Just starting out

[somesaymisty]

Hi everyone! Obviously, I'm new - both to the diet and the forum. My husband and I have started Day 1 of Phase 1. I'm excited to give this a try as we know people who have been having success on the diet. I'm also very curious to see how it will work for us. I feel like my husband and I already eat similar to the guidlines since we don't eat alot of bread, pasta, and starches and really don't drink alcohol often. I'm guessing that we'll be shocked at how much carbs are in what we eat without even realizing it. We're also pretty active people who enjoy exercise, but despite this, we both could stand to lose around 20 lbs. I think the hardest part for us will be eating a proper breakfast. We're not morning people! I'm hoping that while I get used to eating better, I'll also get used to the extra meal planning. If anyone has suggestions on quick breakfast and snack ideas, I'd love to hear them! I'm not much of a cook, so I'll need the help! Anyway, I look forward to learning from nd being inspired by all of you!

[somesaymisty]

Well, I made it through Day 1. It was alot harder than I thought it would be. I had very weird cravings for things I don't typically eat, like rice. I guess my mind is actually my biggest weakness! I'm feeling better about today already. We got up and had a proper breakfast, and I'm already feeling more energized and optimistic. I've browsed other threads in this forum, and it's really helped motivate me already!

[RedRox]

:Welcome: and good luck!! Don't worry too much about counting carbs in foods. If you stick to the food lists and meal models, you should be fine. Be sure to eat enough and often enough to keep from being hungry. Drink lots of water. Enjoy the journey! (Also with about 20 lbs to lose, and eating fairly well before starting, you may not see particularly dramatic losses on Phase 1. Don't worry, that's pretty normal. Move to P2 in a couple weeks and start incorporating more P2 foods in slowly. It's a consistency and longevity based program much more than a quick weight loss program.

[Loserwant2b]

Welcome to the board Misty. Glad to have you here. Don't hesitate to ask questions if you are unable to find them on here. Lots of old posts have some great info - continue to look around and enjoy the ride.

[somesaymisty]

Thanks! I look forward to getting to know everyone.

[Jilly_Bean]

Hi Misty! Welcome. Hang in there. It gets easier and you'll get stronger...

[somesaymisty]

Well, I got on the scale last night even though it's only been 3 days. I gained 2 lbs! Plus, Phase 1 is getting harder and harder for me everyday. I thought it should get easier? I feel constantly hungry and irritable. Has anyone else experience this upon starting out?

[Jilly_Bean]

The first three or four days were hard for me. Don't expect a miracle. This is not going to be like hypnosis or something. You're still going to have to work at it for a while. But, yes, it does get easier. The cravings do go away. Hang in there. The weight gain is probably water retention. Weird as this may sound, are you drinking enough water?

[RedRox]

what's a typical daily menu look like? eating anything salty? approaching TOM?

[asbarney]

Hi there,

Don't get discouraged. You'll get past it. Here's some thoughts from my experience (both from SBD the last week and just in general):

1. Don't weigh yourself everyday. Women especially gain and lose up to 7 lbs. a day in water weight. Try and keep it to once a week at most. And try not to obsess about it. Weighing yourself too often and not immediately seeing the results you think you should will really mess with your mental image. You'll feel discouraged which will snowball into possibly sabotaging your diet.

2. Are you eating enough? I keep tons of vegetables and items on the approved list readily available and if I'm hungry, I eat. Actually, I try to eat before I'm hungry. That is for two reasons - one, to keep my metabolism going, and two, if you get too hungry and irritable, you are more likely to throw it all out the window and give in to your cravings for something you shouldn't have. As the book says, it's not about how much you eat, it's what you eat. As long as you're eating the right things, eat when you're hungry. Too many get it into their head that eating = weight gain. This isn't so.
????: South Beach Diet Forums http://www.southbeachdietbulletinboard.com/introduction-forum-just-say-hello/2209-just-starting-out.html

3. You mentioned breakfast being the hardest meal for you. The best piece of advice I can offer is to cook up eggs or whatever your planned meals are in advance and refrigerate/freeze them. I spend every Sunday afternoon putting together the staples for the following week for my husband and I, throw it in the refrigerator/freezer, and it saves so much time. Eggs microwave beautifully after being frozen. Just like the above, if you know this is your hardest meal to deal with, try to lessen the pain. Otherwise you'll throw it all out the window when you're too frustrated.

Those are just some things that have helped me, and I hope they can help others. Stick with it. You'll feel better.

Andi