Hi, I'm Kristin. I'm new to 3FC so I'll just give a little background: I've lost about 50 pounds so far and I have about 20 till my goal weight but I have been plateauing the past couple weeks and I've decided to try out SBD after hearing really great things about it so I bought the book (SBD Supercharged) and I've read it and read a lot of posts here and on other sites and I'm confused because even Phase 1 doesn't seem as restrictive as I thought it would be.

Judging by the meal plans, you get to eat A LOT on this diet! For me personally, one thing that will be difficult to give up during Phase 1 is fruit, but otherwise it seems like a really easy plan to follow so I'm wondering why people find Phase 1 so hard? For me, being allowed to eat eggs, steak, nuts, etc (all the things you can't eat or are severely restricted in the common low fat diet) and still lose weight is a much bigger treat than being able to eat bread. For me, this diet sounds too good to be true, am I missing something??

and to The Beach. It's good to hear that you have read the book. There's lots of other info in the Frequently Asked Questions section and a lot of really great recipes.

Please join the daily chat and also the Phase I Thread where the "Oners" share menus and hints and we ask and answer questions.

Once again

to The Beach, Kristen! Congratulations on your weight loss, you sound like you are well on your way to your goal!
Keep in mind that SBD isn't just a diet, it's a life-long healthy eating plan. We can enjoy a wealth of delicious foods, as long as we avoid anything with white flour and sugar, processed foods, and fatty foods. It's basically a sensible eating way of life.
Many Beachers find Phase 1 restricted because of having to give up fruits and grains. But it's only for 14 days, then you can gradually reintroduce them back into your daily diet.
Good luck to you, and we hope to get to know you better!

And plan, plan, plan. We get to eat steak, eggs, and nuts, but if you don't get your allotment of veggies (and therefore eat less of the above stuff), you probably will have a harder time losing.

It's such a natural way to eat though! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Hi Kristin and

I agree with others who are describing SB as a WOL as oppposed to a "diet". I was already eating much healthier but was missing the link regarding white sugar and flour. I thought if they were organic it was OK. Once I took those 2 items out of my diet I started feeling better and losing weight.

You mention being confused that P1 is not as restrictive as you thought it would be. If you are eating healthy already, that may be the case. That brings me to answer another question you brought up, asking why people find P1 so hard to follow. First, when a person is seriously hooked on white sugar and flour, P1 can be both restrictive and difficult. There is actually a type of withdrawal involved, both physically and mentally. There is physical craving for those items which can be very overpowering.

I'm in this for the long haul. It is too good to be true for me. I am eating lots of good food and feeling fine. I'm healthier than I have been in years. What I do have, which is totally worth it, is a list of foods I DON'T eat...and thats totally ok.

Best Wishes!

Welcome to the beach!!

I've never been a big fruit eater. I did not feel restricted on P1 (except giving up my wine for 2 weeks...) at all! I was never hungry, always full. I had lots of food choices!

Good job on reading the book and there is a TON of info here in the forums, especially the FAQ's. I would encourge you to continue to read the threads, and check out the tons of recipes here as well.

This definitley is a lifestyle change for me, and I'm loving it! I think you've made a great choice!

The only hard part for me on Phase I was going without my morning cereal. I like eggs, just not every morning. You have to get a little more creative with breakfast in Phase I, but now I enjoy eggs more often and find they're actually more filling than cereal some days.

I think it may be hard for people who are not that fond of veggies? I know I'm not, so that's what kills me. I also used to have rice, bread or some sort of pasta with every meal and almost zero veggies...

But I think after a couple of days you start not craving the stuff you can't eat. And you also get full easier. Like, my afternoon snack used to be, say, a sandwich and now I'm ok with just eating a slice of cheese or ham and waiting until dinner. I don't know, I'm only on day 7 and I'm feeling like I have to force myself to eat, that's how not hungry I've been.

Thanks for all the welcome wishes! :-)

Lexiss: you're right, I guess my ideas about food are just really different from someone who just eats junk food all the time!

CindieJo: I LOVE fruit so I know I'll be happy to have that back in a couple weeks but otherwise I don't think I'll feel restricted at all.

I've done well with weight loss because I counted every calorie I ate but I can't do it anymore! I'd rather have foods that I can't eat at all than have to count every calorie and still be hungry so I really think this will be a good lifestyle choice for me. Thanks for all your responses!

For me it's the fruit issue of phase 1 that I find so difficult. I can easily eat several servings a day of fruit, snacks, on my cereal, after dinner treat. It's odd how fruit replaced other sweets. And I can easily go days without eating a vegetable. I have to really plan and force myself to eat the veggies each and every day.

Sarah in MD

Kristin, I think you're reading the book just fine. I think what makes Phase 1 so hard for most SBDers is that most who do this diet are drawn to it because of an addiction to sweets and simple carbohydrates. Phase 1 eliminates those foods, so it's very restrictive for those who crave them.

As you said, coming off a low-fat diet, this is a very decadent-sounding plan. It can be hard to wrap your mind around the idea of "good fats," but, ultimately, they are very helpful to your health!

So, I started SBD today, here's what I've eaten so far:

omelet with 2 eggs, spinach and low fat cheese
2 slices turkey bacon

cucumber slices
laughing cow cheese wedge

glass of crystal light pink lemonade

and I am feeling almost nauseatingly full! I definitely won't be hungry eating this way! In fact, my sister brought home cupcakes (it was her birthday) and they're sitting on the counter 10 feet from me and I have zero desire to eat them, I'm that full!

Hey Kristen, cute pic!!

I remember the first week of P1 I told hubby there was no way I could lose weight on this plan because I was also soooo full!! But it's true!! As long as you are filling up with the right foods, you can feel full and satisfied -- AND lose weight AND feel incredibly healthy!!

Others have had much more successful P1's than I have (in terms of weight loss), but I'm way OK with losing the weight very slowly. I gained a couple of pounds when I left P1 and started P2, but TOM added to that as well, I think. Now I'm back on the right track. Yes, the weight loss is amazing, but I'm also just thrilled that I finally found a WOE that I can truly live with, long term.

Good job resisting the cupcakes! I can't believe that my desire for all the unhealthy foods is really and truly gone. I make cookies for my kids, bake cinnamon rolls for weekend breakfasts, the whole nine yards -- and not one morsel has passed my lips! (Ok, I did have a little cheat with Mexican food last weekend, but I'm not going to focus on that!!)

So again, welcome to the beach and congrats on a great start!