HELP PLEASE! I can't get into ketosis on PHASE I!

[bluelotus88]

Hello, I am having some real troubles getting results in phase I. I always lose 2-3 lbs in the first 1-2 days (probably a lot of water weight) and then nothing. I don't have the bad breath or urine smell associated with ketosis. Since I had problems in the past, I am being even stricter than the regulations. NO dairy (just a carb free calcium supplement), less than recommended oils and fats, no peanut butter, easy on the cheese (maybe 1/2 a cup of low fat cheese a day), easy on the allowed sugar alcohol sweets (one sugar free popsicle and one sugar free jello a day adding to 25 calories daily, all sugar alcohol), lots of vegetables ALL off the list, 15 roasted almonds a day, and almost all of my meats are fat free ham/turkey lunch meat, boneless skinless chicken breast, and beef tenderloin. I have even avoided having more than 1/2 an onion or tomato daily (higher natural sugars) and maximum 1/4 an avocado since they are high is natural fats. I eat salads sometimes but no more than 1 a day and with 2 TBSP or less pf dressing (the two dressings I own are both fat free and one has 1g sugar for 2 TBSP and the other has 2g sugar for 2 TBSP). I haven't eaten something that I did not prepare, even if health info is available, just in case someone accidentally adds carbs. I have two glasses or less of caffeinated beverages a day (two because the diet has made me dizzy and weak and the caffeine keeps me standing at work). I don't eat recommended beans because I don't like them. I drink AT LEAST 10 8 oz glasses of water a day (normally 10-15). I also exercise more than an hour a day (30 minutes cardio and 45 minutes 5-10 lb weights). I walk and ride my bike every day (leisurely). I additionally take a fiber supplements each day (3 total carbs) to avoid constipation (past problem on this diet). What can I do?! Oh, and how essential is the "at least" 2 cups of veggies at lunch and dinner? I am trying to eat that much but I have always eaten small portions and I don't want to stretch my stomach to meet that requirement. PLEASE HELP! I have tried low calorie, prepared meal diets, workout programs, and now low carb without any success (and yes, my thyroid was checked and it is fine). I have 10-15 lbs that NEEDS to get the (insert unpleasant words here) off my body.

[Kimboroni]

1. You're not supposed to be on ketosis on SB at all-- we actually try to avoid it. SB isn't a low carb diet.

2. Since you only want to lose 10-15 lbs total, you are probably not going to see rapid results in p1. It's going to take some longterm healthy eating, which means actually doing the plan as written and not restricting yourself so much. You will also feel better then.

[victoria2132]

You should also just try to eat some beans - even if you don't like them. I used to haaaaate them, but now I can tolerate re fried, and black beans. Try adding cheeses or chiles to refried, and again cheese and maybe cilantro with black beans. You could also mix some salsa into either. I make some chimichangas that are p3 approved, they're essentially re fried beans mixed with cheese, chiles, and salsa. You could make this work in p1 by wrapping them in lettuce and maybe having them as a snack.

I just try to get veggies in with whatever I'm eating. Who has time to measure each vegetable?

How long have you been in p1? Maybe you should slow your workouts down until your body adjusts to no carbs.

I hope some of that helps - I know the beans are essential in my not having to drink boat loads of fiber, and keeping my energy level. I mean, they only recommend 1/3 to 1/2 cups. You can eat that even if you don't like them. Black beans don't even have a crazy amount of flavor.

And Kimberly is right about the slow weight loss, you probably wont lose the 8-12 lbs in p1. I'm in the same situation, I'm only hoping to lose around 20. I came off a week of hcg, (which I do NOT recommend) lost 8lbs, and yesterday gained one back. I'm okay with that, the first week of p1 my weight will probably fluctuate. I'm just going to weigh weekly from now on!

[Magna]

I make some chimichangas that are p3 approved, they're essentially re fried beans mixed with cheese, chiles, and salsa. You could make this work in p1 by wrapping them in lettuce and maybe having them as a snack.

The main thing that would make those p3 is deep frying and the use of a large or white-flour tortilla. But with lettuce they'd be OK in any phase as long as the cheese is lowfat and the refried beans aren't made with lard. For phase 2 you could use a whole-wheat tortilla. You could skip the deep frying by pan frying in a small amount of healthy oil, or by brushing/spraying on some healthy oil before cooking them with dry heat.

[victoria2132]

Those would actually be fine in any phase, as long as the cheese is lowfat and the refried beans aren't made with lard. (For phase 2 you can use a whole wheat tortilla.)

Oh yeah, that's what I meant, with the tortillas forgot to add that part in - I didn't know though that they'd be p2 approved! That's good news.

[victoria2132]

Actually I roll them, and bake them without adding any extra oils or anything, the tortillas still come out crispy. They're yum.

[Magna]

Be sure the tortilla is small - or if you use a big one, cut the chimichanga in half so you don't overdo the bread servings. (It's too easy to do that, believe me!)

[Kimboroni]

How long have you been in p1? Maybe you should slow your workouts down until your body adjusts to no carbs.

It's not "no carbs," though-- the whole point of including all of the veggies, including beans/legumes, and the 2 cups of dairy is because they are good sources of carbohydrates. They are just lower glycemic than the fruits and grains that can't be included until p2.



The idea behind the "at least 2 cups of veggies" guideline is to help redirect people frm thinking that it's a low carb diet where you should only eat half a cup of veggies and eat a bunch of meat instead-- that's not SB. If you can't get in 2 cups of veggies, that's okay, but make sure it's not because you're eating too much protein and crowding out the veggies. The suggested starting point for a meat serving isn't very large-- 3 oz is about the size of a deck of cards. Veggies should be the bulk of your meals.

The good fats are really important also, for so many reasons. Bluelotus, you're not doing SB right now, but your own low carb and low fat diet (SB is neither), which is basically just starvation. That cues your body to hold onto bodyfat for the famine it thinks is coming. That's not what you want.

[bethy]

what Kim said. I couldn't figure out How to say it myself, although I tried.

[bluelotus88]

Thank you everyone. I already added milk into my diet today and I will, sign, add in beans. The only kind I normally like were "beanies and wienies" which is not SBD approved. I don't feel like I have been doing no carbs since I have eaten plenty of vegetables I was just avoiding dairy/allowed sweets since I had done the first two weeks following all of the guidelines previously with no results. I have been counting calories or doing some plan for over a year with no hope so I thought SB might be the answer. I just cannot figure out how to get weight off my pear shaped body!I will try to add the two I have been excluding back to my diet. Thanks for the help!

[Kimboroni]

This is a faster plan for apple shapes, in the beginning, anyway. It will work for pears, too, just not quite as fast. At its core, SB is just balanced, healthy eating, which includes all of the important food groups (except for the very minor portion that is represented by p1, which is really just to break the bad carb craving cycle so p2 will stick). P2 is where you lose most of the weight and learn how to maintain the weight loss by building new habits.

[victoria2132]

Thank you everyone. I already added milk into my diet today and I will, sign, add in beans. The only kind I normally like were "beanies and wienies" which is not SBD approved. I don't feel like I have been doing no carbs since I have eaten plenty of vegetables I was just avoiding dairy/allowed sweets since I had done the first two weeks following all of the guidelines previously with no results. I have been counting calories or doing some plan for over a year with no hope so I thought SB might be the answer. I just cannot figure out how to get weight off my pear shaped body!I will try to add the two I have been excluding back to my diet. Thanks for the help!

I'm pear shaped also, I did south beach in college and lost 20-30 lbs in a few months, you'll see results, you've just got to stick with it! And also try to think of it as just a healthier way of eating. I was desperate - hence trying hcg - but that couldn't be any less healthy. Hang in there, take it a little easy on yourself, it's not the worlds easiest diet. Especially if you were used to eating a lot of complex carbs. I never quite lost the hips, but where I'm normally a 12 in pants, I was down to a 10-8 back then. I'm hoping I'll get back there again!