Hi. I have been fighting with my weight for years, and the only time I actually lost, was when I did SB a few years ago.

I want to follow SB again, but I find I am constatly failing on Phase I. My doctor said to skip that phase and just start on Phase II. She said that Phase I is too limiting and I will lose weight on Phase II, just slower.

Is that true? Will I lose weight if I skip the first phase an go to II? I have never eaten potatoes, white bread, or any white starches for that matter, so I won't miss that sort of stuff.

Please, any advice would be great. I intend to start this tomorrow.

Steen, I re-read some of your old posts and see you were on Phase I just last summer. What made you give up on it? Maybe you should give it another try and do it with the support of the other Phase I Chicks. Yes, it's a bit restrictive but is only for two weeks and does include healthy carbs like beans and dairy.

In answer to your question, yes, you will lose on Phase II but more slowly and you may have to deal with cravings. Phase I is the detox Phase.

Let us know what you decide.

Thanks for the post, Ruthxxx. I have been on Phase 1 many times over the past year. But I only make it a few days, and lately, I haven't even made it one day. I find when dinner comes, I want something like rice or pasta (whole wheat of course). Then in the evening, I snack on things like rice crispy squares or popcorn, which is something I normally don't do.

It's like my body is trying to punish me for trying to dictate what it can and can't eat. It's very frustrating. As much as I hate looking at myself, I hate the thought of failing again. Skipping phase 1 may be my only chance...

Go for it then but don't fill up on starchy carbs. Check out the stickies in the FAQ section re Phase 1.5 and Phase II hints.

I started on phase 2 and it worked fine for me. My biggest issue has always been sugary things...and those have to get cut out for phase 2 anyways. With those gone, my cravings went also. (After a few days.) Now my phase 2 basically contains 2 servings of whole grains and 2 servings of fruit every day, and I'm quite satisfied with my weight loss, hunger management, and cravings control.

Hi Steen, I can't count how many times I restarted p1. I know when I don't plan I do crave the pasta's myself.... for ease of making and lack of plan to what I ought to be eating at the moment! me, I finally realized I wasn't even doing p1 correctly so how can I bring in p2? I finally found my problem, which was correctly undertsanding the program altogether, then was I able to successfully ad in p2 and continue to lose weight.

Neither phase is a starvation phase. If you can do p2 without slipping up, you WILL lose, however, your saying you have cravings......

For MOST south beachers, getting through the third, sometimes fourth day is the HARDEST, they start out great on days 1, 2... but for some reason, d3 is hard.... so if you can get past that, you'll be fine..

AS for you doing p1 and having cravings.... that tells me you need to detox correctly, to get rid of those cravings (which really pour in d3 as I mentioned!)....

THE BIGGEST THING for me, and for most people here, is PLANNING!!!! When I plan a week's menu, I know when and what I'm eating next, and less likely to binge eat or eat off plan!

For p1, my meal's may look like this...

Taco bake for dinners (I also use my left over's for lunches, and even breakfast, I plan two big dinner meals a week, being onlyone person it's easier, and spread throughout week, less mess during week when exhausted from working)

for breakfast, I'll eat cooked spinach, egg, bacon and v8 (or make some egg muffin cups with cheese, bacon and veggies)....

snacks usually consist of celery with low fat laughing cow cheese wedge.

Lunch, if not left overs then a nice salad with chick peas included! (as many veggies and variety as you like)

snack usually string cheese, or some other veggie allowed.

Dinner, as I mentioned, taco bake with salad, or whatever...

And dessert, I love (and this helps with cravings) nsa fudgesicles!

also, be sure to get veggies, and water in there, those are vital to success!

Again, d3 is usually everyone's toughest, but if your planning, and know when you are hit hardest with cravings, y ou CAN do things to concur the cravings and eating binges.