After 2 months on Ideal Protein, my husband and I are about to go insane! We need some carbs in our life! We've both lost 20 pounds (ok, he's lost a little more!) but we need to keep moving. We've been cheating lately - bad cheats - and I think it's because Ideal Protein was SO restrictive! The South Beach Diet really appeals to me because we can have fruit and whole grains!

I need opinions on where to start. We have been living in phase 1 for the most part for 2 months... can I just start up with Phase 2? My meal plan for the last two months has been:

Breakfast - Protein Shake
Lunch - Protein Shake and 2 cups veggies
Snack - Protein Shake
Dinner - 5-7 ounces of protein and 2 cups veggies.

I'm really excited to have REAL food in place of all of these protein packets and shakes!

I just switched over from calorie counting to South Beach.

I think it's best to start with Phase 1, but I'll leave it to the veterans to answer. Welcome!

Emmasmom!

Can you tell us more about this "We've been cheating lately - bad cheats" ? If you've been eating fruits and whole grains you might be good to go with Phase 2. On the other hand if you've been eating processed grains and sugar you will need to start with a clean Phase 1.

I would also look at the protein shake and see if it had sugar in it.

Welcome to the BEACH!!!!

Tammie

, Emmasmom! We're happy to have you joining us here on The Beach!

With the very restrictive diet you've been on, I can certainly understand the desire for a change! I agree with Cyndi's advice she gave you, and take it from there. It's important to get all the cravings out of your system to make this eating plan really work the way it's meant to.

Good luck, and we look forward to getting to know you!

We've cheated with pizza. I think we're going to go ahead and start off with Phase 2 - only because the restrictions of Phase 1 will keep us in the same place we are now - giving in to the bad stuff. Being allowed a small amount of dairy, whole grains and fruit will keep us away from the pizza and other unmentionables! I purchased the Super Charged book tonight and am getting ready to settle in for an evening of reading! The protein shakes I've been having are EAS Advantedge Carb Control shakes - so I think they've been OK in terms of sugar. They have 2 carbs per serving.

Hi and

Hopefully you are reading the SBD Supercharged book which has the most current information. Info from both the book and this forum could help you to transition into Phase 2 slowly.

Best wishes!

Emmasmom, I'm not sure if the EAS shakes are OK on this plan, as I'm not familiar with them. But keep in mind that we do not count carbs on SBD.

I think you're going to like this a lot better too. Drinking shakes isn't a lifestyle, but SBD is. Welcome!! Hope you enjoy it here!

Thanks everyone! I'm not planning to continue with the shakes or count carbs on this plan. Those are in the past (too bad I still have about $20 worth of shakes in my fridge!)

It was SO refreshing to have "normal" food for breakfast this morning! I've decided to go ahead and start with Phase 1. My husband will start with Phase 2 (I think!). I had an sausage, egg and FF cheese omlette with 2 reduced fat turkey sausage patties. Yum!

Thanks for the welcome and the support!