Shrinking Witch

[pt_tangles]

Starting Monday, I am actually going to do something about my chubbiness. I am 5' 9" and wear a size 18/19 (I stay away from scales because I find them too depressing ... plus, I really don't know what a good weight to shoot for is), I want to get down to a size 13/14 (the size I was when WD and I first moved over here). Curvy, but still slender ... I look at pictures of me back then, and I have decided that that is how I look best.

So, I am going with the South Beach diet ... mainly because I believe that you shouldn't have to spend your whole life denying yourself the sweet things (and I can't give up carbs forever ... I love bread too much). The first two weeks are going to be a sort of 'clean out' regimine, where the foods I eat are going to be breaking down the insulin resistance that occurs when you eat too much crap.

This means two weeks of no carbs, low fat, high fibre and high protien. A lot like Atkins, actually, but only for two weeks (which makes sense, I have heard from a number of sources that the reason people lose so much weight in the first couple of weeks of a diet is because that is how long it takes for your body to get used to the change in eating habits). The pluses are that I am really looking forward to lots of green veggies ... the cons are that I can't have any fruit for two weeks (sugar).

The little starter magazine has 35 recipies in it for helping you to get started ... there are a bunch of things that look *really* yummy, but I think that I am going to be making a lot of BLT salads for when I don't feel like cooking. We have our new BBQ now as well, so that means that we can do beef/chicken/pork skewers (or even prawns ... but WD doesn't like seafood, so maybe not) ... and I can use whatever seasonings I like so long as they don't have added sugar in them (which should be easy enough for me ... I like to make my own seasoning mixes anyway).

Wish me luck!

--Phae

Comments

[pjvj.livejournal.com]

Good Luck! When I did the no carbs for 12 days I didn't lose anything, but that was because of the steroids. I didn't gain anything though and that was the point.

[wickedwit.livejournal.com]

Congrats on the decision!

[mariadkins.livejournal.com]

Good luck! I've lost 15# and two pants sizes since March 6th. If I can, you can. But two weeks without fruit?? I'd die!

[victrola58.livejournal.com]

Congrats and good luck. I never looked into SB but I did try Atkins and it made me sick - oh well... I stick with WW when I can - my DH is my downfall. He is a rail and eats whatever he wants. He has a super high metabolism (bastard!).

[pt_tangles]

Thanks ^_^

I think that WD has convinced me to buy a bathroom scale ... now I just need to figure out what a good healthy wieght is and I can get one of those weight-loss tickers ~_^

--Phae

[pt_tangles]

Thanks ^_^

--Phae

[pt_tangles]

Well, I know it will be hard, but if it means that I am actually doing something (and maybe getting into cute beachware this summer)rather than ping-ponging in depression, then I think two weeks of subbing dark green veggies for fruit is worth it.

As I keep telling myself (already, and I haven't even started yet! LOL), it is *only* two weeks. Not so much in the grand scale of my life. ~_^

--Phae

[pt_tangles]

Well, the reason I chose the South Beach over Atkins was because SB is about moderation. Good fats and good carbs rather than cutting things from your diet entirely (plus I am already pretty good at reading my own inner blood sugar regulator, so I think that it should be pretty easy once I get past this first part).

--Phae

[curefreak.livejournal.com]

Good luck. Apparently drinking as much water as you can handle is a key. Often we crave food when we are dehydrated and don't realise it. Chocolate craving is a result of an iron deficiency, so that might help too :)

[mariadkins.livejournal.com]

As I keep telling myself (already, and I haven't even started yet! LOL), it is *only* two weeks.

Good point. ;-)

[mariadkins.livejournal.com]

Chocolate craving is a result of an iron deficiency I've never heard that before. Can you cite a reference?

[curefreak.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately I can't. I heard it from a specialist I was talking to "unofficially" at one point...I think it was at a wedding or somewhere exciting like that ;).

I do know A LOT of women find a correlation between increased chocolate intake and craving and their "time of the month". I have also known a lot of people who, having given up red meat, find themselves craving chocolate. I know in my case I did, but with me it might just be psychosomatic though *LOL*.

[mariadkins.livejournal.com]

I just found your statement interesting because I'm iron-intolerant, but chocolate doesn't hurt me. :shrug:

[curefreak.livejournal.com]

I don't think it provides iron per se, but moreover the craving for chocolate and iron generate a similar reaction from the brain. :)

[mariadkins.livejournal.com]

Interesting. I didn't know a person could crave iron. But, like I said before, I have issues with iron, so maybe my brain just isn't wired in that direction.