Hi everyone,

I'm new here and would really love some advice. I've been on Phase I of SBD for 2 weeks now. I've only lost 3 lbs. (And, it was "that time of the month" when I started, so that 3 lbs. was probably water retention.)

I've been very strict on the diet and have not cheated...not even once. I'm terribly discouraged. Has anyone else had this problem? I'm not giving up...yet...but I really, really need to see results soon. I need to lose at LEAST 75 lbs. Really, more.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Hi, Jazz! Welcome!
You've got about the same amount to lose as I do.
When I first did SB, I "only" lost 5 pounds during the two weeks on Phase I. I lost another 6 pounds during the first two weeks of Phase II. We all lose at different rates.
Don't be discouraged... hang in there!!

Thanks for the encouragement. It's just that I always seem to lose a lot quickly on most diets. Should I move on to Phase II, or stick with Phase I for another week?

If you think you can stick to Phase I for another week, then go for it! The reason Phase I is only slated for two weeks is because of "the boredom factor". There's the fear that people will become bored and go off plan. But if your will power is strong, I would do it. There are a number of people here who have done the same.

Some of us are just "slow losers" -- I only lost a couple of pounds in my first two weeks. I extended it to three, and only lost 6 lbs. total on Phase 1. But then, I lost 3 lbs. in my first week on Phase 2! So, you just have to realize that it may come off slower for you than others. BUT remember this: the slower you lose, the more likely you'll keep it off! Plus, you avoid a bit of saggy skin that way. Slower loss is always healthier.

Two suggestions for you: TONNES of water, and exercise.

Water is obvious. Drink it until you're peeing every 10 minutes, then drink another glass! Heh. Ok, not that much but you've got to drink more water than you even think is possible. It's very necessary for the body to function properly and to burn the fat.

The second, exercise... the book doesn't talk about exercise much, but it's so important. You need to get your metabolism up if you want to lose faster and burn more fat. You can choose not to exercise and you may still lose, but it will be FAR slower. Even a 45 minute walk every evening will make a world of difference to your results.

Thanks, Kim!

I do drink a lot of water, but I'm increasing it to even more. As for exercise, I know it's important. Last year, when I was working out daily, I looked and felt GREAT. I'm trying to get back into the swing of it. But, I'm such a routine-ist...if I break my routine, I'm ruined. SO...I have to make working out part of my routine.

Keep pushing me, ok?? I need to be pushed!!!

Jazz, I posted earlier, but I guess it didn't take! Sorry about that!

Can you list for us a normal daily plan? Lots of little things can spoil your weight loss in Phase 1, and it's easy to not know or notice them. One person on the boards was eating 2.5 cups of Ricotta each day...you are allowed 2.5 servings of dairy, and you are allowed Part-skim ricotta, so why not? Because the calorie count was enormous, and the fat was pretty high, too! So, list what you are eating, in general, each day and let us take a look, okay?

Also, Kim's points on exercise and water are really important. You should be drinking about 8-10 glasses (8oz) of water...which works out to at least 64 oz, a half gallon! And only two of those glasses can be supplements like Crystal Light. The rest should be regular water. I keep a big glass on my desk and a gallon jug of water nearby and am able to drink almost a gallon a day during work. This helps a lot!

Be aware, too, that you may lose more slowly, but that doesn't mean you won't lose, okay?

Welcome, Jazz! BTW, I love your avatar! Very cute!

Welcome to The Beach, Jazz.

Huh....thought I posted a reply earlier, but it didn't show up.

Anyhooo...thanks, everyone, for making me feel welcome! As for my eating habits, I eat mostly chicken, fish, eggs, cheese and salads. After reading some of the posts on here, I'm going to cut back on the cheese, even though it's all low-fat. I did go a little overboard on the cashews for a couple of days, so I'm just staying clear of them altogether.

I'll double up on the water. Plus, I added a glass of Metamucil today.

We'll see.....

Hi...I also lost slowly on P1, only 2 pounds....I do think I've lost inches more than pounds, and feel great due to reduced cravings and just "living" instead of "dieting..." Hang in there. I think I can do this for life, not just the length of an artificial diet.

Welcome...!!

Jojo

JazzDiva -
While some people lose a lot of weight, others don't. Phase I is designed more to get the carbs out of your system, and, while it may seem like a cruel punishment , if you were watching your calories before you started this diet, you may lose less!
I found that there were days, especially at the beginning, when I was SO HUNGRY! I ate extra cheese, and as a result, probably didn't lose as much as I could have.
And, yeah, I want to lose a lot of weight, and was hoping that this program would make it easy. But I don't think it's going to be - I'm trying to teach myself a healthier way to live, one that isn't going to include nearly as much of the stuff that I love to eat too much of.
Sigh, I guess I shouldn't have eaten all that stuff in the first place.

Sue

Very good points, Sue.

I was tempted to eat protein when I got hungry during Phase 1, but I learned that if I ate veggies I was more full. I forced myself to eat more veggies during Phase 1 (and even now) because when I don't eat them, I don't lose and I don't feel full. Try it...some red peppers in hummus is fab!

Thanks, everyone! This is all great advice. I weighed this morning and I'm down another 3 lbs!! WOO HOO!! I'm still going to stick w/Phase 1 for the rest of this week, but I'll move on to Phase 2 next week.

I've totally abandoned the cashews for now....willpower just isn't there! Also cutting back on the cheese and adding a lot more veggies.

Hopefully, I can get back into the gym by the end of the week.

Thanks again!!

Beach -- I did quite a bit of research on that (it was me who was eating the ricotta!) and from everything I read, neither ricotta nor cottage cheese are counted in the dairy. Only milk and yogurt!

I understood the same...that ricotta cheese, fat reduced cheese and cottage cheese are not counted as part of the dairy. I have usesd ricotta cheese sparingly, though, because I cannot find the fat reduced or light.