Hi ladies and gents! So I've been with 3FC since Sept. of last year, and I do succeed with calorie counting, but only when I have a better relationship with food. Right now, I know I'm eating all the wrong things, even if they are in moderation, so I guess I'm just craving a plan with more structure. I'm moving over to the South Beach Diet to start a better relationship between me and food. I just bought The South Beach Diet Supercharged, and read practically the whole thing in the last 3 hours. It seems like a really good idea. I hope to get rid of a few pounds and a lot of bloat in phase 1, and I'm just really motivated to commit and succeed. I'm going to clean out my pantry tonight, and put aside all the things I can't eat for 2 weeks. Over the next few days I'm going to make a food shopping list, and select several recipies to prepare, so that I'm treating this like a fun project, to stay motivated. This weekend I'm going to do my food shopping, and I'm officially going to start phase 1 on either Sun or Mon, when I'm all prepared. I'm also planning on following the exercise program in the book, since I already have a treadmill, some free weights, and a chair! (hehe, don't we all). I'm excited to join this forum, and I'm hoping to get support and advice from all the chicks here. How are you all doing? Do you have any advice for the newbie to SBD? Let me know, and I hope you all have a fun and successful day!

Welcome to South Beach! The book is a good start, but this site really helps to flesh out all the details. The recipes here are way better than the book too.

to the Beach!

I'm going to second what Murphmitch said - the book is good and gives you a great understanding of the premise of the diet, but I've found some awesome recipes on this board - which help SB not seem like a diet.

I just started phase 1 on sunday and so far so good.....yesturday and today i was having intense sugar cravings but bought the ingredients for the warm brownie that was posted here and that totally satisfied my craving....i also went through a couple of days of really bad fatigue but that seems to be passing as well......tons of food but i just miss the act of eating bread etc ...but i can definately make it through phase 1.....but i really can't wait for phase 2 .....

to the Beach, AudreyMonroe! The key to success in this diet is planning, so it sounds like you are all prepared and ready to start. Good luck to you, and we hope to see you posting in here often.

welcome to the beach.... the book is a great tool and as you saw an easy read but an important one.

for me, i think what i love about SBD is while I know what I can and I cannot eat I don't have to be PRECISE in my measurements...

good luck to you.

I have been following the food plan of the South Beach "Diet" (which it's not a diet in the way we used to think of diets) since January 1st of this year.

What I have learned is that in order for this to work for you you have to first realize that it is a food plan that we all should be eating if we want to have optimal health. I do not cook a different meal for my DH than I do myself. That means that there isn't a clear line between "my diet foods" and the rest of my family (of two).

I have lost more inches with this food plan than any other "diet" I have followed before. I haven't consistently been working out in the past six months because of some persistent injuries but I did begin (again) doing the Interval Walking Program from Supercharged. It is so easy compared to the way I used to beat my body up when I worked out. You will definitely like it. Again, that works too! (PS---that goes to show you that you don't have to exercise to lose weight although this walking program was developed for those of us who do stall---not because we aren't following the Plan but because we are and still haven't trouble losing)

Like you, I recognized that although I was staying within my former diet's outline, my food choices were awful, at times. I have read and re-read the books, including the latest, over and over. Each time I find something else that I may have glossed over before.

I disagree (somewhat) with others that there is no measuring or weighing involved in this food plan. There is and where you can "see" that for yourself is the actual food list itself. Again, I think, the "good doctor" assumes that all of us know what a single serving is for some foods. I don't feel he stresses enough the importance of knowing what a "normal" portion and serving size is. This is particularly important if you have a lot to lose and you have been accustomed to a two-plate meal (and for those of us who have been used to eating a lot then you know what I mean by that).

I think that assumption, which is passed onto some of us by lack of clarity, causes us to stall in our weight lose efforts. I "discovered" six months into this food plan that I should have been more careful, as I was the first six weeks, in how much of a specific food I was eating. One cup of milk is 8 oz. not 12 or 16 oz. That may sound so "obvious" but I do know that I need that specific measurement or I will "overdo".

You do have to be aware of food exchanges and some portion/serving amount. For example, you can't have the full servings of both milk and yogurt (2 c milk and 1/2 c yogurt) within the same day, which I didn't realize when I read the food list before. I was having my 3 c skim milk and a ff plain yogurt smoothie (which used both 1 c ff plain yogurt and 1/2 c skim milk) within the same day. Not every day but some days. I should have chosen one of the other or less of each. yes, I was eating very healthy and I had the rosy cheeks to prove it but I was still "overeating". That may sound simple but I do believe it can make the difference between having a weight lose one week vs another.

Also, if your weight stalls, now Dr. A recommends that you cut back on your cheese consumption. I don't feel that I was overdoing it--maybe two red fat cheese sticks per day but, again, you can (over)eat healthy foods and still remain fat.

Since you asked for advice, my advice is be aware of the portions and serving sizes when you follow this food plan. I have had the best weight lose results when I kept to the portions as described on the food list.

Another example that I discovered is that you still have to measure your fruit. On the food list, it seems the standard measurement for fruit is 3/4 c for berries and a medium or 4 oz banana. I hate to admit this but I got sloppy with this too. I would grab a banana and not look at its size with too much discrimination. However, if you are one of those people who needs to eat less fruit in order to realize weight lose then you may have inadvertently (like I did) be eating 1 1/2-2x more of a fruit and yet counting it as one serving.

Those are the only "pitfalls" that I feel necessary to caution you about. I feel it has been a blessing for me to find this food plan. A lot of it is common sense way of eating but then how much common sense did we exercise when we gained all of that extra weight, right? I know I didn't.The way that I look on the way I used to eat is this "It was good (?) while it lasted. Now, I have seen the light and I know better!"

Try a lot of the recipes here and I encourage you to listen to what has worked for others. I know I have and I am always amazed at how smart our ladies (and guys) are here. We are all practically walking encyclopedias at times.

My last little bit of advice: post and post often. I get such energy from all of these great people here. I have learned so much!

Good luck and welcome again audreymonroe

OMG, thank you guys so much! I'm really taking these comments seriously, and I know if I continue to get support, I can do this!

I also have portion-control issues and sometimes have to weigh or measure my food to make sure I'm getting it right. I don't do it with everything, though, because that would drive me totally insane. Another reason for measuring is that a lot of the foods I'm eating now are more expensive than the junk sugar-fat-white flour stuff I was eating before; so, to be honest, I measure so that I can ration out my healthy food over more days. Well, and there's yet another reason I do some measuring, which is to pay attention to the total carbs from grains or fruit that I'm having at any given meal, as I really feel it's important for me to keep that number in balance.

pamatga, I like your honesty about portion control and how hard it is, and how much there is to learn. I am also a two-plate diner That's a habit I have mostly stopped, I think!

audrey, welcome to South Beach. I have the Supercharged book as well, and there's some recipes in there that I LOVE. The Moroccan Chicken, the Hearts-of-Palm Salad, the Oatmeal Muffins, the Creamy Broccoli Soup...in fact, I've enjoyed all the recipes I've tried so far.

Audrey, to the Beach.

Yes, I have always had a problem with portion control. It took me years to realize two chicken breasts was a double "serving".

This is a great place to hang out. We'll straighten you out if you wander off the Beach but sand-throwing is not allowed!

Pamatga...you are very wise...and it is obvious you have learned a lot on your journey this year.

I too am finding portion control to be very helpful.

It keeps my protein, carb, and fat ration balanced. AND it really is helping me to learn to satisfy my appetite.

For ex: left on my natural inclination I might eat 6 oz of chicken, 2 Tbs of green beans, 3-4 brocolli flowerettes. And then there is that empty space left on the place that I long to fill with bread or potatoes.

However, in proper portion control, I should eat more like 3-4 oz of chicken, 1/2 cup of green beans, 1 cup of brocolli. ALL measured. That fills my plate. It is visually more satisfying...and physically keeps me full until the next meal or snack. AND the metabolism stays up longer.

LOL! like most people I tend to under estimate the servings on foods I love, while over estimating those that just aren't as decadent feeling.

LOL, Ruth, depending on the size ...sometimes 1 chicken breast can be 2 servings...YIKES. That's where I've had trouble. Moderation and control in all things.

Thanks for the support you guys! So far, so good!