A guy is joining in ...

[SPDeRosa]

So here I am, new to the 1PD program. Today is day two and I find myself searching the forums for recipes. Portion sizes are so incredibly small that it takes a lot of getting used to -- coming from an Italian family, this is going to be a challenge. Who ever heard of cooking without olive oil?? And these vegetable portions are so small -- heck, I find myself wanting to just eat lettuce to fill myself up rather than waste valuable vegetable weight on something heavy. Newbie anxiety I guess.

I sent an email out to two of my friends who are also on the diet and thought I'd share with you. Attached is a picture of my first meal (Breakfast - Meal 1). In fact, since I really don’t do cheeses for breakfast, and I don't like yogurt - let alone fat-free yogurt - this is likely going to be my ONLY breakfast for the next three months.

The photo depicts the actual allowance: 1 egg and 85 grams of vegetables. Once I saw how LITTLE that was, my hands automatically started working their magic, and then I ran for the camera. I'm sure someone can relate!!

--- Shawn

[cyberella]

OH, YES!!!

believe it,baby!! (the sooner u make peace with it, the easier your life's gonna b..)

but i'd suggest that u dont take the meal 1 as a breakfast, as this pathetic food-size indicates that u do it from the top 2 the bottom-

i turned the thing around after my first meal was xactely the same: a boiled egg and raw green peppers... :cupid:

if u start with your egg from meal 3 (at least i have an egg-option there -iz the vegetarian-plan) and work your way up 2 end up with meal 3 4 supper and then go 2 bed early, u should get through the day easier, i think!!!

all the best! :party6:
great success! {cheerleader}

and keep up the spirit! :weights:
iz worth it!!

[Scoobymom]

Dear Shawn,

I feel your pain! My husband's family is Italian, so I know where you are coming from.

The thing that I found that worked best for me, is I use the lightest vegetables, like spinach and baby lettuce leaves(They come in the bag at the supermarket, all washed and ready to eat). There is a herb salad mix that is very good, it has baby lettuce leaves mixed with little bits of dill and cilantro(which are spices and are free, I believe.

When I weigh it out, I get a huge bowl of salad with my chicken, fish or lean steak. Also, I use a packet of sweetner, with balsamic vinigar, water and italian herbs and garlic powder to make an Italian dressing that is very good.

It makes it feel like you are eating a huge meal - there is lots of chewing and it is quite filling and satisfying.

I hope that helps!:)

Lyndsey

[BarbieGRRRL]

:thinking: Well, when you look at it like THAT, yes it does look small! Break it open and scramble it with some diced garlic, tomatoes, onions, peppers and mushrooms and it's a VERY filling meal! Fills the plate AND your tummy! That was one of my favorites! When and IF I had the TIME. Of course, I ate my crackers with it, closed my eyes, and imagined they were biscuits! (I have a GREAT imagination!) :laughing:

Good luck starting out... it takes a bit of getting used to... but as Scoobymom says, if you use the lettuce you can have a HUGE salad.

[Hugentobler]

Shawn... Thank you for the laugh. Your peppers say it all. I printed off the picture and have added it to my bathroom mirror. You definitely need to learn to laugh during these 12 weeks.

[NewfieNightingale]

Hi Shawn,

I love the pic...I thought that the portions were quite small when I first started...It is now day 6 for me..and you do get used to the smaller portions (or maybe you just start getting a little creative). For my breakfast I usually have 1 egg mixed with 1/2 egg shell of water...microwave for 90 secs...and for the 70 g of veggies I am allowed I will dice up green pepper, mushroom and either my allottment of tomato or onion. I will sautee the veggies to soften them up and put them on the egg and fold it over to make an omelet. I will also have 1 1/2 sourdough and rye crisps from my cracker allottement (that takes the place of my usual toast). I find that this breakfast is usually quite filling. Of course I have my large glass of water with it. Then around mid morning I will eat a piece of fruit.

Keep with the program...I'm sure it will get easier with each passing day.

Kristy

[mortymom]

Too funny!!

[The Perfect Weight]

Shawn,

Nice picture of your breakfast. I took pictures of my first meals too! Anyway I wanted to tell you what I've done with the egg meal, you may like it.
I take my hardboiled egg and dice it up, add some dill, pepper or any other seasoning you like, I've also added some chopped cucumbers to add some crunch. Then I take the mixture and put it in bib lettuce and wrap it up. It makes for a delicious egg salad lettuce wrap :)
Also on the yogurt option..........I'm not big on the non fat myself. I cut up kiwis as one of my fruits, added it to the plain yogurt and then also added one packet of stevia to make it taste yummy!!! The stevia is aspartame free and has fiber in it :)
Don't know if you'll like any of those but it's worth the share....they could become your new favorites.

[SPDeRosa]

Thanks for the tips everyone! I'm most certainly getting used to the smaller portions, although it is tough not being able to have orange juice or lasagna. The salads have been my saving grace!

Lyndsey, I'm going to try to the sweetener in my salad dressing too as right now it's a little bitter with just the vinegar/water and herbs.

Kristy, I'm going to try microwaving my eggs instead of frying them with the spray (no olive oil? Still hard to get used to). It seems the spray just disappears and the egg sticks to my no-stick pan. So the microwave might be a great option!

"The Perfect Weight" I am so going to try the kiwi in the yogurt idea, although I almost feel as though that's wasting a fruit snack later in the day (which so far has been keeping me from baking some brownies). I also can't imagine just one yogurt as my full breakfast. But we'll see, I'm sure there will be a time crush day when I just need "something" that might just do!

Glad everyone liked the pic --- the truth is after taking the photo, I chopped up the pepper and scrambled the egg and, along with my cracker allowance, kept telling myself what a good friend who lost 80lbs on the diet told me "Nothing tastes as good as feeling thin feels."

- Shawn



A few questions:

Is onion powder allowed over an above the onion allowance?
Is crushed red pepper considered a spice or is it prohibited because red peppers are not approved vegetables?

[LesKiya]

Dude! by all means eat lettuce! Welcome to the diet and I feel your pain as I eat the egg with cauliflower when I'm in a rush to get out the door some mornings. I can tell you that lettuce gives you more volume and even lettuces are different. (Stay away from the hearts cause they weigh so much!)

Anyhow, you can do it you just gotta be strong!

Today as I was grading papers, my stomach was making all kind of noise and finally I turned around to my son (in the room behind me about 12 feet away) and said, "Can you hear my stomach?" He just smiled and replied, "Oh yeah, but it means your doing good Mom!"

[SPDeRosa]

LesKiya - that's so great! This morning when I woke up my stomach was making all these noises and I wasn't even hungry and I thought to myself "Burn baby burn!"

For anyone wondering about the crushed red peppers, I asked the consultant team whether they were allowed, and I was told (no surprise I guess) that red peppers are not allowed, even grounded/crushed.

[Quality of Life]

I am one of Shawn's friends and had to laugh as well at his "first breakfast" photo. We both started the program after a good friend lost 80 pounds. I started January 3rd and have already lost 44 pounds with about 20 more to go! It has been wonderful, however, he is right, getting used to the portion sizes have been more of a challenge. Thanks for all of your suggestions as well. It is great to get new ideas to keep things fresh!

I also like tuna, so, I use my allotted amount of tuna, mix in some onion and my 1 teaspoon of Fat Free mayo and put that on my crackers with some tomatoes and broil it to make sort of a tuna melt. It actually tastes great and I add some spices to add a bit more flavor.

Also, broiling or steaming fish in aluminum foil with a bit of sprite zero, dill and a bay leaf tastes really good as well.

[Shasha]

{hi} there Shawn

What’s faster than a speeding bullet?

Is it a plane?

Is it a train?

No, it’s a Shawn De Rosa flying :flying: to his goal weight!

{congrats} on having lost 10 pounds already! Excellent and {goodjob}

Thank you for making my day with your excellent first breakfast of ‘OH NO’ – do you mind if I copy this and send it to Dr Cohen??

About the frying of eggs and making of omelets, I recommend you try using the spray in a non-stick pan. Mushroom omelets are really nice when you slice your button mushrooms nice and thin…

Think quality not quantity…

Wishing you a speedy and successful journey!!!

[Shasha]

{hi} there Juliene

{congrats} on having lost 44 pounds with only about 20 more to go!

{goodjob} that is EXCELLENT!!!

It’s so nice to see how you are doing this together – the more the merrier and a very WELL DONE to your friend who lost 80 pounds – I think we must somehow convince the three of you to put up your before and then AFTER photo’s so that we can see how well you’ve done…

I can just imagine the heading: 3 Buddies lost a person! {pirates}

Always remember, your long term success is in completing your Re-feeding Program successfully – it’s not over till it’s over! So no matter how great the everyone tells you, you are looking, don’t settle for GOOD, when you can get right down to BEST!!!

Hoping to hear lots more from all of you!!

[GettinSkinny]

A very big welcome to you both, Juliene and Shawn. Keep the funny pictures coming -- it helps to liven things up around here. :)

[makena]

Ok, I just found the breakfast picture and...It killed me. My husband is starting in a couple of weeks and I can just imagine his reaction when he eats that breakfast for the first time (it's somehow different watching someone else do it for 7+ weeks).

Also wanted to weigh in on the stomach noises - my stomach has really pumped up the volume, for the most part at home, but occasionally in public. It takes some getting used to, but now after all this time on, I find that the portions don't seem as small anymore. In fact, if I try to eat one of my meals in a hurry I start to feel really full.

Welcome aboard and wishing you all the best on your journey! It's so much more fun (and even a little easier) when someone else you know is following the plan as well.

[SPDeRosa]

Shasha - thanks for the encouraging words! Feel free to use the photo and send along to Dr. Cohen. It'd be interesting to hear his reaction! :) And I kid you not, everything in the post is true. That WAS my veggie portion weighed to the gram :)

- Shawn

[vorian]

A few questions:

Is crushed red pepper considered a spice or is it prohibited because red peppers are not approved vegetables?


I would love to know that as well.....
*Edit*

I just saw it's not :(

[SPDeRosa]

Vorian, as you know crushed red pepper isn't allowed, but green jalapeno peppers are! So tomorrow I'm going to try some jalapenos in my meals to see if that helps kick it up a notch. :)

EDIT: I LOVE the jalapenos! One little jalapeno pepper (with seeds) added so much flavor!

[Shasha]

{hi} there Shawn

I'm 100% sure that you are telling the truth...

I sent your pic off to the good Doctor today, together with:

I just wanted to show you what one of our clients, Mr Shawn DeRosa thought about his first meal on the 1st Personal Diet Program… He went on to say:

“The photo depicts the actual allowance: 1 egg and 85 grams of vegetables. Once I saw how LITTLE that was, my hands automatically started working their magic, and then I ran for the camera. I'm sure someone can relate!!”

I'm sure Dr Cohen will enjoy this! I know I still {rofl} everytime I see it! {rofl}

Please post your HOT idea's in the Recipe Section for herbs and spices... did you make it with meat or in a stir-fry? I think it can be quiet nice steak and onion, green pepper and mushrooms?

[Maya]

SPDeRosa:party1:, when I saw your pic, I thought you must be some doctor or sth... nice pic!

You live in Italy?
Let me tell you I well know how small the portions are... First I thought they forgot to add something to my diet and wrote them if that's all...{rofl}

But I promise - you'll get used to it. And you're a guy, you lose weight so much easier than women do... you lucky you:disagree:...

nice having you here, welcome aboard{friendhug}!!!!