South Beach Dieters Group Meet Here!

[WeirdEyes]

Hi everyone! My life is as crazy as ever getting ready for the cruise, visiting the hospital, two graduations this week, and a party! :eek: My life sounds like Tami's...LOL!

Shae ~ Wonderful news about the puppy!!! I know you are so relieved. Mom is doing better. She has an appointment with two doctors today (primary care & pulmologist). I hope her lungs have improved. FIL is up and walking with a walker!!! We are sooooo excited! Thanks for asking and please continue to pray for both of them. FIL is stubborn so I know he'll do all he can to get back on his feet. :D

Tami ~ We used to have a submissive dog also. We finally gave him to a family that lived on a farm and it was the best thing for all of us. He basically peed everytime you looked at him. He is a lot happier now. I guess we are all animal lovers!

[adoptmom]

sheila- I had a home for Kipper but the kids threw a fit. She really needs to be outside with a companion dog or herd to calm her. I'm hoping after babysitting this extra dog this week that the kids will see what it's like to have a good dog in the house. I really want something small and sturdy like a boston terrier that can be in the house without running over everything, go camping with us and stand up to 4 kids.

Tami

[irislady]

Shelia, so glad about your mom and F-I-L. Make a really good packing list to work from and go from there. I know you'll have no trouble getting your packing done in time.

Tami, our back-door neighbors (actually the couple that found the puppy Monday) from Louisville had a Boston Terrier named Daisy. She grew up with our Sheltie, Tory. Daisy was a pistol. Sweet natured dog, but extremely high energy. There were literally times when she would bounce off the walls. I got such a kick out of her, but wouldn't have wanted to live with her. Too stubborn. I had toyed with the idea of getting a Boston when our Aussies have gone, and the kids and DH both yelled out in protest and said, "Don't you remember Daisy???" The couple that owned her have switched breeds and now have a Pug. They said he's much easier to live with. He's a fun little guy, but again has a really stubborn streak. Both breeds snore a lot, have trouble with both extreme hot and cold weather, and can have serious eye problems. Bostons are usually also very bright and can find lots of ways to get themselves into trouble. Do a lot of research and visit with as many Bostons as you can to make sure it's the breed you want. My great aunt had one named Skipper when I was a child, and he was fantastic, never hyper, so there are calmer ones.

I just read "The Anti-Inflammation Zone" book by the guy that wrote the Zone diet. Interesting reading. His theories make a good deal of sense, although I'm not sure how much actual scientific proof there is to support all of them. It overlaps SBD in many ways, but this guy does not like grains at al, even whole grain, except for steel cut in moderation, which I think is wrong. He does favor eating many more fruits and veggies, and never using vegetable oils, just olive and sesame oils, and daily doses of fish oils. He did mention that diabetes and MS have a lot of things in common on the molecular level, so I thought it was quite interesting to hear on the news this weekend that they are having very good success using a diabetes drug on MS patients. He did have a very good scientific explanation for why a baked potato, for example, has a higher glycemic index than a couple of sugar cubes. It all had to do with molecular structure and the release of certain enzymes, etc. I wouldn't really recommend going out and buying the book, but if you see it at the library it's worth checking out for a deeper understanding of how and why carbs, etc. affect our bodies. As far as the Zone vs SBD, I'm sticking with SBD.

Shae

[WeirdEyes]

Tami ~ We have a Pekapoo and he is adorable, smart, and very good with children. He is our "baby." LOL Good luck finding a dog for the inside. Boston Terriers are adorable! I've attached a picture of our Barkley.

Shae ~ Thanks for the info on the book. Sounds interesting, but I'm sticking with SB also. BTW, I have a great packing list....just need the time to use it! LOL

Take care, all!

[adoptmom]

Sheila, He's so cute! My dad had poodles when I was growing up and we had a "Potty." (That's scotty-poo to most people but the other was more appropriate :D ) Poodles are on my short list as are pomeranians, rat terriers and fox terriers.) DH paid for his first year of college on money he made from raising welsh terriers and he'd like to have one of them. However, they aren't good with kids so we'll have to wait on that.

I actually had a rescue group send me a picture of a pom today. I just don't know if we're ready yet since DH is having foot surgery. He worries about leaving for the baby run but I think a pom that is already trained could go with us. We'll just have to see where we end up.

Tami

[WeirdEyes]

Tami ~ Thanks! Barkley is a very sweet, good-natured dog. He loves little kids and even babies. Poms are sooooo cute!!! I wouldn't mind having one of those. Our groomer has the most adorable one! Speaking of that, I need to make Barkley an appt.! Good luck with your decision. I just love dogs. :D

[irislady]

Sheila, Barkley is SO cute. His face belongs on greeting cards!

Tami, some of the terriers can be great escape artists, so keeping them inside when you have kids can be a real challenge. I've looked into Poms, too. Most of them have pretty sweet temperaments, but the ones I saw at the dog shows last year were really, really tiny. There is Pom breeder in Boonville, I think, but I don't know what the quality of her dogs is. When you decide on a breed I would contact the breed's national club and get breeder referrals. We got our Sheltie from a "backyard breeder", and the poor thing had a lot of little problems. A better breeder would have been more selective about the parents she used.

I bought some of the Edy's fat-free, no sugar added ice cream in the Vanilla-Chocolate Twist flavor. I'm glad it was only half price.... not so good. The texture is nice, but the flavor's kind of weird. I bought it because the Edy's guy was stocking the freezer at the store and said it was one of his favorites.

I haven't forgotten about my iris pictures. I think I'd better not post them on this thread since they're "out of context". If you'd like to see them send me your email address at [email]lostlakelady@yahoo.com[/email] and I'll email them to you. My digital picture program is on the other computer which isn't hooked up to the internet, so I'll have to save the files, make them smaller and then email them.
Shae

[adoptmom]

Shae- The worst escape artists have to be bassets, beagles and the like. We had a bagle (bassett/beagle mix) that would climb the fence to get out. She eventually got out once to often and got hit. :( Too bad because she was a great dog. It's also how we ended up with Kipper the neurotic dog because the kids freaked out.

I've been talking to a lady who does breed rescue for Poms. She has a 4 year old female right now that she's trying to place. I don't really need a pup to deal with as long as the dog is well behaved. We'll see. I like the idea of having a rescue dog. One of my friends does rescue and would love to have us take one of hers BUT she does Rhodesian Ridgebacks. :eek: I want to downsize our dogs not giant size them.

Actually, I'd love to keep the one I've been dogsitting for this week. She's a little bigger (a smallish lab mix I think) but what a low key well trained dog. I don't think my friend is willing to let her go though. :D Her new DH's cat maybe, but not the dog.

The scale will be interesting tomorrow. I ate indian food for lunch. I'm eating it often enough now that I can limit myself to one plate and a little dessert. I didn't roll out of there today. I was full, but not stuffed and bloated. I'm off to go do a short yoga session. Talk to you all tomorrow.

Tami

[WeirdEyes]

Shae ~ Thanks! I do love Barkley's sweet face. BTW, my favorite ice cream is the Edy's No sugar added Triple Chocolate! It is 3 grams of fat per serving..not too bad if you stick to the serving size. :D

Tami ~ I was really bad last night also! I had BBQ on a white bun, a beer, and strawberry pudding! :eek: It was Bunco night and I always cheat on that night. It's only once a month though. Thank goodness!

[adoptmom]

Sheila- What is Bunco? I had a bad night too. We went to a mexican restaurant and I had more chips than I had planned and western salad dressing on the taco salad. So today I'm eating mostly protein and veggies. I had a headache from the junk last night. We have a birthday party tomorrow so I'm going to make so no-bake cookies with splenda and hazelnut butter so youngest DD and I have something to eat. she can't have cake because of the eggs and cornstarch in the mix.

We went and saw the last children's theater production of the year last night. We were all talking about how much we missed being in it. It was kind of nice to just sit and watch though. They did an excellent job, a few opening night jitters but nothing major.

Well, I'm off to go through more of Grandma's junk. Ugh!

Tami

[irislady]

Hi. I guess we've all been "bad" this weekend. For me it was a cake for DGD's kindergarten graduation, and Coney Dog at GD Ritzy's where she wanted to celebrate at lunch. I did used a knife & fork for the Coney, though, and didn't eat the bun, but did have a few of their wonderful french fries. I had been down yet another 2 lbs, so the cheat didn't hurt. I don't know why I'm still losing since I'm on Celexa again before the cruise. It usually makes me gain weight, so I have been careful most of the time. I'm only on half the lowest dose, so while the anxiety is low enough to be able to sleep at night it's enough to still suppress my appetite most of the time, I guess. Last night all I could bring myself to eat was a very small piece of steak and some sliced tomato.

Tami, I had forgotten after years of living in Memphis, Louisville and S. IN that Bunco isn't as popular in the midwest as down south. I never played, but most of my friends in those other places did, and my next door neighbor plays every week now. It's a game with dice, isn't Sheila?

My sister's Siberian Husky is even a better escape artist than our son's Beagle. He has amazed us with his ability to escape. For years they had a message on their answering machine that said, "If you are calling about a Siberian Husky, please call my cell phone at ------- because I'm probably out looking for him". Most of our neighbors out here have Labs or Goldens, and the neighbors seem to spend a lot of time out looking for them because they go through their invisible fences and wander. Our Aussies won't even stay outside if I have to run in for a few mins. They want to have me in sight all the time. One of our Aussies is a rescue that we had placed in another home but had to take back when the older dog there was too traumatized about having a "replacement" appear. We've had her for 10 years now, and she's been a totally wonderful pet. We got our other female at age 4. She's our male's mother, and had just been retired from the show circuit when we were looking for a companion for him. She's an awesome dog, but we had to teach her how to play and just be a regular dog. Once again it was Agility to the rescue. It took 2 lessons before she realized it was okay to run. Before that she'd approach each obstacle in a show trot. Our daughter also adopted her Aussie at age 4, so we're big fans of adopting dogs instead of puppies.

I'm looking forward to hearing from Juli and from Jori. I hope they both had incredible vacations!

I hope we all have a better WOE the next few days! Think healthy,
Shae

[cruisinqt]

Okay, I bought the South Beach Diet book and just recently started it, but I'm a little confused. If I fall off of the wagon one night during the Phase 1, do I have to start all over again with Phase 1?:(

I was really good until I went to a friends party and just lost control. I had a hot dog with the bun, a few chips, and even some dessert. I had a week left on Phase one and I was very good after that. Now that I've started Phase 2, I love it!:) But I just weighed myself and it looks like I haven't lost much weight and I'm worried it's because I cheated during Phase 1. My husband says I'm not showing a weight loss because I'm on my period. He may be right, I do gain weight when I'm on my period.

My question is this: Does Phase 1 have to be followed perfectly with no slip ups in order for the diet to work? Phase 1 was very hard on me and when I think about going back on Phase 1 it just makes me feel like giving up. Any advice from you SBD veterans? What should I do?:confused:

[adoptmom]

QT- No phase 1 doesn't have to be followed perfectly. I generally dont' do 1 for more than a couple of days at a time because it makes me have problems with my ileostomy appliance. Your period will definitely have an effect on weightloss. I'm good for 6 pounds of waterweight in the summer and 3 at least in the winter. Plus it takes a while for your body chemistry to reset itself. Alot of people don't go straight to phase 2 but do what's called 1 1/2. They will add one serving of good carbs like some sweet potato,fruit, or fiber cereal per day. The main thing is to just be aware that you'll lose and then stop for a little while, then lose big again, then stop.

With each drop your body will need some time to readjust itself. I was just talking about this same concept only with regards to homepathic treatment tonight with some friends. The key is to not get frustrated and quit.

There will be alot more people on during the week so ask all the questions you need to.

Shae- Huskies are bad. My friend had one that she couldn't keep home. I wish my aussie did well in the house. She just freaks out around my DH though. She loves him and comes right up to him for attention but she's so submissive that she pees on his foot every time. We haven't been able to get her past it. I really got her with the intention of having her be in the house but it hasn't worked out. :( she's a great dog otherwise.

Everyone- My WOE went OUT this weekend. I'm going to have to start all over. :mad:

Tami

[WeirdEyes]

Hi everyone! Had a really busy weekend organizing and trying to pack. Whew! Sticking to SB right now is really hard. I'm doing half-way good right now. Meaning I ate some BBQ, but had it on a whole wheat bun. See half-way. I haven't gained any weight yet...thank goodness!

Tami ~ Shae is right, Bunco is a dice game. It is sooo much fun! We play once a month and it is 12 neighborhood ladies. We eat dinner and have a few cocktails. It has really been a great way for us to get to know each other. Our neighborhood is new so nobody knew each other. Now, we do other socializing together also.

FIL is doing great! He walked down 2 hallways yesterday using his walker. He's amazing for someone who was supposed to be paralyzed on his left side. :D

[adoptmom]

Good morning all! Ugh! Where's the smiley for flat on your face? I ate sugar and bread yesterday and of course once I started I picked at it all day. I'm so sick this morning! I've never had a hangover but if this is what one feels like I'm never drinking more than 1. :( Bleh!

So obviously I'm starting back over with phase 1 today and hoping to cleanse myself of this toxic mess sooner rather than later. I really need to be able to function today.

Tami

[WeirdEyes]

Tami ~ Feel better!!!

I'm eating a SB frozen pizza right now. There's not any instructions on the box to heat it in the microwave so I had to wing it. Now I know why. It is yucky from the microwave! :eek:

[GrammyJill]

I started Phase 1 this weekend. It was so hard too. My son turned 19 Saturday. Good thing he wanted cherry pie instead of cake. I wouldn't have been able to stay out of the cake :(

So, no news is good news right? I've been watching calories, drinking water & working out for over a month now. I have lost a total of 20 pounds but I've been stuck for the last 2 weeks! AARRGGHH! No loss no gain :confused:

I'm really hoping the South Beach will rev it into overdrive for me.

How much can you realistically lose on Phase 1, anyone know?

Have a fantastic day!

[WeirdEyes]

Hi Jill!!! You're not too late to join us. We all just hang out all of the time. Some of us are on Phase 1, some on Phase 2 (me), and some on Phase 3. I found that when I get stuck, I'm usually not eating enough calories. How many calories are you eating a day and how much are you exercising?

[cruisinqt]

Adoptmom, thanks for the quick reply, I feel better now.:) I was feeling really terrible for cheating on Phase 1 and then my period hit and I felt even worse! I was a little depressed and ready to give up on the diet. Thanks for the help, I feel better now.

The SBD book I got was the "New Revised Edition" and it's a little hazy on the rules.:( A few pages back on this same thread someone gave an outline of Phase 1 for someone else. They said you should have no more than 2 sugar free caffeinated beverages a day ( which freaked me out because I drink a lot more than that), and several other specific requirements for Phase 1. But the book I bought is no where near as specific as that. So now I'm not really sure exactly how to proceed with the diet because my book just gives a short list of foods to eat and a short list of foods to avoid. But there are so many foods that are not mentioned that are allowed on most protein diets. Maybe you could help answer a few questions for me.

If I'm at a restaurant, are the fried mozzarella cheesesticks or the cheese stuffed fried jalapenos poppers okay? They are mostly cheese except for a little breading and I'm wondering if they are okay to eat.

Also, my snacks consist of peanuts, cheese sticks, beef jerky, slim jim beef sticks, an occasional SBD peanut butter bar, or a fat free, sugar free ice cream bar. Are these snacks okay on Phase 2? If I eat too many of these snacks will it hurt my diet? I mostly stick to the protein snacks and have the SBD bar or the ice cream once a day. I'm sorry for all of the questions, but the book I got really is very vague about these types of things and I want to make sure I am following the diet properly. Thanks for the help.- QT

[GrammyJill]

I haven't been counting calories at all. I have been making myself eat more regularly though. Dr. A. says in the book you must eat breakfast. That has stuck with me since the first time I was on it.

Excercising at least 4 times a week, no less than 30 minutes of cardio each time. Then maybe some stomach (abs) or step or something.

Any advice will surely help.

Y'all are experts!

I did grill some fabulous pork loin this weekend & made the surprise mashed cauliflower.

I marinated the pork loin in soy sauce (light) & garlic powder then grilled to perfection. yum yum

[adoptmom]

Dang it! I wrote a big long reply to QT and it got lost! :mad:

QT- Sorry I can't remember it all but I did suggest you buy a Good Carbs Good Fats book. Mine was less than $6 at Target. Ummm.... Oh year, if you can pick the breading off the mozz. sticks or poppers they're a go but if not try something else. If they have real hotwings that are deepfried but not breaded those will work too. Breading will cause you to start having cravings again. Trust me, I'm the queen of this today! :rolleyes:

What kind of foods do you like? I have a very adventurous palate and would be glad to give you some of my favorites for eating out or recipes. I'll be gone most of tomorrow but let me know if you'd like some ideas.

Oh and I drank diet coke all through phase one though I was on atkins then and technically did induction. I switched for the beans! Now I'm trying to cut down because I get headaches and nutrasweet is supposed to be really bad for HA's. Now I have 1 diet coke in the am. I keep a partially filled 1.5 liter bottle in the freezer and in the morning I fill it the rest of the way. I add a couple of drops of lemon or grapefruit essential oil for the taste and purifying properties. I don't get anything else to drink until that's gone. That way I make sure I get in plenty of water too.

RBLWMN- Cake is what did me in yesterday. I still feel less than 100%

Ok I'm gonna try this again. This time I'll make a copy!

Tami

[WeirdEyes]

Good morning, Beachers!

[QUOTE]Also, my snacks consist of peanuts, cheese sticks, beef jerky, slim jim beef sticks, an occasional SBD peanut butter bar, or a fat free, sugar free ice cream bar. Are these snacks okay on Phase 2? If I eat too many of these snacks will it hurt my diet? I mostly stick to the protein snacks and have the SBD bar or the ice cream once a day. I'm sorry for all of the questions, but the book I got really is very vague about these types of things and I want to make sure I am following the diet properly. Thanks for the help.- QT[/QUOTE]
The book is very vague so that's why you should buy the "Good Carbs Good Fats" book as Tami suggested. It was VERY helpful to me. I also wouldn't eat too much beef jerky or slim jims because they have a lot of fat. Check your labels because they sometimes add sugar to beef jerky. I also find that if I eat too much peanut butter, I don't lose. Good luck!

[cruisinqt]

So the breading on the mozzarella cheesesticks and jalapeno poppers is a no no because it makes you crave more carbs. Will the low carb flat bread or sugar free whole wheat bread do the same thing? I occasionally eat a sugar free low carb bread product as a treat. Sweets aren't really my weakness. Bread, potatoes, and pasta is my real weakness.:(

Adoptmom, if nutrasweet gives you headaches, why not try some of the new diet drinks with Splenda in them instead. That's all I drink now, they taste great! The new Pepsi One with Splenda is super sweet, I love it and I'm not a Pepsi person. Also, Diet Coke has now come out with a Splenda sweetened Diet Coke that tastes pretty good. :)

I think I will go buy a "Good Carbs Good Fats" book as soon as I get a chance. Maybe that will help me. If Beef Jerky, Slim Jims, and some of the other stuff I'm snacking on are not good for me, then what should I snack on then?

What do you guys snack on? I'm not doing too bad in the lunch or dinner department. I normally have a frozen meal that has either meatloaf and green beans or grilled chicken and broccoli with cheese for lunch. For dinner I make pot roast with carrots, mushrooms, and onions. Or we grill a steak and have button mushrooms and a salad with it. Sometimes I have a treat and make hot dogs and use a sugar free whole wheat bun to put the dog in. It's the snacks and treats that are messing me up. Late at night I get the munchies and make the wrong choices. Got any ideas on good snacks for me?:confused:

[WeirdEyes]

QT ~ Are you on Phase 1 or Phase 2? Here are the snacks that I eat on each Phase:

Phase 1: Ricotta Creme (recipe found in SB book), Peanuts, Cashews, Sugar-Free Jell-o, Cheese sticks

Phase 2: Popcorn (air popped, but they now have microwave that is trans fat free), Strawberry Fluff (light cool whip, light cottage cheese, one pkg. sugar-free Strawberry Jell-0..not cooked), and those from Phase 1.

You also need to watch your sodium content if you are retaining water. Those processed foods have lots of sodium.

Whole Wheat bread, pasta, etc. will NOT make you crave bad carbs. Bad carbs (white bread, white pasta, potatoes) break down into sugar when digested. Whole wheat products slow down your digestive system so you feel full longer and eat less. They are also much healthier for you because they contain losts of nutrients and fiber.

Shae ~ Please add to the above. ;)

[irislady]

Hi. Sorry I haven't been able to check in for a couple of days... I was having some more back spasms and had to limit my sitting and stair climbing.

QT and Jill, welcome. You'll find lots of helpful advice and very understanding folks on this thread. It's a great place for suport even after you've reached your goals.

Tami, don't get discouraged. You've come a long way and will get back on track. Remember to put the scale away and use the tape measure. Most of those quick little weight gains or losses on the scale are just water weight.

Sheila, your F-I-L's progress is amazing. I'm so happy to hear he's doing so well. B-I-L was hospitalized again Monday night despite the steroid shots before his chemo and the re-hydration therapy afterwards. DN said he will probably be released later today, though, which would be wonderful since his sister and B-I-L and their kids are arriving from England this afternoon.

Do you leave this weekend on your cruise? We're supposed to go Louisville next Thursday. I've got a wonderful pet sitter lined up to stay here, though our male will go stay with our daughter. He just doesn't do as well when left here.

Sheila gave an excellent list of allowed snacks. To Phase 1 I would add no-sugar-added tomato juice, and fresh veggies (except for corn. And do carrots in moderation at first since they are fairly high in sugar. Their benefit outweighs the harm though after the first few days on Phase 1. Also, almonds and walnuts are very good nuts for SBD and have other health benefits as well.

Depending on how badly I wander off SBD I usually just go back to Phase 2. I've actually continued to lose weight on Phase 3 just by avoiding the "white stuff" like sugar, white flour, rice, white potatoes. If I've been bad long enough for the sugar cravings to start I do Phase 1 for 2-3 days. That seems to be long enough to end the cravings again. As Tami mentioned I, too, really start feeling lousy if I cheat too much, so there is an aversion factor that helps me stay "legal" most of the time.

If you find that counting calories is just too hard make sure that you watch your portion sizes instead. I think most people are surprised when they find out how small a recommended serving size of any food actually is.

There can be as many grams of carbs in the breading on some foods as there are in a half a bun. Also, those foods are never fried in the healthy types of oil, so should be avoided most of the time. I think we've all found that if we give into the urge for a "cheat" every now and then we do better in the long run. Just be sure to try to make up for any bad eating with a couple of days of eating very healthy stuff.

For most people the complex carbs of whole grain won't cause cravings, but everybody is different. Check and see that anything labeled "whole wheat" is not just white flour that's enriched. That isn't any better for you than white flour. The word "enriched" usually means the good stuff was stripped out and then some of it put back in again. Avoid that. What works for others may still be a carb craving trigger for you. On the other hand, you may find you can get by eating certain things that would cause cravings for someone else.

Really try to switch to skim or 1% milk, water, or tea with no sweetener instead of the diet soft drinks. Although Splenda seems to be a good alternative to sugar it should still be eaten in moderation since we don't know the really long term effects. Also, try drinking a glass of water first when you think you're hungry. We often mistake thirst for hunger, plus the water will make you feel more full and help avoid over-eating. And it gives you a little time to think about what you're going to put in your mouth. How many times have we all grabbed a cookie or some chips, popped in our mouths, and then thought, "Why did I just eat that?". I think one of the greatest benefits of SBD is that is does make you think about what to eat.

The easiest way to avoid the foods you shouldn't have is to not have them in your house, and avoid going to restaurants where you know there are certain "Bad" items you have trouble avoiding. For me it's still the tortilla chips at a Mexican restaurant. DH and I still find it harder to send the chips away than the baskets of bread or rolls at other restaurants.

It's easy to forget to watch the types of fat you eat if you concentrate too much on your carbs. We use Smart Balance instead of other margerines or butter, and if I have to sautee something I used olive oil or canola oil rather than the other veg. oils.

Don't forget to increase your exercise level. The latest studies have shown that just a small increase in activity can add up to a much bigger weight loss, and a greater chance of keeping it off.

Hope this helps.
Shae