by Marcia Purse
After my first week of Phase 1 on the South Beach Diet, my weight this morning is 179. This is a loss of only 2 pounds - but that's better than gaining, right?
Sticking to the diet was much more difficult for me this second time around than it was the first time I went through Phase 1. All the reasons for this are related to the fact that I am still recovering from surgery. My schedule is erratic; I sometimes sleep through mealtimes; depression causes me to forget meals (and probably contributes to the massive chocolate cravings, since dark chocolate boosts endorphins). Also, I am not yet strong enough to go grocery shopping. It's not fair - or practical - of me to lay all the responsibility on my Mom. In addition, since she is the cook in our two-person household, it's very hard for her to give up her favorite dishes - such as Saturday night's veal stew - just because they aren't allowed on my diet.
I've been reading the South Beach Diet diary of About Walking Guide Wendy Bumgardner with great interest. Wendy is a good cook, obviously, and likes a much wider variety of foods than I do. She also has boundless energy! I don't know how she gets everything done. And I admit I find it baffling when she says she can make an omelet in the same amount of time it takes to make toast. For me, making scrambled eggs is a big production, and omelets utterly defeat me. Not to mention how much time it takes to clean the frying pan after cooking eggs...
Anyway, for a Week 1 summary I can't do better than Wendy's format, which she has graciously given me permission to use:
Body/Appearance Effects: Nothing I can see or feel yet
Things I Didn't Do:
- I didn't adhere 100% to the Phase 1 food guidelines
- I didn't follow the daily meal plans, which are not practical and contain too many foods I dislike
- I did not count calories or portions
- I did not get hungry - except when I missed or delayed a meal, or when I had habitual cravings
- I reduced my intake of starchy foods
- I worked on remedies for chocolate and late-night cravings
- I continued to drink coffee - half regular, half decaf
Energy: Nil, but not because of the SBD. I am doing more than my body can handle just by working three 6-hour days plus commute, but in our tiny office I am desperately needed. Things got really backed up during my absence the first ten days after surgery. I need to adjust other demands on my energy.
Convenience: Without bread, I've found it hard to have much variety in lunches. I do use an "Arctic Zone" lunch bag with a solid cold pack in the bottom, so my salads are kept fresh. At work we have a fridge, microwave and toaster oven, but real cooking is not possible. So it's a good thing I like salads!
Next Page: Week 2, Day 1
