I'm alive! I've been 119-122 for the past month or so. Smooth operations.

March 1: 120.6
March 2: 119.6
March 3: 119.2

Hunger, very basic South Beach is that for two weeks, you cut out carbs and sugars. This includes the good for you carbs and natural sugars like in fruit. These two weeks are Phase 1 and it's supposed to re-train your body and your brain. It re-trains your body to use the stored fat as an energy source instead of the immediately available carbs and it re-trains your mind to look for different sources of energy. For me, it turns my thinking from "I want breads and pretzels and snack-y food" to "Hummus and carrots sounds like a good snack." You focus on eating good fat, mostly veggies, nuts, and lean meats.

In Phase 2, you introduce natural sugars like the fruit and good for you carbs, like multi-grain bread and pasta back into your diet. You are still trying to avoid refined sugars and carbs, so say no to cheap white bread. You are also pairing those carbs with good fat food. Have that piece of multi-grain bread with a nut butter spread on it. The idea is to slow down the body's processing of the carbs and sugars.

It's worked for me in the past and I'm using it now more to rebalance my diet. I don't eat a great deal of veggies and I've spent too long eating refined sugars and carbs.

3/1/15 - 149.8
3/2/15 - 149.2
3/3/15 - 149.2

Congrats to all of you ladies for such great success!

I am so excited----my lowest weight so far this morning----115.8! Have not been at this weight for over 3 years. I am starting to feel such confidence in my weight loss journey. I now realize sticking to my diet plan is key. No more cheating and no more avoiding the scale! that is what's working for me!

3/1/15 - 149.8
3/2/15 - 149.2
3/3/15 - 149.2
3/4/15 - 149.4 (uggghhH!!!)

Krampus!!! HIIII!!!!! And welcome back!!!!!

Goal for March- 120 lbs on my higher scale/20-25 miles per week
(118-122 lb)
Lower Scale- 1 lb less

3/1/15 121.2 lbs (LS)
3/2/15 121.8 lbs ran 4 miles, walked 1
3/3/15 121.7 lbs
3/4/15 121.8 lbs

March Goal: reach 123, so that I can reach the teens in April

March 1 126.5
March 2 126.5
March 3 127
March 4 126.5

Pardon all of the pink in my Avatar & weight loss ticker. I killed the pink Valentine's Day roses the day after I received them. I'm thinking this has something to do with it.

Hunger - Nice perspective

Wedeburn - That's awesome news! Congrats on your new low!!!! Woo hoo!

Krampus - Welcome - glad you're here!

CrunchyMama - thank you for that concise overview. Love how SB turns the focus away from white sugars and breads, and towards veggies and proteins. And the fact that you're already familiar with the approach will help a lot, no doubt!

Alexis - no worries! You are fine-tuning, which is necessary for everyone. There's no other way to do it!

Wedeburn - Congrats on the 115.8!! You say you haven't been that weight in three years - I'd never been that weight before in my life until (the one time when I was sick, which was different) discovering what you are talking about - no cheating and using the scale as one of the best tools for accountability. We have a system!

Jen - don't know if you believe in BMI, but yours is fantastic!

Kifli - love the new decor! Congrats on maintaining - so many days I would have given my left arm just to maintain (which, ironically enough, would have resulted in a significant weight loss, lol)!

Weight: Official last day of Feb weigh-in: 111.4

3/01/15 - 117; 3/02 - 116.6; 3/03 - 114.3

3/4 - 113.6. Had a good breakfast (meal of the day) post-weigh in. Three fried eggs, two sausage patties, pomegrate and tart cherry juice, Ezekiel sesame bread with butter, and a bag of baby kale blend with garden veggies, sauteed, then sprayed with vinegar (forgot to put them in with eggs, so had to take emergency measures). Will be jogging/walking in about 45 minutes!

One thing I've noticed about my weight loss - it seems to be more difficult when I eat grains. This week, I ate couscous, which I love. That was the point four loss (117 to 116.6), which, based on past history, should have been much closer to a pound. The same thing may have happened in the last week of February, with another point four pound loss which, based on keeping records for quite a while, should have been closer to a pound, after eating brown rice.

This is a good reason for me to try to substitute something else, like veggies, for some or all of the grains. I got one of these for Christmas, and it should be helpful along those lines. Can't wait to try it! I just have to find it first...

Hey HW! I have the vegetti and LOVE it. I use it to turn zucchini into "faux" spaghetti.

I have noticed on my journey, that I stall or lose verrrrry slowly when I eat grains. It stinks bc I truly love couscous and pasta! Oh well, like you, this weight loss is paramount to me right now. I can forgo grains for a bit longer. It really hasn't bothered me for the past month or so.....I have not had any grains since the beginning of January.

When I was younger, I would diet and when something big was coming up like a vacation or a cruise, I would lose a few extra pounds----like for instance, if I liked to be 105, I would get down to 102 before the event, so that I could eat cake or fettucine alfredo or something else delicious while I was celebrating. And it worked out perfectly. I intend to implement that plan in the months to come. I will try to get to goal, and "when!" I do, I will lose a few extra when I want to splurge. Then I don't feel deprived.

LOVE that Veggetti! Nice idea! May have to get one!

Also like that idea of losing a few in order to maintain....thanks for the idea Wedeburn

3/1: 133.4
3/2: 134
3/3: 132.4
3/4: 131.4

I got down to 130.5 a few weeks ago, but let it s l o w l y creep back up to 135. I really need to re-focus and just stop dragging my feet right now.

3/4: 135

Kifli - loving the avatar.

HW - not sure on the veggetti... too healthy looking for me haha

v - don't worry about the gain, it's a new day just get back on it!