I would love any advice from those of you who have been on South Beach for a while. I'm just finishing Phase I, feeling good, no "cheating" at all, plenty of exercise. Here's my conundrum:

We are leaving in a few days for a week of family vacation on the beach. There will be four of us couples and the three kids, which includes my own 16yo son. We'll be stocking the condo with groceries so I'll be able to do a good breakfast daily and shouldn't have trouble with lunch. Dinners might be a tad trickier since three of those nights I won't be cooking and the other couples have already prepared their menus. Dinners out shouldn't be too bad since it's gonna be seafood galore and salad. So I'm mostly okay.

What I'm really concerned with: in the past, family vacation means donuts (which actually make me sick now so I have already sworn off them, and I mean it!) and beer and lots of fruit and beer and maybe some cookies and then more beer. It sounds terrible when I put it that way but if me and my husband are enjoying a week on the sand and the surf, there's gonna be a cooler of beer there. Now, I have done well so far. What exactly is a week of imbibing going to do to me?

My current plan is to do the best I can, maintaining at all opportunities, have a few beers, and relax, going back onto Phase I for a week when I get home again. Is this reasonable? Or do I need to WATCH MYSELF at all costs? Help?

Hi Beki!
I just got back from a weekend with my family on the beach which usually means similar diet busters and I did fine because I continued to remind myself of what was more important to me. Eating the food I should and falling backwards to or staying on track and sacrificing the food.
I have cut back on my drinking A LOT. But I did decide to treat myself to a glass of wine with dinner each night because wine at dinner is a big part of dinner with my family. I was satisfied with the one glass. Upon getting to the Cape I also went out and bought foods that I knew I could eat and that I would want to eat so they were handy.
My family was also very supportive of what I was doing and so they supported me by making dinners that would be good for me and that would taste good for everyone. If it is possible to ask for that same kind of support I would say go for it, get others on board.
Where are you going?
I wish you good luck, you can do it! Just remind yourself why you are making the sacrifices and know that it is all for something better.

for you for your success so far, and for planning ahead.

Personally, in your situation, I would get one of the ultra-light beers (they taste pretty much like water but when ice-cold are pretty refreshing), make sure one gets into the daily cooler and nurse that as long as possible. Supposedly light beer is allowed ON OCCASION on Phase 2 - it's just that all your occasions are happening in the course of a week

Make sure to have other stuff in the cooler for you - sparkling water, diet soda, whatever you like to drink, so you are not as inclined to keep reaching for beer after beer.

AND I would also try not to drink on an empty stomach, as that always leads to me making bad food choices. Bring cut up cheese and whole wheat crackers (yay, you are on Phase 2 now) or cut up veggies with some kind of lowfat dip or hummus.

Other alternatives include bringing a mixed drink (maybe mix it before you leave the house and bring it in a bottle) such as vodka/soda or rum/diet coke. Or of course not drinking at all! But that will be a hard choice to make with all of your friends around...

Only you can decide if you have to go back to Phase 1 when you return. You might want to anyway for a few days to get back in the swing of things. But I'd say cutting loose with tons of beer on vacation with the idea of making it all up when you return would undermine all the hard work you have already invested. Plus it would somewhat negate all the good food choices you are planning.

Oh, and just say to the evil donuts! No good can come from that. I speak from vast experience on that topic...

Good luck to you! And have fun - run around on the beach, etc. It sounds like a lovely trip

Personally, I would limit myself to 1 - 2 beers per night (light beers, of course). You may find that you're not able to drink as much as you're used to. I know that I sure can't put them down like I used to (and I'm not kidding...I used to keep up w/ the boys...like, so much so that I was the ONLY female called over to take a shot w/ all the groomsmen at a friend's wedding).

I went to the beach a few weeks ago and it's tradition that I always have to go have a drink at Wet Willies everyday that we're there (if you don't have Wet Willies around you, they're frozen sugary drinks made w/ 190 proof grain alcohol). This past time I actually walked right past Wet Willies and never once went in to get a drink. Didn't even want it. *shrugs* You may just be surprised.

Bud makes select55 beer which isn't too bad....yeah, pretty watery, but it's got a pretty good beer flavor to it. have a couple of consider them your "sweet treat"!

These are all such good ideas, thanks. And keep them coming. I'm packing up and making a plan for more things than beer to go in the giant cooler. (Huh, who would have thought of that??? I kind of feel dumb that it didn't occur to me to just go get some cans of diet soda )

Keep the insights coming!