I’m down four and a half pounds now. This is actual crazy talk. I’m in serious danger of starting a cult around this diet. If you see me in Union Square, wearing a sandwich board and ringing a bell, you’ll know what happened. (If you see me in Union Square with a sandwich, please make sure it’s open-faced, and phase one.)
I’m actually almost embarrassed that this is working so well, because I spent so much time dieting before and got exactly nowhere. Was I just secretly eating whole pies in my sleep, like my doctors thought? Option B is that this lady really knows what she’s doing, and I’ve become so cynical in my old age. DON’T MAKE ME BELIEVE.
Anyway, yesterday, a commenter asked me what I’ve been eating. It’s phase two, which is, so far, my least favorite (less favorite?) of the phases, so a lot of meat and salad, is the answer. I didn’t have time to make the turkey jerky, so I had hard-boiled egg whites for snacks. Breakfast was the Spanish scramble, and I actually went out for dinner, but had grilled chicken on spinach salad, hold the croutons and cheese. I ate around the tomatoes and carrots (not phase two veggies/fruits). I drank seltzer with lime. Adam took this picture of our bill:
But I did have fun, because I didn’t have to cook. I might have mentioned this, but I am not a great chef, even under the best of circumstances. For example, yesterday I broke the eggs for my scramble and accidentally dumped the yolk in, and while I was fishing that out, my onions caught on fire. It’s popular for dieting folks to say, “Oh, I won’t survive this diet!” But in my case, we’re seriously worried about me burning the house down.
In the meantime, here is a panda, celebrating my weight loss:
Image: Schoschie/Flickr
Jennie Smash 
I am through disc 3 of 5 of the audio book. I will be starting phase 1 on Monday. Totally stoked after reading about your success!!! Keep it up lady!
Haha! Great blog!
I, too, am finding phase 2 hard. I had no idea how big 6 to 8 ounces actually is of tuna… blech. Ah well! Almost to phase 3! hello almond butter!!! :o)
This is my second week… down 11 lbs. WTF is right!
11 pounds! I will lose my shit if I’ve lost 11 pounds by this time next week. You will hear me from wherever you are, shrieking and doing a dance.
Is it sad that I’m this happy about losing weight? I feel like it makes me sound like a very shallow person, but I really don’t want to feel like I’m wearing a fat suit this summer. It is so very hot here.
Love your blog. I started following you when Haylie posted your blog on facebook. I started the same time you did and am on day 4 too. I am down 4 pounds too! If I am down 11 pounds by this time next week I will be pretty happy!
Nah… who we are in our heads has to match who we are on the outside too. Last summer I swore I would never again experience the shame of not being able to continue on with a beach walk because my thighs were so freaking chaffed.
And besides, you are happy about getting healthier! And not burning your house down! Lots to celebrate! :o) (I can tease you about the kitchen fire comment… $95K insurance claim due to my cooking prowess about 13 years ago… learned my lesson BIGTIME!!!!)
HA! Oh man. I should probably make sure my husband doesn’t see this. I think he’s already a little frightened about my cooking “skills” and their possible impact on our apartment.
I just keep saying to myself, at some point this must get easier. Phase 2 is the pits!, I am week 2 day 4. Can’t wait for morning!!! Lost only 7 lbs. disappointing. Two says cardio with weights, one day hot yoga. My body must really like my belly fat. And why wouldn’t it? That’s where all my yummy pasta and chocolate is!,,
7 pounds is great, though! You know what, you could try just doing cardio one day during phase one, and weights one day during phase two. That’s how Haylie says to do it in the book, and as we know, I’m now a crazy cult person who does everything she says, because she’s my new Oprah.
I agree… 7 pounds is fabulous… what other plan (I can’t call this a diet given how much I am eating!) has delivered those kinds of results?!
Also, totally agree that phase two is not my favorite. I cannot wait for tomorrow.
Thanks for reminding me to keep up with my own blog! I am terribly unreliable that way…. LOL!
Hello ladies,
Here is one more member of Day 4. I was looking for a support group, and I am so glad I found this blog. Well, I was hungry yesterday and today (phase 2), I had absolutely 0 energy, headaches and don’t feel good. And guess what, I didn’t lose anything!?!??? Actually, after the first day I had 1lbs+ (grrrr). I don’t know if any of you work out, but I walk 2.5 miles every morning (50 min).
Honestly, this protein phase is really harsh…my body doesn’t like it…need vitamins and carbs. Huh, I wonder will it be just one more diet for me where everybody has great results, and I hardly lose 2lb (this actually happened to me on master cleanse when I went 14 days on water only, and lost 8lb, while everybody else lost 15lb).
Btw. I am 5’4″ and 168.8 lb 😦
Any advice?
Did you eat a lot of veggies, too? You can have unlimited green veggies. Maybe you need more of them, for the fiber and the whatnot?
I’m hoping to get back into working out, but I’m injured right now, so I counted a walk on Tuesday and my PT bands on Wednesday. So the other thing I thought of is, maybe you’re working out too much and it’s stressing you out. Stress makes me swell right up like a balloon. I am not one of those people who loses weight under pressure, no siree.
But anyway, I think you should be super proud of yourself, and don’t worry too much about the numbers. Maybe it’ll take a few days to reset.
Hang in there Violet! (Jennie… do you mind if I weigh in on your blog too? You can say get lost, this is mine!)
I actually didn’t feel so hot the first few days either… but by the end of the first week I was sleeping better than I had in a LONG time and feeling more bright and positive. (I have been through a lot of stress lately.) Do you use the app? If you want to lose more than 20 pounds you have to increase the serving sizes. (Just don’t forget to reduce them as you are reducing!) Maybe you just need to find the snacks that work for you and increase veggies like Jennie suggested.
I also think that stress and guilt and obsessing over every thing has a negative impact… Haylie says that specifically in her book. Slip ups happen… I succumbed to a diet coke earlier today (It was sooooo good.) I beat myself up for a bit, but then shrugged my shoulders, drank a pail of water and started prepping snacks for tomorrow. Keep calm, carry on, all that rot!
Best part? Day 5 starts tomorrow and our options open up big-time!
I started at 5’7″ and 185… I hear ya. 😦
Please do weigh in! The other thing I thought of for Violet was getting her thyroid tested. I know, I know, I’m a broken record with the thyroid. But mine was wonky for awhile before we figured it out, and because my numbers weren’t crazy out-of-whack, many doctors didn’t even pick up on it. Meanwhile, I was gaining weight and losing hair. Not fun.
I love this blog, Jennie you’ve got a sense of humor like my sisters and I!! I lol for real. Violet, my mom and I have been on this together and we both experienced achiness and stuff on day 4. Jennie is right i think. More veggies and water. Phase 3 is so much easier and I was getting compliments about how I looked, I kept hearing the word “glowing” a lot. I can handle that =)
Well, my day 4 has been tough. I gave in and had brown rice with my steak and asparagus-just could not stand the meat/vegies alone anymore. Looking forward to Phase 3 tomorrow.
I started at 5’4″ and 185 lbs. Lost 5lbs already so I am a beleiver!
Hang in there! Tomorrow we get all kinds of fun foods. I swear, I’m so excited about almond butter, you’d think it was a trip to Tuscany.
I have never tried it-will have to pick some up! I want some nuts (lol) so bad! Missing my fruit, coke zero and morning coffee. If I can lose all this weight I will be soo happy! Thanks for the support!
I was looking for a ‘like’ button. lol
Oh I agree… my morning latte was a crucial part of my ritual! Right now I am spending a lot of time thinking about how to do stuff differently after the 28 days. Right now my morning oatmeal is looking pretty appealing!
Hello again,
Thank you so much for all responds.
Jennie, the 3rd day was ok, although I couldn’t wait for 3 hours to pass by. 3 egg-wites omellete with mushrooms and spinach for breakfast, 3 egg-whites for snack (nothing fulfilling at all), and then a big bowl of arugula salad and sole fish for lunch, sardines in water for snack, 2 cups of beef and cabbage stew for dinner…but TODAY, I don’t know, my body was responding/asking constantly for heavier food.
I made mistake in the previous post, I walk 2×2.5 miles, what is 5 miles per day all together, and that might be the reason that I have no energy.
My thyroid is working fine, really no problem with it. However, my current weight is the weight I had since high-school and I am 40 now. Always the same, I mean, if I diet, I might lose pounds (when I was younger), but I don’t see it on my body at all. Also, if I go over 170, my body feels heavy and somehow it regulates that extra pounds by itself, and I got into 165-168 range without doing any extra job (?)
Anyway, I am not going to give up. It is such a great feeling to find support. Thank you Jennie, Julia and Christin! We can do it!
@Julia – about the portions, I am not sure how much oz exactly I ate 2 first days, since I followed the recipes from the book for the soups, and then divided it into cups, but I ate 2 cups of chicken/veggie/rice soup, and I was full. It is this protein phase that shook me up and made me really tired and over-worked. I also tried Dukan before this diet, and Dukan is all about proteins. we’ll see in the future…I just hope it is the first week, and I feel weak.
I found one thing in the book I am confused about and it is for tomorrow (phase 3). On page 119, there is “food ratio,” and it says for breakfast: fruit, healthy fat/protein, grain and veggie. And then, on page 130, in the example menu for phase 3, it only says oatmeal for breakfast???
One more question, do you girls have any problems with going to the bathroom (shy, red-faced smiley here)?
Thank heavens someone mentioned the bathroom issue! It has been a “concern”. Not to get graphic but even thought the urge is there not much action going on if you know what I mean. My son has a stomach bug and I almost envy him being able to go the bathroom so much…I know! That’s terrible! I am on week 2 day 4 and am only down 5 lbs but I am still excited. I can do this!!!
So happy this was brought up! My stomach has been erratic as well. Also, the umm…texture.. Changes a lot. Week 2 day 5. I had cashew butter this morning and almost cried it was so good. On sprouted grain toast. Great job with the 5! I read in the book that sometimes loss slowes down in second week. Then picks back up.
I think its all the protein in phase 2. There’s a tea you might try for this. Not 100% positive you can take it while on this but I’m pretty sure. Its called Smooth Move and you should be able to find it just about anywhere, Wal-Mart, Whole Foods, etc. My mom is 5’2″ 171 (40lbs is her goal to lose) and has been on thyroid medication since she was 3. She’s been doing this for 11 days now and down 6lbs so it is working for her. =) I’m 5’9″ 280 and am now down 10lbs in 11 days (100lbs to lose for me).
Jennie, I’m so glad Haylie mentioned this blog on her FB page!! Thanks for allowing others to chime in =)
Thank you all for chiming in! It’s so helpful to hear what everyone else is doing.
As for bathroom stuff, I had a worse time on day one, when my body was seriously wondering where the coffee was. I’ve been fine since, but I’ve been eating my weight in spinach, because I am staaarving.
Hi Jennie!!
Another believer here and I totally get your WTF moment. I am also starting day 5…phase 2 SUCKS but thank goodness for the jerky…and I just weighed in. I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I am down 6 pounds. I’m 5’3 and started at 159.2. Totally and completely WTF in my house this morning. I am just about off the caffiene, (I’m having 1/2 a cup of black coffee every morning now) and I’m so excited about finally fixing my metabolism so I can occasionally go on a tear and not gain 10 pounds overnight.
Violet-Do you think you are working out too much? I am also a big walker-5 miles a day at least 4 times a week and I’m not doing it this week at all. I walked on day 2, didn’t do the weight lifting and I am planning on doing a yoga DVD today. I’m going crazy without the walking (it’s my only chance to get away from my 4 kids and have some alone time! ) but I do remember Hayley stressing the exercise thing. I’m not having any bathroom issues only because I’m eating TONS of spinich and arugula. LOL
I’m sure I am NOT going to have this kind of success for the rest of the program but I am starting to think that is 20 pounds in a month is possible. I am also starting to wonder if I actually have a dairy or gluten allergy because I’m feeling fan-freaking-tastic; my head actually feels clear and my skin looks great. This plan is the hardest one I’ve ever been on but I can’t believe the success I’m having. Fingers crossed that it continues……
That is AMAZING! You go!
You know, I’ve been wondering the same thing about myself, re: dairy and gluten. I have a weirdo autoimmune disorder called Behcet’s Disease, and although they don’t really understand it, one theory is that it might partly be a dairy allergy. And I do feel good without the dairy.
Hi again
I haven’t had any issues that way… the first week it was the opposite!
I don’t have my book with me… could it have been a link to an oatmeal recipe? My morning was oatmeal, blueberries and flax… way nicer than egg whites and asparagus! :o)
I just finished my fried egg on top of tomato and toast. Heaven……I’m in heaven….. Oh fat…I have missed you so. ❤
Oh my God, I just ate mine as well, and I am dead now, from happiness.