lose 15 pounds

I had a check up in January and I was 7 lbs up from last year. I know I’ve lost a little, so this was disheartening. I think what happened was, I lost a few on South Beach then gained those back plus a few Thanksgiving/Christmas lbs….so I’m hoping that the exercise will start taking effect on my metabolism. I just realized that the “weight smart” multivitamins I was taking are loaded with caffeine…and I’ve been trying to cut back on caffeine, so this was another disappointment. Still, I plod on. Actually, I’m not so interested in the poundage number, but more on the flab factor. I want to firm up and if I weigh the same number but my stomach and butt are tighter, I won’t care.

This morning when I stepped on the scale, it registered 2 lbs less than my start weight. Today is my last day on Phase 1 of SBD, although I have cheated a little. Last night I had a few glasses of red wine with a friend and then I followed them up with a few “Pocky” (a Japanese cracker stick dipped in chocolate.) Funny how after a night of dietary cheating I actually weigh less…I wonder what that’s all about?

Last night I came home from dinner with some new friends and promptly threw up all of my salad I had eaten. Salad is a nasty thing to barf…then I went to bed at 9:30pm, which is extremely early for me. I awoke at 2:30am very hungry. Not sure if my stomach had recovered, I decided to try something from the BRAT (bannannas, rice, applesauce, toast—especially for upset tummies)diet. I had some toast…it was so good to have toast. I kept that down and followed it up with some sugar free jello.

This morning I had donuts for the kids, but I broke down and ate half a plain one…it was sooooo good. I really can’t wait to eat bread again, this diet really sucks. And other than throwing up, I don’t think I’ve lost any weight at all. If I’m going to maintain my weight eating veggies all day long, I’m going back to sugar and carbs…they are much more fun. Oh, wait, this is about my health too, and stopping the cravings. Darn.

The cravings have mostly subsided, but I do long for a good, crusty piece of garlic bread…..or a cookie. I am finding that I am being more deliberate about what I’m eating instead of just randomly snacking or eating an absurd number of cookies or chocolates. I’m learning more about the glycemic index of foods (sort of familiar since I was borderline gestational diabetes during my last two pregnancies, and I had to limit certain foods). I haven’t lost any weight yet, at least not from what I can tell. Last week I was menstrual, so I was bloated and about 5 lbs heavier on the scale, but that was 5 lbs above what I thought my “start weight” really was. So I am at square one.

Most importantly, I feel good, and am encouraged that I have lasted this long with it already.

Hi, my name is Joyella, and I’m a carbo-choco-sugar-aholic.

South Beach Diet (official) Day 2:
I want sugar! I’ve actually been sugar-free, fruit-free, starch-free, and alcohol-free since last Wednesday -save a brief lapse for celebrating both the old and new years. This consisted 5 alcoholic beverages (over the course to two evenings), several chocolate diped strawberries, one piece of french bread, two lady fingers also dipped in chocolate, oh, yes and the evil chocolate covered mini-cheesecakes….I lost count on those (thanks Liz). sigh

Am I off the wagon if I lick up a drip of chocolate syrup while mixing chocolate milk for my son? Do chocolate sprinkles count as cheating? I am “allowed” 5 mini-chocolate chips in a South Beach Diet “dessert”....5 MINI chips?! Pulllleez… a small handful of regular chips might tide me over…

But I think this dietary modification will improve my health and my cooking. Never before have I eaten so many vegetables at each meal and in between as snacks. The book has recipes, but I’m having more fun making up various stir fry dishes, salads, and omlette variations. I do miss bread, and fruit, but mostly it’s the chocolate and general sweetness of sugar I miss. Well this phase lasts 2 weeks then I get to add in fruits and a little chocolate and some whole grain starches. (For someone who secretly aspires to being a chocolatier and pastry chef, this diet is brutal.)

I finally decided to get serious on this. I bought the South Beach Diet book on Friday and have been evaluating how and when I’m going to start this. I sort of don’t want to tell anyone in case i fail miserably, but on the other hand, I’m more likely to succeed if “my people” know as a measure of accountability. I told my folks last night, and they were supportive with such expressions as “more power to ya”. I’m not really “fat” but I’m slightly chubby now after three babies and I’ve been “stress eating” more this past year because of my impending divorce and have put a few lbs back on. (I’d really love to lose 20 lbs, but am afraid that is too far fetched so I’d be thrilled with 15.) It is my intention to implement the diet in full rigor at the start of the new year. I’ve never dieted before, not like this, so this is a little scary. I love sugar and bread and fruit, and the first 2 weeks there will be none of those things…