I'm officially on Phase III as of today.....

Day 128...weight 195...I've lost 40lbs in a little over 4 months...5 pounds from goal...

Stats:

Start Weight: 235 - it was a few pounds more than this right after Christmas but I was at 235 the day I started SBD.

Pant Size: I was wearing size 40s that were too tight...I'm now wearing 34s.

Shirt Size: I gone from XXL to L in most cases with the occaisional M.

Foods:
I've used very few recipies from the SBD book...I've relied on the foods allowed lists for each Phase and the glysemic index in building my menus. I stayed on Phase I for 3 weeks and slowly moved into Phase II. The Good Fats Good Carbs book is my weight loss Bible.

I've added good carb items back in slowly and 1 at a time...this way I've been able to measure the affect on my weight loss and any craving the added item might cause and make adjustments.

Breakfast:
Some combination of...eggs, LC cereal, occaisional bacon, whole wheat english muffins, whole wheat toast, oatmeal, Kashi Waffles, lots of strawberries, fruit, sugar free jam, LC yogurt, coffee.

Lunch:
Deli meats, tuna fish, peanut butter, whole wheat bread, salad, eggs, vegies, dried fruit, chicken, cheese.

Dinner:
Chicken breasts, lean steak, lean ground beef, fish, sweet potatos, zuccini, all types of fresh veg and salads, most types of canned and frozen veg, beans, and brown rice.

Drinks:
Lots-O-water and Iced Tea.

Snacks:
peanuts, mixed nuts, yogurt, dried and fresh fruit.

Keys to eating:
I try to eat only whole unprocessed foods for the most part...I eat until satisfied...not full...no 'white stuff'...no sugar, white flour, potatos, candy, or cookies....no 'fake sweets'...I don't use artificial sweeteners or use any of the so called LC products.

Cheats:
I've had a non fat venti latte every day since starting...I've had regular white pasta 3 or 4 times...Cold Stone ice cream 3 times...Dairy Queen 2 times...white sandwhich roll while at hockey games 2 times, too many beers 3 or 4 times, CheesCake Factory cheese cake 1 time, apple raisin cake with cream cheese filling 1 time...bottom line is that I don't cheat very often and when I do I get right back on plan ASAP.

When eating out I've found that it is easier to watch the carbs than the trans and saturated fats...when eating out I watch the carbs but don't go out of my way worrying about the fats.

Reflection: It doesn't seem like 4 months since starting on this journey...it's really been very painless...I've never felt bad...been hungery...or had many cravings...I find that when I cheat the food I've eaten doesn't live up to what I thought it might taste like...I had a big dairy queen cheat last weekend that made me sick...

My wife who didn't need to lose weight has joined me in this WOE and has lost almost 2 pant/dress sizes...the way we shop has changed...the way we prepare our food has changed...and the amount of food we eat is not any where near what it was...

We are at the point where this has become a way of life that doesn't require much more thought than the bad shopping/cooking/eating did previously.

Someone asked in a thread a few days ago if SBD was really a 'plan' or just a very healthy way of eating...for me it started as a 'plan' and has evolved into a very healthy way of eating and a way of life...

I'm here to tell you that the last 4 months have changed my life...I'm now armed with the knowledge and will power it will take to never go back to the way I was before SBD...

I hope to get some before and after pictures posted in the gallery before long...I guess I still have some image issues...the only way I see the loss is in pictures...when I look in the mirror I have a hard time seeing the change.

Anyway, I'll end this rant by saying that SBD Rocks!

That's how I see SBD - healthy eating! Congrats on your loss and new WOL

Vikki

That's so awesome pstar. It's amazing how just a few changes can make such a world of difference in your life! Grats on almost reaching goal too. I really love the way you look at everything so simple. Low carb doesn't have to be complicated like some people make it out to be and you are a perfect example of that. Keep up the great work!

Jenn

Thanks for your nice comments...

I left out that I eat about 1800 calories and keep carbs at around 80 on a daily basis.

Also, I try to keep most of the food I eat at 50 or under on the glysemic index with moderate amounts in the 50 to 75 range and over 75 rarely.

I don't measure fat except that I try to eat 0 trans fats and I'm very good about eating foods with low saturated fat.

Congratulations PSTAR!

Your very to the point very realistic summary deserves a sticky at the start of SBD! It reflects a lot of what I and many here are doing and will help those inspiring to follow you - like me (who just got stuck about 11 lbs before the goal but feeling fine anyway - eventually I will loose those as well, for now I enjoy 2 sizes and 25 lbs down.).

Ditto, Pstar - congratulations, you and your wife have done very well. I am losing very slowly - about half a pound a week and sometimes it is hard to feel I will ever get to goal, so thanks for the inspiration.

This has been so encouraging to myself and my husband. I even let him read your testimony and it gave him renewed encouragement. Congrats on your new WOE and your new life.

Thanks everyone!

The support I've received on this forum over the last 4.5 months has really helped me stay focused and on task. Just reading the posts in the Atkins, General Low Carb, and this forum from people who have lost weight have been very up lifting. There are a lot of role models and heros on these forums!

If you haven't started a journal you should...it's a great way to track your progress. At this point it feels really good to go back and read my journal posts. It's like patting myself on the back.