I've gained about 8 pounds back from the lowest weight I was able to get to on South Beach, after having a stressful semester and quitting the job that kept me active. I tried the other day to begin phase 1, but all I felt was tired and cranky. Has anyone experienced this reaction before, and if I begin again tomorrow, is there anything I can do to work through the "beginning-the-diet-blues"? Thanks!

In my experience I am always tired and cranky on phase 1. You just have to push through it knowing that it will fade in just a couple of days. What's a couple of days compared to the rest of your life?

I thought the first 3 days of So. Beach would KILL me! Or I would kill my family! After that hump I've been fine! It is worth pushing through when you know it is just short term. Take it minute by minute. How about a non food treat? A mani/pedi really helped me!

I also find myself very out of sorts on the first week of induction... but it usually passes after 3-4 days. It's just your body adjusting to the loss of sugar in your system...

Yup, the first 3-5 days, depending on how long it takes you to detox the sugar out, can be horrible! It just goes to show how much of a hold the sugar has on us.

Some things you can do to make it easier:

• Drink lots of water to flush things through faster.
• Eat lots of good carbs to lessen the bad side effects of detox: beans, legumes, bell peppers, tomatoes. I think 3 bean salad is the ultimate P1 food...it has good fat and protein to keep you feeling full, veggies to make you feel full right away, fiber to keep things moving, and beans to mitigate the side effects of detox. Great stuff! (homemade only, though...store bought is full of sugar!)
• Be gentle with yourself and ask others to do the same.
• Start P1 at a time when you don't have a lot going on in your life and you can make sure you eat your snacks at 3 hour intervals.
• Don't exercise (or do other things that really tax your energy) unless you've been exercising before P1. Even then, you might want to take it easier than normal
• Get lots of sleep.

Hope that helps, hon! It's hard, but SO worth it!

Thanks ladies. I'm going to try again tomorrow. I think I also need to draw back my cardio slightly while doing phase 1; I just don't have the energy.

I need to find some motivation for myself that is enough to overpower my longing for carbs!