South Beach for runners?

[rossilu]

Hi! I have started (and stopped) SB several times...but the last time (in July) I followed phase 1 for a full week, lost the few pounds I wanted to lose and got my cravings under control. But then, I didn't exactly move on to phase 2. I sort of jumped in to phase 3, and did OK until very recently. Now, the cravings are back full force! I have decided to start again on Monday. I only need to lose a couple of pounds...but I really need to kick these cravings. I'm SUCH a carb addict (my only addiction, really, besides running). My question is...should I stay in phase 1 for the full two weeks even though I don't need to lose a lot of weight AND I'm a runner? I wish I could control myself if I started in phase 2, but I've proved to myself that I can't. So, I guess my only answer is to start with phase 1 and stick with it for the full two weeks. Any other suggestions? Advice? Thanks!

[RedRox]

Well it doesn't sound like you gave the slow transition process into P2 a real chance the first time either. Dr. A suggests that those who are active and have little to lose can start with P2. How did your running hold up the first time you did P1? If it suffered, do you want to go through that again and which is more important to you? Were you doing a full P1 implementation with all the allowed good carbs including all the allowed dairy, beans/legumes and the minimums of 4.5 cups of vegetables daily? (such that you were getting 80+ gms of good carbs per day?) What do you mean by P3? P3 is NOT a return to the way you ate before. P3 is really more like P2 90-95% of the time with the occasional guilt free treat or off plan food in special circumstances. P2 is the real plan where you learn what foods work for you, which don't and how to make this a sustainable way of life given our own unique situations and circumstances. It sounds like you kind of missed that step and didn't really go through that important part of the process. Anyway, you might also be able to begin with a modified P1/P2 hybrid to keep your carb intake up to support your running more efficiently using the more low GI starches and fruits in P2 as if you were starting the transition process. Or do P1 for 4-5 days to do a reset (with all the good carbs mentioned above) and then start the transition process avoiding flour based starches (focus on starchy veggies and whole grains in their whole formats) and sticking to the lowest GI fruits like berries. Give P2 a real chance to build that healthy lifestyle that will support your activity levels and keep the food based cravings from coming back and maybe you can make it a real lifestyle change program this time. (BTW, it sounds like these may be more emotional wants and urges and you will need to work on those through other means than simply changing your diet, although reducing the food based cravings will help in an overall context.) Good luck and best wishes on your continuing SB adventure!

[rossilu]

Thanks for all of the advice! I started phase 1 today and am going to stick with it for the full 2 weeks. I think that will be the only way for me to really kick the cravings. You are absolutely right about me jumping in to phase 3 (and really NOT phase 3 b/c after a few weeks I just started eating like I did before). After these first 2 weeks, I'm going to have to REALLY stick w/ phase 2 as far as introducing foods back in slowly.

Thanks again for the suggestions! Your response really helped!

[RedRox]

Albert Einstein, who was a pretty smart fellow, gave us the quote, "Insanity is doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results." If we became overweight eating foods primarily from "Menu A" and we lose weight eating foods largely from "Menu B", then it kind of stands to reason we cannot go back to "Menu A" and expect to maintain at a lower weight. It didn't work the first time, and it won't work at any time. Phase 3 is not the way we ate before. Phase 3 is still really mostly Phase 2 most of the time. Still not sure you need a full 2 weeks in P1, but listen to your body!