yippee chocolate covered strawberries!

I love fruit. I have been trying to follow his phase 2 meal plan.  Day 1 was awesome.  Fruit and oatmeal, snack was a egg, lunch was salad, snack was pear with cheese, dinner was salmon and veggies, dessert was 4 large semi sweet chocolate dipped strawberries and a glass of red wine ahhhh..... amazing.  I also have had berry smoothies, chicken, tomatoes and cheese, steak and mushrooms with asparagus, dessert of cantaloupe and ricotta was pretty good.  I am not losing weight that i see but, I can eat like this. That is for sure.

Down 2

Well I have been slowly adding back the carbs. 1 piece of toast here. Some berries there. Yogurt for snacks. I need more breakfast recipes. I still find myself eating veggies and eggs most breakfasts.  I have been working out and have added protein smoothies with berries.  Very yummy!  I forgot how much I love a berry smoothie.  Weight is not dropping... maybe I will stop eating a handful of nuts everyday.  They are pretty high in the calories.  Sorry I missed a few days. I had a friend in town.

Day 15, down 3.5 pounds in total

Not bad.  So if I am understanding this right, we can add back 1 fruit, 1 starch/grain, and 1 dairy serving like yogurt a day.  So, I plan on having fruit with eggs for breakfast, yogurt with lunch and whole wheat pasta for dinner.  I guess I will need to watch my portion size on the pasta for sure.  But, sounds great! Lots of veggies and protein still but a fruit and a grain serving a day sound spectacular at this point. Lol.  Working out was easy yesterday.  I did 40 minutes of cardio and 20 minutes of weights/abs.

Day 14!

Ooops missed a day.  I am going to weigh myself tomorrow. Tomorrow is my last day on phase 1! Yipee! I am going to re-read the next phase today and tomorrow. I know I get to start adding carbs back in.  That will be nice.  I am so sick of eggs for breakfast.  I am also sick of salads and meat and veggies for dinners.  I know I need to avoid all of those processed foods and white flour and sugar for my health but it sucks!  I also need to lose 20 pounds and weight loss takes a lot of work and dedication.  I think that this program has helped me lose weight and think more about my mental food cravings and old eating habits. I need to start some new ones. Eat to live don't live to eat!  So today I had 2 hard boiled eggs and cottage cheese for breakfast.  I plan on having a turkey burger with avocado for lunch. Last night we had steamed salmon and asparagus for dinner. Lunch was nuts, cheese stick and cucumbers with humus.  I have been having a handful of nuts for a snack most days of this phase one. I think I forgot to mention that before.... I had ricotta for dessert last night and sugar free jello the night before. I can not find sugar free pudding in Toronto Canada. Which I find very odd.  I did find some sugar free hot chocolate though!

Day 13 of 15.. since I cheated once...

I had a great egg muffin breakfast this A.M. I got the recipe at Kalyn's blog http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/
They turned out great.  Lunch I had chicken ceasar romaine lettuce wraps with Parmesan cheese. Yum-O!  I had ground turkey meat taco salad for dinner with guac and salsa.  Very yummy.  I plan on making the mocha ricotta tonight for a dessert.  I am doing well and I think I have lost weight but I am waiting to weigh myself until day 15.  I am craving dark chocolate and red wine. Is that bad? Lol.
I guess it is my comfort food I turn to while watching T.V. at night. 

12

Doing better!  I am getting my energy coming back and my carb cravings are now substantially decreased.  I am feeling thinner and my belly seems flatter.  I am not weighing myself till day 15.  Yesterday I had cucumbers topped with cream cheese and flakes of smoked salmon for lunch. Dinner was chicken and a large salad with tomatoes, mushrooms, scallions, basil and mozzarella. Breakfast today was real bacon, ha ha, and scrambled eggs with mushrooms, tomatoes, scallions and cheese.... sounds like my salad last night huh?  I had sugar free jello with some redi whip (which is actually low carb.)  It was only one squirt on top, I swear! Lol. 

Day 11

Did not weigh myself this A.M. getting annoyed with just eating eggs and meat :) Stuffed peppers are yummy!  I had celery and hummus for lunch.  This a.m. I am having scrambled eggs with spinach and feta cheese.  Lunch and dinner.... who knows. Probably baked chicken and salad.  I am still more sleepy than usual and I am craving dessert. The sugar free jello is o.k.  I have not bought sugar free fudgesicles like the book recommended.  I ran out of ricotta for the other desserts. Gee, I have to go to the store!

Day 10, only 4 left! I may do 5 since I cheated one night

Pot roast was good last night.  Still have not lost a pound but, did go to the gym mon-wed every day.  So that is good.  I may go this evening, we'll see.  I had eggs and fried tomatoes this a.m. with some salsa. I am going to make stuffed peppers tonight. I got the recipe off of facebook.  Oh, yesterday I had a disgusting lunch, lunch meat and a cheese stick. I just could not be bothered. Lol. You have to prepare most all of your foods on this diet.  I am going to find a recipe for crock pot chicken. 

Day 9, cravings gone. Weight stable.

I did well yesterday and I went out for book club.  I got a coffee rubbed sirloin burger (no bun) with a salad instead of fries and a diet coke. It was great. First time I have had red meat in a month or 2.  I have been trying to have red meat just once a month and I found it easy to cut out.  I think that is another reason I went with the South Beach Vs. Aitkins.  Though, I think the aitkins is great for people who need more structure. Once I can have fruit, I will eat it every day.  Same with bread.  So, we shall see.
  For lunch I had a chicken Caesar salad since I had romaine lettuce in the house, no croutons.  Today I am making a crock pot, pot roast.  I am making it with potatoes but I am not going to eat any of them.  I promise!  Breakfast, eggs, cheese, coffee.... lame. I could make something spectacular but, I am getting sick of eggs and turkey bacon.

no weight loss yet, day 8

Mmmmm.  Well, last night we had ground turkey meat tacos in romaine lettuce leaves... yummy!
Lunch was a grilled chicken salad. I am drinking lots of water and tea.  I think that 21 pounds in 21 day detox i did really helped me get rid of all the quick weight-loss already.  But, I can't imagine I won't start losing weight soon eating like this.  I am having 2 hard boiled eggs and a handful of nuts for breakfast. Snack is a protein shake before my weight lifting aerobics class at 11.  I am really mad at myself for having drinks and a piece of pizza!  Grrrr.

back to normal

Not much to report... just have been having eggs, chicken, meat, cheese and veggies... decaf crap.... ugg, I hate phase 1 and I even had a break!  I think by cheating restarted the carb cravings back in full force.  It was hard yesterday and so far this morning. I feel hungrier than usual.  So, back to being good.  Learn from me, it is not worth it!

You may hate me. Oops I cheated. But, just up .4

For lunch we did well, we had chicken lettuce wraps.  For dinner, fish and broccoli.  Then, I went out for girl's b-day and I had a couple drinks and at 2 A.M. I got a large piece of thin crust veggie pizza.  Shoot!  I was weak.  I blame it on the alcohol. Ha ha.  Well, today I am just starting over.  What can you do?  I don't go out dancing but once a month or every other month so, I won't be too hard on myself.  This A.M. I made a green egg dish. Sounds gross but it was delish.  Scrambled eggs with green onion, green pepper, spinach, basil, and mozzarella cheese with a half of an avocado on the side.  Decaff coffee.... lots of water...back on track I would say.  Going to do some pilates here at home today and walk the dogs like usual.  Keep it up low carbers!

Day 6, back to normal weight

Thank goodness I lost that pound I gained. I think eating more salt caused that 1 pound weight gain.  I am feeling better.  Though doing zumba for an hour was exhausting but, I made it through in some style :)  Today we slept in and had a great brunch.  We had bacon and a veggie omelet.  Yummy!  I had some decaf. coffee and a large glass of water with lemon.  Last night I made a bunch of chicken breasts sauteed in olive oil.  I have lots of chicken in the fridge to make lettuce wraps and maybe dinner or chicken chili... lots of ideas here. 

Day 5, still up 1

I am feeling better so far. I had to get up early and bring my husband to the subway today so I stopped at Mcdonalds and got a coffee, scrambled eggs and 1 sausage. Delish, fast and $3. Though, I kind of now have some gut rot..... maybe only go there if you are in a rush.  Yesterday I ate some weird things... lunch was a whole green pepper cut up with some feta olive hummus and a cheese stick... dinner was a lot of broccoli with spicy bean dip (only 2 carbs! refried beans, sour cream, guac, peppers (red and yellow), onions, spices..... very yummy.  Then I made the mocha ricotta cream dessert. I was in heaven.  Very good.  It hit the sugar spot or sweet spot i guess.  I am going to the gym and taking a 1 hr. dance Zumba class. Should be fun.  This teacher always does the M.J. thriller dance at the end which is super fun. Yes I am nerd.  I am feeling less cravings and seeing yummy food commercials during Grey's Anatomy was easier last night.  Good luck!  Oh, I am going to have a 100 calorie 6 carbs protein shake before I hit the gym at 9.

 I just want to add that I am making my own low carb menu using page 126, foods to enjoy and then page 127 foods to avoid. I did this diet for 9 months 4 years ago. I think I followed the 2 week diet in the book the first time I did this diet.  But, I am just going to eat low carb food.  After looking through the menu, I am eating a lot of what they recommended per day just a breakfast from day 6. snack from day 5, lunch from day 8 etc. etc.  Sorry if you are following the menu to a T and reading my blog and thinking "What the F!" Ha ha.  I am doing a low carb phase 1 as the book recommends.

Another thing, I guess The South Beach is suppose to be more of a low glycemic index book but I associate it more with a low carb diet.  Phase 1 is the almost the same as Atkins 2 week induction phase (granted they don't recommend bacon).  I personally like the South Beach Diet more than The Atkins Diet because it allows you to start adding back low glycemic index foods quicker.   But, generally speaking, low glycemic index foods are low in carbohydrates.  I like fruit and getting to have berries quicker is a winner of an idea. Granted, being more leniant is sometimes hard for people who need more structure (like me). 

Day 4, still up a pound

Gosh, I remember losing 12 pounds in 2 weeks the first time I went low carb.  But, even without a pound lost I am dedicated to this diet.  Though, weight loss really motivates more weight loss IMO.  Yesterday, I had eggs for breakfast, a tuna burger no bun with a small avocado, handful of peanuts, 1/4 rotisserie chicken with caprese salad (tomato slices, mozzarella slices, basil with a splash of olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette.  I had caffeine free diet coke and decaf herbal teas and some water through the day.  I may need to up my water consumption.  I still feel foggy and sleepy.  I am going to the bathroom a lot.  What else?? Oh yes, still craving carbs.  I bought some ricotta cheese to make the desserts per the south beach diet book.  I can't wait! 

Day 3, up 1 pound....still

Well, this is not how I remembered the diet working compared to last time... But, I am not cheating! I had chicken and a greek salad for dinner, lunch yesterday I had a whole cucumber cut into circles with a can of light tuna made into tuna salad with celery and miricle whip.  I had a bit of cheese as a snack.  Lots of water too.  I had cheesey scrambled eggs with decaf green tea this a.m.  I bought avocados at the grocery store for later this week as they are still firm but, that will fun!  I love avocado.  A lot!  Well, I hope you are dropping weight!  I think the detox I did in December helped me shed the water weight you initially lose on this diet.  Hopefully I will see my weight return back to where it was and then trend down.  I went to the gym and walked 4.0 on the treadmill for 30 minutes and then I did a full body weight lifting circuit.  Surprizingly I could have added more weight for my lower half exercises. Only my upper half is sore today.  Good luck!
Oh, I should add I am more tired and working out was harder than I remember.  I slept 1 hour longer than usual as well.  I had some carb cravings yesterday. I wanted chocolate and waffles oh, and pizza too.  LOL, this diet is good for me.  Maybe I am a carb addict.

Day 2, up 1 pound?

Well, I totally blocked out the fact that I can not have caffeine for the first 2 weeks. Oops.  I guess I will be switching to herbal tea and decaff. coffee today. Good thing I finished off the diet coke yesterday :)  I had 2 hard boiled eggs and celery with 1 laughing cow cheese wedge with water so far today.  I am going to the gym today.  I have no idea how I gained a pound but, I recently came off of a detox so, it could be the salt from the Canadian bacon?  I woke up starving today. Still foggy too.  This too shall pass.  I hope. 

Day 1 of The South Beach Diet!

Happy 2011!  Today is the first Monday of the new year hence, the start of eating right. I want to lose 20 pounds and get back into a size 8 jean.  Currently I am wearing a size 12.  I recently lost 20 pounds doing the 21 pounds in 21 days detox.  And after almost a week, the weight is staying off.  I did a Atkins/South Beach diet 4 years ago for 9 months and lost 25 pounds.  My husband lost 40!  It was a great diet! We could even go out eat, which we love to do, and still lose weight!.  We both read the South Beach Diet and Atkins Diet books in the past. Yesterday I refreshed my memory and skimmed through The South Beach Diet book by Dr. Agatston, a cardiologist.  I also recently read an outstanding good called Living Low Carb by Bowden.  This book reviews (and grades) 30 low carb diet books plus it states great reasons to live low carb.  Everything in the book was backed up by tons of scientific peer-reviewed studies.  I am sold! I bought ketone strips at the drug store and plan on checking to make sure I am in ketosis a few times a week, especially when I add back fruit and "good" carbs.  Ketones show up in your urine if your body is burning fat for energy.  And that is my goal.  Burn my fat off South Beach Diet!  So today I have had eggs, Canadian bacon, coffee, crab salad with veggies, veggie "juice" and wheat grass shot from juice bar after the gym (only 14 net carbs according to nutrition book).... snack will be laughing cow cheese and celery, dinner will be meat and veggies of some sorts... lots of water and tea to drink.  I made hard boiled eggs today.  I cut up celery and put it in the fridge for hummus and laughing cow cheese wedge snacks.  I got cucumbers and a bag of sugar snap peas for snacks as well.

Update, the day is winding down. I felt sluggish all day and was treating these feelings with caffeine and lots of water.  It did not help.  Ugg!  We ended up having shrimp salad with veggies for lunch.  For a snack I had sugar snap peas and humus.  For dinner we had pork chops and brussel sprouts sauteed in butter and garlic.  I feel sleepy!