http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Beach_diet

We extended Phase 1 by a week, thinking something like “if we lost this much this quickly lets get a head start..” Let’s just say that as we enter Week Three that two weeks is just the right amount of time to go without eating any bread and / or rice (did I mention my girlfriend is Asian?!?)

You know you’re doing as you’re told when you find yourself counting down the days when you can eat a piece of wholegrain toast for breakfast.

I just came by here to let you know that I’m following you and Kim’s example and following some of the South Beach stuff now. I’d found the book at Goodwill earlier this week and bought it just for the general tips, nutritional info and for the recipes, but after reading through it and learning that you and Kim have been doing it, I figured I’d try it. I don’t eat too much sugar anyway and don’t really care about bread, but the popcorn, Fiber One bars, and instant oatmeal I just bought will now have to wait a couple weeks, I guess. That’s okay. Today’s “Day One,” and October 1st will be the end of the first two weeks. We’ll see how it goes. Thanks again for posting about all of this.

The reason I think I will ultimately succeed this time is that I feel like I am doing the right thing and its working. After years and years of being a husky kid or an healthily thin kid who still viewed himself as a fat kid, I just see the path before me and it’s 215lbs here I come. After I get there I hope I can maintain it, I am a little worried about that but, as Drew said, as long as I feel as though I am in control I think it will be less about numbers and more about how much better I feel.

Something that as worked for me is reframing the way I think about dieting. If you think “I can never, ever have [insert name of high calorie food drenched with sugar and enriched flour] again.” If you feel like you are depriving yourself of something you’ll feel like you won’t make it, it feels so final and restrictive to say “never, ever” and if you DO get derailed and eat something you really shouldn’t then because once you violate that “never, ever” you totally give up dieting. Then you feel guilty for eating it and the cycle begins. I’m just thinking of it like I am taking an indefinite break from those foods. Someday I will be able to eat them once in a blue moon and that’s something I can live with.

Opposite of you, I guess, when I do slack off with this, I slack off on the exercise but still eat right. I’ve always loved vegetables and fruits, and after years of cake/cookie decorating and baking, I’ve lost most of my sweet tooth anyway, so I tend to eat well, but lately, as you’ve read, I have to really drag myself out the door to go for walks. And I came to really love them last year–I was walking 8 miles a day, sometimes more, most of last year. So I don’t know what’s up with that. Anyway, although what I eat hasn’t changed, my portions have. And yeah, it’s striking how much more expensive it is to eat healthy things. I stock up on fruits, vegetables, dip mix/fat-free sour cream, light microwave popcorn, and Fiber One bars every time I get groceries, and I never fail to notice that it’d be way cheaper just to fill a basket with chips and all the higher fat/calorie-content foods. It’s really ridiculous.

Keeping a food diary every day is one of the things that I’m sure has helped me lose the first 51 pounds. I just email myself everyday with answers to these categories: (What I Ate for) Breakfast (and # of calories), Snack (“), Lunch (“), Snack (“), Supper (“), Total Calories for the Day (“), Did I Remember to Take My (“One a Day ‘Weight Smart’” brand) Vitamin? Any Other Health-Related Issues That Day, and Exercise. Although there are days missing since last January, I have an email/entry for most days, which is cool (and helpful, as it can help me track my progress and figure out “Okay, June 2007 was a great month for me. What was I doing/eating then exactly? Let me repeat that now.”) I keep reading that people who keep food diaries tend to lose more weight than those who don’t. I know I eat better and just have a healthier day the days I keep up with the diary. If you and Kim aren’t doing that yet, it might help.

Anyway, I admire you both for doing this and making these changes. Please update on this from time to time. I’m always interested in this process and it helps to hear how others are doing with it. Thank you for sharing all of this.