Re pm snacking, the best I ever managed was 1) sugar free jello and Reddi-wip (very SB,no? ) or once, when I was on Protein Power, 2 or 3 bran crisps (very high fiber, very low in carbs) with cheese, which was quite satisfying.

I am definitely finding that on the nights when I've had 8 hours sleep the night before, eating properly, without cravings, either for sweets/breads or late night snacks, is 50 times easier than on the 5 hour nights. I've had two 5 hour nights in a row. AND I've burned everything I've tried to cook! I realize I've been writing for years, "I used to be a good cook," and I really was. Friends used to like to come to my house for dinner, and hint for invitations. After I retire....after I retire....

See you in April, yinyang, and good luck everyone.

Oh, I forgot! I lost another pound! Lots of walking, just up and down and around the apartment and the neighborhood, but still, I've been a bit more active than usual.

Hi everyone!
I would love to join this thread...hoping it will keep me accountable!
I was on South Beach about 10 years ago, losing 25 lbs. Then I started Optifast. Lost 120 lbs. on that, and have put back on (after 3 years or so) around 50 lbs.
It's time to get back on the stick!!!
I don't want to get as low as I was (everyone thought I looked sickly), but I would love to lose about 40 lbs. And I KNOW that South Beach is a very healthy way to lose those 40!!! I feel better anytime I am even CLOSE to eating the beachy way.
I am a total sugar FREAK, and I know that my body gets no nutrients from this....only excess calories and fat, and more cravings for more of this white poison. It's a vicious circle, isn't it?
I'm amending the phase 1 a bit, only in that I would like to incorporate some of my Optifast shakes into the day. I still have quite a few, and they are very balanced in nutrients, so I think they will make good snacks and breakfasts. Eventually I plan to stop them altogether. I'm just not sure of my timetable.
Thanks for starting this thread. I've been lurking for awhile, and wasn't sure where I should jump in, and also wanted to find a thread that was current and active. You'll be hearing from me regularly!! I'm SO GLAD I found you!!!!!

wholefoods4me

I just restarted Monday, and it's going pretty good. Gets easier with time! I do need to shop, though...

Hi everyone,

I hope things are going well!

Yesterday was good, avoided the bread plate at lunch and the offer of cookies at an afternoon meeting, yay. I was tired, though, and did a slow tae-Bo. Does anyone else do tae-Bo?

We're making hummus later today because you can't buy it here. I soaked and cooked the chick peas and am ready to whirl them. I'm so excited, I bought a ton of dipping vegetables.

What was your day like?

Oooh, Justdancegirl, let me know if you have good recipes. I love the Pine nut hummus, and keep thinking of making my own.

I did great and resisted the brownie sundaes at my DS's birthday gathering, which is my absolute favorite dessert, but failed at avoiding cheese balls . However, that's my one bad slip for a couple of weeks, and I'm back on board today. It's okay to be human sometimes!!

Happy to report another pound down! 161.5 today...did a turbo sculpt step class last night (I do this every Friday night) and have remained on plan since I started Monday. Hubby was drinking Dewar's Scotch last night and I drank NOTHING...things are looking good for me!

Twynn, that doesn't sound like too big a slip!
Syckgirlsfv, congrats on the pound!

I hope everyone has had a good week. I've had a very cold week. I'm off school, and my apartment has been severely underheated. It's better today, though.

I've lost 3 pounds this week, and will start the very unofficial Phase 1.5 next week (I've completed Phase 1 before several times). I'm going to add fruit, mostly melon.)

I definitely plan to be on plan this coming week, but may not have time to post, as school is starting again. My menu plan for the week is:

Breakfast: a breakfast casserole (from Kalyn's Kitchen; eggs, lf milk, mushrooms, spring onions, and cheese) that should last me for the week.

Lunch: chicken, either in a salad or sliced, over lettuce

Snack: hummus and dipping vegetables

Dinner: 2 dinners salmon patties from Whole Foods and vegetables
2 - steak with vegetables
3 - sausage (lf Italian sweet) in a stir fry with vegetables

It SOUNDS simple!

Alas, did not start fully on phase 1 yet. Got sidetracked by a birthday party yesterday. I amazingly lost 1 lb., but I don't honestly know how that happened!!! LOL!
I plan to start fully tomorrow morning...hopefully the start weight won't be too bad!
Onward to at least 2 weeks of phase 1, and hopefully a good bit of weight (water or not!) lost by the end of the phase!!
Wish me luck everyone, and I will be checking in to let you know how it's going!

Best of luckl, wholefoods, and do check in if you have time. You don't have to be perfect, just tied to the plan

Thanks, Xan!
I will definitely be checking in often.....it will keep me on track!
I'm still going to weight loss classes every week at the Optifast center (I'm now a "lifetime member"), which helps keep weight loss at the front of my mind. The classes are conducted by a nutritionist, and emphasize healthy eating and portion control
I spoke to the nutritionist about the South Beach plan, and she agreed that it was very healthy. Nutitionists are always a little leery of Phase 1, but so be it. It works!!
There is someone else in our class who has lost a lot of weight on South Beach, and is continuing to eat beachy with only a shake in the morning for breakfast. So I will have a kindred spirit in the class.
I'll let you know tomorrow how my first day went.

I just made my DH a breakfast cass (sausage and mushrooms), my breakfast cass (spinach, mushroom and feta), and a pot of winter lentil soup for my lunches. Didn't resist the treat I made for bible study (food porn!), but whoooa, did my tummy not like all that sugar!!

Onward HO!

Yesterday was mostly OP, eggs, lettuce wraps with pastrami, soup and veggies with hummus, but 3 squares of dark chocolate. BUT that was because I went on a 3 hour bike ride with people from work--all in their 20's and I kept up!

I was so excited yesterday morning because my stomach looked flatter. I'm starting to look normal, not pregnant!

So today is taebo, walking, eggs, soup, tuna salad.

The recipe for hummus is: sauté minced garlic and bell pepper in olive oil, whirl in food processor, and chick peas, lemon juice, a little water. Then we kept adding stuff til it tasted good. Like Italian dressing and chili powder. It really came out well. It's a great way to eat lots of vegetables.

This is week 2 of P1. I'm not really craving anything, but I'm longing for a big bowl of popcorn!

I've lost a kilo since I started.

good morning! Week 2 of phase 1 has begun I'm doing pretty well...lost 3 pounds since I started a week ago. That isn't counting the 4 pounds of water weight that came off the first day!

Last night I made tuna patties with albacore, ground flax, shredded mozzarella, and spices...they were SO good! I need to shop, I am running low on stuff to eat phase 1, though...I brought broccoli slaw for lunch that I'll put shredded mozzarella on, a little spaghetti sauce, and mushrooms. I do have some celery sticks to have with peanut butter, a stick of string cheese, some edamame, and a laughing cow wedge to snack on so I should be ok. I had 2 eggs, slice of cheddar/mozzarella, and mushrooms with green salsa for breakfast.

We to an hour and a half walk on the horse trail to Griffith Park yesterday

Going to the gym tonight and no idea for dinner yet...need to get the weight loss moving again! I have been 161 for a couple days now!

Hi. I've read the book, but can you make this work as a vegetarian? Any guidelines for structuring meals? Thanks.