jlh88 - your plan looks pretty good, but where are your veggies? They are really important for keeping you full and providing plenty of good fiber. Congrats on a great start!

-Jasmine

so i survived the weekend in not too bad of shape! the family came to town and there were a lot of birthday festivities. i stayed on plan pretty well - the meat and cheese i had were full-fat and i had a couple of bites of cake and my mom's potatoes. but this is a big, big step for me. in the past i feel like i would have gone on a major binge, but mostly i just wanted to get back to plan. monday's going great so far! i'm loving edamame right now, had some at lunch and will have some at dinner too.

thanks for the tip murphmitch!
congrats on your weight loss, tink, that's great news. and welcome jlh88!

Don't feel too bad caequestrienne, i cheated a couple times through phase one as well and still wound up loosing 7 lbs in the first week so don't let it stop you or make you feel too guilty. I feel like being around people who aren't SBing makes it hard lol.

jlh88 your menu sounded yummy! Def. add some veggies where ever you can. Im not a big fan of veggies but I add a salad when I can to make up for it.

I'm sad I only have today and tomorrow left in phase 1. =( I mean I'm happy to be done phase 1 but I will def. miss this phase 1 group! lol Maybe I'll come back. I am going to the beach for a week starting saturday =/ Anyone have any tips for phase 2 at the beach lol

Is there a sections for phase 2 people??

You chickies are doing so well...lots of good stuff and support in here. Big thanks to our experienced Beach Beauties for popping in to answer questions and share hints.

When you move into Phase II, be sure to read the stickies in the FAQ Section and ease into it gently. There is a thread for this in our main Forum to discuss the trials and tribulations of getting into the Phase II groove but please also join the rest of us in the daily chatter where we share other stuff in our lives.

Hello,

I am half way through the book and will be going grocery shopping tomorrow.
Question for the newbie: How much is 1/3 of a avacado if you were to measure it in a cup or weigh it? I am terrible at guesstimating this. I can't wait to get started. I am starting slow, because I am a Type 2 diabetic and will be testing every day. Thanks for your answers.

Melanie in Colorado

Melsie, do be sure to get your milk or yogurt and legumes if you are doing Phase I. I'm Type II as well and was told to start with Phase II.
I imagine 1/3 of an avocado would be about 1/4 cup mashed but I'm avocado challenged!
Later:
Just checked it on Fitday and I was right. If it's cubed, the equivalent would be 1/3 cup.

Thanks Ruth, I am going to take a day at a time on Phase 1. If my blood sugars drop to much to fast I will gradual into Phase two.
Melanie in Colorado

Good luck ruth from one diabetic to another =)

Today is my last day in Phase 1... Ahhhh I feel so proud and happy. I feel great and healthy.

I can't wait to weigh in tomorrow morning and start phase 2!

Geez, why can't I stick to this plan. I did good for the first week and then someone brought in donuts and I've been in a downward spiral ever since. You would think I could stick to this since I feel so much better when I do. I probably need more variety for one thing because I take the exact same food to work everyday. Any suggestions to help get me on the right track would really be appreciated.

Karen - I'm in the same boat. The kids were away for 2 weeks, and I did great. Now, it's so much harder to say no. I've found replacing my favorite foods w/ a healthier version or sustitiute has helped. I LOVE starburst-type foods. I like the chewyness and the tartness. I found popping a few crasins satisfies this urge (not too many!!) although these aren't Phase 1 approved, they are a heck of a lot better than candy. The sugar overload in the doughnut is what sent you spiraling. Just start clean, make sure you are eating 2 full cups of veggies when you're supposed to be, and it will keep you full, so you don't have the cravings. Good luck!

Ok, so I started SB Monday and I'm not new to this diet. It has worked for me in the past. The thing is I'm also tracking my food through Fitday and I'm kinda horrified at my carbs. I know SB is not a low carb diet, but how much is too much? Yesterday I had beans for lunch and chickpeas for dinner (plus veggies, obvs.) and that gave me almost 70g of carbs. It seems like so much...

Question for all of you....

So I decided to have my snack of pistachios and I was a good girl and counted them out (30). After I finished them, I still wanted more! So I thought I'd only have a few more and then ate a little more than twice the amount I was supposed to! I've been craving salt since it's around that time of the month...maybe too much information so sorry! lol

Do you think I just messed up my entire day? I haven't been hungry at all but forced myself to eat at least a little bit every 2 hrs (which was like 2 pieces of lunch meat!). Help!

Well I am officially back on again. I am on day 3..I havent posted or even really told anyone because Im afraid of failure or should I say the lack of willpower.

My 1st experience with SBD was back in May 2004. I did really well then me and my ex split up and divorced so with all the stress...food became my best friend. I guess about a year and a half ago I decided I would get on sbd again...that did not work. I had planned which day to start in advance that time as well. The first time I was on it I decided the night before that I would try it. I did well like I said. I actually lost from 199-158 and went from a size 22 to a 10-12. When I woke up the other morning I decided to start again so this time wasnt planned at all.

I will say I absolutely love reese's peanut butter cups...I believe now I am over the initial cravings for foods I cant have. The urge for them wasnt as strong today as they have been the past couple of days. One day I even had a small spoonful of peanut butter and was satisfied. I know I am allowed that is small moderation but I am trying not to think like that because I dont want to overdo it. So I really hope I can do this and have the willpower to lose. I would love to go shopping and have a better selection of clothes to look at LOL.

Hello everyone

I just posted this in the main forum, sorry if ya had to read it twice.
Today is my first day and I think I have done pretty well. I want to lose 75 pounds total. My husband is in Iraq right now and I want to get to my goal (or at least close) by the time he comes home (May 2010)

I was on Weight Watchers but was getting a little fast and loose with the rules and was not seeing progress like I wanted. I have heard about SB a million times but I have never tried a "low carb" diet, which I know this isn't.

I loooove all the carby foods. Especially bread. So this is gonna be pretty hard for me. I am planning on doing phase 1 for 3 weeks since I have more to lose than most. I read an article that said it was okay to do 3-4 weeks if you are over a 30 BMI.

I would love support and accountability. These boards are fantastic!

Today I ate:

Breakfast~protein shake
Snack~celery and organic, natural PB
Lunch~deli turkey, motz cheese stick (part skim), cucumber slices, romain lettuce
Snack~Sugar free jello
Dinner~Salmon and side salad with "spray" dressing

I also ate some yogurt and am wondering if it is "cheating." It is plain, fat free yougurt but I did not like the taste so I added a spoonful of sugar free jam. Still didn't like it. Added 1 packet of "truvia" and it was yummy! Lol. A lot of work for one cup of yogurt. It just got me thinking about why we can't just eat a cup of flavored yogurt because at this rate I am basically eating one. Or at least it feels that way. Did I cheat?

Also. . .I am a little uneasy about all these artificial flavorings and sugars. All the chemicals to make these foods "good for you." Does anyone else worry about this? I know I could find all natural everything but then what is left to eat these days? sad but kinda true. I don't know how many labels I had to read at the store yesterday just to find stuff with no added sugar (salsa even!) I just wonder if it might be better to eat flour and sugar but in moderation but at least have it be natural food not chemicals and everything.

Well I've rambled forever now. Give me any feedback you see fit. That would be wonderful!

Thanks y'all!

Danielle

Melsie52, if you're not sure about the measurements or size, you could always do 1/4 avocado instead - it's a little less than 1/3 but much easier to cut. :P

Karen, one moment at a time. Force yourself to make the right choices, and eventually it will become 2nd nature (or at least much easier)!

Pinkmoon, don't worry about the quantity of carbs. This plan is about quality. It's not a "low carb" diet, even though you probably are eating less carbs than before because you are cutting out sugar and other refined junk.

jlh88 don't let one transgression trip you up. Keep moving forward as though the whole day has been on plan, and for next time count out your serving then put the rest away and don't go back for more. Have a big glass of water or a cup of milk instead and see if the desire to eat more passes.

Robyn welcome back! Try the PB cups from the Phase 1 dessert recipes. SOOOO good!

Danielle, welcome! Yes, you can overdo the fake sugars and such if you choose to, but there are lots more choices that are healthier. I think the artificial sweeteners are helpful for those of us who have a raging sweet tooth in the beginning, but there is nothing that says you MUST consume them. If you're uncomfortable with how much artificial stuff you're eating you can use it as a crutch at first then wean off of it as you see that you don't need it as much. Also, if you eat according to the book, I'd be willing to bet that you're eating a heck of a lot less processed foods overall. Fresh veggies, lean meats, EVOO, beans, dairy, etc. How much processed garbage do you think might be in a Little Debbie snack cake or a Chips Ahoy cookie? I prefer to think about this WOL in perspective to how I was eating before, and there is no way that I think the old way could be healthier for me.

For those of you struggling, just take these first few days one at a time, and one moment at a time. When you catch yourself about to eat something off plan, stop your self immediately. Find some treats that are on plan that will satisfy you. Before you know it, the cravings will be gone and this WOL will be so easy. You'll feel better and that is a huge motivator!

Good luck and keep up the excellent work!!