I want to *officially* do the diet, but I'm afraid I can't do phase 1. I know it's the detox phase and it will only last for a couple weeks, but can I just start at phase 2? Seems like it would be easier to stick to...

Everyone is different. I have started SB many, many times and gotten to my goal weight twice. When I started on PH2 I always fell off the wagon. Both times I reached goal I had started on PH1.

This third time I went back to what worked and did PH1, now I am two weeks into PH2 with no cheating and feeling great.

My advice - if you want to try it, try it. But if you cheat at all or crave, suck it up and put in the two weeks for PH1. They will pass faster than you think. You can do anything for two weeks!

Do you have a medical reason you can't do ph1?

It is really the foundation you build on to see how your body reacts to what you eat/when you eat it etc.

To read it, Ph 1 seems hard but look at that approved list of foods! And the recipes are endless. All it takes is planning and commitment.

Try it and see. You may surprise yourself!

Thanks ladies. No, I don't have any medical reasons for not doing PH1. I'm just scared I feel like I'm the kind of person who needs to balance carbs and protein. Like chicken and veggies won't do it for me. I need a 1/2 cup brown rice in the mix. Anyhoo, I went to the store, and brought fruit and brown rice and Kashi go lean cereal before I saw the responses to this thread, so I will be starting at phase 2 I guess. But I will think about doing phase 1 for real.

Give it a whirl and see how you do. Then if you feel more control, do the phase 1.

Going to be honest though. About 3 years ago, I tried to talk my sister into starting SB with me. She thought it wouldn't be "healthy" to give up fruit and grains for 2 weeks. She has actually gained a lot of weight since then and it breaks my heart to see her always sick, allergies etc and her knees looking like they are going to give out. She's my baby sister and it sucks. She eats constantly...grazing all day long. She never got her cravings in control and can't "balance" her foods, going from salty to sweet all day long (just like I used to do!)

I really feel like that long ago 2 weeks saved my life. That 2 weeks was nothing compared to how great I feel today.

If you ate this way, you would simply be eating low GI without the induction phase. Maybe if you check out the GI Diet by Rick Gallop you would find it may suit your way of eating better. Once you hit Phase II of SBD you are basically eating low-GI. There's not much difference, and you will still lose weight by limiting the number of carbs and changing the type of carbs you eat.