Now, I know that sounds like I'm an alcoholic, but that's not true. About once a week, before I started SBD, I would have a good dark brewco beer with dinner. Or a delicious imported german dunkel beer. I wouldn't drink frivolously, I'd enjoy this. No diet beers or weak beers for me.

So on SBD, I've had no beer. I'm not a huge wine fan, but I can enjoy it every once in a while.

So. The question becomes, when can I have beer? Can I have it as a treat once in a while? If I exercise more or do something else in trade for the beer every once in a while, is that kosher? Any ideas? There must have been some serious beer connoisseurs here...

Please note: I will give it up 100% if that means that I'm healthy. But what say you wise people?

ach, usarchie! just flipped thru my sbd book where ,as far as i can tell dr. agatston sees the maltose in beer as being the sbd version of darth vader and the dark side*grin* according to his good fats/good carbs guide a low-cal lager is allowed but very limited in phase 3.
maybe you could try a german summer specialty : "radler", which is basically beer mixed with 7up. but if you are a beer purist..that prob won't work for you. hope you don't have to give it up

I've had Radler in Muenchen... It wasn't really my thing, too sweet.

So... I guess I'd rather abstain if I can't have the good stuff. But once I get to P3, any hope for me?

Also, Janderman, guess I can't fulfill my desire to move to Germany any time soon.... I don't think I could help myself! Ich LIEBE bier!

Now I shall cherish the memories of that fantastic 1 litre dunkel bier at the Hofbrauhaus I had last time I was there.

i know many people on other south beach boards who indulge in good dark beer once in a while with no problems....

i hear ya..movin out here w/o being able to indulge in yummy fermented hops doesn't make much sense, ey?
but: over in my corner, rhine-mosel valley, wine country galore! so maybe you could become a convert and abstain *grin*

bis dahin prost!

jan

I know beer is a big no-no for SBD. I am one person who will not give it up entirely for the rest of my life.
I try to eat very sensibly and intentional low carb/low fat/low cal on a day that I know I am going to have a beer.
This is very rare. Since January 1st, I have had 4 pints of Guiness. I did not drink at all in phase 1.
We are in phase 2, but still having the occasional, planned day "off".
I'm sure beer is a "trigger" food for some people. We don't keep any at home, it has never been a "trigger" for me and I am aware that I need to keep it to a minimum.
You may have to carefully try it and see how your body reacts.

I'm not a SBD'er, but I love beer too. I have rheumatoid arthritis and have been on methotrexate (a chemo) for years and was told to minimize alcohol. So from a beer at dinner most nights, I went to one, every few months. The cool part is it helped me with my weight loss as alcohol is such a waste, calorically speaking.

So I have learned to enjoy a sip of DH's beer now and again, and since he has become a homebrewing beer snob, it is always only the best, dark beers or IPAs. I am fortunate, as this is not a trigger for me (like chocolate and sweets).

We are going to London in 13 days and I will be drinking a pint or two there! But I will also plan for it.

Thanks everyone, for the advice.

Everything in moderation, eh? I'll plan on having that beer- but I'll save it for special occasions and make it a really special treat. And probably not for another month or two- I want to make sure that my P2 eating habits have some time to affect my body positively.

This board is so useful! Yay!

remeber all things in moderation. SBD is a way of life for life. So really if you try to give something up forever, it is not going to work. You may have to exercise more, or eat a little lighter the next day.... But I would think that once you get to ph 3 you could work it in. Hopefully it won't set off any cravings that would be the only thing I would worry about.