[tar675]

Ok, I'm not prepared today! I had 2 eggs like Cat likes them for my breakfast and now I'm trying to figure out what I will have if that doesn't satisfy me. I need ideas for snacks and lunch. I'm limited as to what I can have because there are some SB groceries that I don't have yet. Also, the party that we've been invited to this weekend consists of alcoholic beverages!!! Any advice? I really wanted to start PH 1 today. Should I wait until after the party? Thanks in advance!

[Schmoodle]

Tara, that depends on how well you think you can resist at the party. The corn would be my big temptation. I like alcohol, but can live without it. At a crab feast, I would plunk myself down in front of the crabs and pick until my fingers bleed. It would keep me busy and I wouldn't have to worry about portions or calories. When I had crabs last weekend, I made a brocolli-cauliflower salad to go along with it. It's a good cookout dish and you can have a big bowl of this without guilt.

Here are my favorite Phase I friendly snacks these days: mozarella cheese stick, wasabi almonds, pinto beans with salsa and cheese, iced latte made with sf syrup and skim milk, celery with LCLC or sf peanut butter, sf fudgesicle.

I also like an apple with peanut butter, or reduced fat triscuits with a thin smear of pb, but that would be for phase II.

Here's the salad recipe:
Wash 1 bunch brocolli and 1 head cauliflower and cut into bite size florets. Chop 1 onion and mix with veggies. Make your favorite cole slaw dressing (I use lite mayo, vinegar, splenda) and toss with veggies. Refrigerate for a while before serving. Top with crumbled turkey bacon. Crunch, crunch, crunch, yum!

Good luck!

[iammare]

Tara, if you've got the will power, I'd say start today - and you know, even if you do start today, and you go to the party and cave, it's not the end of the world. Pick your self up, dust off, and start again. You'll do fine what ever you choose.

For me personally, I haven't had a drink in over 4 months - at first it was because of the meds I was on, now it's because of SBD. I'd rather have a 60 cal Hershey's Chocolate Stick than a glass of wine But that's just me. I've also found that if I carry a bottle of water with me at all times, and a few packs of my fave water additive (FulFill - found at Walmart, or Totally Light 2 Go), then I can add those to my water, and have some flavor so I don't feel like I'm being left out - I'm enjoying my drink as much as the person drinking the soda or wine

Some of my fave P1 snacks/lunches and breakfasts...
Light'N'Fit snack size yogurt
BLT - no bread, and turkey bacon - just wrap the bacon and tomato in the lettuce leaf. YUMMY
Celery and Hummus
Lite String cheese

P2 - all the above, but I added a ww wrap with the hummus.

All this talk about hummus - and I don't have any Look out Wegmans, here I come!!!! I need to pick some up on the way home!

[Schmoodle]

iammare, I LOVE the idea of the breadless BLT wrap!

[femmecreole]

Tara, since it's summer, I like to keep a container of marinated vegs of some kind in the fridge at all times for a snack...something fast to grab.

Sometimes it's tomatos and cucumbers, sometimes I add zuccini or squash etc..whatever looks good at the store that is fresh.

I make a marinade out of EVOO, italian seasoning, a little salt, some fresh garlic and onions, balsamic vinegar, and dijon mustard.

About the party. Grab a wine glass, fill it up with water and put some lemons or limes in it so it looks pretty and like Smoodle said...have fun picking crabs. I'm not sure how your seafood boils work there, but here, along with the seasoning, we add huge chunks of onions and whole garlic pods cut in half that boil along with the seafood...and if you take a chunk of that and eat it with a chunk of crab...baby, that is heaven on earth...forget about the potatos and corn. Another thing you could do would be to bring some vegs wrapped up and tied in cheese cloth and ask the "boilers" to throw that in the pot for a few minutes for you. yum.

[tar675]

Thank you all so much! You've been very helpful. Have a great weekend!

[RNMOM]

Hey Tar, great suggestions above, I'd go for it now, don't wait until after the party. That just gives you permission to eat poorly for another day or so. Also drink a ton of water before and after the party, just when you feel your willpower starting to slide, you may have to go weewee............ahhhh saved by the pit stop
Femm, I want to come to one of your crab boiling parties........I love crab, but living in Idaho we have to pay an arm and a leg for them.