Not much new to write about today. I changed my food up a little bit, and I was tempted by wine (it’s going to be a LOOOONG summer), and even though I can practically taste it, I still said “no”. I’m looking forward to what the scale says on Saturday, if it’s not great news (meaning a significant weight loss based on the current phase of this diet) I may not be able to resist the temptation again.

Like I said yesterday, I took the day off from walking today. It was actually perfect timing. My son had decided not to nap until 4pm and only if he was in my arms, plus my oldest had a friend sleep over and she didn’t get picked up until late (later than planned that is). So no exercise today, unless you count keeping up with the demands of 4 kids (one of which was my nephew). I’m honestly more exhausted than if I HAD walked.

Breakfast:
1 fried (in canola oil spray) egg
1 piece turkey sausage

AM Snack:
Baby Bel Light cheese

Lunch:
Tuna w/ approx 2 tbsps canola oil mayo

PM Snack:
Baby Bel Light cheeae (obviously I love these things and they’re really quick and easy)

Dinner:
Leftovers
Grilled London Broil steak
Side salad
Romaine lettuce
Grape tomatoes
Green pepper
Cucumber
Feta cheese
2 tbsps light Ranch dressing

Dessert:
(no sugar added) fudge pop

Beverages:
Water
Decaf ice tea w/ Splenda
5 hr energy shot (Berry) (it was necessary!)

Today wasn’t so bad. No cravings for bad foods, no cravings for food at all actually. I just wasn’t hungry for most of the day. I ate because I’m supposed to but honestly I’d rather have snacked (on SBD approved foods of course) all day. I don’t know if that’s even ok or not. I figure since the purpose of eating all the time is to keep you from feeling the hunger pangs that make you crave bad carbs and to kick start your metabolism, as long as I’m eating SOMETHING from the list it should be okay.
Ugh, I did NOT want to walk tonight! It was so sticky hot, but I did it. 90+ degrees and it’s not even summer yet, and the humidity…forget it! Tomorrow my exercise partner has an appt so she won’t be able to walk so I’m going to take the day off. I’ve done well this week, I feel like I deserve it .
Despite not being very hungry, I made an AWESOME London Broil on the grill tonight. Tasted just like my momma’s I may have to fight my daughter for the left overs though . I had to promise her after my diet I would make 2 so that she could eat steak until she was stuffed.

Breakfast:
2 scrambled eggs w/ oven roasted turkey (lunch meat) and 1 piece mozz cheese
2 pieces turkey bacon

AM Snack:
Baby Bel Light cheese

Lunch:
turkey roll ups
3 slices reduced fat colby-jack cheese
5 slices (some were really thin) oven roasted turkey lunch meat
Mustard

PM Snack:
Baby Bel Light cheese
SBD Planters Peanuts

Dinner:
Grilled London Broil
Side salad
Romaine lettuce
Grape tomatoes
Cucumber
Green pepper
2 tbsps Light Ranch dressing

Dessert:
(no sugar added) fudge pop

Beverages:
Water
Decaf ice tea w/ splenda

Exercise:
walk, 2 miles

As soon as I figure out how to NOT post directly to facebook from my Streak (I can disable it from the computer but I’m rarely on one) I’ll stop boring you guys with my meal plan every day, until then, if you aren’t interested just don’t read them Although, I will be adding exercise and current weight from now on.

Breakfast:
2 fried (in canola oil spray) eggs
2 pieces turkey bacon

AM Snack:
Baby Bel Light cheese

Lunch:
Ranch chicken wraps
2 romaine lettuce leaves
1 can Swanson’s canned chicken (drained)
2 tbsps light Ranch dressing
1 package SBD Planters peanuts

PM Snack:
Baby Bel Light cheese
1 celery stick w/ french onion Laughing Cow cheese

Dinner:
Baked chicken breast
Side salad
Romaine lettuce
Grape tomatoes
Green pepper
2 tbsps light Ranch dressing

Dessert:
(no sugar added) fudge pop

Beverages:
Water
Decaf ice tea w/ Splenda

*New Feature*
A friend pointed out that exercise was a key ingredient to losing weight, which I agree with and have been doing since before the second round on this diet (true I slacked during the cooler months, but I’ve started doing it again). It’s common sense that if you diet and exercise you’ll lose weight faster, but I had always done one or the other and soon got frustrated when I didn’t see results so I gave up. I realize weight loss isn’t instant but that’s what I was looking for and became easily discouraged when I didn’t find it. The first time I started the SBD I also started an exercise routine (which only consisted of walking). I quickly began to see results! Walking is easy, it’s free, and a form of exercise that I could easily (sometimes) take the baby along on. I started at only 1 mile a day at least 3 days a week for a while, but soon bumped it up to 2 (I tried to get up to 3 but a toddler only has so much patience in the stroller). Eventually I started walking with a friend in the evenings too twice a week, so on those days I was walking 4 miles. It didn’t take long for me to notice the difference in my legs, so just to see how well I was doing I decided to try on a pair of my pre pregnancy jeans. Before this diet I couldn’t get them up over my thighs, so I wasn’t expecting much, but when I was able to not only get them over my thighs but buttoned too I was ecstatic! I ran into my daughters room soon after she’d gone to bed, needing to share the occasion with someone! I don’t think she quite grasped how awesome that moment was, but she is rail thin after all so what does she know? .
Here it is now, several months later and my old clothes still fit, but they’re getting tight again, so I knew it was time to kick this diet back into gear. Now I’ll be adding what exercise I did each day as well as weigh ins on those days. I’ll go back and add it to day 1, but I’ll post my cuurent weight on this one too.

Current weight (as of 6/11/11): 149lbs
Exercise: walked 2 miles

Diets suck! So does walking in 90° heat.

Breakfast:
2 fried (in canola oil spray) eggs
2 pieces turkey bacon

AM Snack:
Baby Bel Light cheese

Lunch:
Oven roasted 98% fat free turkey lunch meat clusters (it was shredded so it’s hard to gauge how many pieces) wrapped in 3 reduced fat colby cheese slices

PM Snack:
Grape tomatoes
2 tbs Light Ranch dressing
Baby bel light cheese

Dinner:
1 baby bel light cheese
1 pack SBD Planters nuts
(too hot to eat a “dinner”)

Dessert:
(No sugar added) Fudge pop

Beverages:
Water
Decaf ice tea w/ Splenda

Ugh, day 2. Still so long to go, still having the cravings. There were at least two times today I was about to say @$#! it and go to McDonald’a, BUT I stayed strong. I even went to swim at a friend’s house who offered me a beer but I still only drank water. The worst part so far is that McDonald’s had a deal this weekend, 50 chicken nuggets for $10.99. My kids love them so I figured we could freeze them, but smelling them on the way home was torture! I DIDN’T EAT ANY, but I came home hungry so I had a few (SBD approved) snacks instead of just one. I don’t know if that’s allowed but I figured it was better than devouring 50 chicken nuggets at that moment.

It’s hard but I’m committed. Only 13 more days to go. Tomorrow we start walking again.

Breakfast:
2 fried (in canola oil spray) eggs
2 pieces turkey bacon

AM snack:
Baby Bel cheese

Lunch:
salad
Romaine lettuce
4 grape tomatoes
Green pepper
Cucumber
Snap peas
Oven baked turkey
1 slice reduced fat colby jack cheese
Oil/vinegar dressing

PM snack:
1 baby bel light cheese
2 celery sticks w/ 1 french onion laughing cow cheese wedge (divided between them)
1 snack bag SB Planters peanuts

Dinner:
(left overs) baked chicken, w/ mozz cheese, and crushed tomatoe sauce w/ parm cheese

Dessert:
(no sugar added) fudge pop

Diets…they’re no fun no matter what, but the pay off makes it worthwhile. Back in 2009 I gave birth to my third (and final) child. In that last month of my pregnancy I weighed roughly 175lbs. My son was born 8lbs 11oz but I left the hospital only a few pounds lighter. All I really remember is feeling like after delivery I should have weighed a lot less. I also breastfed my son like I did with my older two daughters and in my experience, I put on even MORE weight while nursing. Needless to say, it was discouraging.

It was right after my husband and I came back from vacation when I saw all the pictures of myself. I believe it was 16 months after the birth of my son, I was 4-5 pants sizes bigger than before pregnancy, and near tears every time I looked in the mirror at how fat my face was getting, that I decided to do something about it. Hating that it took me so long to do so. I’d never been on a diet before so this was completely new territory for me. I had heard about The South Beach Diet and decided THAT was the one I’d try. The first few days were hard. Between food cravings and deciding to give up caffeine at the same time, I was not the most fun to be around, but by day 6 the cravings were gone, my energy was back and I was seeing results! I lost 9lbs the first two weeks, and continued to lose 1-2lbs every week for as long as I stayed on phase 2. Even during birthdays and the holidays I managed to lose (in total) over 22lbs! So proud and fitting into my old clothes I started to cheat feeling that I had earned it. I finally considered that I was on phase 3. Not exactly at my goal but “good enough”.

So here it is, a few months after I started “phase 3″ (but allowing cheats like beer and french fries which are always a no no) and I’ve gained back 9lbs! YIKES! So I’m starting over, and this time my mother in law is doing it with me.

Today begins Day 1:
Breakfast:
2 eggs, over medium cooked in canola oil spray
2 pieces turkey bacon

AM Snack:
Baby bel light cheese

Lunch:
Salad
Romaine lettuce
Cherry tomatoes
Green pepper
Cucmber
Canned Swanson’s chicken breast
Oil and vinegar dressing

Snack:
Baby bel light cheese

Dinner:
Baked chicken breast topped with mozz cheese
Crushed tomato sauce

Dessert:
Fudge pop (no sugar added)

Beverages:
Bottled water
Decaf tea with Splenda