Low Carb Support - May

[Meganator]

How is everyone doing?

DH and I just completed the 2 week induction phase of South Beach. As of this morning, I'd lost 6 lbs. Yay! It really shows in the jeans test (they were getting a little tight). I have to say I'm very surprised at the loss, because I really felt like I was eating plenty. So I guess I'm a convert...we really started this just to get out of the doughnuts and cookies habit; maybe I eat enough doughnuts and cookies to add up to 6 lbs in 2 weeks! :eek:

DH didn't lose, although he was pretty good about the no carbs; I think he was snacking on too many peanuts and too much cheese!

I got some nice strawberries in the CSA box today, so I am going to have some fruit now. But like others have said, I'm leery of adding in too many carbs too fast. I had a very small bowl of ice cream and about 1/2 cup of pasta with my lunch at Souper Salad today, and I swear my hands were shaking when I got back to my keyboard.


Megan

[Meganator]

I also forgot to say that I don't feel tired in the morning, even when I get to bed too late...I don't know if that's related to diet. Has anyone else had that effect?

[kwormann]

Yes, I do believe being able to sleep better is a nice side effect of cutting out the sugar :D

[Robyn1007]

Hi all,

I have been remiss about posting but have had a fairly successful week. I skipped all of the taboo foods at a bbq last week including some totally decadent looking brownies. I am down a total of about 11 lbs in 3 weeks so I am very happy.

However, my splurge weekend starts today :D . I am headed to Houston where I will enjoy all of my favorites and I can't wait. I will head back to phase 1 when I return home.

Kim, I plan to hit the farmer's market you told us about awhile back and of course Penzey's! I am so excited, especially since there is no way my mom will let me pick up the Penzey's bill :p .

Hope everyone has a great weekend!
Robyn

[LonghornGal]

Hey there -

Do you guys have any suggestions on websites or other free sources to get more info on SB diet? I'm considering it just to shake up my eating routine, but am not sure where to start.

Thanks!
Kristin

[tbb113]

Kristin:
Prevention magazine had alot on their website. I haven't checked in a long time...but I'm betting its still there.

[kwormann]

Here is the link to the page with all of the other links http://205.147.231.116/search97cgi/s97_cgi
and here is the link to the basics

http://www.prevention.com/cda/feature2002/0,2479,s1-5345,00.html?

[LonghornGal]

Thanks! Those are helpful links. I also bought the SBD book today so I'm on my way. Guess my raw food adventure will have to wait since fruits are not kosher in the start of the SBD. :)

I'm starting gung ho tomorrow. So tonight I got the cherry cobbler at dinner! :eek:

--Kristin

[SusanPC]

Good Luck LongHornGal! After 8 days in the Bahamas....I am starting this tomorrow as well. I hope it is just the jump start I need to get back on the healthy eating path!

[LonghornGal]

Good luck Susan! I'm going to Hawaii in a week so I'll probably be needing an extra week of induction! Gotta have a good vacation full of Lava Flows, you know?

Megan, it's awesome to hear that it worked so well for you. I want to look "hot" when I start my new job. Just got a bunch of new clothes but the pants could stand to be a bit looser!

Well, day 1 is almost done and I did well I think. I only felt hungry once - and that was because I didn't bother to buy a snack for my last break at work. I just drank a ton of water and that filled me up.

The recipes in the SBD book are pretty good so far - and easy too. And that laughing cow light cheese on celery was a great snack!

My only cheat was to have about 1 tbsp of pistachio gelato. They were sampling it at work and everyone was raving. I figured that pistachio was the most "on plan" of the choices, and had her give me just a dab to taste. It was darn good - but that little taste was all I needed!

Off to walk the dog, then I'm going to try out the Vanilla Ricotta Creme recipe from the SBD book.

--Kristin

[LonghornGal]

Well, I guess I'm the sole low-carber in May! Or is everyone on a different thread? :)

Day 2 went well and I started off day three with a tasty omlette. Of course, I'm not very good at getting them out of the pan - need to practice more. :D I'm waiting for the blahs/headache to strike, but I never ate that much bread/pasta in the first place (just desserts and fruit) so maybe I'll not have a carb withdrawal...

Yesterday was a big day of planting my entire backyard, which is the size of a normal person's side yard. Dad and I worked hard and it looks good. Today I plan to go hike with Bosco and finish up the last little things in the yard... oh and I must remember to water the plants!!!

--Kristin

[Robyn1007]

Hi Kristin,

Sorry I was out of town for the weekend (actually down in Texas) and totally splurged (see my Brennan's of Houston Kitchen Table Experience thread on the Great Food Board). I don't have anything in the house so I will go shopping again tonight and start Phase 1 for 1 more week then move to Phase 2. I'm glad to hear everything is going well for you. I'll check back in later once I get back into the swing of things.

Robyn

[Luv to Cook]

Can I join in? Kristin, you are not alone!!! DH and I decided to start this since we need to jumpstart our health routine. We are both in some kind of rut right now. I have a little pooch that has developed after I had my baby, but it has been almost a year now and I have no more excuses. And of course, I would just like us both to feel better about ourselves. We are on Day 2 and I am already tired of it :o ! I am not much of a meat eater and I miss my fruit. Good thing veggies are a part of the first two weeks. I just cannot wait to have a banana. Maybe I need the cookbook? I would love some snack suggestions. All I can think of is cottage cheese and string cheese! We have been eating lots of shellfish, chicken, tofu and last nite we had gazpacho. Our sides are now veggies, instead of rice or pasta. Breakfast has been omelettes with veggies and cheese. What else is good for breakfast? I assume fruit eventually, but what about in this first two weeks?

I have been a little headachey, but nothing major. I haven't stepped on the scale before this whole thing, but I guess I will go by the size of my stomach and how my jeans fit, rather than the scale.

Good luck everyone!
Anita

[LonghornGal]

Hi all...

robyn, I couldn't find your Brennan's thread. Did I miss it? Some friends did a Brennan's meal for a dinner party all out of their cookbook and it was awesome. Just thinking of the bread pudding with whisky sauce brings back happy memories!

Anita, you're bored on day 2??? Or are you on week 2? I love that we get lots of cheese and an occasional avocado. :) And I love the variety of foods. The SBD cookbook is supposed to have a pretty good vegetarian section, maybe you'd find that useful? Personally, I had to force myself to pick fruit to eat, unless it was in something else. So I don't miss it and I can't recall the last time I actually ate a banana that wasn't in bread. :p There's a million ways to fix eggs - so many different veggies to add to them and styles of cooking them. But if you're very unhappy then maybe this isn't the right eating plan for you - you might like Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers which are both 60% carbs and encourage fruit consumption. :)

Day 3 down. Invited friend over for dinner to help eat the big ol' sirloin - the butcher man wouldn't make it any smaller. I have to say that I'd rather have cauliflower with creamy butter sauce than those "SBD mashed potatoes". I continue my weird affinity for the ricotta cremes. Who would have guessed? No headaches either... maybe tomorrow? I'm waiting for carb withdrawal to hit.

I must give myself props for heading to the pub to watch sports, drinking only diet coke, and resisting any tastes of the apple pie ala mode that my friend got (and the waiter who so thoughtfully brought me an extra spoon).

--Kristin

[kwormann]

Sorry...Ive been MIA. Ive been sick and havent been eating to plan plus am going on a trip next week, so my plan is to maintain then do another Week 1 after I get back to jump start again :)

[Robyn1007]

Kristin,

Here's a link to the thread Brennan's of Houston (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=58608) . I was way too tired after shopping last night to cook anything so I picked up something at Wegmans that was totally off the diet so today starts a new week of phase 1.

Robyn

[Luv to Cook]

Kristin...Day 3 now! Well, I am hanging in there. I am getting used to it, but I will admit it is hard. I do really want to cut out all the refined carbs, so this is helping. I figure I gotta give it a shot for at least a month before I decide its not working for me. So let's see what happens :). Today is another day. I have been hanging out on the South Beach diet forums and found that if you are good about eating whole grains and such, that you can skip to Phase 2. This sounds more up my alley. A half a slice of whole wheat toast or a handful of brown rice may be in order today! I am keeping up with my workouts (doing the Firm) and I am already starting to see results from that.

I got this article today that may be of interest to some of you from Medscape.
More Evidence Supports Low-Carbohydrate Diet CME

News Author: Laurie Barclay, MD
CME Author: Charles Vega, MD, FAAFP
Authors and Disclosures

Release Date: May 17, 2004; Valid for credit through May 17, 2005

Credits Available

Physicians - up to 0.25 AMA PRA category 1 credit(s)

May 17, 2004 — Two randomized trials reported in the May 18 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine further support the efficacy of a low-carbohydrate diet. A six-month trial showed higher participation and greater weight loss, and a 12-month study showed similar weight loss but better lipid profile than with a conventional diet. The editorialist uses findings from both studies to advise physicians and patients.

"This diet can be quite powerful. We found that the low-carb diet was more effective for weight loss," lead author Will Yancy, MD, from Duke University Medical Center and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, says in a news release. "We also found cholesterol levels seemed to improve more on a low-carb diet compared to a low-fat diet."

In this study, which is the first randomized controlled trial of an Atkins-style diet, 120 study participants were assigned to a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet or a low-fat, low-cholesterol, low-calorie diet.

The low-carbohydrate group (<20 g/day) was allowed daily unlimited calories, animal foods (meat, fowl, fish, and shellfish), and eggs, as well as 4 oz of hard cheese, two cups of salad vegetables (lettuce, spinach, or celery) and one cup of low-carbohydrate vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, or squash). They also received daily nutritional supplements including a multivitamin, essential oils, an Atkins diet formulation, and chromium picolinate.

The low-fat, low-cholesterol, low-calorie group received less than 30% of daily caloric intake from fat, less than 10% of calories from saturated fat, and less than 300 mg cholesterol daily. They were advised to restrict daily calories by 500 to 1,000 calories less than their maintenance diet.

At study entry, all subjects were between 18 and 65 years of age and in generally good health, with a body mass index (BMI) between 30 and 60, and a total cholesterol level greater than 200 mg/dL. None had dieted or used weight loss medications in the previous six months. All subjects were encouraged to exercise 30 minutes at least three times per week and had regular group meetings at an outpatient research clinic for six months.

The study was completed by 76% of participants in the low-carbohydrate diet group and by 57% of participants in the low-fat diet group (P = .02). At six months, weight loss was -12.9% in the low-carbohydrate diet group and -6.7% in the low-fat diet group (P < .001).

In both groups, loss of fat mass (change, -9.4 kg with the low-carbohydrate diet vs. -4.8 kg with the low-fat diet) was greater than loss of fat-free mass (change, -3.3 kg vs. -2.4 kg, respectively). Compared with the low-fat diet group, the low-carbohydrate diet group had greater decreases in serum triglyceride levels (change, -0.84 mmol/L vs. -0.31 mmol/L [-74.2 mg/dL vs. -27.9 mg/dL]; P = .004) and greater increases in high-density lipoprotein [HDL] cholesterol levels (0.14 mmol/L vs. -0.04 mmol/L [5.5 mg/dL vs. -1.6 mg/dL]; P < .001).

Changes in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level were not significantly different between groups (0.04 mmol/L [1.6 mg/dL] with the low-carbohydrate diet and -0.19 mmol/L [-7.4 mg/dL with the low-fat diet; P = .2). However, participants in the low-carbohydrate diet group had more minor adverse effects, such as constipation and headaches, than did patients in the low-fat diet group.

Study limitations include inability to distinguish effects of the low-carbohydrate diet and those of the nutritional supplements provided only to that group, and use of healthy participants followed for only 24 weeks, limiting generalizability of the study results.

The authors are currently testing whether a low-carbohydrate diet can improve glycemic control in diabetes. However, they warn that patients with medical conditions such as diabetes and hypertension or who use diuretics should not begin a low-carbohydrate diet without close medical supervision, because the diet affects hydration and blood glucose levels. Nor do they recommend an Atkins-type diet for individuals attempting to lose weight for the first time.

"Over six months the diet appears relatively safe, but we need to study the safety for longer durations," Dr. Yancy says, noting potential long-term health risks including elevations in LDL cholesterol, bone loss, or kidney stones.

The Robert C. Atkins Foundation funded this research. The study authors have no financial interest in Atkins Nutritionals, Inc.

In the second study, by Linda Stern, MD, from the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Pennsylvania, and colleagues, 132 obese adults were randomized to receive counseling to either restrict carbohydrate intake to less than 30 g per day (low-carbohydrate diet) or to restrict caloric intake by 500 calories per day with less than 30% of calories from fat (conventional diet). At baseline, BMI was at least 35 kg/m2, and 83% of participants had diabetes or metabolic syndrome.

By one year, mean weight change was -5.1 ± 8.7 kg in the low-carbohydrate diet group and -3.1 ± 8.4 kg in the conventional diet group (difference, -1.9 kg; 95% confidence interval [CI], -4.9 to 1.0 kg; P = .20). The low-carbohydrate diet group fared better in terms of greater decrease in triglyceride levels (P = .044) and less decrease in HDL cholesterol levels (P = .025).

In the subgroup of 54 persons with diabetes, hemoglobin A1c levels improved more with the low-carbohydrate diet, but the difference was not statistically significant in sensitivity analyses. Both groups had similar changes in other lipids and in insulin sensitivity.

Study limitations include high dropout rate of 34% and suboptimal dietary adherence.

"Despite modest overall weight loss in both diet groups, assignment to the low-carbohydrate group had a direct and more favorable effect on triglyceride level, HDL cholesterol level, and glycemic control in the smaller subgroup of patients with diabetes," the authors write. "These findings give further evidence that restriction of carbohydrates in obese persons, who may be overconsuming carbohydrates at baseline, may have favorable metabolic effects. Caution is still needed, however, in recommending a low-carbohydrate diet, as important concerns remain."

The Veterans Affairs Healthcare Network supported this study. The authors report no potential financial conflicts of interest.

"We can no longer dismiss very-low-carbohydrate diets," Walter C. Willett, MD, DrPH, from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts, writes in an accompanying editorial.

"We can encourage overweight patients to experiment with various methods for weight control, including reduced-carbohydrate diets, as long as they emphasize healthy sources of fat and protein and incorporate regular physical activity," he concludes. "Patients should focus on finding ways to eat that they can maintain indefinitely rather than seeking diets that promote rapid weight loss. For many patients, the roll will have little role."

Dr. Willett served as an unpaid consultant on a grant by the Atkins Foundation.

Ann Intern Med. 2004;140:769-777, 778-785, 836-837

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:
List the benefits of low-carbohydate diets.
Compare the long-term effects of low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets.
Clinical Context
Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S., and many patients are desperate to find a solution to help them lose weight. The strategy of low-carbohydrate dieting has been espoused by a growing number of obese individuals, and their choice is validated with some evidence of efficacy. In a six-month analysis published in the May 22, 2003, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine involving the same patient cohort currently reexamined at one year by Stern and colleagues, a low-carbohydrate diet was associated with greater weight loss and improved triglyceride levels, insulin sensitivity, and glycemic control when compared with a low-fat diet.

An editorial by Willett that accompanies the current study by Stern cautions that the improved short-term weight gain associated with low-carbohydrate diets when compared with low-fat diets has generally not been shown to be significantly different at one year. He also notes that weight is not the only area to be scrutinized with low-carbohydrate diets. Low-carbohydrate diets have been demonstrated to have favorable effects on the lipid profile and insulin sensitivity that could improve health outcomes in obese adults.

Two studies in the current issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine compare the effects of low-carbohydrate vs. low-fat diets.

Study Highlights
Yancy article:
Subjects were primarily white, well-educated, and female. The average BMI was slightly greater than 34 kg/m2, and all participants had hyperlipidemia. Patients using prescription medication other than thyroid replacement or female hormonal treatments were excluded.
Diet interventions were accomplished using group counseling sessions. Participants in the low-carbohydrate diet group were instructed to initially limit carbohydrate to less than 20 g per day and then add 5 g of carbohydrate per day later. The low-fat diet group was instructed to reduce caloric intake by 500 to 1,000 kcal per day, derive less than 30% of these calories from fat, and consume less than 300 mg of cholesterol per day.
The main study outcomes were weight loss and weight loss derived from fat over a 6-month period. Metabolic parameters were also followed.
120 subjects were randomized, and 76% and 57% of the low-carbohydrate and low-fat diet subjects, respectively, completed the study.
Mean weight loss was 12 kg in the low-carbohydrate diet group at the end of the study compared with 6.5 kg in the low-fat diet group.
Fat mass was reduced by 9.4 kg in the low-carbohydrate diet group compared with a reduction of 4.8 kg in the low-fat diet group.
Triglyceride and HDL cholesterol levels were significantly improved in the low-carbohydrate diet group compared with the low-fat diet group. Mean LDL cholesterol levels were similar between the 2 groups, although 2 subjects in the low-carbohydrate diet group stopped the study because of increased LDL levels.
More subjects in the low-carbohydrate diet group experienced adverse events, the most common of which were constipation, headache, halitosis, and muscle cramps.
Stern article:
Subjects included adults with a BMI of 35 kg/m2 or greater without significant renal or hepatic disease.
Participants were randomized to either a low-carbohydrate diet, which limited carbohydrate intake to less than 30 g per day, or a low-fat diet, in which less than 30% of calories were derived from fat and overall caloric intake was reduced by 500 kcal per day. These interventions were implemented through weekly counseling sessions for 4 weeks, and then monthly sessions for 11 months.
The main study outcome was weight change, and subjects were also followed for effects on serum lipids, insulin sensitivity, and glycemic control.
More than 80% of study participants were men and had either metabolic syndrome or diabetes.
20 of 64 original subjects in the low-carbohydrate diet group dropped out of the study prior to one year compared with 25 of 68 patients in the low-fat diet group.
Both intervention groups had reduced average daily caloric intake by one year to similar levels. The low-carbohydrate diet group had reduced carbohydrate intake by 52% at one year.
Although patients in the low-carbohydrate diet group had lost significantly more weight than the low-fat diet group by 6 months, they averaged no more weight loss during the following 6 months and had a mean one-year weight loss of 5.1 kg. This was statistically similar to the one-year mean weight loss of 3.1 kg for patients in the low-fat diet group, whose mean weight decreased steadily during the trial.
Total and LDL cholesterol levels were fairly stable in both intervention groups at one year, and the difference between treatment groups was not significant. However, triglyceride and HDL cholesterol levels were more improved in the low-carbohydrate diet group compared with the low-fat diet group.
Serum glucose levels and insulin sensitivity were similar between the diet groups at one year, although hemoglobin A1c improvements in subjects with diabetes in the low-carbohydrate diet group narrowly missed statistical significance.
Pearls for Practice
A low-carbohydrate diet may reduce weight to a greater extent than a low-fat diet in the short term, but this advantage appears to disappear by one year.
A low-carbohydrate diet may produce some lasting improvements in lipid profiles when compared with a low-fat diet.

[Jollyjo]

Hi - I'm new to this thread. Decided I needed to get my eating under control and stop eating so many sweets and breads. I'm now on day 14 of SB Phase 1. Very pleased with the results, my clothes are feeling much better and I'm not craving cookies and brownies! But, I am exhausted. I'm not sleeping well at night. And, feels like my muscles are achy when I do more than a minimal amount of exercise. Has anyone else felt like this? I'm wondering if it's the diet or if something else is wrong with me. Maybe going to Phase 2 will help. :(

[Luv to Cook]

Jollyjo, I am only on Day 3, but I do feel tired as well. I am hoping it goes away once Phase 2 starts and some good carbs are introduced. Some days I don't even feel like working out and would rather take a nap when my DD does, but I try and push myself.

You are not alone. Maybe start Phase 2 and see how it goes.
Anita

[jem927]

Hi there!

This is my first post to this thread, so bear with me....

I am seriously considering giving low-carb (more precisely - South Beach) a try. I have been fighting with low-fat, low cal diets for quite awhile now, and I don't see long term results. I tend to yo-yo quite a bit. :-(

How effective have these types of diets been for you? And any suggestions up front?

TIA!

Jamie

[tbb113]

Jaime:
I did Atkins and lost 30 pounds in 6 months. I maintained the weight loss until March when I put back on 5 lbs that I'm still fighting.

I think the question you really need to ask yourself about this or any diet is....can I see myself eating like this for the rest of my life? If you can't see giving up processed carbs/sugar laden food I personally wouldn't lose the weight following that type of diet. The idea of a good weight-loss plan IMHO is to teach you how to eat to maintain the weight loss permanently by changing your eating habits. Atkins has 4 phases (induction, on-going weight loss, pre-maintenance and maintenance). If you don't have the tools and skills needed for maintenance...what's the point?

HTH

Tyra

[jem927]

Tyra,

I agree with your comments. Any "diet" should really be a lifestyle change, not just a temporary fix.

My interest in this particular "diet" started about 6 months ago, when my father was diagnosed with diabetes. That combined with congestive heart failure, high cholesterol, etc... has led to a dramatic change in his lifestyle - to say the least.

My biggest concern is that I am following in his footsteps, if you will. I have already been battling cholesterol levels/ratios for SEVERAL years, and have had a REAL weight problem for about 5 years. I truly believe that part of the problem is heredity, but I want to do my darndest to control as much of it as possible.

So, South Beach "seems" to offer a good nutritional balance and has had a tremendous effect on some of my areas of concern. I know that any change that I make has to be a permanent one, and I have resolved myself to that fact. I'm not saying it will be easy, but I have to do SOMETHING...

Okay.... just more rambling thoughts....

Thanks for listening.

Jamie

[LonghornGal]

For what it's worth in the short term, I've lost 4 pounds in the first 3 days. Sure, it might have all been beer weight from graduation, but I feel better and more in control!

But I was never a big starch/carb girl in the first place. No withdrawal symptoms so far... halfway through day 4.

--Kristin

[LonghornGal]

I found this on the SBD forums in prevention...

Top Ten Tips for SBD Beginners

1. DO NOT EXPECT TO LOSE 8-13 POUNDS the first two weeks. This is the marketing hype. Your rate of loss may be slower or faster than others, but if you stick with the plan you WILL lose.

2. Following a strict Phase 1 is the best predictor of success on Phase 2. The purpose of Phase 1 is detox from sugar and going cold turkey is not fun. You may feel crummy for a few days, headache, tired, achey but by the end of week 1 you should start feeling better. Following the rules below will help you through this phase. And remember, it's only two weeks.

3) Eat 3 meals, 2 snacks, and dessert after dinner every day, even if you don't think you're hungry. You should be eating something every 3-4 hours. Example: 7am breakfast, 10am snack, 1pm lunch, 4pm snack, 7pm dinner, dessert whenever. This is important to keep your blood sugar level steady.

4) Drink as much water as you can, at least 8 glasses per day PLUS an extra glass for every 25 pounds you want to lose. Water with lemon, seltzer, crystal lite, diet soda, decaf coffee and tea are all OK but drink as much plain water as possible.

5) Eat protein and veggies at every meal. Eat from the "foods to enjoy" list, as much as it takes you to feel satisfied but not stuffed.

4) Breakfast does not have to be eggs. Try cottage cheese, lunch meat/cheese rolls, or last night's dinner leftovers. V-8 or tomato juice is very good for you but not mandatory.

5) Eat some bean meals. Make a big pot of chili with ground turkey for a quick meal. Eat hummus with celery for a snack. You'll need lots of fiber on Phase 1 - constipation is a common problem. Beans also have lots of protein, and the "good carbs" will help reduce cravings.

6) Get rid of food you know will be too tempting for you to have around. Everyone has their own triggers. Mine are chocolate and cookies. Your family can live without their junk food for two weeks or they can eat it somewhere else.

7) If you have a craving, drink a big glass of water and eat a protein snack.

8) Stock up so you always have good food in the house. Keep snacks in the car and at work. I bought a bunch of those tiny Ziplock containers and filled them with 30 pistachios each. Grab and go! If you have a fridge at work, keep a box of Laughing Cow Light and a container of skim milk if you drink coffee.

9) Do not eat meal replacements, bars, shakes etc. Eat real, unprocessed food.

10) If you choose to eat a "bad" carb, eat it with a sugar stopper. Sugar stoppers are fat, fiber, protein and acid (eg vinegar or lemon). They will slow down the absorption of sugar so you won't get a blood sugar spike.

[LonghornGal]

Well, I am going to try and low-carb while on vacation, but I'm definitely having a few drinks while on the beach! The good thing is that I'm travelling with my parents so there's not likely to be a lot of "bar/late night" drinking - more like an afternoon cocktail and wine/drinks with dinner. Plus I'm thinking of all the yummy fresh fish in Hawaii! :)

My tummy is definitely flatter, and I tried on a pair of too-tight pants this morning and they're easier to button up, although still a bit too tight for me to like wearing them in public.

After 5 total days on SB, I've lost 1% body fat and 4 pounds, and I've felt great the whole time. I even ate "out" at the pub yesterday - got a Mic Ultra and ate a chicken patty and the veggies from the "grilled chicken" sandwich - then gave away my fries to the ravenous hordes! :)

Everyone, have a great weekend and week, and I'll see you in June.

--Kristin

[Luv to Cook]

Well I am still here and doing well. I have been pretty good. Last nite went to a barbeque at a friend's and was able to pass up the potato salad, pasta salad, baked beans, and spongecake with lemon curd for dessert. Ended up eating a soy burger with cheese and splurged on fruit. So I figure if I can pass all that up, then I can handle this :D ! I have not weighed myself, but I do feel my stomach is alot flatter. I have still been working out so I am sure that is contributing, but the belly bulge is coming off alot faster now. While I do miss the good carbs, I am not too concerned since we can add them back soon. But suprisingly, I don't miss all the sugar, flour and other crap I used to eat. I feel pretty good and am excited to continue on this.

hope everyone else is well!
Kristin, have a great trip!

Anita

[Robyn1007]

Hi Anita,

Its amazing how fast you can see the change in your stomach isn't it! I have been terrible since I came home, thanks to some absolutely delectable cookies my mom bought when she was in Amsterdam and sent home with me. :p They should be gone today (I brought them in to share with the 1 colleague that will be in my office today). I also splurged on a glass of wine last night after a rough day at work but it was red and is the safest of alcohol according to SBD. I haven't weighed myself this week because I am afraid of what last weekend did to me but at least my only downfall has been those two things. I actually like not feeling so bloated after eating all the carbs.

I made a chicken breast dish this week that was really good. I carmelized some onions and the held those while a I cooked some chicken breasts sprinkled with Fox Point seasoning from Penzeys. I finished it off with some sauteed mushrooms mixed with the onions and a splash of balsamic vinegar. I have become a big fan of having a tomato sprinkled with maldon sea salt, basil and occasionally so parmesean cheese as my side dish.

This weekend I am going to try to make some low fat ice cream with splenda in my new ice cream maker so we'll see how that goes.

Well back to work.....
Robyn

[boisewinesnob]

Hi guys :)

Good job Anita, with passing up all that good stuff at the BBQ. I've had a few bad days this past week so yesterday I was pretty good and today I have got my food lined up so I should be OK. It's amazing how much better the day goes when you plan.
As someone already pointed out, I like SBD because you don't have to write down/track all your food. I did that for a long time w/ WW and got tired of it (although if you are disciplined to journal, WW does work too). I feel more freedom with SBD than I ever felt on WW for that very reason, even though WW doesn't restrict any foods like SBD does.
I went through an old WW magazine/cookbook thing this morning and noted all the low-carb recipes. There are really quite a few I think are do-able (French onion soup minus the bread, salisbury steak, chicken divan, some salads, cucumber portuguese salad, etc.)

Well, I need to get in to work today, so happy eating to you all :D !!

Suzy