[marigolds]

I FINALLY have the time to listen to the podcasts of Judy's radio show, and they are wonderful!

Thank you Judy.  I am listening to the tail end of one as I write this.

If you haven't listened before, please turn into Judy's podcasts available as a link through the blog.  They are very informative and full of great information that we all can use.

What I found humorous in one podcast was the story of the man who drank one of Judy's carb drinks as part of a study, and he was amazed that after the drink he did not want the doughnut he had put into his mouth!  He asked her what she put in the drink (like it was drugged!)...I too have had that experience.  For snack this morning I had six marshmallows (36 grams pure carbs) with my black coffee.  Aside from calming me down, which I sorely needed after a stressful work week, I felt totally full and satisfied.  Now according to the glycemic index (South Beach) way of thinking, I should have been starved and crashed from the sugar rush, but folks it just doesn't work that way. 

Also, in the past I really had trouble with binging on carby foods and I just don't feel the need to anymore.  The timing of my foods, protein/carb for breakfast, lots of protein and veg for lunch, and carby dinners (I'm on Phase 1), with my 3 carby or sweet snacks, leaves me totally satisfied.  Along with the reduced calories I am eating, no doubt the timing of these foods and the types of foods I am eating really works to blunt my appetite along with improving my mood.  The large amounts of protein/veg we're allowed for lunch is pure genius.  This really keeps me focused mentally and gets me through the afternoon at work.  Sometimes I have to remind myself to eat my afternoon snack.

Sure, some days I still get hungry, but nothing like before, and nothing that can't be controlled until the next snack or meal.

I can only say thank you Judy and Nina for this new book.  My only regret is that I wasted so many years following diet after diet until I found this one.  For those of us with weight and depression issues, it is a true Godsend.

[NinaFrusztajerMD]

Dear Marigolds,

For some reason, Judy made the following post but I'm not sure if it actually ended up in the forum so here it is:

Dear 'marigolds' Thank you so much for your great comments. I am sure they will inspire others to try your diet. I saw a friend today 25 lbs heavier than he was when he started South Beach 18 months ago. I wish he had read your comments before he started on that diet. Please keep writing; we love hearing from you. Judy

[marigolds]

Thanks!  Posting here keeps me motivated as well!

Of course I still have days when I'm down.  Yesterday I got off track with my eating due to depression.  But it wasn't awful and NOTHING like in my pre-Serotonin Power diet days.  And today I'm back on track instead of throwing in the towel.

The thing with me is when I get depressed, my years of conditioning make me eat whether I'm hungry or not.  Yesterday, when I started to do this I truly "got it"...a true light bulb moment.  I was starting to eat and I wasn't even hungry because I find this new way of eating so satisfying.  But years and years and years of mental conditioning to eat when I'm down got to me yesterday.  When I did eat and realized what I was doing it was a true light bulb moment.

So now, I'm making a list of options other than eating when that feeling comes over me.  The thing is constant awareness instead of just eating out of rote conditioning.

I feel this way of eating has given me clarity of mind to break the cycle.  No more cotton-candy brain as I like to call that feeling of cloudy confusion!