Hi SBD newbie here

hmrey76

Hi. My name is Heidi. I have lost 30 lbs and have about 13-17 to go.

I came across the south beach diet super charged book and was inspired to try it. I read it and like it. So I just started the south beach diet today. I am starting with Phase 2. I just finished a 14 day diet similar to phase 1.

I have been on MFP for 2 years and weight and measured EVERYTHING, calorie counting, TDEE, all of that "diet stuff". I have learned that calories in vs calories out does not work...at least for my body.

Anyways, a few questions for you that have been/are on this diet. Are you getting results? I see the approved food list but I don't see an actual plan of how much to eat? I saw things listed like 2 servings of dairy etc. But what is a serving? Same with fruits, breads, etc? It kinda scares me to not be "tracking" something.

Thanks for any help!

Sabine_Stroehm

Hi Heidi. Congrats on the 30 pounds!
I lost all my weight on a SB style approach, and have kept it off for 14 years. To me that's the most important part!

With South Beach the only thing you really measure is nuts.

Otherwise they suggest eating some vegetables and a protein at every meal. Eat until full. If you do find you want more structure, follow these guidelines:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1431720/a-simple-breakdown-of-phase-1-and-2#latest

Hope you find this is an approach for a lifetime for you!

hmrey76

Thank you so much! & wow that is great!

So do you track calories and weigh your food on a scale or you can just eat veggies and protein till you are full?

Sabine_Stroehm

hmrey76 wrote: »

Thank you so much! & wow that is great!

So do you track calories and weigh your food on a scale or you can just eat veggies and protein till you are full?

Again, I'm in maintenance, but when I was losing I just followed "the foods to enjoy list", focused on vegetables and protein, and made sure to have beans daily and then one day I was a few pounds below my goal weight.

silvergirl33

I'm a newbie too, starting in Phase 2, having come off Weight Watchers. So you don't track, except for the nuts? How do you use MFP then--just the forums? And how do you stay out of the kitchen? I'm used to using frozen dinners (which I know are not good and I'd like to get away from), but I've been spending a lot of time (too much!) cooking this week.

Sabine_Stroehm

silvergirl33 wrote: »

I'm a newbie too, starting in Phase 2, having come off Weight Watchers. So you don't track, except for the nuts? How do you use MFP then--just the forums? And how do you stay out of the kitchen? I'm used to using frozen dinners (which I know are not good and I'd like to get away from), but I've been spending a lot of time (too much!) cooking this week.

I use MFP for fitness stuff, mainly. And the forums, of course.
But yeah, while I was losing I found that if I created meals from lean protein and veg, had snacks that were low GI the rest took care of itself.

When I was losing I had fat, protein and veg with every meal, and had things like berries, veg, string cheese for snacks, and the weight just came off. I used low carb wraps when I wanted bread, and limited things like brown rice, to small servings. It just happened. And following the same basic principles: lean protein, healthy fats, and high fiber vegetables as the base of my diet, the weight stayed off.

Don't forget legumes. They really help keep you feeling full!

silvergirl33

That helps a lot--thanks!

lucys1225

silvergirl33 wrote: »

I'm a newbie too, starting in Phase 2, having come off Weight Watchers. So you don't track, except for the nuts? How do you use MFP then--just the forums? And how do you stay out of the kitchen? I'm used to using frozen dinners (which I know are not good and I'd like to get away from), but I've been spending a lot of time (too much!) cooking this week.

I have been following South Beach guidelines for many, many years. I was never overweight but had a few pounds to lose. I lost those pounds and have maintained. I have never/will never track calories. The only thing I have ever measured is nuts. I do, however, spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Good luck!

Sabine_Stroehm

lucys1225 wrote: »

silvergirl33 wrote: »

I'm a newbie too, starting in Phase 2, having come off Weight Watchers. So you don't track, except for the nuts? How do you use MFP then--just the forums? And how do you stay out of the kitchen? I'm used to using frozen dinners (which I know are not good and I'd like to get away from), but I've been spending a lot of time (too much!) cooking this week.

I have been following South Beach guidelines for many, many years. I was never overweight but had a few pounds to lose. I lost those pounds and have maintained. I have never/will never track calories. The only thing I have ever measured is nuts. I do, however, spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Good luck!

Yep. You sound just like me.

MrsGolfie77

Hi ladies, do you stick to the three meals and two snacks? I am more of a grazer...

Sabine_Stroehm

yellowprincess wrote: »

Hi ladies, do you stick to the three meals and two snacks? I am more of a grazer...

I do, yes. It has worked well for me, though lately I've been lightening my breakfasts quite a bit.

silvergirl33

yellowprincess wrote: »

Hi ladies, do you stick to the three meals and two snacks? I am more of a grazer...

I've been doing 3 meals and 1 snack, only because I'm not all that hungry in the morning after I've had breakfast. If I did get hungry, I would have a 2nd snack. I'm finding SB, which I've been on since mid-March, relatively easy to stay on--if you don't mind spending a lot of time in the kitchen . So far, I've rarely been hungry. If you prefer grazing, though, I can't see why you wouldn't be able to break up the meals, as long as the sum total of food for the day is the same.

magic71755

Work week no snack between breakfast and lunch cuz not able. Weekends, yes.

lucys1225

Yes, plus a dessert.

gabby4mc

silvergirl33 wrote: »

I'm a newbie too, starting in Phase 2, having come off Weight Watchers. So you don't track, except for the nuts? How do you use MFP then--just the forums? And how do you stay out of the kitchen? I'm used to using frozen dinners (which I know are not good and I'd like to get away from), but I've been spending a lot of time (too much!) cooking this week.

I personally have trouble telling when I'm full so I have to count calories. I pick my foods from the SBD lists but ensure that my calories are not over about 1300-1400 a day. I don't really pay attention to any of the other categories that are counted. I've lost almost 57 pounds with about 55 still to go (woohoo 1/2 way there!). I notice during the times I get lax in counting calories I either won't lose or I will have a small gain even though I'm not straying from the SBD principles.

As far as staying out of the kitchen - that's a hard one! It does take longer to make meals but I just tell myself how much healthier I am. I figure how much better my insides must be looking if my outsides are improving so much. The bigger problem I have with the kitchen is going back in there when I'm not cooking. I use food for every emotion you can imagine - happy, eat; sad, eat; bored, eat; too busy, eat; etc. To combat that I try to do things with my hands that aren't conducive to eating such as crochet or cross-stitch. I also do paper crafting which technically you can eat while you do that but I have given myself a strict rule of no eating while playing with paper. I also make myself go to bed if I'm really having trouble staying out of the kitchen and it's after 8pm - sometimes I end up reading for a couple hours but once the jammies are on and I'm under the covers I don't get back up again. You just have to find the trick that works for you.

Good luck!!

Rene aka gabby