Hi all,
Ok , so I will have completed 2 weeks of ph1 tomorrow(friday), and would say it was a success. About 5-6 lbs lost.

I know I am supposed to add good stuff(fruit, whole grain bread&pasta) back in slowly, but I am afraid it will send me off the wagon!!

My name is Deb and I am a carboholic!! This is what happened to me the first time, even though I did whole grain products.

I am not worried too much about fruit, because I don't eat a ton anyway( more of a veggie person).

I know as soon as I eat any bread or pasta, I will start craving more....and then need to start back on sugar.

Help!!
Thanks,
Deb

I just started a thread just about identically to yours. I lost about 6 and am in the middle of week 2 but I feel like I have stalled so I am afraid too. I had thought about beginning with just fruit in the morning with breakfast during the first week of phase 2 then adding in whole grains the next week. I'm not sure if that's a good idea???? Hang in there!

I start Ph2 (or 1.5) today. I've got nothing to really start it with though! We are traveling this weekend so I don't want to buy too much food. I think I am going to get some blueberries tonight and have them with Cool Whip. That way, it doesn't cause a craving and I have all day to try to NOT eat poorly and it still introduces something ph2 back in.

I am staying away from things I KNOW will set me off: bread and any kind of chips. I am tempted to buy the brown rice ones for snacking BUT I know it leads me into a frenzy and I either eat the whole bag and go for other things or just go for the crap.

I think we just have to hold ourselves accountable. I KNOW when in NY I am going to have a Off Plan meal: pizza. But instead of the usual 4 slices, I plan on having one, for lunch, with a salad and going into the pizzaria as opposed to having it delivered. I am apt to eat more when it's sitting there! I think I can do it with pizza. Not so much chips. I need to figure out what I'll be snacking on when playing cards...

Anyway, the point is to make sure you can handle what you are adding back! And have a plan. I know you can do it!

Deb - you are not alone! I am a bit scared too, despite having done PH2 very successfully twice before. (It is PH3 that messes me up.)

But I want this to be my last time, no more yo-yo, so I am taking PH2 much more cautiously than in the past. There are great threads on here about how to add things back. I don't know how to post links or I would. I think a key mentioned over and over is to just add one thing at a time.

I agree with Jenn. I found in the past that certain PH2 made me more likely to overeat ... like Triscuits or other crackers. Last time I added steel cut oats in the morning but this time I am not adding anything until late in the day.

You can either add in what you really want... or DON"T add that because you might overdo it. So much to think about. Don't be afraid - just be cautious.

Good luck and let us know how it goes. Karen

dwdeb, I didn't think I would be nervous when transitioning, but I was. I read through lots and lots of previous posts, and added slowly. I'm a protein drink breakfast gal(found one that REALLY works for me) so Bfast wasn't an issue. I added fruit slowly, which seems to be ok for you.

I bought Ezekial Bread for the first time, since I had read through posts and had learned that it was made from sprouted grains (ie not so refined). It's a habit I continue to this day. For me, it's nice to have a slice of toast, but it's not the kind of bread I would sit and eat a loaf of. Pasta, I waited a bit to add, and actually don't do much of it because I've found my groove in other foods. There is a great recipe for Baked Brown Rice, http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/side...rown-rice.html which is the only way I cook it now. Crackers, I must admit, are something I can't use for a snack unless they're portioned and I'm miles from the box. I find I am able to crush a few on top of my lunch salad and not have to have more.

You'll find your combination. If I could give advice, at this point, I would suggest strictly staying with OP foods for awhile. I think there is a tendancy to have "just a few french fries", or a small bite of cake in P2, and I think it's tempting the . If your cravings are gone, there is no reason to chum them back with off plan foods. BTW I'm still pretty careful about that.

Thanks everyone, sounds like we are all in the same boat!!

I guess it is the unknown that worries me.

I have frozen berries that I mixed in with(too much) granola and ff plain yogurt before I started back on the Plan. I will mix that in with a little ff plain yogurt and see what happens. Staying away from whole grain bread, cereal, rice, and pasta though for now.

I do look forward to eating carrots again.

To those that love pizza(I sure do), try scraping off the cheese/toppings and eat just that; don't eat the dough/crust- yes, it is probably still very fatty, but you can avoid the evil bread/carb part!! That 's what kills me!

Good luck everyone and thanks again!
Deb

As we know there are guidelines for transitioning, which help, but in my own experience it is a very individual thing how we make the transition. And you may need to be prepared for some trial or error.

Promise yourself right now that if you go off plan and feel out of control, only allow that to happen for ONE day. If you go off and cravings return, recommit to P1 for a few days. This is where I have repeatedly gone wrong with SBD, I let an off day turn into several off months (!)...
For me, adding steel cut oats for breakfast was a disaster. But they seem to work well for so many other people...
My advice, in addition to getting back on as soon as you slip (if you do slip) would be to make sure you still get plenty of protein at breakfast time. And stay very aware of what you are eating, so that if the dreaded cravings return, you'll know what caused them.

I understand your anxiety around this.

Karen, posting links is pretty easy. I start my reply to the thread then minimize it, I then open the thread I want to link to and go up to the "address", hit "copy", then go back to my reply and "paste". It took me awhile to figure it out, and someone might have an easier way, but this works for me. You can then preview your reply and see if it worked.

deb -

Have you tried brown rice pasta? It's the only kind I will eat while on SB. The last time I tried whole weat pasta, I hated the texture but I like the brown rice pasta texture. Just a thought if you did want to venture into pasta, which I will. I am thinking of doing a small food shopping tomorrow before we leave for NY to bring plenty of OP foods with us. Including the brown rice pasta!

I could have written the identical post. It's been very easy for me to be on Phase 1 so I'm tempted to continue, but I know I've got to confront this. My plan for the first week is to add an apple during my mid morning snack and make sure the snack has protein and fat too. After a week of this I'll add a half cup of whole grain somewhere during the day. Bread is impossible, as are chips.

Just came back from a grocery shop and bought some wheat germ. Thought I might try sprinkling a teaspoon in with fruit and yogurt for breakfast next week in addition to my usual 1egg omelet with broccolli or something similar.

I also find I am craving veggies! Going to add spinach to my lunch salad.

Red peppers and hummus are so good for a midmorning snack.

Good idea about the brown rice pasta. I might try some down the road.

Thanks again and best to all!
deb

Thanks Debbie. I will try it out sometime. Also, I am curious what protein drink you like. Breakfasts are so hard for me and I want to keep with the protein rather than going back to my old steel cut oats routine.

I second the idea of being sure to have protein with grains. I would easily let my protein intake drop and my cracker intake rise!

Karen, I posted my breakfast drink here http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/sout...ein-drink.html

I start P2 on Sunday and I'm a tad afraid but I think I got it under control. U shouldn't eat fruit in the morning litar. SBD book says not to eat fruit in the morning if my memory serves me well.

I'm curious what you all mean by Phase 1.5. Sorry if that is in the newer book, I just have the first book.

I should have started Phase 2 on Monday but continued right on with Phase one so I am thinking next Monday I will move to phase 2.
Once I get in a routine I stick with it. (Being it eating everything in sight, or continuining on with Phase 1!)
Thanks!