I know how this is...but please do not give up. You are worth it to be healthy for yourself. Slow weight loss is still loss. Don't do the starvation business. We all know where that leads. Although I have never tried South Beach diet, I have tried many and the only thing that has worked for me is calorie counting and lots of physical activity. I should add that dedication to doing it every single day has been the most important component of losing the weight this time.

I don't give myself any excuses whatsoever. I don't care what hubby or kids are eating. I am doing this and that's all there is to it. I go to the gym at least 6 days out of 7, no matter what is going on around me. No excuses. I decided to give this one full year of my full attention and see where I was in a year. I truly didn't care if I lost 10, 20, 50 or 100 lbs. I was going to stick to my plan like glue for one full year. It will be 10 months on April 15th, and I have already lost 92 lbs. You can do this! Don't get down on yourself and please don't see a small weight loss as a failure, because it isn't. It's a victory. If you lose 2 lbs. every 2 weeks for a year, you will have lost 52 lbs. in a year. Nothing failure-like about that!

Good luck to you! You can do this!

I hope you don't throw in the towel just yet.

I'd suggest posting some sample menus. What was your starting weight? How were you eating prior to starting SBD? Are you following SBD for it's health benefits? Are you noticing that your clothes fit any differently? How often did you weigh during P1?

My DH is also one of those guys who can eat absolutely anything and stay slim.

Best wishes!

Biggest warm hug to you dear. I'm going to print your response and hang it where I can see it every day. If you come to the chicks often,I'd like to keep in touch...and last but not least..congratulations to YOU! and bless your heart.

Repeat after me: 1 lb. a week each week =4 lbs. per month and 52 lbs. per year. It's a safe, healthy and permanent rate of weight loss. Going on a starvation diet will not help you in the long term and will probably make it even harder for you to lose weight. Try posting some menus and calorie or point count for a couple of days to see if you might be eating too much. We're here for you!!

I'm sorry you're feeling defeated. Maybe it might be time for a change in perspective. I know for me, the real success came when I shifted from diet-perfection-defeat-low morale-weight thoughts to thoughts of health. thoughts of getting enough water, thoughts of eating food that nourishes my body instead of just filling it, thoughts of moving because i love to move, not because i have to.

just my 2 cents. I hope you find some peace

1. One pound a week is a sustainable and healthy rate to lose weight.

2. You will never have the same kind of Phase 1 loss as you had your first go-round. I don't lose ANYTHING on Phase 1 any more.

3. Phase 1 isn't about weight loss. It's about getting a handle on cravings. That is the goal of Phase 1.

4. Once you have the craving issue under control, it's easier to make good food choices as you move into the rest of your weight loss journey. There is no magical weight loss associated with eating South Beach foods. Eating low GI foods allows you to have the sensibility to make good choices because you are thinking with your head instead of with your cravings. Weight loss mainly boils down to calories in vs. calories out. If you burn more than you eat, you will lose weight. Not having cravings allows you to choose healthy options to fill you up.

((((((((Hugs))))))))))))))) to you! I agree with Zeff. That being said, not 2 weeks ago I was posting my frustration about my measley 4.8 lbs of loss in a MONTH!!! UGH! But...I did not give up. Here is my suggestion to you....try to count calories for a few days. You may not be eating enough and after several attempts to diet and back and forth weight (been there, done that), your metabolism may need to be repaired! I ordered a bodymedia calorie thing (expensive, but I'm worth it dh says ). I presume that I also didn't eat enough calories. So this week I am on a little experiment while I wait for it. I've upped my cals (trying to anyway) to around 1800-1900. We'll see. I'm not in a rush. I'm trying to do this right and complete this time. With hypothyrodism low calories is bad!! Also, add weights to your workouts. Lifting weights keeps you burning more cals through out the day and makes your body work more efficiently. Please feel free to vent away....we all need to!

Thanks for your words...funny, I would have thought I could have given myself the same information,but in a moment of funk I just felt like crying. BUT! I'm still in the game,and am picking out things you've said to remind me what I have gained here,(good gains) My cravings are pretty much gone,so that's an acheivement. I'm fixing/cooking foods out of the cookbook,with the help of Kalyn's website,and the sb chicks, I'm having some good healthy dinners. As one of you mentioned,re: kids and husband...mine won't even try some of the dishes I make,and I've had to let that go..I cook healthy,I share,and if it's not on anyones approval rating I have to let go,without guilt..so that's another BIG success. I must admit though that's been a hard one. Thanks for being hereI'm off to the gym now,taking care of business.choices~

It has been 9 days since I lost any weight in phase 2..I have not done well in phase 2 at all. It does get discouraging. I have not added much at all. Mostly a serving of Fiber One cereal & a few strawberries one at a time as they are large
Until today I have been pretty much OP..today I did have a 1 INCH square of ice cream cake while everyone ate a large piece..I also had the smallest of Arby's sandwiches.. no cheese or sauce. I have not added much at all.
I would sure like to lose but won't give up
Dar

Hey Dar -

Last time I did SB, I too had a significant stall. I needed to up my water intake - AND it turned out that when I hit phase 2, I did not pay enough attention to my veggies. I slowly but surely was eating fewer and fewer veggies as I was adding fruits and things like the South beach cereal bars. Even though I was having only one apple and one cereal bar a day - both on plan - I was drifting away from my veggies.

And everyone remember - not losing is still WAY BETTER than gaining . . .

Be well -

ultimatebea,
I am eating my veggies. Yesterday I had to eat out & didn't get a salad like I should have & usually do. All I have added is a bowl of cereal (either fiber one or Uncle Sams) plus either 1 Kiwi or about 4 strawberries a day.
Do I need to cut out one of them or make a change. I hate to throw the fruit away. I can freeze the strawberries.
I'm hanging in there..
Dar

Hey Dar -

I never throw out fruit!! Maybe cut back to one OR the other (fruit OR grain) for a week and see what happens. Also, one thing the book suggests (and I do this) is if you are having cereal for breakfast, be sure to include some protein with it as well - greek yogurt maybe?

Are your veggies mostly lettuce? If so, maybe add in more robust veggies: spinach, broccoli, etc? Peppers of all colors, tomatoes? And totally push the water -

You just may be stuck for a while - plateaus happen. And always remember - IF YOU ARE NOT GAINING, YOU ARE STILL DOING SOMETHING RIGHT! You are eating healthy, and treating your body right. Try to focus on the health benefits even without the loss of pounds . . . YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!

Believe me, these stalls happen to all of us. I, myself and me have been on a plateau for about three weeks now and "we" are so tired of seeing the same number on the scale............but I know that sooner or later the number will change again so just have to keep doing what I know has worked in the past. I'm exercising every day, drinking my water and eating on plan. When it happens, and it will, I will welcome any number that is lower and will be thrilled to death if it happens to be two lbs!

ultimatebea, If I cut the cereal down I won't be eating any.. I only have one serving. I have either have cereal or 1 slice WW bread...I try not to eat both in one day but have a few times in the past. I like SB french toast. I guess I'll freeze the strawberries for now.