Thats what I thougt....pre-diet binge gets all those cravings under control!

I guess the whey issue is difficult because it seems like you cant have both, low calorie and low sugar. I bought this all natural whey protein with the least amout of calories and sugar, but it was so expensive. I was really trying to battle that by buying the whey at GNC, but I think Ill just pass. Thanks NancyLC.

Good salad dressing for PSMF! I found some pear champagne vinagrette at Trader Joe's (salad section) its 45 calories for 2 Tbls and extremely tasty!

Indeed...calling it a "carbup" just makes it sound better. Honestly though, and this is just in my mind (but it helps me sleep better at night), I figured that the worse I ate for that day and a half the better the results on the diet would be (at least for a bit). It wasn't as much fun as I hoped because I was basically forcing myself to constantly eat candy, and couldn't get in some of the other carby foods that I wanted (rice, potatoes, more fruit, bread). I think the real question, though, is "Did it work?"

Well, including the 6 pounds of water weight I put on, I have now dropped 10.5 pounds in 5 days (4.5 down from my pre-carbup weight). I didn't lose that much at 255; in fact, I think I dropped 11-13 pounds in the first two weeks of Induction. I am also coming off of a calorie-restricted Atkins extended Induction (I wasn't strictly counting but no more than ~1400-1600 calories a day, and I know that people tend to underestimate, but I didn't eat between meals, use sauces, etc. so I think it's pretty accurate), on which I was losing only ~2 pounds a week.

The final thing that convinced me that my binge wasn't bad is the smell of my urine...I've found that when I'm losing a lot of weight, my urine smells both stronger, and not like usual urine (which I can't really smell). I haven't had that for a while on Atkins, although it has come back now in full force since starting PSMF. For this to be truly scientific I would need to get back up to 217.5 and start PSMFing without a binge, but it's working for me so I'm not going to doubt it.


Edit:
Nancy, is it OK to have dressings with even 45 calories? I mean, I know that "OK" is dependant upon your goals, but even that just seems high to me. I went to the store and found dressings that were 25 calories or under, and even those I have no intention of using until I get sick thinking of plain meat.

Basically, I've been trying to stick to calorie restriction as best as is possible. This pretty much means 2 cans (13 oz each) of chicken breast a day, 1/2 cup cottage cheese split between two meals (morning and night, taken along with the calcium pill), 1 bowl of green beans, 1 bowl of broccoli, and 6 g of fish oil. Even that ends up being a bit high, with 120 g of protein from the chicken coming in at 700 calories, so I'm beginning to switch to tuna and canned turkey. How do you (plural) keep your calories so low when you seem to allow more veggies, etc.? Is it just a difference in requirements (I have 150 lb of LBM)? I'm just getting a bit frustrated trying to keep down the hidden calories, when I don't know how to go any lower. I mean, I could reduce my protein intake as well but that doesn't seem like the best idea.

Well, when you're just starting out one is a little more fanatical than when you've been doing this for awhile. There's a trade-off between making your taste buds happy and making the scales happy. Most of the low calorie dressing out there are just nasty!

I know that if I'm unhappy with the taste of the food the likelyhood of my sticking to the diet will be small. So I make those sorts of accomodations and manage to still make a very large calorie deficit. Of course, I might not be a good model to follow, I tend to lose a little slowly so perhaps I shouldn't be compromising so much.

I shoot for about 100g of protein. I need to calculate it again to make sure I'm getting it. But remember, according to Lyle allowed veggies are free and don't need to be counted. My menu today is:

Breakfast: 3 eggs (yes, whole eggs, I know, fat calories, still its not bad about 70 cals each)
Lunch: lots of raw spinach, salad dress, 5 oz chicken
Snack: cottage cheese
Dinner: Tonight probably chicken with veggies cooked in a pouch.
Snack: NF Yogurt

Cottage cheese always kind of shocked me for the number of calories in it, even the NF stuff seems pretty caloric.

Nancy LC....Im going to reread Lyle's book to find the answer, but is excersise really important with PSMF? I know the rule is weight training and no cardio...but I havent been doing either and I think I should. How heavy a role does weight training play in this diet?

I don't think it plays much of a role. He says the main thing is the calorie deficit which you're gonna get more of by eating low calorie than you ever could by exercising. He also cautions that you shouldn't try to over do it in the exercise dept as you might find yourself not up to it.

Well, I think I'm more willing to stay fanatical because of my goals...I don't really have the choice of not sticking to the diet. I've pretty much wasted the last 3 years of my life, which, for a 21 year old, is a lot. After doing a lot of looking, I've come to the conclusion that right now, the military is the best option for me and I need to get down to an acceptable weight to enlist. I still see the time I've spent (and will be spending) since coming to my decision until I ship off to boot camp as wasted, so I really need to get through it as quickly as possible for my own good. It helps that I also don't like living at home, which is now pretty much constant motivation for me to stick with it. When I look at a piece of cake and see another week that will be wasted, it makes it a lot easier to stay away from it.

You are fortunate to live where they have Trader Joe's. They should have MUCH better prices than GNC.

Oh gosh yes! Go shop at Trader Joe's they're amazing. Check out their grilled chicken strips in the freezer section. They're the tastiest little buggers. Don't know what they put on them, some sort of Fajita flavor, but they're awesome! Only 90 calories for 3 oz. Its called "Just Grilled chicken".

I sent away for some low carb baking products from Honeyville Grain. For non-PSMF meals and diet breaks most likely. I got Oat Fiber, which is like 100% fiber, low carb and low cals. I also got resistant starch, which is what I think Dreamfield's pasta is made from. I also got some more Polydextrose, which has many of the properties of sugar but not the calories or carbs. I might try making crackers with the oat fiber.

I also got my netrition order. Several types of syrup that I can't find locally and some 16 calorie fiber crackers. The fiber crackers are.... extremely bland. Man, even a little salt would vastly improve them. But you know, they're not bad for putting other things on.

Ladies....Im having a really big issue with all this darn FLAB Ive still got!!! I checked my weight and this week things have been going quite nicely. I measured different body parts about a month ago using a tape measure, but Ive found that although Im loosing "weight", Im just a smaller version of my FAT self! I mean, the fat has gotten nice and soft...no longer firm, and it STILL looks disgusting! Ive only recently started to adhere to the weight training (a few weeks into it) and I still feel like Im looking sloopy and giggly. My lower ab pouch seems like its sagging even more now!! ARGGHHH! I guess Im ranting because today at work, one of my co-workers kept touching my jiggly fat in my arms and kept asking, What is that?! I told her it was fat and she had the most disgusted look on her face. I mean, I knew it was there, but hearing it from someone else out load makes it hit home. I NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABT THIS JIGGLE! Nancy, Valewis, anyone....any suggestions?

Well, don't get too impatient. Mother Nature doesn't like being rushed. When you lose fat there's a lot of empty skin left. For me, its my inner thighs. *sigh* Sometimes there's fat still left right under the skin creating gorgeous, lovely flab. As far as I know the remedies are: Keep losing some of that left over fat will go. Time: Eventually the skin will shrink up depending on your age, your genetics, etc. Surgery: This is why plastic surgeons are so wealthy.

Hang in there kiddo!

Thanks Nancy...so I guess stepping up the work-outs wouldnt really help too much. How embarassing...I want to kill my co-worker, especially since she is a female who you'd think would be sensitive!!!

Sorry K, that really was horribly insenstive of your co-worker. You gotta wonder what is wrong with people?

I think people need to be told on the spot, and assertively when they are as crass as that. e.g. " Excuse me, but why did you ask that question and make that face? Have you any idea how ugly as a person that makes you seem?" People need to be called on what they are doing, e.g. making ugly remarks reveals their inner being. She must be pretty desperate to have to sink that low to make herself feel superior.

Anyway, it will take a good 6 months of lifting weights before you start seeing any results. Your skin will spring back if you are young enough in due course....us oldies just get left with the flab.

Val

6 months?!! Valewis, can you post your excersise regime?