Would rather be on a beach in South Florida than on the South Beach Diet

The South Beach Diet was the brainchild of Dr. Arthur Agatston, a Miami cardiologist.  He designed this diet for his patients who were overweight to lose weight before having heart surgery and also as a preventative for cardio problems.  For those of you who know anything about this diet, you know that the first two weeks are a drag.  The "can't haves" far outnumber the "can haves".  But, after about the fourth day, the "can't haves" don't hold the same appeal anymore.  You are breaking your addiction to bad carbs --- and it really works.

When you have subsisted for most of your life on potatoes, breads and pastas, this seems like a daunting challenge.  But once that connection to bad carbs has been broken, it's really a pretty easy diet to follow. During the second phase, it's actually a pretty flexible diet.  You add back some good carbs and just resign yourself to the fact that the bad carbs will have to be thrown out the window.

Half the battle of following any diet is preparation, mindset and convincing your spouse to go on it with you.  I spent years failing on diets because I was not prepared with all the right foods, or I had not had the right mindset - but mostly because Henry sabotaged my diet by eating luscious looking foods in front of me.  I'll have to give him credit though, he has begun to support my diets and actually giving them a try. When I went on the South Beach 6 years ago, he went along for the ride and lost 30 pounds.  He was lookin' good!!!  This time he is following the rules also - he even cooked a South Beach breakfast this morning.

Yesterday was DAY ONE - the first day is the hardest because you are not far enough into it that you can't just call it quits when you have an unrequited hunger attack!  We both fought off those attacks with a few almonds, a hunk of low fat cheese - and you should have seen us fight over the last bite of sugar-free jello last night at bedtime.

I'm proud to report that we made it - and I feel good about today.  Hopefully we can see some results this week.  If not, at least we're eating healthier - and oh, I threw out the last of the Orange Slice Candy Cake that kept calling our names.

Will keep you posted on our progress......to be continued.