On Plan Thread - Week of Oct. 18
 

It's time for a new week of talking On-Plan! This is the place for South Beach meal plan and food support, encouragement and questions.

Anyone, from any phase (1, 1.5, 2, 3, etc.) can post, and those who are new to 3FC are especially encouraged to do so!
This thread is for questions, sharing advice and strategies, and encouraging each other to stay on plan. It is not for chatting about daily life unrelated to this topic. Members have indicated that they would like to have chatting remain in the Daily Thread, so any posts that are off topic or chatty will be moved by the mods to the Daily.

Because people from different parts of the plan are posting here, it'll help everyone if you indicate what phase you're in when you post. Thanks!
While you may certainly find, from time to time, the need to ask for help after going off plan, remember that this thread is about staying on plan. When you share details of off plan foods you've eaten, it can upset, tempt, and otherwise frustrate other members, so please keep these details to a minimum.

So, share with us: How are you staying on plan this week?

Back to Phase 1 for me for a bit. I've been having too many cravings for bready sweets and I think I have been putting too many grains in my daily menus because I'm plateauing :( I guess 7 months without a stall isn't too bad.

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1: greek yogurt w/ cinnamon
2: greek salad, hardboiled egg
3: some bell peppers and hummus, string cheese
4: spicy shrimp saute, served over spinach instead of rice
5: espresso pots de creme (p 1 recipe from SB cookbook)

exercise:didn't happen today, allergies laid me out flat.

Phase 2
3 plums
20 nuts
water
3 servings of meat

I haven't strayed off course!

Bad weekend. Too much partying!

Phase II

B: Cinnamon omelet, V8
L: Some kind of salad, RF cheese, beans
S: Carrots, hummus
D: Chicken, roasted veggies
S: Almond butter

Hey FO - are you not posting your veggies? You didn't include any on your list...

I was off plan yesterday. I was at an event in the middle of nowhere for 11 hours and mostly what they had available was carby/fatty stuff. I definitely could have done better. Oh well, it's a new week.

B - coffee with 1% milk
Walk, yoga
Mediterranean omelet with spinach, sundried tomatoes, light feta; 2 veggie sausages, glass of low sodium vegetable juice
L - Lentil soup with orange pepper, mushrooms, carrots, celery, tomatoes (cleaning out the fridge!), with a green salad, brewed white tea
S- Pepper strips & broccoli florets with spicy hummus
S2 - celery with Laughing Cow light cheese
D - Eggplant lasagna (with ricotta and cottage cheese), tomato/cucumber salad
dessert - 1/2 honeycrisp apple with some raw walnuts

Okay...today was weigh in day for me....drum roll please....188.8!!! Do the happy dance!! I was getting SO frustrated with NOT being able to get out of the 190's....so being in the 180's is a HUGE deal to me right now. I felt like they were being SO elusive...darn scale!

So, this weekend I went to a bbq at the in-laws. Bratwursts....and here's the sides they had....potato salad, potato chips, macaroni salad and baked beans!! Ugh!! lol So...I loaded up on Brats, with LOTS of grilled onions and sauerkraut w/ mustard on top. Then they brought out apple crisp dessert. I chose water....luckily I'm not a huge fan of baked apples, so it wasn't too bad. It was really hard to pass up the macaroni salad though, it looked SO good!! So, there's my kudos for the weekend :p

Hope you all have a fabulous, ON PLAN Monday!!!

Veggies aren't in the house right now.

Hi, I'm pretty new. Phase 1. Are the meal plans you're posting what you're eating today, or everyday this week, or what you ate already?

Jyoyo78 - Congrats! See, all of your hard work has paid off. I can identify with you as I got out of the 290's this morning. It's so nice to see the 80's and well worth the effort.

Spoon flipper....I think some people post what they plan to eat for the day. But, since I never really know for sure....I always post what I ate the day before. Except that I'm really bad at keeping good track on weekends...so mine only end up being for Mon-Fri when I'm at work...which is where my little food log spreadsheet is :)

Phase 2

B - greek yogurt with a little bit of granola on top
L - Swiss chard, tomato, zucchini, onion, cannelli bean soup (homemade, delish!!) and a RF babybel cheese
S - Trader Joe crunchy dried green beans
D - Seitan fajitas with sauteed bell peppers & onions and ww tortillas. side of either black beans or FF refried beans.
D - maybe some peanut butter

I post what I eat each day. I plan ahead every morning and stick as closely to it as i can. if i change my plan, i edit my post.

Hi, I've been doing P1 for about a week and I'm getting a little tired of a hunk of meat on my plate. Any ideas for something different?

Yesterday:
B: 1 egg
L: teri-yaki chicken, brocolli,
D: carrots and pretzels :(

Just Dance -

first, carrots and pretzels are not phase 1 friendly :( You also need to make sure the teriyaki chicken doesn't have added sugar, as most teriyaki marinades have a lot of sugar in them.

second, there is a recipe section for phase 1 meal ideas that is fantastic. i highly suggest checking it out.

Have you read the book? it stresses the importance of vegetables (4.5 cups daily) and regular meal eating. Honestly, your menu doesn't look like it would give you enough calories to thrive on. Cutting your calories too low is going to be counterproductive to your weight loss. If you haven't read it, I suggest doing so. The library is a great resource in checking out the most recent copy and the different cookbooks.

Thanks, Zeffryn, for the input. I forgot that carrots aren't in P1, the pretzels were me falling off the wagon (thunk). I think I'm eating enough, my portions, especially of vegies, are good.

I do need to reread the book. It's strange that hummus and beans are in P1 but carrots are not.

Thanks, jyoyo.

In that case, today's menu is (Phase 1):

B: Egg w/some extra liquid egg white, red pepper, mozzarella, 2 turkey bacon
S: 30 pistachios
L: Salad w/light balsamic w/salmon or chicken (today I forgot my can of salmon)
S: String cheese
D: Chicken and broccolli/cauliflower
DES: Couple peanut butter/splenda cookies.

Am I eating too many nuts?
Also, this is probably what I'm eating everyday for the rest of the week, is that okay?
Also, how do I get myself one of those cute weight tracker things everybody has?
Sorry for the all the questions. Thanks!
-Erin

spoon - you may want to add some dairy in there at some point with either milk, a milk substitute (almond milk, soy, etc.) or yogurt.

As far as nuts are concerned, you want to keep your consumption to one serving per day - so either a nut butter (cookie) or the pistachios - or lower the amount of pistachios and nut butter you consume in a sitting so it equals one serving.

You have to have a certain amount of posts to be able to get a tracker in your signature - I think it is 20 posts, but I may be wrong on that.

I find the most important things to aid my WL efforts are LOTS of veggies, dairy and beans most days.

Looks good! good luck :)

Phase 2
B-PB chocolate oat
L-Salad of spaghetti squash, spinach, pear, bleu cheese with pumpkin seeds and SF balsamic dressing
D-Lean burgers, salad of spinach, pear, bleu cheese and pumpkin seed (yes, same as lunch. It was that good) :)

@Just Dance - I'm with zeff...add in some beans and dairy girl :) There are some awesome recipes in the Phase 1 recipe section...that's where I got a lot of mine. Since I'm the type of person who can eat the same thing over and over and not care too much, I usually make a big batch of something, then eat it for days...or freeze it so I know I have something on hand in a pinch. The longer you stick to the diet, the more things you think of...or realize that you can eat. This is my 3rd or 4th time around....so I'm finally getting good at knowing what to eat. And I agree...funny that carrots are a no-no...and corn too. Those darn sugars ;) But only for phase 1. If I remember correctly, you can add 'em back in for phase 2...woot, woot!

@Spoon - Not only do you have to have 20 posts...but you also need to have been a member for at least 20 days. So...start posting away and once you hit the 20 day mark you should be good to go :)

@ UNT....mmmmmm.....pumpkin seeds....yum! We just bought pumpkins to carve for halloween...can't wait to roast up some pumpkin seeds!

@jyoyo-Sharing this because I realized it yesterday, and if it was obvious to everyone else just /pat me on the head. I had no idea you could roast other squash seeds as well. Butternut squash seeds are amazing!

Thank you, zeffryn. I will throw in some yogurt, throw out some nuts.

yes, butternut squash seeds are yum!

seriously...this weight gain is so weird. it *has* to be water weight, because there is no way I've eaten enough to put on 7 lbs. of fat, but really now...just go away! argh. taking out my frustration at the gym today. i'm ready to throw out my scale.

-
still phase 1 today:

1: greek yogurt with cinnamon
workout
2: sauteed edamame & veggies
3: chocolate cheesecake smoothie
4: a totally awesome dinner: "protein power plate" slaw with an oil&vinegar dressing and feta w/ grilled chicken and caramelized onions
5: sf jello

exercise: 60 min. cardio. I think my allergies are interfering with my stamina. I could barely even touch a mile today when I was running.

ooh....butternut squash seeds...never heard of it...I'm gonna have to try that! Do I roast 'em just like pumpkin seeds? Can you eat the shell and all? Or should the be deshelled before eating? Can't wait!

b'fast
coffee w/sf creamer
3 egg & spinach muffins

lunch
cube steak w/ mushrooms
roasted veggies (zucchini, butternut squash & bell peppers)
egg white "muffin"

dinner
taco casserole w/ lettuce, tomato and lf sour cream

dessert
2 SB peanut butter cookies

I was so full today I didn't even have snacks! Which is SO unlike me...maybe my tummy is finally shrinking!!! :)

you eat/roast butternut seeds just like pumpkin seeds. they are just a little smaller.

I think I am going to convince DH to go to the new health food cafe that opened tonight for dinner. I need to gather supplies to make Halloween costumes and I think that will suit us well for dinner. :)

OMG I'm in love! I had the mock pancakes with sf syrup plus one turkey bacon and a V8 for breakfast this morning instead of my usual and it was sooooo good. Afterward had even more of a good feeling knowing that I had eaten "ON PLAN"!

I love those too Lamay :) Very tasty! But....I never have time on the weekdays...so those are part of my weekend meal. Unless I do a brinner!! What a great idea!! Maybe we'll have brinner tonight!

B-Oatmeal
S-Pear
L-Sweet potato, Lentil, and Kale soup
D-Taco flatout wrap (seasoned ground beef, guac, a little cheddar, salsa, spring mix)

Phase II

B: V8, 2 boiled eggs
S: RF cheese stick
L: Salad, guacamole, (Couldn't eat my black beans, somebody took the can opener)
S: Tall skinny hazelnut latte, carrots, hummus
D: Salmon with pesto & roasted red peppers, roasted grape tomatoes, onions & peppers.
S: Almond butter.

UNT - any recipe on that sweet potato, lentil and kale soup? I have some kale that needs to be used pronto.

I think the nasty water weight is on its way out. Down 3 lbs. since yesterday morning. Let's hope the allergies leave with it!

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p1 again today - last day, I think.

1: 2 scrambled eggs
2: leftover shrimp and broccoli
3: yogurt, chia fresca
4: chicken fajitas sans tortillas, mashed cauliflower, homemade refried beans (fat free)
5: sf jello

Weird dinner night...didn't feel like cooking so had cereal...then DH made himself a WW pita pizza, so I had a slice of that. But, I did manage 90 minutes at the gym yesterday. I did a Zumba class that was a lot of fun...but I felt like an uncoordinated cow in there!! lol But, I'll be going back...gotta dance away this fat!

P2

b'fast
coffee w/sf creamer
3 egg & spinach muffins w/lf sour cream

lunch
cube steak w/ mushrooms
roasted veggies (zucchini, butternut squash & bell peppers)
egg white "muffin"

snack
celery w/ laughing cow cheese wedge

dinner
cheerios w/1% milk and sliced banana
1/4 whole wheat pita pizza w/ turkey pepperoni

Morning everyone. I had the veggi chili last night for dinner and was surprised at how much the recipe actually made. Does anyone know how many servings that recipe makes? I found that I actually enjoyed it. I added a little lf cheese, a little salsa and lots of lettuce and dug in but was a little concerned that I may have eaten to much of it. I have the rest in my frig and would like to divide it into proper serving sizes but am not sure how much each should be.

lamay, where did you find the recipe? usually soups are 1-cup portion sizes, but it might be different.

iyoyo, lol! i felt like that in my first zumba class too. it does get easier :)

Zef, thanks for getting back to me. Appreciate the help. I found it under phase one entres. Here it is:

Veggie Chili - dump in a pot and heat. It's that easy. It's very different in a chili because there are so many other flavors.

1 can of black beans, well drained
1 can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), well drained
1 large can of crushed tomatoes (with chilis if you can find it)
1 package Yves or lightlife soy "ground beef substitute" - you can find it with the produce, I use what's on sale and buy a few at a time
1 diced onion- optional
1 can mushrooms- optional
Chili powder to taste

Heat through and serve with reduced fat shredded mexican cheese blend. You can have it with WW tortillas, like a burrito, or on top of brown rice if you are in phase 2.
__________________

No official recipe on the soup, as I tend to throw things together without measuring. Here it is as far as I remember:

1 sweet potato, cubed
1 cup (ish) lentils
3 cups (est) veggie broth
1 bunch Kale (wished for more), torn
Half an onion (chopped)
2 celery ribs (chopped)
2-3 baby carrots (chopped)
Seasonings-I used garam masala and a little cayenne

Sweated the onion, celery, and carrots (all chopped) until soft. Added the lentils, sweet potato, and stock and brought it to a boil. Turned down the heat and let it simmer for about 20 minutes before adding the kale, then about 15 minutes more (until the lentils were cooked). I recommend checking it every 10 minutes or so to see more stock needs to be added. It was something I threw together on a Sunday night so I'd have lunches for work, but I loved it.

Today's meal plan:
B-Steal cut outs with blueberries and strawberries
L-flatout with lots of lettuce, guac, salsa, and some chicken andouille (odd, but not bad)
D-Too wiped to cook, so calling Jimmy Johns. Veggie unwich here I come!

that sounds really yummy and I have everything on hand. I will be making that for dinner tomorrow night!

Question - we love almond milk but I could not find anywhere that it was okay for Phase 1 (I figured it was since it is only 7 grams of sugar per 8oz & we're looking at 1/2 a cup a day max for coffee) but what do you think...count it as nuts for the day or 1/2 cup milk?

I realize I'm probably overanalyzing but I want this WOE to really work & don't want to trip up in the first few weeks.

Thanks!

BTW - I have yet to see the unsweetened version in my stores so what we usually buy is sweetened (7g per 8oz). It has 2.5 g fat per 8oz - 1.5 are poly/mono

The sweetened version is definitely forbidden on South Beach. Cane juice (sugar) is the second ingredient. I use the unsweetened vanilla version. My local grocery has it in the health food section and health food stores also carry it. I have used it in Phase II only with my cereal, but I agree it really isn't listed anywhere I have found in SB info.

Phase II

B: Veggie omelet, V8
S: RF cheese stick
L: Black beans, huge salad
S: Carrots, hummus, Tall skinny hazelnut latte
D: Amy's Low Fat Black Bean Chili
S: Almond Butter

By the recipe, I'm going to assume it serves 4-6. I looked through quite a few soup recipes and almost all of them had a 1-cup serving size. With a few toppings, that should be more than satisfying. Recipe looks good, was it?