Need to understand absolute bottom line of Ph.2 and 3

[spaceychik]

I've read the original book and all of the food lists and GI lists. Some allowed foods are high on the GI, and so I'm assuming that the bottom line of this plan is to reduce sugar in your body. Is that correct? Is the main plan to eliminate all white flours, white rice, white potatoes, sugar, prepared foods, white pasta, fruit juices, high sugar fruits, milk chocolates, and so on? Otherwise, the allowed foods seem ambiguous, if one depends on the GI. Also, there is still the question of calories in and calories out. It takes 3500 calories less to lose a lb., supposedly, so calories have to still be important, don't they? Eating unlimited amts. of protein can be high in calories. Eggs have fat and cholesterol. Everything has calories. I am confused. I understood Ph. 1 was to eliminate cravings, which did happen for me, but I'm not getting Ph.2 or 3. I really could use a simple explanation. Thank you

[Magna]

Someone else may be able to supplement this, but basically phase 2 (and 3) is designed to:
1. Help us eat a low-glycemic diet (i.e., foods that don't cause blood sugar to rise quickly),
2. Keep calories under control.
3. Eat foods with known nutritional or health benefits (including moderate amounts of foods that wouldn't otherwise be included on phase 2),
4. Eat a healthy diet overall.

Eating a healthy diet means we should be eating plenty of vegetables, along with some fruit, whole grains, adequate amounts of protein, and good fats. It also means minimizing saturated fats and foods known to be unhealthy. Calories are kept under control by controlling the type and amount of foods we eat. For example, calorie-dense foods like meats, dairy, nuts, seeds, good fats, and beans are included but the quantity is limited. There's no particular limit for meats, eggs, or protein foods, except that you should eat only an adequate amount, until you're satisfied. Eggs do have fat and cholesterol, but you don't have to eat eggs (people who need to limit dietary cholesterol can skip them), and they are still rather low in fat and calories compared with the fatty meats or poultry we don't eat. Naturally lower-calorie foods like vegetables are emphasized, so we fill up on them instead of the calorie-dense foods.

[RedRox]

FWIW, also some foods like carrots are relatively high in GI but fairly low in Glycemic Load (GL) which is the impact measured for a typical serving size. P2 and P3 are just healthy eating focusing on a diet comprised primarily of vegetables, supplemented by lean proteins, small amounts of healthy fats, nuts, beans, and so forth. If you overconsume any one area (other than probably vegetables) you will likely stall or gain, so you adjust quantities based on your experience, activity level and body reactions. If you haven't found the meal planning guidelines linked into the FAQ topics that might help you understand portions better as well.

[spaceychik]

Thanks to you both! That helped a lot.

[RedRox]

Also FWIW, for me personally, the primary difference between P2 and P3 is simply that in P3 you are at or near your ideal weight and the scale stops moving. It's basically the "mother of all plateaus" as I sometimes refer to it. I personally can't stray too far from a full P2 style menu for any length of time without starting to gain weight back. P2 is the type of diet that works for me to be happy, healthy, active and productive. I already proved that my old diet before I started SB provided none of those things. That's why I harp on finding ways to make P2 sustainable and enjoyable as you go through it to find what works for you. If you want to find the "key" to successful long term weight management, it's finding an eating plan that you can live with for the rest of your life that allows you to remain weight stable.

[Chris55]

The whole idea of P1 is to stabilize your blood sugar and therefore reduce your cravings, like the all-day carb munchies I had even on other diet plans. With P2, it's about reintroducing healthy complex carbs slowly so that your blood sugar remains stable and so you see which ones work best for you. Some people find they have issues even with brown rice, for example. By issues I mean that it either sets off cravings or saps your energy or both. Sometimes it's a matter of what time of day you eat things also. I'm best with a P1 breakfast and can't seem to eat two servings of whole grain bread at a time, so if I have a sandwich for lunch it's always a half sandwich paired with veggies or soup. So P2 is about experimenting and finding a mix that works for you in terms of your energy, cravings, and weight loss.

You can also have higher GI things like potatoes once in a while as long as you slow down their digestion with other foods like a little fat. Dr. A advises that if you're having a potato, don't have a dry baked one - have some healthy fat with it, which will slow down the sugar rush into your bloodstream. So strictly going by the GI of foods isn't completely necessary all the time - you can be flexible as long as you're aware of what you're doing and how to minimize the effects of the foods in question.

[Kimboroni]

I think Redrox's sig quote sums it up: "Eat real food. Not too much. Mostly plants."