Hi,everyone. I have done the SBD periodically over the last few years, but my most successful stint has been the month of January 2010. I stayed on Phase 1 for the entire month, going from 183 down to about 171. About a week ago (10 days actually), I decided to go to Phase 2, but introducing a low-carb tortilla shell to my chicken tacos one night. Just one.

I feel that entire month of strength and healthy habits flew out the window in that one meal. I have been on a carb-laden binge since then (NOT Phase 2 carbs, but the really really horrible ones). Needless to say, I am gaining the weight back.

All during January, I looked forward to coming home to my hummus and salads and chicken - I really ate a variety of healthy foods. But since I flew off-plan, I see those foods in the fridge and they do not seem appealing to me.

I'm taken aback by the speed of my undoing, and I feel ashamed that I gave in. Has this happened to you? If so, could you please share some support to encourage me to pull myself up by the bootstraps and get back on the horse?

Thanks, everybody.

I have fallen off for a few days, maybe 3-4 at the most. I always feel so awful, that is sometimes the impetus to get back on plan. I retain water, have heartburn and indigestion, don't feel well. Maybe you need to try some new recipes if you aren't hungry for the stuff in your fridge. There's such a great variety of recipes here. A few days after getting back OP I always feel so much better. You can do it! I think posting here frequently might keep you motivated too. It's like you're accountable to someone.

Thanks, Anne! I think posting here more will strengthen my resolution to make the last few days a blip on the radar, and the month before that my REAL way of eating.

Hi Meghan, I'm glad you posted.

Have you seen our On Plan threads? (This one ends today.)
I post my menus there most mornings and then feel obligated to stick to what I planned since I 'put it in writing'. I don't know if that would work for you, but it's worth a try.

I've cheated a little bit during the past 4 months, but have always been able to get right back on plan and I really believe posting here daily is what's making the difference for me. The support and encouragement here is amazing and I want to keep hanging out with these ladies - so I have to stay on track. LOL

Hi Meghan! It sounds like you're ready and I bet just the realization that all your hard work can be so quickly undone will help you stay better on track this time. Try not to beat yourself up over it though. You are going to do great!

Definitely browse the recipes and see if you can find more things that appeal to you. I have recently been going through a "blah" phase. I am sick of my usual standby's. The recipes section here, as well as the on plan thread, have been SO helpful in giving me some ideas for new meals.

You guys are fantastic, and I feel stronger already. There are so many good recipes on the site, and I really found that writing out my meals helped me (when I was being "good").

Funny thing I noticed in January - after about a week or two, I could not STOP being in a fantastic mood! I suffer from a bit of depression that worsens in the winter, and it lifted so quickly when I started eating in a balanced way. Since I did the binge, I have had mood swings like crazy... it really highlights the effects of diet on mood.

Thanks also for the OP thread - I can stop looking at the bad I did and start looking forward!

Hi Meghan, This has happened to me several times! It sounds like you are like me when it comes to bread and it's almost like some sort of addiction kicks in. I was afraid because of my past failures with phase 2 to add back in other foods (esp. bread) but someone suggested to try peas, sweet potato or butternut squash instead of bread. Maybe you can go back to a phase 1 for a few days until you get your cravings under control and then add in something other than bread.

Meaghan, I'm glad you decided to post. I haven't seen you here since the wolf moon, and I didn't realize you were following SBD. No need to be ashamed, everything is just a lesson about ourselves. When I got here, I quickly realized that the successful beachers were everyday posters. I was ready to find success and I've posted every day since.

My suggestion would be to make a committment to the "on plan" thread with your daily menus, and jump in with the daily group. I don't think I'd be able to jump off the deep end with my food choices these days because I feel strong accountability to my friends here.

Best wishes!

Meghan, is it possible that the "low carb" tortilla had some things in it that aren't SBD-safe? Remember, this isn't a low carb diet, and often there are things in "low carb" products that aren't allowed on South Beach. In the future, stick with whole wheat (or other whole grains, like Ezekiel brand) tortillas to be safe. If the tortilla had some sugar in it and you are really susceptible, it's possible that it affected your detox and led to the cravings.

But that's another question: what actually happened between the tortilla and the binge? Did you have cravings? What started the binge? If the tortilla had bad things in it (or, strangely, caused intense cravings on its own), you should have had a physical response. If you didn't, then what we're talking about here is your brain and emotions, not your blood sugar.

If it's your brain and emotions, you'll need to do some deep thinking. You may have either:
1. Convinced yourself that any carbs would make you go crazy and binge, then followed through on that belief
2. Deprived yourself of important nutrients and yummy food for so long (Dr. A states emphatically that you should never do Phase 1 longer than 2 weeks as it's not healthy to do so) that when you finally had a taste of both, you went overboard.

Or, it could be both! Either way, here's what I'd do: do Phase 1 again for 3-5 days (however long it takes to no longer feel cravings and NO more than that) and then, following the guidelines in the book and in the posts in the FAQ, start Phase 2 by adding in lower glycemic index foods (try berries), one at a time, to see how you feel. Before doing this, get rid of every non-SBD food in your house, work, etc. That way, if cravings sneak up on you, you can get rid of them before you even have a chance to eat something off plan.

I know you must feel disappointed by recent events, but this is all fixable. I'm sure you can get back on track, if for no other reason than to regain the calm, balanced, energetic feeling I'm sure you had all last month!

P.S. Edited to add: BTW, if you suffer from depression, you may have used sugar and bad carbs to help self medicate. Just like blood sugar fluctuates wildly when you're bingeing on those foods, so do your seratonin and other hormone levels. That could explain the depression during bingeing.

Meghan - I was going to bring in many of the points Laurie did so I won't bother with those.

For me, it's a mental thing. Just get over it and get back on. Have a clean few Ph1 days. I know it's daunting to think about but you need to just climb back on the horse. Remember, nothing tastes as good as thin feels, right??



Let us know!

I think you can feel safe that those tortillas are a trigger for you! Triscuits, a totally approved food, are a terrible trigger for me. You have just identified that if for some reason a tortilla finds its way into a meal with you, you'll have to be very vigilant about what comes next. Yesterday at lunch I went off plan and ate something deep fried with a sugary sauce and I felt really hungry in the afternoon, something I never feel when I stay on plan. It really clicked for me how what you eat can influence how easy or hard it is to stay on plan. Just take a deep breath, start with today.

I think the tortillas are a wicked trigger! Especially when I use one, and then have a whole unfinished bag of tortillas left over.

Re: the bad carbs as self-medication for depression, I couldn't agree more. But it's all moot when the depression returns because I a) feel bloated and fat, and b) am disappointed in myself for cheating.

My game plan is to go back on Phase 1 for another week, to utilize the OP thread, and to introduce berries as my first Phase 2 carbs, at night so that my hunger isn't stimulated during the day.

I appreciate your responses - it's nice to have a community that knows how I feel. Thanks!!