Hit my 160 target on Monday. I'm setting a new goal at 155 and then will start on P2. That'll give me a 5 +/- range to work with.

Can't believe how very easy it is to become a new person. I encourage anyone who lurks to jump on in - it works and you will be happy you did.

Spring's around the corner

congrats! I hit my target a few days ago as well. I love the new me, it feels great isn't it?

I'm very happy for you that you've reached your goal weight.

I must once again warn you, that staying in phase I for the duration, is not the recommdended way to accomplish this.

We need to be adding in fruits and starches while we are still losing the weight....this prevents your body from regaining the way you are intending to do it.

Good job! I wouldn't see why you couldn't wait until you lost another five lbs. Smart thinkin if you ask me to have that extra few pounds to work with when you start adding things in.

Because on South Beach, we don't do it that way.

I like to go by what Judy has said in the past; if you stay on Phase 1 throughout your whole diet and you stop losing where do you go from there? At least if you do Phase 2 and stop losing you can go back to P1 to kick start your losing again.

Finally! Somebody who sees it my way 5 more lbs and then I go to P2, P3 and whatever other fancy stuff they call it. Bending the rules isn't necessarily a bad thing - every body reacts different.

I think I explained my plan , which included moving to other phases, but always seem to get a lecture in the process

I speak from personal experience and sorry if you feel like I'm lecturing you.

While I do wish you great long term success.....and really I do....my experience tells me otherwise with your way of doing it. The lure of speedy weight loss has gotten you....and that is not a recipe for long term maintenance success.

No problem with the lecturing. I have leather skin What I also have is determination when stacked against odds and doubt - thanks

We can kick this around forever and you are absolutely correct about moving on....I appreciate your advice and will do so when I get to 155

Geesshhhh................another couple weeks won't hurt anything

OK...I got it!
You want to prove me wrong and I'll be happy to see it happen!!

Here is some info:
Adding in the good carbs we will eat in phase II & III, while we are still losing, allows our bodies to adapt to burning them.
This is ideal.

When we wait until we no longer have weight to lose, your body will not be adapted to using them and you could easily see weight gain....which is exactly what we don't want!!

So when you do get to 155 and start to add back...you will need to do that very, very slowly to allow your body to adapt.
Like this:
1st week- 1 piece of fruit daily
2nd week- 1-2 fruits daily + 1 good starch (and it should not be bread which is a processed grain) start with a starch like sweet potato or old fashioned oat meal which are not processed.

We work our way up to 3-4 fruits a day and 3-4 starches. It really depends on how much exercise you do daily.
I can eat 2-3 fruits daily and 2-3 starches daily and not gain in maintenace and yes, I do count daily.

Hey Judy,

Thanks for that guidance. I plan to do exactly what you suggest. In fact, I've nibbled on a few fruits, etc when shopping at the grocery and it hasn't been rejected by this body

My doc said to quit losing so fast and my wife has been on me too, saying the same thing you do

Currently, I have pinched nerves on L5/6 and numbness in my fingers. So I'm under doc care for injections, PT, some pain killers, etc. With all that, I don't behave under orders and continue to work out, lift weights, play over 50 musical performances per month - an animal! Life's too short

It sure is great to have people care about me and I'll look forward to adding a few things soon.

SNOWED IN - awful here today

oy vey....what will it take for you to get it?
seriously, you could really injure yourself permanently with that attitude!!
Listen to your body!! its telling you something.

Congrats! I'm ready to be at my goal weight again - those darned holiday pounds are stubborn!

I just saw your siggy...welcome to the beach ...even if its just for a while!!
Its nice here.

Congratulations on reaching goal! How long did it take?