbs in 4 months despite watching what I ate! I had stopped exercising when I was in school because I was too busy. I'm miserable. I'm the heaviest I've ever been so I was desperate to get myself back on track. I am in a wedding in August and now cannot fit in the dress.

That's when South Beach Diet came into my hands. I didn't think I could put myself through the first two weeks of no bread/cereal/sweet. I started last week and was doing well until I went into a spiral and went on a carb breakdown. I restarted Phase 1 today. My concern is that I didn't lose any weight during the first week. I've read both of the SBD books so I think I'm doing it right. I can only assume the problem lies in the higher fat diet. (I've always been on a low fat diet). I'm starting to feel discouraged from this diet. Any suggestions?

hmmm well i don't think south beach is a higher fat diet maybe try posting some of what your eating and we can help more

Hi Kit Kat Lady and
I'm wondering if you haven't actually answered your own question. Thinking I couldn't make it through the first 2 weeks was a strong message for me, and the last time I was close to a carb binge I thought it through and decided that I could actually neutralize several weeks of healthy habits in one afternoon. What I did instead was get online and read and write back to newcomers. Didn't binge and stayed OP. But I certainly relate to your frustration.

I gained back 20 hard lost pounds in 6 months. I had never followed SB to the letter, and it went as follows. "I can eat all this candy because it doesn't have fat. I can eat all these Doritos because I've already lost 60 pounds. I can eat these Pita Chips because their baked not fried. Its OK because its Thanksgiving....Christmas....New Years...Valentines Day...Easter.....Its only 3 pounds, 5, 7, 11, 15 18."

Thankfully, I am breaking the cycle a day at a time. I could just as easily have kept on going. What I find here at SB are others who share a healthy lifesyle(not diet) and who are making progress. I see and interact with folks who have lost the weight, are maintaining the loss long term and feel good.

That is what I strive for today. Best wishes! There is alot of support here.I've been OP for 7 weeks now, have lost 13 of my 20, and have lost the craving for carbs and sugar (which I understand is a major part of P1).

KittyKatLady,
You CAN do it. You set your mind to it, the first few days are hard, no doubt. For me it was headaches and a shaky feeling but no starving sensation. Now I am ending week 4 and still haven't added breads/grains yet, though I will this weekend. I've added fruit and yogurt and believe it or not, I only have occasional tough moments, like walking thru the bakery at the grocery store (which I just shouldn't put myself thru!) when it's hard.

I haven't been ridiculously successful, I'm down 11 some pounds in this time, but I feel in control and not guilty all the time which is worth something. But yes, you need to start with the attitude that you CAN do it. You won't be sorry.
Mindy

Thank you guys for all your support.

I guess I'm just really stressed about fitting into my bridesmaids dress and I need to approach my eating a different way. PLUS, I heard that stressing causes weight gain.

As far as what I eat?
Breakfast: Small/Medium portion of a cheese and egg quiche in the morning with maybe a protein shake made with water (protein shake=110 calories 2g fat 2 grams of carbs 1 g of sugar)

Snack: 1 cup of 2% cottage cheese

Lunch: 3-4 cups of lettuce with 4-6ozs of chicken made on george foreman made just with pepper (no oil, butter, salt) and 2 tablespoons of Kraft Light Balsamic Vinaigrette

Snack: either nuts, 3-4 slices of turkey bacon, 1 string cheese

Dinner: 1 hamburger (90% lean/10% fat...about 4-6ozs cooked) wrapped in lettuce with mustard; sometimes this won't completely fill me up so I have 2-3 eggs afterward

Dessert: 1 fudgsicle

I also have 2 pieces of gum and 3 sugar free candies throughout the day

I never go hungry. I feel always feel full when I'm done eating. That's one nice thing about this diet...I seem to eat less than I did with all my starchy foods.

One other question. Is it ok to eat as much cheese as you want? I would think that it would stall your weight loss since it's high in fat and saturated fat?

Oh and SBD isn't necessarily a high fat diet, but it's higher than what I'm used to. When I was tracking my calorie count, I would naturally eat less than 20 grams of fat a day (usually around 10g). I wasn't trying to make my diet low fat...it just kind of happened that way.

ahh sorry guys...I also forgot to add in my daily food intake...

I drink one cup of coffee with splenda and drink a little over 64 ounces of water with Crystal Light a day.

KittyKatLady, where are your veggies? I see none at breakfast, lettuce only at lunch at supper. You're eating a lot of protein instead of filling up on 4 1/2cups of veggies stressed on this diet. You wouldn't need to snack on 2-3 eggs and cheese if you were eating filling, healthy veggies. Adding that alone may get your weight loss in gear. I also see no beans or dairy. You need to have more balance in you menu.

Besides the broccoli I throw in my quiche and my salad for lunch, I don't have many veggies.....Good point! Thanks for the help (=

sneak in some tomato with your burger....veggies are so low in calories and high in nutrients that its worth the effort to add them whenever possible. also, yes cheese is unlimited but i tend to watch how much i eat just cause i love it so much and even to much of a good thing can be bad.

other than that i think it looks good...i eat the same for lunch except i don't use light dressing.

Just a hint that really helped me...instead of using lettuce, use raw spinach instead...it gives you a lot more "upmphhh". More energy etc..
to me lettuce is pretty much "wasted" eating...I'd rather go with a "super food" but that's just me.

Be sure and add those beans too!!

Cat has a great point (as always ) I've been thinking about all the newbies who come in with similar ideas about vegetables and eating. I think a large part of the success of this plan, and really of any plan that helps you create real long term change is learning to make better food choices. that means bulk! Bulky vegetables, nutrient dense beans, and lf or ff dairy all fill you up and keep you full. They also give you energy. We don't count calories but if you look at them as a measure 200 calories of beans and broccoli is a lot more food and will keep you full a lot longer than 200 calories of empty calories or even meat. Add a serving of lf protein to those beans and broccoli and you will feel full and satisfied for hours. Even an enormous lettuce salad with a few pieces of cuke and tomato won't do that.

You don't have to change your habits overnight. This is a lifetime commitment so make small, manageable changes but make changes

the veggie thing was hard for me. I THOUGHT I was eating veggies until I started eating them first in my meals...that's when I realized I would order them or put them on things and then not eat them. I'd take and bite and slowly start pulling the veggies off my burger...or just push them around my plate - get a tasting every now and then, and suddenly be too full to eat the rest (the veggies - ha! No DH and I plan our meal around the veggies!

I was in a wedding this weekend and until last week the dress did not fit. I was a close call and I certainly did not look as smoking hot as I'd have liked but it was ok, and the bride loved it. No one was killed Good luck!!

This is another thought. Many people think that if they are on a "diet", they have a "tiny little box of choices" and they are severely limited in what they can eat. With this way of eating, the only tiny little box is the things that you shouldn't eat. I call it my "white box"...if it's white (except for cauliflour and some cheeses) don't eat it!

There are many more healthy things to eat than unhealthy....it's a wide open space with just that tiny little box of "no-no's" in the middle. Eat, Eat, Eat and eat a lot...just not from the little box!

Make colorful food, serve it attractively and go for it!!..isn't it said that the eye is more important than the stomach?