So as some of you already know, my dad is in town for a while on a business trip. He and I talk a lot about my weight loss and what things I've tried/done to get as far as I have. Recently he told me that his twin brother, my Uncle Mark..and his wife LaShel started doing the South Beach Diet. I had heard of it, but I had no idea what it was. I honestly figured it was some other trendy crash diet like HCG and blew it off. But then he told me that my Uncle and his wife have both lost significant amounts of weight in just a few months! So I became curious.
My dad lent me his copy of "The South Beach Diet: Supercharged" and I got to reading. Without reading very far, I realized that it was all stuff I already know! It's not a crash diet at all! I got excited and kept reading. It's basically teaching you how to get rid of cravings and then how to maintain a healthy, BALANCED diet...combined with exercise. It talks about good carbs vs. bad, good fats vs. bad...and even encourages splurging once in a while. This is a method I can totally get behind...because it's what I preach! But what was so different about it that my Aunt and Uncle were losing so much weight so quickly? That's where the specifics of the diet come in...and it's not easy.
My dad and I agreed to start Phase 1 (of 3) together today. It lasts two weeks. Phase 1 is the hardest, as you would expect, but also the most important (for me) because it is designed to clean out your system and get rid of cravings! AHHHH cravings. They are my biggest problem. I have a very hard time staying strong when my cravings hit. And they're not always cravings for sweets. Sometimes I crave the fried or fatty and cheesy goodness too. And when I crave something, I OBSESS about it until I get it. So I'm nervous, but excited to do Phase 1 and hopefully get rid of those cravings so that I can focus on my goals with a bit more ease.
Phase 1 is basically cutting out all refined carbs and sugar. No fruit, no bread, no cereal, no pasta, no rice, no oatmeal, no fatty cuts of meat, no starchy vegetables (like corn and carrots)....it's definitely not going to be easy. But it makes total sense. The reason we have cravings is because we let our blood sugar get all out of whack. We feel it dropping and reach for a quick fix (chips or a candy bar or some high glycemic carby snack) which shoots our blood sugar way up...but then just as quickly, we crash. And we're craving the next thing. So in phase 1, you focus on lean meats, non-starchy veggies (we're talking 2 cups with every meal here), low fat dairy, beans, nuts, eggs and healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil and avocados. The "foods to enjoy" list is actually REALLY long, whereas the "foods to avoid" list is only 1 page. So if done right (eating every 3 hours and snacking before your cravings would usually hit), I should actually never feel hungry.
From experience, however, I know that the first 3-4 days will be the hardest. Whenever I've binged or eaten things I shouldn't and I decide to get back on the wagon..those days just plain suck. They just do. It's more about will power than anything else. But once your system is cleaned out of the junk, it's amazing how great you feel!
So today was day 1 and I've started out strong with a big stinkin' omelette for breakfast. 1 egg & 2 whites, tomatoes, avocado, low fat mozzarella and a tiny bit of sriracha for flavor. It's going to be tricky though. This 2 week phase cuts out a lot of my usual go to foods like my apple bran muffins and flavored greek yogurts. Luckily I can still have my Quest bars and Stevia for sweetening.
I can do anything for 14 days, right? And maybe, just maybe...this will get me closer to breaking that damn 200lb barrier that has been taunting me for months!!!
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