Hi Fiona,

Do you have any specific questions? I am not so sure if food combining is absolutely necessary; Dr. Schwarzbein says that she doesn't really believe in it; however, I am doing this by the book for now, because it really has worked for so many people. I will answer any questions you have, here, or you can send me a private message. I have found another way of geting quick answers; go to the chatroom at www.suzannesomers.com. There always seems to be someone there who knows the answers.

Sandy

Hey sandylee, where in Chicago do you drive? I was born and raised in SW Chicago (left when I was 27), and have lived in West Central FL since 1986.

Hi All. My name is Donna. I am new both to this forum and to Somersizing. It looks promising. The food is certainly tasty. I am looking forward to being part of a Somersizing community. I know the journey will be easier with your support.

I am on my third day of Somersizing and only up to page 48 of the book, Fast and Easy. I ordered the book last week from Amazon and then proceeded to allow myself a goodbye binge on my favorite things until the book came . . . 5 pounds and about that many days later I started Somersizing. Fortunately, I have lost those five pounds in the three days since. (wish I had that little guy's energy)

I have about 100 pounds to loose, so it will be a long journey. Hope you'll be there with me. I feel determined to do it this time.

My experiences on other diets have not been that great. My conclusion is that it is not that hard to loose 20-25 pounds on most any diet with determination, but getting past that hump and not finding those lost pounds again is the real problem. I am hoping that Somesizing is something that I will be able to stick with and, once I get used to it, not feel like I am dieting.

My body is not yet used to the low carb eating and I feel the urge to grab something to eat constantly, though I am not actually hungry. I am mostly resisting that urge, but can't wait for it to go away.

I didn't remember how good brocolli actually tasted when you can put butter on it! Green beans with sauted onions and mushrooms is really good, too. No more plain steamed vegies.

I also bought Suzanne's dessert book, but so far haven't tried any of her recipies. I have made whipped cream, though. YUMMM! I think I may have messed up on that one, though. I used vanilla extract, about 2 teaspoonsful, then noticed that it contains corn syrup! Anyone know where to get extracts without corn syrup? All my extracts seem to have it.

I found a sweetener called agave syrup. It is from a cactus and has only one ingredient, agave syrup. It tastes like mild honey and is just wonderful. It has 16 calories per teaspoon, like sugar, but rates a low 12 on the glycemic scale. It is not only all natural, but also organic. Do you think this is legal? Sure hope so.

Oh, darn, I just got an answer to that last one from a Somesize representative . . . "Agave nectar is funky for Level One. It is still a fruit sugar. Once you are losing well, I would try it as an Almost Level One treat, once a while and see how it affects your loss." So sad. I thought I had a great find.

Well, anyway, hi to again to one and all and happy slimming.

Welcome aboard DONNA3. As I think you will find with this board and many of the other suport sites that reflect Suzanne's plan, when yu find someone that believes in her philosophy-you have found a buddy.

For me personally, I gave tis a half hearted try about 2 yrs ago. I went into it with the wrong mindset though-focusing on what I couldn't eat/drink. For me the "line in the sand" items were carrots, potatoes and my wine. So thinking with that mindset-Somersizing wasn't for me.


This time around-my mindset is different. This time I am focusing on what I CAN eat. I laughed outloud when I read your comment about 'real butter'. You are soo right. I often find myself reaching for the 'alternatives' out of force of habit. The taste is so different.

Anyway the Atkins-LOW carb plan was not for me for several different reasons. Since I have turned to this WOE-I am down 10lbs-which is way beyond any success I have experienced with any other plan. I have been onboard with SS about 3 weeks.

I still have my cheats-but I can take them in context.

My MIL stopped by last night as I was prepping dinner. I offered her some of my spag squash casserole-which is awesome and incredabilly rich. She said, "You always cook this way." I countered with now I can do it and still lose since I am somersizing. My husband said, "Somersizing is just another gimic." I responded, "Any GIMIC that helps me shed 10 lbs and eat like this is FINE with me-SIGN ME ON"

So keep the faith. Read the posts, and go to the other support sites for her WOE.

Good luck!!

Hi Leener and Donna,

I live in Evanston, a bit north of Chicago, on the lake. It's great to meet other Somersizers. I'm happy to answer any questions, or help however I can. This is more like eating real food than any other plan I have seen. I haven't seen the 140s, and would like that to be my next goal. Every time I want something sweet like a piece of chocolate cake, my weakness, I visualize myself in a blkini. That beats the craving every time. LOL, I know 50 is a little old for a bikini

Sandy

hey guys -

I lost weight doing the low fat thing - 15lbs over a couple of years and then another 10 when I switched to low carb. then I got into a box of chocolates in the lunch room and gain about 20 back. I have been struggling getting back on atkins but I don't like eating all that "fake" food. I did Somersizing with my DIL a few years ago, but now I find if I try and eat fruit, then cereal for breakfast, I am hungry all morning.

Hey Silverneed! Glad to see you here! I eat grapenuts for breakfast every morning and then I have some fruit for a snack about three to four hours later. But waiting for lunch can be a bit difficult as the fruit doesn't last long. But, I've gotten used to it now after doing it for awhile, and I simply tell myself what a great lunch I'm going to have -- and I do! I don't skimp on my lunch at all, but eat a McDonalds chicken salad AND two small chilli's from Wendy's. I have to pick the beans out, but that slows my eating down and I enjoy it more.

Anyway, it's been working for me, and I like it, so I think I'll be doing that part for quite some time to come!!

Dean

thanks Dean

I used to eat just fruit for breakfast and did great, but I have gotten into the habit of overeating, so it's hard going back.

I am back in school now and 2 days a week I have classes from 11 -6, so I need to find a routine that works so I don't binge when I get home.

Hi again! I always go by the rule that it takes about two weeks for your body to adjust to a new pattern, so even if it's tough to start out, it should get better after a while...

I have been doing much better the last few days. Even when out with friends and didn't give in

thanks for the support

Thanks for the welcomes everyone. It's about 2 weeks on the program for me now. No more weight loss as yet, after the initial 5 pounds, but Suzanne said that it took her 2 months before she started loosing. I can be patient.

Actually, I lost 3 more pounds after the first week, but gained them back a couple of days later. I think I was taking the eat as much as you want idea too literally, particularly with cream. I hadn't yet gotten to the chapter where she says not really all you want, but within limits.

When I was on Atkins, each time I ate a lot of cream I would loose weight. That does not seem to be true with Somersizing. It really is a lot different from Atkins in a lot of ways. Better. I didn't trust Atkins with the very limited veggies. Nothing that seems to be nutritionally important seems to be too limited in Somersizing.

I do wish I could have potatoes, carrots, corn and nuts, but what I can have that I didn't before more than makes up for it. Eating is much more interesting now. I guess what I really miss having is something crunchy. Any ideas? Please don't say raw veggies. I am not into raw veggies except for the forbidden carrots and oranges, lemons, limes are about the only fruits I eat.

Speaking of veggies, I cooked together some diced tomatoes, zuchini, broccoli, onions, garlic salt and a few herbs (probably oregano and basil), plus salt and some meat broth, too. I added a bit of sour cream at the table. Delicious!!!

Donna

I went shopping today and not only didn't I buy any snacks to nibble while out, but I didn't even touch the sommersize snack I brought with me.
I just wasn't hungry even though I was out about 4 hours.

I can't seem to find any fat free dairy products except milk and a couple of cheeses loaded with chemicals at the regular grocery store. Nothing but the milk at the health food stores near me. I don't eat chemical additives. Can't at all. What are you guys finding in fat free cheeses?

Hi Donna,
Don't worry about not losing for awhile. I had a huge stall and now I am losing again. I find my appetite is smaller too. As far as fat-free goes, some brands of fat free cream cheese are okay, particularly Daisy brand. Also, Daisy brandr sour cream is only one ingredient. I have seen fat-free ricotta that looks okay too. Personally I have been going very light on the cheese, all types, and mostly using it as an accent.

Sandy

The only Daisy brand I have found is the full fat sour cream. I noticed the wonderful lack of artificial ingredients. I bought that, but haven't found any appropriate fat free products. I just went to their website and asked where I can get the fat free variety. Hopefully they will let me know where it is available.

Welcome, Donna, Silverneed and Leenerboy! I've been kinda swamped with this and that lately and not posting except for in journals, so I was pleasantly surprised to see a few new faces in this old thread. Well met and I hope you are all finding Somersizing to your liking?

I started this plan back in January and lost a bit over 20 pounds. Then summer came with lots of good fruit and I began travelling a great deal. While I didn't manage to lose that last ten pounds I'd hoped for, I did keep the original 20 off, and still am! After 9 months of this WOE I have yet to get tired of the food or run out of new things to try when I want a change. There's just no end to the recipes you can make work when you're Somersizing!

Now I've been at it awhile I find I am cooking with my old cookbooks as much as Suzanne's because I've learned how to adjust the ingredients to make the recipes legal level one.

I now have two big challanges before me. I just went back to school full time and am constantly surrounded by junk food, not to mention I have weird hours and end up ravenous by the time I get home. I'm in my second week of school now and am getting the hang of how and when to prepare meals that assure me that I'll have something safe and easy to eat whenever I want it.

The second challange is the upcoming holidays. I'm very much the squirrel, wanting to prepare for winter by baking and storing up all kinds of nummies for the "hard times" my body tells me are sure to come. HA! :P Somewhere back in the beginning of this thread we talked about Somersizing being a matter of creativity as opposed to deprivation. Well it's time to get creative!

Hmm... maybe we could start a holiday thread and come up with ideas how to cook and munch without violating our WOE this holiday season? Anybody up for it?

MB