discouraged

[darinesto]

I am on the 3rd week of phase 2. I did great in phase 1 with a loss of 9 lbs. In the 3 weeks 2 days on phase 2 I haven't lost any & have actually gained a lb or 2. I am following it with only a small slip or 2 like 1 hot dog with bun & a taste of potato salad for the 4th. I have added a 1/2 cup of fiber one.. an apple & very small sweet potato. I did this one item a week.

My typical diet is an egg, 2 scrambler & veggie burger for breakfast. A meat (mostly turkey..or ground turkey breast 1 % fat mixed with 4 % fat hamberger) I have lots of fresh veggies cooked with no seasoning. I also have milk or cheese for snacks along with a few nuts. I have cereal & yogurt at nite.. I mix yogurt in my cereal.

What am I doing wrong. I am not giving up but sure would like to see a loss. DO U think maybe I am eating too many veggies. I eat a lot of yellow squash..okra & tomatoes. I have an egg plant to cook soon. We go to the farmers market.

It is so discouraging to see my best friend eat cookies..candy.. Ice cream & eat out almost everyday even at Hardees & lose still.. she is not even as active as I am. I was just in her apt & she was eating Ice cream.. had candy wrappers on the table & a empty cookie wrapper beside her. We go to TOPS & she will take a laxative the nite before.

What can I do to start seeing a loss?
Dar

[Kimboroni]

I doubt that you are eating too many veggies (although it's possible-- more on that later). Just make sure they are on the p1 veggie list rather than being under starches on the p2 list. It is possible to overdo starchy veggies and create insulin issues. You didn't mention anything that would be an issue, but you can check the lists and make sure.

Do you have 1-2 fruits and 1-2 grains daily? That's the suggested amount at this point in the plan. You didn't list any good fats either. Maybe you eat so many veggies that the other foods are getting left out, and you aren't getting enough calories.

What your friend is doing sounds very unhealthy. She is losing weight by taking a laxative? And she is probably losing muscle by not exercising and eating inadequate protein. Maybe it looks impressive on the scale for now, but it is setting her up for huge problems down the road. She will look flabby and probably yo-yo. Absolutely do not compare yourself to her. You want healthy, lasting weight loss, right?

[anniespy]

You didn't mention your exercise plan.... Age age 69, your metabolism slows wayyyy down. You may want to add walking into the mix.

[darinesto]

My veggies are.. squash (yellow) Okra.. Tomatoes & green tomatoes cooked in the oven. I do use some olive oil when I roast in the oven. Also use some reduced fat kraft mayo plus olive oil to scramble my eggs in.
I eat 1 apple a day cutup with a little Mayo on it & sweetner. They are medium size apples not the tiny ones. I am out of squash & green tomatoes but do have a eggplant still which I will roast in the oven. I have frozen brocoli (sp) & other veggies I can have till I get to the store or farmers market. I don't drive so have to depend on others. The only starchy veggie I eat is a small sweet potato. I skipped that yesterday & will stop having it every day. I also eat 1/2 a cup of fiber one cereal mixed with some yogurt. I may not be getting enough milk products but if I keep adding won't my weight go up more? I do get enough protien I'm pretty sure.

I have been using Hienz 1 carb catchup.. is that OK? I made a meatloaf last nite with 4% fat hamburger & 1% ground turkey breast. I put a little Old fashion oatmeal in it .. 1 egg & a little milk. Also put about 1/2 a cup of the ketchup but this will last me at least 3 meals.

My exercize is limited but do try to walk some everyday in the halls. This building has a lot of halls as it is 100 aptments. I do need to increase the walking & add some strengthing exercizes for my legs.. I have leg weights which I got when I was in therapy but not using them now that I am out of therapy.. BAD.. I have lost all I gained I'm sure.

I'm really trying hard to do right but would sure like to lose a little. I won some chocolate candy at a bingo game we have here & gave it away. I knew I couldn't bring it to the apt :>)

Thanks for the answers & any furture help anyone can give me.
Dar

[WGirl]

HI,

Sounds like you are doing a good job at this. Sweet potatoes every day is a bit much. Once or twice a week is better.

Don't give up the dairy products Use fat free yogurt, cottage cheese and skim milk. You need the calcium.

On the ketchup, it is fine. But I know it is expensive so next time try your meatloaf with some tomato sauce instead. Much less expensive and tastes fine. Save the expensive ketchup for other stuff.

Do you eat beans? I like to cook them with onion. They are good and filling.

You are doing well on the walking so add some weights back in. And not just on your legs but your arms too. Building muscle helps aid weight loss and is just plain good for you.

Also, not eating enough can slow your efforts too. Make sure you are getting as many green and orange veggies as posssible. Cabbage is good! I like to throw in some onion and maybe a little chicken broth.

HTH,

[darinesto]

I do need to get in some beans. I ate them in phase 1 but not much since I have been in P2. I cook them in canned chicken broth which I do have on hand.

I didn't have any tomato sauce so used what I had. I will be going shopping Friday so will get some then as I do like the meatloaf better than frying with very little oil.. The low fat is so dry but was nice cooked like I did in a loaf.

I have plenty of dry milk here but am getting low on yogurt & cottage cheese. I'll get more Friday when I shop. Is there a way to make yogurt using powdered milk? I know I can make buttermilk if I had some to use as a starter. I'll have to check the internet for yogurt.

I have dumbbells in 3 & 5 lb weights. I just need to use them. My ankle weights are 1 - 5 lbs each. I have neuropathy caused by a kidney infection I had in 2004. That is what left my muscles weaker. I am not diabetic.

I will cut down the sweet potato to Sunday & Wednesday... something to look forward to

Along with losing I am hoping my triglisterides are going down.. I took myself off Tricor. I didn't like how I was feeling with them. They will be checked the 24th. It would be nice to be down about 15 lbs when I go back to the Dr.

I take Silver Centram vitamins.. is there any other I should get Friday. I also take vitamin E as it sure helps my leg cramps. I also take a calcium suppliment too. I am using Viactiv but need to get a pill I guess as this has 20 calories & corn syrup in it. I started using this when I choked BAD on a large pill.. It took me over an hour to get it to go down. I couldn't even swollow salava. I was about ready to go to the ER when it went down. Sure scared me & I was alone.

One more thing..
Can I have chicken gravy from the mix ONCE IN AWHILE? The ingredience are as follows..
Enriched wheat flour modified wheat starch Dextrose (sugar)
The most of the rest is just additives

25 calories 0 fat 4 g carbs 1 g sugar

I know I can't have it often but would it be OK once in a great while? I miss gravy. Could I make some gravy with wheat flour & chicken broth?
If so the flour will be added to my list.

I sure appreciate this forum & all the help it has been to me. None of my friends understand South Beach & could care less. It is nice to know people who do care
Now off to walk a little,
Dar

[Kimboroni]

This is a great plan for triglycerides. Insulin is responsible for taking care of both sugars and fats in the blood. Too much sugar in the bloodstream means that the insulin can't deal with the fats well either, so they stay in the blood. Once you decrease the glycemic load of your meals, the insulin can then deal with the sugars and the fats. No high blood sugar and no more high triglycerides!

My mom is 65 and she has gotten down to her weight goal with SB. She lost part of what she wanted to lose by just walking and "watching what she eats," but the remainder wouldn't budge at all until she changed the types of foods she was eating. It took a while (she didn't have much left to lose), but her doctor is very happy with the results.

[luvs_torun]

I know I can't have it often but would it be OK once in a great while? I miss gravy. Could I make some gravy with wheat flour & chicken broth?
If so the flour will be added to my list.

Yes you can.... or sometimes for a "quick" gravy I use Fat Free Cream of Chicken (or Mushroom) soup mixed with skim milk. (I too am a gravy lover!)

[WGirl]

On the calcium supplement, try to find something chewable. Maybe even a tums. Your pharmacist may be able to help you pick out one. I hate horse pills too.

On the gravy thing, there may be suggestions for sauces in the recipe section.

[diresu]

You can make yogurt at home with powdered milk. Here is a link that gives instructions.

http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/yogurt.htm

You do need some yogurt from the store (with "live" cultures) but you can freeze it in small quantities and it will last for a while. You will also need a food thermometer.

Good luck,

Jen

[darinesto]

Thanks Jen,
I found some recipes but not as good as yours. I guess a theromater for making candy would do. I'll have to get one & some fresh starter when I get to go shopping Friday. I'll probably use the oven method as I don't have a cooler or heating pad.
I sure hope it works as yogurt is one of the things I have problems keeping on hand.
Thanks again,
Dar

[darinesto]

I'm still somewhat discouraged.. I have done phase 2 for 5 weeks & 2 days & all I have lost is the pound I gained. I'm still at the 9 lbs I lost the 1st 2 weeks. If My triglisterides aren't down when I go to the Dr Monday I am either going back to phase 1 for awhile or trying a different diet. This one isn't working to well for me.
I'm given up a lot not to be losing. Just like I went out with a group.. they had things like BBQ pork chops.. mashed potatoes & gravy.. baked beans..carrot salad plus dessert. I only had a chicken breast.. boiled cabbage & a deviled egg. It's worth it if I could lose weight or my triglisterides go down...other wise I'm not sure.

a sample day..
Breakfast:
2 scramblers + 1 egg cooked in olive oil
Graded squash or fresh spinach or mushrooms sometimes 2 veggies
slice 2% cheese
Snack:
Cottage cheese FF
A few almonds
Lunch:
Lean protein about 4oz
a big serving veggies
1/2 cup beans or lentals
Twice a week I will have a small Sweet potatoes instead of beans
OR
A large chefs salad with fresh spinach..tuna or salmon or left over meat.. beans.. & anything else I see to throw in... legal salad dressing about 2 TBS.

Snack:
Peanut butter cup with 1 TB peanut butter
Dinner:
Yogurt 1 cup FF plain
Fiber one cereal 1/2 - 3/4 cup
snack:
Apple cut up.. I like a little lite Mayo mixed in.

Anything I fry is in olive oil or olive oil spray.
I did have some spaggetti tonite fixed with the dry mix & tomato paste but won't have that often (1st time.) Burilla Plus angel hair. I don't think it is SB aproved but was all I had.. I'll do better next time. I used 4% fat meat. I also had a large serving of veggies with it. Sure was good for a change.

I guess I shouldn't gripe as I would probably be gained without doing SB these last few weeks but sure would like to lose some too..

In looking above I see U asked about the grains & fruit. If I eat more I feel like I'll gain.. won't I? I get 1 of each every day & sometimes 2.. I am sure open for ideas.
Thanks
Dar

[sheri164]

Dar-
I really felt how discouraged you are. So much that I put your food into sparkpeople - and I came up with a pretty high number calorie wise. Now, I might have guessed wrong on a few things - but I thought that maybe while you're eating SB foods you might have them in the wrong proportions for yourself.

As for the triglycerides - I know mine went way down doing SB - so if that's a big part of the reason you're trying this - my guess is if you stick with it you'll get a good result.

Anyway - to get back to the food. What are scramblers? I'm sorry but I don't have a clue what it is? You might be getting too many calories in the form of cheese and nuts. Those foods are very dense - calorie wise - and sometimes - for some people - they can be real diet busters. Also, the ground beef - I don't know what you mean by 4% fat. All the stores give different breakdowns - and honestly - I wonder sometimes how honest they are. I know ground beef usually is one of the fattiest things - so it's good if you mix the ground turkey in with it anyway. Since you're taking a calcium supplement - if you get a cup of yogurt in every day, I think that might be enough in the dairy department.

My suggestion is post a journal of your food intake every day for a week or two. Just be sure to measure things. Count out the nuts you eat - don't say you had "a few" 'cause that could mean 3 or 30 depending on who is doing the counting!!

I'm just 10 years younger than you - and I know it's a challenge to drop weight as you get older. The body just doesn't seem to be as cooperative as it once was, does it?

[darinesto]

Sheri I started a journal this morning for that very reason. You can find it here
http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/for ... 857#710857

Scramblers are egg substitutes & 1/2 cup (equal to 2 eggs) is 60 calories with no fat.
I guess I should have said 96% fat free hamburger. That is about the only beef I eat.

In the past I did better if I stayed under 1000 calories & it is easy to go over that. They say here I need 1200 calories. I think I am eating over 1000 but today wasn't a normal day with the spaggetti. We can get a truer count tomorrow.

I ususally have an apple at nite for a snack but I got some fresh yellow squash today so think I'll cook me some of them instead. I enjoy fresh veggies.

I find that sparkpeople doesn't give a true count. It had egg beaters (same as scramblers) having 122 calories instead of 60. Plus I found a few others wrong. They also don't use the measures I use.
I use this mostly for calorie counts.
http://www.ntwrks.com/~mikev/chart1.html

I think I have worked harder on this diet than any I have done before & with less weight loss. I guess I need to figure out how much & what I can eat.
I don't give up too easy..
Thanks for the answer,
Dar

[sheri164]

Okay scramblers - they're what I used to refer to as "fake eggs".

When I was doing low fat I used them - but once I got on SB I used regular eggs again. Funny thing is on a low fat diet my cholesterol was up to something like 265 - even with the cholesterol meds being increased twice.

Now, on SB, eating eggs and such - my cholesterol is way down - to 167.

So much that I convinced the doctor to cut my dosage in half. I'm still working on getting the BP meds cut. Slow progress - but I'm getting healthier.

I'm glad you started the journal. It should help. I'll try to check in on your journal and see what's happening as time goes by. Good luck.