I noticed a lot of days in cycle one that lists lentils as a meal. I tried making lentil curry today, and it isn't so bad. This is my first time using a book to diet, and I don't want to sound silly, but for the meals when it says lentils or something, can you use the recipes in the back as the meal? I guess I'm just not sure where the recipes fit in or if I'm supposed to eat the foods listed plain. Thank you!!

Hi How did your first day go?

I think it would be ok to use the recipes. I agree, there's not much instruction there for using the recipes. They aren't marked by cycle or anything else. I'd probably assume they are flexible enough to fit in with any cycle. I think it would be particularly hard to stick to the diet if the food was too plain and boring.

My first day was surprisingly easy! I didn't go to bed hungry (woke up ready to eat a horse though!). The food isn't so bad, I ended up making lentil soup, with onion and carrots. I'm excited for today, I can't decide if I want to make halibut or chicken, lol. I really enjoy this forum, this place is keeping me motivated and it is so nice to see how this diet is working for others!

I just joined 3FC today. I started EFS today. I have tried lots of diets - but I can't remember being this excited about one. I have enjoyed my first 3 meals today. I am going to have one snack before exercise (before dinner) and I am going to have the other snack as dessert/before bed. The reviews of EFS on Amazon are very positive - I want to be able to say the same.

I joined recently myself, a few days before I started EFS. I know what you mean by being excited about a diet! And to see all of the success stories on here, and all the positive reinforcement is wonderful! GOOD LUCK!

Day 1 went very well. I didn't wake up hungry. I think Day 1 is the hardest no meat or starches. The rest of the week looks like a treat - meat, oatmeal, rice, sweet potato.
Day 2 is almost over. I am going to stay off the scale until Monday (I weigh in on another "diet" site on Monday) and then will be on the scale on Friday - end of week 1. I say this because I usually weigh every day and I want to give myself a chance to see a difference.
BTW - I started on a Friday because I was working from home and then had the weekend - in case I was crabby or feeling unwell - no such problems, though.
Tomorrow we are celebrating my Dad's b'day.
I am going to switch meals 3 and 4 so I can eat chicken for dinner.
Is it O.K. to switch the order of the meals?
I am going to allow myself a "thumb- sized" piece of cake as one 100 cal snack for this indulgence.
There are so many great snack choices - it is great to learn to choose and not have more than one.
As you can see, I am still very pumped about EFS.

it sounds like you're doing great! i usually switch meals 3 and 4 so that i can fix dinner for me and my other half. the last thing he wants is to work all day, no meat during the day, and come home to beans...lol. i slipped a little yesterday because the people we're house sitting for bought pizza for dinner. i had one piece and took off all of the toppings. strangely, i felt kind of ill after eating it. i worked out twice as much as i needed to because of the slip though. i'm back on track and it looks like you're doing great too! keep it up!

Kasey - I am sure that eating one piece of pizza without toppings is WAY better than you would have done before. Progress, not perfection, is the way to go. Tomorrow is WID (though not the official one). I am hoping to see some difference but I won't put too much stock in it.

I got on the scale this a.m. but wish I hadn't. After 3 days of Cycle 1 of EFS, I am up 2 lbs. But I am going to try to forget that and keep on going and weigh on Friday at the end of Cycle 1. It is not TOM but since I am eating more carbs than pre-EFS, it could be extra water thant I am holding in my cells. If so, it should take a few days to re-balance. I am determined to stick with it and be part of the successful people here.

I too just started EFS and am on day 2. So far o.k. - but I could not get up early on a Monday to do Cardio before work. I'll just try to put in a good work out this evening. I am struggling to find interesting things to cook but main a white chili last night (it had a bunch or Fat Free Sour Cream and some cheese) I guess then I cheated. That was day one. Today is better, but I bought some 100 cal. smoothie drinks (I thought that would be easier than a salad) I thought it tasted horrible. I am also dragging a lot today - but that could be because it's Monday.

Mae