I really do think I need to go back to Phase 1 or something.
 

We've been eating on the go a lot recently and been stressing out crazily (I have broken out and I normally have really clear skin.) And I've been making some pretty bad food choices and seriously craving carbs. I haven't eaten anything with sugar (wait, yes I did, apple pies at Hardees) but I've eaten things with white flour and even a fried chicken sandwich.

We've been running low on supplies and have to go shopping on Monday, and I have just been giving in to cheap temptation. Hardees one night, Bojangles one afternoon, and Quiznos this weekend (had whole wheat but ate the entire sub... way too many servings). Then Hardees the day before last.

I was intending on getting back OP yesterday, was gonna throw a bunch of stuff together that we still have left, like ground beef and mustard greens and lentils, I was gonna make a soup, but then we went to my Grandmas. I tried to come after they ate but my grandma would not take no as an answer, it was her duty to feed her grandchild and her great-grandchild's father, she felt, and I had a plate of rigatoni and ragu and italian sweet sausage with asiago bread.

It's not a matter of just here-and-there cheats, it's been a bunch of cheats that have added up recently, after I sat down and thought about it. I haven't even experienced Phase 2 really, and now I'm back to craving carbs.

It is all my fault, letting stress getting the best of me, not eating, then being ravenous later and making the wrong food choices. I AM capable of doing this though, I did Phase 1 this time around without any problems, but too much stuff has been going on and I've been letting my emotions make my decisions rather than my common sense.

I do believe I have cheated enough that I qualify to go back on Phase 1. I know a lot of people probably don't think it's a good idea but I really do believe it's the best thing.

I'm already making a shopping list for Monday... but should I do just one week to get back on track and then continue to phase 1.5 or just do the whole two weeks of phase 1 again? I need to do phase 1 something!

Any advice, recommendations, etc?

Do a pure Phase I and post your daily menus and any questions in the Phase I chickie thread. The MODS and more experienced Beachers will be helpful.

It's important to be completely committed to the plan. If stress makes you less able to follow it, maybe wait until Life gets better.

you probably should go back on P1....a week might be enough, I don't really know. Try a week and see what your body is telling you.

remember that the "whole wheat" rolls from Quiznos are just "wheat"....which means tons of white flour with a pinch of wheat flour....

Always remember....try, try again.

I'd try just one week of phase 1. If you're still wanting carbs and having cravings, continue on. But one week is enough to break the cycle.

Also, I know you're on a budget- tofu is WAY cheap and a great source of protein... press the water out, salt and pepper it, and make it however you want. It goes into pretty much everything and is pretty tasty.

I also make a good tofu meatball if you need recipes.

Melanie...I have been doing the same thing lately...giving into cheap conveniences(not even really temptation). My life has been hectic the past few weeks. My 20 yr old sister was diagnosed with lyme disease and she's having some complications, my uncle had a heart attack and may not make it, my mom has to be tested for throat cancer, and last wed. my friend from H.S. passed away(she was only 25). I've been running around like crazy trying to help everyone out and haven't had time to cook, so I've been doing a lot of drive thru and take out. Been trying to make the best possible choices with it, but yes I know best choices would be to avoid those places. Well this week I'm back in the game(as best I can be right now) and also feel like cravings are coming back. I've been drinking insane amounts of water and that seems to be doing the trick. Also, when a craving gets overwhelming I have a cup of coffee because it makes me full and the craving goes away.

Also, hungrygirl.com has a lot of swap recipes for junk foods you may be craving. Not all are SBD compliant, but many can be altered. Have you tried that site?

uscarchie...I would love to see your tofu meatball recipe! I'd like to start incorporating tofu as a regular staple, but not too familiar with cooking with it.

Oops, I realize my post was kinda confusing, after re-reading it, it sounds like I'm still on Phase 1. I'm 9 days in Phase 2. I did a pure Phase 1 and have started Phase 2. Phase 1 this time around was great... it really was. I felt so good, I did it OP (although I did question my portions and maybe too much dairy) and lost 4lbs. But I've been doing Phase 2 for 9 days and it's all went to ****. It's dissapointing for me because I did so well on Ph 1 after messing up so badly the first time I had attempted it. I still have lost like 2 lbs though, which I don't understand. I agree with you that it's important to be committed and I should maybe wait until life is better to re-start, but I was under a lot of stress during ph 1 and still pulled it off, 'cause I felt like it was the only thing in my life at the time that I could actually control. I think I'll start ph 1 again tuesday and I will definitely post my menus and see what you guys think. :)

I did understand you had moved to Phase II. I meant go BACK to Phase I.

Oh maaan, that sucks, why can't any place serve real whole wheat? They suck. I was fooled by them.

Okay, I gotcha. Sorry about that. Sometimes it's hard to tell what people mean in written language so I get confused. :)

Alright, definitely going back to Phase 1, gonna plan my menu once again and write out my grocery list and then also make sure I'm prepared for phase 1. I think that's part of it, I was very prepared for ph 1, but then when ph 2 came around, I wasn't prepared. If I had been, and not let stuff get the best of me, I probably could have been doing ph 2 successfully.

I would love that recipe. :D I used to be a vegetarian for 3 years and I often used tofu in stirfrys and stuff like that. The recipe sounds fantastic.

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Sorry Mods, I keep posting one post adjacent to eachother, I didn't mean to.

JerseyGirl, I'm so sorry to hear about everything that's going on in your life right now, that's a lot for one person to have to deal with. I don't blame you for turning to junkfood, a lot of people would do the same. I hope things get better soon, and good luck to your sister, uncle, and mom. *sending good wishes their way* May they all become better and I hope the throat cancer testing turns out favorably for your mom. May your friend RIP.

Thanks for the website link, nope I haven't tried it yet, but I'm about to. :D

Subway is the same thing..I call them "white bread with brown food coloring." If they have even a tiny amount of whole wheat flour added to the enriched white crap then they call it whole wheat.
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Thanks Melanie..your good wishes are appreciated!

Melanie,

please don't take this the wrong way

how much did Hardees, quiznos and bongangles cost (all together)

maybe 45 dollars?

you can buy a lot of GOOD groceries for that.

QUIT EATING OUT!

JerseyGirl, I'm loving that website, it's got really great recipe swaps (I am breathing all over the taco bell swaps.)

Yes Ladynessa. :lol: I know, you're right!! Urrgh, I just wish I wouldn't go along with my BF when he wants to stop there instead of getting some grocery food to cook. He likes a fast fix when the cabinets are empty and it's late and he's hungry and doesn't wanna wait for me to cook anything. And then I cave and go along with it especially when we've been busy around town and we're hungry and we just eat whatever. I had committed myself to eating salads in such events, but it wasn't always possible. Hardees doesn't have any, at least not here. But that's not an excuse. The good news is, this Friday I'm officially taking over our finances (meaning, he gets the paycheck, hands it over to me, we discussed this on sunday) so I will not give him this extra money for us to go stop at a fast food place, I will put it into extra grocery funds.

I didn't take it the wrong way, I definitely appreciate your words, you are absolutely right. :D

Melanie...isn't that site great? It has saved me from junk soooo many times. If you click on "Chew the right thing" it has tons of swap recipes.

Hardee's does have a grilled chicken sandwich, get it, throw away the bun, eat the chicken, lettuce & tomato only.
I do things like this when we are traveling or otherwise feel the need to do a fast food thing. Wendy's chili is a good choice. DH gets 2 Wendy's 0.99cent hamburgers and throws the buns. Potbelly's has nice salads, as do many of the other fast food joints. I like that a few places have fruit now available.
It is still best to cook at home and try to use as few processed foods as possible.

JerseyGirl, their pizza recipe looks fabulous and also like it would be SBD compliant on phase 2. I'm still on the website, it's got a lot of good stuff on it.

SkinnyDogMom, I saw that grilled chicken sandwich, I should have gotten that instead of the fried crispy one that I ate with the incredibly huge bun. It's so hard though when it's 9:30 and we're ravenous. Bad excuse, I know.

Melanie, I understand how difficult it is to figure out what to eat when you have another person with you who isn't on SBD. My hubby has been thin all of his life, and he is a carb junkie. He doesn't like a lot of the foods that I enjoy, so I have to adjust menus when he is at home.

I'm going back to Phase 1.5 because I got a little out of control today. We took a friend to lunch for her birthday, and the little French place had a very limited menu, mostly crepes, and fresh, warm, home made french bread. I had soup and a salad, which was fine, but I couldn't resist the baguette. (A huge weakness.)

Back to 1.5 for me.

Good luck, Melanie.