Hi fellow phase 1ers,

I just started SB for the first time on Monday and I love it. I never thought I'd say that about a diet, but I really do. It's only day 3, so perhaps I'm too optimistic too quickly, but I just really feel great. I'm just looking for fellow newbies to the beach, or those restarting phase 1 again, to share this experience with, swap recipes and give each other general support. So if you're looking for someone else on the phase 1 path, come join me---I'd love to have you!

Here's my story...I've always struggled with my weight (I'm 31). I started at 199 on Monday and am looking to be somewhere around 152 eventually. A little over a year ago, I was at 168 and feeling great. Then life happened and I gained a bunch of weight. I now better understand how I used food as a coping mechanism (how carbs can literally work eerily similar to anti-depressant or anti-anxiety meds). So I've been working using exercise to help balance out the stresses of life and difficult times and just being more mindful of my eating habits to make sure I'm eating for the right reasons and not because I'm depressed, anxious or just bored. This was a big turning point for me.

Unfortunately, even I figured out how to stop the upward climb and be more in control of my eating habits, I was still really struggling to take off the weight I had put on. It seemed like I was putting huge effort in and getting very little results. That's when a friend mentioned South Beach and I read the book over the weekend and it made a lot of sense to me (I was hesitant initially because I was afraid it was going to be too much of some short term fad diet thing where you lose weight but most of it is muscle and you just yo-yo--something I definitely wanted to avoid). But it gave me better perspective and a little structure to really make the changes I've known I need to make (eating more vegetables being a big one!). So here I am...

It's only day 3 for me, but I can already start to feel the effects. I've never eaten so many veggies in life, but I like the way I feel. I can also already start to feel the diuretic effect from the low bad carbs --- and I'm drinking tons of water. Right now, it hasn't been a struggle at all. I'm not a big fan of breads, but I do have a sweet tooth but I'm not dying for cookies or anything (let's hope it stays that way!).

Generally, the biggest challenge I have is taking the time to shop and prepare. I've tried some of the recipes and already really dig the quiche cups and the moroccan chicken. So I'm excited to try some more. Unfortunately I lost my job recently, so that's super stressful, but the silver lining is that I have the time to do all the grocery shopping, preparation and exercise that I don't think I would have if I were still working. Perhaps this bout of unemployment will have some good things with it too as I can start my next job lighter and healthier!

Please feel free to jump in and share your story---we can do this together!

I'm re-starting Phase 1. This is my 3rd time. Not sure why I ever stop in the first place, because I always have great results and feel great when I eat SB style. So here we go. I've struggled with my weight ever since having my son 13 years ago. The breaking point was when I weighed more than I did when I was 9 months pregnant, over 200 lbs! What a shocker!! I swore I'd never let myself get that big...then there I was.

So, first time around with SB I lost about 20 lbs. That was a couple of years ago and I gained back all the weight after falling of the wagon and just plain not caring for a while. Then the beginning of this year I started SB again, this time with a friend. I lost 25 lbs in about 3 months and was feeling great...then slowly starting slipping into old habits...and you know what they say about that slope...it's VERY slippery! Now, the friend I started with in January has lost over 50lbs and is only 1 lb from her goal. And here I am having gained back 7 of those 25 lbs.

The last 5 months or so I've been gaining and losing the same 5-7 lbs. I'm sick and tired of it. I kept thinking, I'll get back to SB, then find a reason not too. Then seeing how HOT my friend looks, I thought....there is NO reason that can't be ME!

So, here I am. Starting over on SB, Phase 1. I pretty much started on Monday, the 27th. Although I didn't remember all of the "rules" and I had some flavored yogurt...oops

So far so good though, haven't had a problem staying away from the icky carbs. Wish I could have fruit, but that will come soon enough. I feel like it's easier for me because I've already done this a few times...I know the ropes, so to speak, so I already know some of my favorite recipes, snacks, etc. So, hopefully Phase 1 will be a breeze this time around.

Good luck Lindsey and nice to meet you! Planning is definitely a big downfall for me...so that will be my mantra....plan, plan and plan some more!

Here I am, not sure what i'm doing as of yet but today is my third day on the plan. So far it's going good. I have a little headache but going good. I have always had a weight problem I go up and down all the time. I hope this will keep me on track and having someone to share with that understands will help so much. Thanks for listening and I plan to check in everyday.

Opps I forgot I started the plan Monday the 27th My weigh in was 161.2 my goal is 135 so hoping for a good loss this week.

Congrats on starting the beach! I'm currently living in phase 2, but I love it. I really feel like many of the people on the board will agree, that's it's a lifestyle change. I try not to touch any white carbs, ever. I have come to the conclusion that they are the devil :-P Every once in a while if I slip up, I just get right back on the swing of things the next day. If I have a bad couple of days, so what. Many people start Phase 1 over again to rid themselves of the cravings. I also try to stick to a Phase 1 dinner since I eat very late at night, but now that I've discovered quinoa and whole wheat bread & pasta, it makes the options endless.

I get such great advice from this board, so stick around!

Hi Lindsey!

I restarted Phase 1 on Monday myself after I detoured off of the plan when I was on vacation last week. I didn't do too much damage on my trip but I figured the best way to get back on track was to get on Phase 1 all over again and clean the slate.

I have tried all sorts of things to lose weight (at my heaviest I was 294) and all of the things I have tried have worked but SB has been the best out of everything.

I get many good recipes on this website and on sparkpeople.com. The best thing I have discovered is the Peanut Butter Cup that is in the menu section under South Beach Desserts-Phase 1. If you have a sweet tooth this dessert will make you smile

Good luck!

Oh my goodness, Lindsay I LOVE the peanut butter cup!! It is utter decadence. It satisifes my sweet tooth, no problemo! And...my son loves 'em too. Yum, Yum!!

Hi Everyone! This is so great -- I'm so glad to see so many people at the same place I am (I was afraid I was the only one!), and we can take this journey together.

I totally agree with you, Jewels, about being a lifestyle change. I'm lucky in that I don't crave a lot of white flour stuff--breads and whatnot---though I think I make up for it in sweet tooth! Getting used to eating more veggies is a challenge for me, but so far, I think it's going well. I'll definitely be happy when we can start eating fruit in 2 weeks though---that's what I miss more than anything.

I've seen the peanut butter cup raved about on other threads, so I'm definitely going to check that out (I don't have any fudsicles at the moment---gotta go to the store). Thanks for the tip, Jyoyo and Lindsay! As for sweet stuff, I've also tried the flourless peanutbutter cookie (recipe below). I'm still tweaking the recipe, but even at this point it's pretty good. If you want the cookies flatter and less cake like, remove the baking soda. My bf also made some wonderful chocolate meringues--just egg whites, unsweetened cocoa powder and sweetner (we used splenda again) and then he threw in some pecans for extra goodness. They're super airy, but do quite well for a quick chocolate fix.

As for me, I've had a slight headache sometimes on day 2 and 3--not much, but I notice it. It feels like a dehydration headache to me. I'm drinking tons of water, but I know phase 1 is also a pretty strong diuretic. I'm already down near 3 lbs, and although I know the vast majority of it is water weight, I'm still thrilled (and it feels good not to feel so bloated)! I totally agree that the positive reinforcement in the first two weeks from the high rate of weight loss, even most of the weight loss is water weight, is a great thing! But other than that, I'm feeling pretty darn good. Not tired or crabby or anything and I thought I might be that for the first few days. I feel totally satisfied and not hungry at all, which is also a surprise for me. I guess a lot of the carbs I'd been eating beforehand were mostly fruit so the "detox" isn't as drastic as if I'd been eating bread and cookies.

SouthernJudy, I also plan to check in on a daily basis, give you the goods on how I'm doing, good and bad. I also plan on this to help with accountability, and support me through supporting each other on this journey. I know we can do it!!!


Flourless peanut butter cookies: 1 cup peanut butter (I used Jiff), 1 egg, 3/4 sugar substitute equivalent (for me that's 18 splenda packets), 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda. Bake for 10 mins at 350 degrees. I prefer to use parchment paper--the cookies peel off with no mess. Makes approx. 18 cookies. I need to try it with natural peanut butter as well, that may require more splenda as I think the Jiff has some sweetening already in it. If you want the cookies flatter and less cake like, remove the baking soda. As for nutritional info, it's 89 calories per cookie (if you make 18 cookies like I did), 7 grams fat, 3 carbs and 3 protein. I think 1 cookie is the equivalent of 1 tsp peanut butter for your daily nut allowance, so you shouldn't eat more than 2 a day.

yes, I've had those cookies too...love 'em! Thanks for reminding me about them...now I'm gonna have to make some! Not sure if that's good or bad he he

Opps sorry I messed up on the day I started the plan, I started on Monday so today is day three for me. Sorry about that.

Hi everyone,
This is my 2nd time starting Phase 1, also started on Monday. I love the lifestyle, but becuase of lack of exercise my last time around, I stopped losing, got frustrated, had a little of this and before I knew it, I was off the plan!

I am doing this again and sticking with it this time!

Going to look up the peanut butter cup recipe now.....

Welcome back Boo Boo!

I do find it difficult to get enough exercise in but I do the best that I can do. I have a puppy that I try to walk as often as possible and a new bike that I like to take to the lake nearby.

The peanut butter cup is AWESOME! But buy the regular peanut butter, the all natural and the reduced fat make for a funny texture and taste. The differences in the amounts of fat and carbs is not much and I have continued to lose lots of weight just using the regular peanut butter. (I eat one of the cups every night!)

By the way: How are all of you doing?

I have a hard time with the texture of the natural PB too. But since everyone says the regular PB is a no, no...I don't eat it. Maybe since it's such a small amount of PB it won't trigger any cravings or whatever. It's not like it's the worst thing I could do! lol

Did really well on plan yesterday. Made the chicken and taco seasoning recipe I found on here....oh YUM! Just what I needed...and hubs loved it too...only he put his on a tortilla...jerk! lol

Hey guys! Great job all! I am jumping back in too! South beach is my fave and most effective way to stay healthy and lose weight. I was gone for a while, and now I am back! I also restarted on monday, and I am feeling good! How are y'all doing?

Welcome Boo Boo -- glad to have you!

As for the great peanut butter debate, I agree with Jyoyo and Lindsay. I looked at the differences between Jiff and the natural stuff I get at Trader Joe's and the nutrition is very similar. Jiff has 1 more carb per 2 tbls and 1 less gram of fat (the sat fat is the same). Perhaps there are other non-natural brands that are a lot different, but I think Jiff is close enough for me. I know it is sweetened with sugar so perhaps if someone is really sensitive to cravings, it may not be a good idea. But I'm doing okay with it, so I'm sticking with Jiff when peanut butter is the main ingredient. I don't care for the natural stuff when you're mixing it with other things, like the peanut butter cup (I'm so going to the store right away to pick up fudgsicles to make one tonight!), but I like it on bread. So when we go to phase 2 I might opt for natural peanut or almond butter if I want a piece of toast with it.

Boo Boo -- I have the same issue with exercise. I find that when I exercise on a given day, I'm much more likely to eat better. I'm not sure if this is just a mental thing where I'm saying, "oh heck no...I just murdered myself doing X, I'm so not interested in eating the piece of junk food now and undoing some/all of it" or it's partly a physical thing too. Like the endorphins released during exercise help calm food cravings too (I know it helps with mood swings and anxiety/depression for sure) and I just naturally am not as interested in the junky food and reach for the healthy food more easily. Since I've come to realize how much exercise, like healthy food, can really affect my mood, I've started looking at exercise as a sort of drug --- something that must be done everyday like taking an anti-biotic. I'm not perfect with keeping with it, but this shift in perspective has helped me to stick with it more rather than rationalize away not doing it when I'm not feeling it---that and the thought that I remind myself, especially when I'm really not feeling like exercise, that I never regret the exercise afterwards, I only feel good, and that helps to motivate me to get the energy to start on those hard days.

As for exercise, I've too been thinking about this. Right now, I'm walking the dog in the morning for 2 miles -- only 35 mins or so, though I get a little bit of a sweat going. I'd learned this from a sports med doc -- to exercise for 30 mins or so first thing in the morning and wait on breakfast for 30 mins afterwards. The key is the exercise has to be cardio and in the less strenous "fat burning zone" (I think it's 60-70% max heart rate which is something like 117-138 for me). The idea is that you haven't eaten anything, so you no/little blood sugar from food and you're able to burn fat right off the bat instead of having to burn through your food first before reaching the fat. Apparently, if you exercise more strenuously (in the "cardio zone" or higher) or longer than 30 mins or so, it actually works against you because your body will start to break down muscle instead of fat to supply the energy for your exercise (this only applies when exercising first thing in the morning--after you've eaten later in the day, you're best off to push it as hard as you can to burn the max amount of calories period). But keeping it in the lower zone allows your liver to breakdown fat. I'm sure there is a better explanation out there, but I think that's the gist.

As for my exercise, aside from the dog walking, I'd been doing Bikram yoga, which I love but really kicks my behind. But I didn't want to do it the first few days of Phase 1 because I wasn't sure if I'd been able to handle it -- I wanted to give my body a little time to adjust in case the beginning of Phase 1 hit me hard. I've felt fine so far, so perhaps this precaution wasn't necessary for me after all --- oh well. I plan to go back to my first class tomorrow, at which point it will be a week since my last class. That much time in between means my first class back will probably be brutal -- not looking forward to that. Also, I'm hoping to add some lifting into my routine soon--perhaps the first week of phase 2 I'll join the bf in the free weight room and lift with him. He really knows what he's doing, so that helps me a lot.

As a random aside, I had the Moroccan chicken again yesterday and it's amazing. Oftentimes, I get so bored with chicken breast, but this recipe is a real keeper. Not sure if it's in the original book or web pages, but I got it from the supercharged version. If anyone wants the recipe, I'll definitely share it. The spice mixture is just sooo yummy and makes boring chicken really tasty.

Sounds like I'll have to try the Moroccan chicken. I have the supercharged book, so I'll have to look it up. I'm like you Lindsey, I get bored with the same old chicken....plus, it's hard for me to eat re-heated chicken unless it has lots of flavor. I can't stand the taste of plain old reheated chicked....makes me want to vomit...lol sorry

About the exercise thing...thanks for the workout in the morning tip! I had never heard that before...about the body breaking down fat and blah, de, blah. Just one more reason for me to get up early...ugh! Same here though, I feel so much better when I exercise and I'm much more inclined to eat healthier when I've exercise

I need to break out my Jillian Michael 30-day shred...I love/hate doing it!! lol Then once I'm on to Phase 2 maybe I'll start up my Insanity routine again...ugh...just the thought of that makes me sweat!