too much protein..?

  • hi current south beachers, i've gained some weight over the last few months and decided to give south beach another shot! i'm on day 3 of phase 1, and was wondering if there is a limit for the consumtion of protein? i noticed i eat loads of fat free cheese slices (yummmm American cheese...) and lots of turkey slices, not to talk about eggs and egg whites. any tip would be helpful =)

    also, i have a question about dannon's fruit-based fat free yogurts. are they allowed since they're fat free?

    http://www.dannon.com/dn/dnstore/cgi...avRoot_200.htm
  • I'll defer the protein question to more knowledgeable people, but you do need to be having 4 1/2 cups veggies with that protein.

    Also - no yogurt other than plain yogurt in phase 1. In phase 2 you can have fruit based yogurt which is sugar free AND fat free - like Dannon light and fit (actually, it is really no sugar added, sweetened with Splenda, as the fruits do have some sugar).

    It seems like you are eating all that protein because it is easy to grab. I would suggest buying some celery and slicing it when you get home, and perhaps even putting light cream cheese or natural peanut butter in it for a snack. Or eating those veggies with some hummus (sabra is very good and so are some of the Athenos ones) . . .
  • thank you so much for your help! i guess i screwed up a bit, but its never too late to start over right?
  • I don't know that 'screwed up" is the right word - I have been guilty of the same thing. I have 3 boys under 6 and sometimes it is just easier to grab some cheese, a hardboiled egg, some turkey, etc. from the fridge, and that is certainly fine some of the time.

    I have made a concious decision this time around to try to make my meals and snacks more balanced - veggies at every meal. Loving those homegrown tomatoes these days! It takes some prep work for me, which I find it is easiest to do when I get home from the grocery or even better after the kiddies go to bed!

    I also think this has helped me eat 3 meals and three snacks, versus grabbing a little bit here and there.
  • Balance is important. I use fitday and aim for 1/1/1 for protein, fat and carbs. It's important to get enough protein but not at the expense of veggies and dairy. www.fitday.com is free and very helpful.