I am starting Schwarzbein and struggling to figure out a way to live forever on this diet, or making it fit me. . .I am really craving processed carbs and sugar. I would imagine that I am doing the classical transition from my old heavy carb diet. I feel much better on this diet, but I am still so hungry. I am wondering if I am not taking in enough protein. Is anyone else faced with this dilemna? This is only my second week on the diet as far as I understand it.

Hi! We must have posted at the same time! (See my post entitled "Just started SP...starving!") I, too, am ravenous. The cravings aren't too bad but I am really, really, hungry, and I am eating enough protein - I think! Hopefully some of the veteran SP'ers can give us some advice.

Nice to "meet" you!

Which book/plan are you following? The 2nd & 3rd books give more of an idea of how much protein you actually need per day than the first one. At 66 inches, I need 9-11 oz a day. My guess based on your height is that you need at least 10-12 oz a day, or 70-84g per day. And that may be a low estimate. Make sure you're eating your non-starchy veggies. Her 2nd book tells you how to use fruit to taper off sugar cravings, too. I haven't tried it, ?b/c I'm not a fruit lover, however.

It's exciting to see people losing weight right from the start! It means your metabolism is probably not damaged! And that's a very good thing.

If you are hungry, eat more! Let your appetite be your guide. When I first started her eating program a few years back, I tried to keep the carbs low and eat more fat to fill up. It didn't work. What works best to keep me going is a good balance of all 3 macronutrients. Her program really isn't low carb the way low carb is taken to mean. She wants you to eat enough carbs for your activity level. She actually does not contradict herself between books on this issue. If your metabolism is not healthy, you do have to watch that carb intake as you heal. Maybe check your portion sizes. Alot of ladies think they are eating so much when in reality, it's not that much food.

If you are hungry, protein is definitely your friend. Experiment to find the right balance for you. Do you snack? I always eat 5 times a day and have no hunger issues this way.

Hello Fellow SP Starters!

Yes! I am so happy to have found this chatboard or blog. (I'm not sure which it is in fact.) I have found that Jende was right! I have been very active and I am hungry because I am burning up what I eat and then some. So I have upped my carbs and protein and fats and I feel much better. Now on to the next hurdle. . . My husband and I are experiencing 'tight times" and due to our inattention, we must get by on the groceries at hand, only for a short time though. So I am going to turn out the depths of the freezer for veggies and fiber, etc. My husband is my true partner though, this morning he was experimenting with making pancakes with flax meal! He needs a little more work on these low-carb projects though. Also, I am loving that my sweet tooth is becoming more sensitive. My just-mashed-peanuts peanut butter tastes sweet and delicious now! Thanks EVEREEEBODY for your informative posts and help. I do feel so much better!

Hi Elle,

Thanks for all of your posts and for your interest. (Your family is darling, what a great site for sharing pictures!) I am learning so much in the practical realm of living with the SP diet. I have the first two books and the cookbook, which my husband, the cook, is enjoying. I have tried eating more protein though it something I do not particularly like. You are correct though, I am feeling much better. I also found that I needed a few more carbs to balance things as I have been very active since starting the program. It is good to hear that losing weight is a good sign, when I think of all the carbs I used to load myself down with . . .Whew! I feel blessed. I am not losing quite so fast now but I am gaining more muscle mass so I can tell the difference in my clothing.

I am a really good veggie and fruit eater and I am learning to love less starchy fruits and veggies.

Thanks so much Jende! I realized this was true when I started increasing my protein, carb and fiber! The cravings went away! I am exercising vigorously for about an hour each evening. It has really allowed me to sleep better despite other stresses. I do not like protein all that much generally but it has always helped me, I found my way to losing 45 pounds about three years ago with Weight Watchers by concentrating on proteins. I feel I will be able to lose and maintain my weight loss now that I am feeling so much better 'balanced.' Thank you for your interest. I am still such a newbie to this pc communication, that I find myself humbled and grateful for the amazing kindness of strangers (becoming less so!) in this wonderful community.

I had cravings the first week, but they are dying down. I think its just that your body is and has been craving nutrition for so long and before you were satisfying it with bad food, so they didn't go away. Maybe when the deficit gets satisfied, the cravings go away. Mine are definately getting better after a couple of weeks. I even had pizza last night and was able to ditch most of the crust and eat only a couple of pieces. Thats definately a first.

The other thing that is helping me is visualization. Eating has always been emotional for me. I relax myself and then visualize a room full of food, both good and bad. (Dont forget to include your favorite trigger foods) I tell myself that I feel NO EMOTION towards any of them. Then I choose which foods I know my body requires and ignore the rest.
(this was not my idea, I saw a talk show where a psychiatrist recommend doing this) Its does help.