So I will start my first day of phase 2 tomorrow. As of this morning I have lost about 9 pounds. I am very happy about this weight and really feel like I lost weight. I didn't do measurements before, but I feel I have lost in my waist area. I am reading the handbook for phase 2 in the FAQ's.

I have been for the last week trying to decide what I want to start with and add back. I don't miss anything. I am not dying to have fruit or even carbs. I am very surprised how easy the last two weeks were for me. I only had one day that I just wanted to munch all day but didn't crave anything. I was even on aunt flo.

I think I will add oatmeal. I know a lot of you eat oatmeal for breakfast and I like oatmeal, but I can't eat it the way I used to eat it. LOL I used to eat a little oatmeal with all my sugar. I added brown sugar and white sugar and lots of butter. So, I am going to try oatmeal with the smartbalance and some cinnamon with a bit of spenda.

Oatmeal doesn't seem very exciting for my first thing to add back though. LOL I know when I did SB before whole wheat pasta and rice didn't seem to bother me, but I didn't do SB the right way last time because I rushed through the first few weeks of phase 2. I would like todo phase 2 right this time. I will introduce one thing a week and see how it goes.

Soemone mentioned(I believe Lexxiss, Debbie) said they vowed to eat OP for 6 months without allowing any cheats. I am not sure if I am up to that challenge. I even discussed this with dh. He stated if I only had to deal with myself he thinks I could do it no problem. He says that with him and the kids I might be tempted to cheat because of them. This made me think. Why would I let them help me cheat? Why would I cheat? So then I started thinking of all of the possible places I could cheat. I decided that I wouldn't cheat. I will come up with plans to stay on plans at all of the possible places I might run into.

I have decided that I am vowing to do 6 months without any planned cheats. I am saying I will take it one day at a time. I know that times might come up and I wont be in control of the food in front of me, but I will try and be prepared for all situations. I will always have snacks with me. I will always have something quick and easy to eat. I will plan out my weekly menus and I will plan before we eat out. I will not be ashamed to ask what is in items other people cook whether it be a restraunt or friends cooking. I iwll not be ashamed to tell people I am on southbeach and I will be happy to correct them saying it is NOT low carb. I am stating this to you all because I know you will hold me responsible.

Thank you listening to my rambles. Putting this all on here has helped me to realize that I can do this. I will lose this weight and I will be healthy.

Tammie

Well thought out, Tammie. BTW, my inspiration came from beachers here, specifically Cyndi and Femmecreole, who indicated that they didn't stray far for quite a long time. At first I wondered how long I'd make it, and in retrospect, time passed very quickly.

I agree, that planned cheats are different than the times where something comes up which is out of your control. I think one of the best things for me in adopting this was planning ahead for potlucks at church, and then for all the holiday partys as the year closed down. By sticking to my commitment, I made sure I took a salad with my dressing to every event and took a SBD friendly dessert. It worked great and I continue that habit today.

I kind of thought of it as a "time out". Time out from doritos and donuts....white rice and ramen....potatoes and gravy. All things I could live without for 6 months and replace with something healthy.

I think it's possible to work around the temptations from the family, too. Yesterday I was going to the store, asked DH if he wanted anything, he said "could you bring me a pie?" Ok, I can do that. Later as the pie stared at me, I picked it up, got a plate, knife and fork and put it in his office. When DH leaves food out, I simply put it away and resist tasting first.

When you question yourself, come here. At 6 weeks I "felt" fatter than when I started. When it took a month to go from 200 to 199, I was encouraged. I still feel fat, and yet yesterday at our club I had the most fantastic comment from the pilates instructor who said I look 10 years younger. Humbling, yet we're all a work in progress.

You'll find your P2 groove by trial and error. Best wishes!

One saying I remember, I saw in someones sig; "No food is neutral, everything you put in your mouth moves you either forward or backward." It makes me think before I eat something....usually...if not, I just get right back on track.

Congrats on a successful PH1 and a great personal philosophy towards PH2! 6 months with no cheats... maybe you gals will inspire me to do the same

I love Debbie's quote! "No food is neutral, everything you put in your mouth moves you either forward or backward."

One thought - when you try oatmeal today, try it without adding the extras. I found that adhering to plan meant I had adjusted to eating less sweet foods and no longer needed to add the sf maple syrup to my to steel cut oats. Not that it hurts... by why add the sweet flavor back if you are not missing it?

Congratulations, Tammie, on a very successful Phase 1, and onward to a successful Phase 2 and reaching your goal.
After reading your post, I really believe you are going to make it this time and be one of our Success Stories. I'm very excited for you and hope your story inspires and motivates others.

I'm with you! I just started Phase II yesterday. I am also not craving the carbs or sugar, but don't want to stay on Phase I too long. For once I will actually follow the directions! One serving of whole wheat crackers (Triscuits or Fiber One) is what I have decided to do for now. Next week I will add an apple into the mix and see. Good luck to us!

I love the pepper triscuts. I didn't think of them. Those are one thing I can control. LOL I think it is because it takes so long to chew one I get bored and can only eat a few at a time. But the pepper ones are great with cheese.

Thanks everyone. I am going to print this thread out and keep it close by to reread my thoughts.

Tammie

Tammie - congratulations on your success so far and the really great planning ahead! I'm sure people are tired of hearing this but I honestly did not eat off plan from 10/15 until mid-May when we went on vacation. Then it was one item in one dinner with the rest of the day adjusted accordingly. I actually made it through the holidays at Mom's without a cookie that year. I had been overweight for so long that I really needed a long stretch of redefining my relationship with food. I think some people really just need to fine tune their eating and are able to balance off plan items now and then but I was definitely not one of them. Sounds like you have just the right attitude for you and you are on your way to long term success

I like your style Tammie. I am just finishing my first week of phase I and really have not even thought about phase II yet. I really appreciate your thought process into the weeks after phase I. It has started to get my mind rolling too. As of yet I keep just keep thinking, two weeks I have to get through two weeks! But there is life after phase I (hahaha, what an epiphany I had this morning). I think you can do it for six months, and I am going to try something similar. It is not a 6 month goal but my faithful sidekick and I are going on vacation to a lovely secluded little beach called cancun (ha) this summer and I would really like to stay on plan until then.

great thread, great thoughts

I like oatmeal with a bit of sugar free jam.

I also like 0% fat greek yogurt with fresh fruit instead of the kind you buy that has tiny chunks of mashed fruit in jello-yogurt. The greek yogurt is so creamy, it feels like custard. If it tastes a bit sour (even with the serving of fruit in it) I will add a half a packet of splenda but I never do that any more.
I like Kashi go Lean and keep a ziploc in my purse as well as some snack packs of cashews and I also try to put a string cheese in my purse every day

Just me, but I started with fruit first and waited a few days and then added something "grainy" (but I can't remember what the grain was!..probably a little brown rice) I was just wanting something "sweet" and refreshing and that was the yummiest apple I think I've ever eaten.

I think Cat hit the nail on the head - healthy foods taste so much better than they used to when I wasn't eating well. Fruit is sweeter and a real treat; Triscuits are so delicious (so I am not eating them again yet). Amazing what healthy eating can do for us

Cyndi - keep sharing that so us newbies hear it too! I actually thought about you and Tammie a lot today while running errands. I kept asking myself if I should try 6 months too. Why not? I guess if I put it out there and don't stick to it I would feel worse than if I ate something off plan without making such a commitment. But I am sure going to try! You are inspiring

Tammie, you have an excellent plan. Congratulations on your success so far. It just keeps getting easier. This forum makes all the difference and is vital to my success. Keep posting and good luck!

Tammie - great plan!

Thanks everyone for the advice and encouragement. I didn't have any cravings or anythiing with my oatmeal.

Tammie

Good luck Tammie,
I'm new to SBD and will be starting Week 1 Phase 2 on Monday. I've decided to add steel cut oats for breakfast and a small apple and string cheese in the afternoon.

This works best for me if I make my menus out a week ahead of time -- if I don't then I just start grabbing stuff!! LOL.

My daughter is getting married in the fall, so that's my motivator. I did really well the 1st 2 weeks, but then had an awful week where I lost one of my beloved greyhounds --- but, I too, am taking it a day at a time -- and am putting last week behind me and looking forward.


Good Luck!
Pat

sw 179.8/cw 171.8/goal wt (by Oct) 130