I'm thinking about starting SBD soon but I have some questions...(forgive me if they are silly!)

I'm confused as to what portions of things I should be eating? How do I know how much of a food to eat? Is it an "eat until you're satisfied kind of thing?"

What does a typical day look like for you in terms of your menu?

What have your results been thus far?

Thanks in advance!

Love the name! I'm a Grinch and Dr Seuss fan.

It's most important to read the book so you understand the concept behind this lifestyle. Snoop around this Forum and be sure to check out the FAQ stickies and recipes.

The other Beachies will be in to give you advice and support.

By the way, the only silly question is the one not asked!

Definitely eat until you are satisfied, but there are foods that are restricted - nuts, cheese, etc. the FAQ section will have the list of the restricted foods. The most important thing to remember is to get those veggies in - they provide bulk to fill you up, fiber to keep you full and nutrients to nourish your body.

There is a running thread that has LOTS of daily menu examples - check the On Plan thread in the South Beach forum. There is a mixture of both phase 1 and phase 2 menus, but they are usually noted as to which is which. They are personal menus of members and may not be COMPLETELY on plan, but the purpose of the thread is to provide ideas for on plan menus. just make sure to double check before you follow it exactly

I've been combining calorie counting (because i love to eat and big portions are my nemesis) with SB (because i love the healthful food principles) full-on since March and have lost 68 lbs. 25 of that was with no exercise at all.

Welcome! and I agree with Ruth, ask away, sister!

I just finished with phase 1, and I can say it definitely works. For me though, watching calories was key. It probably isn't so important on phase 1, but for sure when moving to phase 2 (for me). I did south beach years ago, and gained back almost all the weight once I started eating carbs again. But pasta and bread are my downfall (I think I really could live on bread and water alone...). So ymmv.

But this time around, I lost almost 10 pounds in phase 1, and I have almost the same stats as you. So I can definitely recommend. I am going to take it very slow adding back grains, so I don't have a repeat of last time.

L4L - I think a lot of us have the same issues with carbs, that we either gain or slow our losses when we incorporate too many grains in our daily menus. very rarely on this board do i see a daily menu that has the recommended 3 grains + 3 fruits.

hi and

Half of my weight was lost simply by making better choices and adding exercise. It took me 3 years. The rest, I lost on SBD, following the principles very closely. I have been maintaining my current weight for almost a year now and feel better than I ever have. I'm 52, and am content where I am at the moment with my weight and my plan. I have more to lose but am amidst a pretty stressful time in my life and recognize that all I need to do is buckle down and cut down on my grains and portion sizes.

Best wishes and always ask questions! I have never followed the menus from the book, but rather took our family food preferences and made them SBD friendly. My DH hasn't had more than 2 or 3 servings of potatoes since I started and he doesn't miss them, either.

Hi! I started this diet on October 27 and am down 6.4 lbs. I am insulin resistant and feel much better. This board is encouraging and has awesome food suggestions!

Randi is right about this board being encouraging. I've posted everywhere on this board and the SB forum is the BEST for encouragement. We have an awesome group of women here who are available and willing to help you through anything - diet related or not. I do hope you choose to stay and join our little family!

Thank you! Ok, I will have to check out the book!

Thanks for all the info! Wow, that's great! Congrats on the 68 pounds! The calorie counting SB inspired diet sounds interesting to me. So do you just incorporate more veggies, more protein and less grains and bad carbs then and just watch portions (calories)? That might seem like a goofy question...just clarifying! What would a typical menu look like for you (or your favorite breakfasts, snacks, dinners)?

Wow! Congrats on the 10 pounds! Bread is definitely a weakness..just like dinner rolls even...mmmmm...

Congrats on your WL! Thank you for the info.

That's great!! I've heard a lot of people on the low-card diets feel much better afterward!

Welcome to the site!!! I, too, love the name...I have to watch the Grinch every year at Christmas time AT LEAST once or twice (the cartoon one...not that Jim Carrey movie one...blah). The FAQ section here has a lot of good info as far as what foods are and arean't allowed in which Phases, so definitely check that out. You'll find tons of good recipes in the recipe section of the SB forum as well. Most people swear by making sure you get your full servings of dairy and lots of beans in Phase I to help w/ any "South Beach Flu" symptoms.

As for portions, I think most meats are "deck of playing cards" sized. The recommendation is that if you're still hungry after your first plate that you first go back for more veggies instead of meat. It's also very important to get in your full servings of vegetables. I know 4 1/2 cups of veggies sounds like a lot but when you think about something like the parmesan basil chicken salad I make that has 3 large stalks of celery pureed in it, it's really quite easy. Then again, I've always been a veggie lover and have, on many nights, made an entire meal just off of vegetables.

As for results...I started SB mid-April of this year. Right now my scale is kinda off (it's showing 9 pounds when nothing is sitting on it) but if I calculate my weight by subtracting the 9 pounds from whatever is showing, I weigh in at a grand total of 91 pounds less than when I started. I'm getting a new scale this weekend just so I can make sure I'm on track as much as I think I am, LOL

P.S. My first 45 pounds were lost w/ no exercise at all.

SBD is a great lifestyle plan and I've lost 35.4lbs in 2 months with little movement of the body!