Anyone done South Beach diet?

[moremoremore]

Well, I''m having some issues with carbs and insulin so I''m giving it a try. The Dr. suggested Phase I for a month to help me slim down and regulate my blood sugar. I''m not diabetic but it''s in the faily.

BUT, I''m a TOTAL FOODIE! Now, I''m wondering if anyone has done an "almost" Phase I? The every now and then carrot, and using pre-made stir-fry sauce, and maybe a teeny bit or corn in salad? I also got a 5 net carb wrap bc I don''t think I can never have NO wraps, carrots, etc for a month. Just wondering if anyone has done this modified Phase I which is not as bad as Phase II....

 

[kcoursolle]

Hi there,

I''ve been living the south beach lifestyle for almost two years now and have kept the weight off, and my fiance recently started about 2 months ago. I love this way of life and am very happy with it. We have enjoyed great success on this diet. My fi lost over 20 pounds, went from a BMI of 29 to 25, and his blood pressure went down drastically. I don''t feel comfortable saying how much I lost, but my cholesterol improved drastically and so did my triglicerides (sp?). I am now at my ideal weight and feel I have gained years to my life expectancy by enjoying a healthier way of life. I feel better than ever.

I feel strongly that this diet is not so much a diet, but rather a lifestyle change and a way of life. I don''t think it can''t be viewed as a diet and still be successful. You have to be ready to drastically change the way you view food. Now that I am on phase three and have been for quite a while, I still live the south beach lifestyle. To me, this means generally eating low-fat protein, many vegetables and fruit (not too much high carb fruit), some whole grain, and a variety of low-fat dairy. When I am on vacation or if it''s a special day, I eat whatever I want. However, the next day I am right back in the lifestyle.

I hear ya phase 1 sounds tough!! It''s not easy, but I actually think it''s the most important part of the diet. It changes the way your body thinks about foods and is essential because it gets rid of your cravings for carbs. However, I only did this phase for 2 weeks, not one month. Since it looks like the Dr. suggested a month, I would ask him about staying on phase one for less time instead of altering phase one. It will be hard to rid your carb addiction if you are still eating them (obviously his advice is best on this one!). Also, I reccommend reading the book cover to cover because it will help inform your diet and give you more motivation. Also, he sells a south beach cookbook that is a wonderful addition when you are wondering what to make for dinner/lunch/dessert, etc. In general, I thought the first two days were the worst...I felt sluggish and still craved carbs. After this though, I felt the first two weeks wasn''t that bad!! You''d be surprised what you can get through!!!


After doing this diet for so long, I have learned a few things that make it easier:
-This diet requires a lot of food processing, chopping, and cooking. When you are making foods like salads make extra and put it in separate containers/bowls so you don''t have to do this everyday.

-be sure to have south-beach friendly snacks with you at all times so you don''t make a grab for the vending machine if you are hungry. Keep some in the office fridge and in your purse too! I love the laughing cow cheeses, nuts, celery with natural peanut butter, etc.

-buy a rich variety of foods. Try different meats, seafood, vegetables, spices, and condiments (legumes/cheeses/fruits on phase two). Variety will keep you more satisfied and interested. I''ve also found that I''ve acquired a taste for vegetables I never thought I would like.

-give yourself time to pack a lunch for work, it''s often hard to get what I need in the cafeteria. Be sure to include snacks in the lunch too!!

-You shouldn''t ever feel hungry on the diet. If you are...eat more LOL!!! You''ll still loose weight!

-If you are going out to eat, remember that it''s all about choices...although the pasta might sound amazing, there is usually a better choice like a fish/veggie entre, a salad, etc. If you absolutely must have a dessert, pick something rich that will satisfy you and pass it around the table. I find myself pretty satisfied with just a couple of bites of cheese cake with much less guilt than the whole piece. Also, restaurants now let you substitute potatoes/fries,etc. for veggies, or a salad quite easily.

-try to get people to do this diet with you such as a spouse, partner, relative, or good friend. It helps a lot to have someone that you cook healthy meals with and someone to encourage you when you are feeling weak.

-before you start the diet, rid your cabinets and fridge of everything you can''t eat. You don''t want to stare at it every time you open the fridge!!

-when you grocery shop, it''s easier to avoid the bad stuff if you stick to the perimeter of the store and avoid the aisles. Most of what you need is in produce, meat, or dairy sections of the store.

-EAT BREAKFAST!!! Make yourself some eggs or leftovers from dinner...this is a must! I find that cravings go up drastically if I skip breakfast, and also I''m tired throughout the day if I skip breakfast.

-If you are going to eat carbs...eat it later in the day rather than for breakfast/lunch. This seems counterintuitive, but carbs give way to more carb craving. If you eat something before bed it is less likely that you will eat more that day.

-If you are craving desserts during phase one, sugar free jello, and the riccotta cheese dessert with cocoa (in the book) really help a lot! For phase two, I find that some fresh berries with splenda on top taste better than anything! You''ll be amazed at how much better these foods taste after going two weeks without sweets. It''s like a taste bud revitalizer. I used to love twizzlers, but I find they taste a little disgusting now.

-If you mess up and have a whole bunch of carbs one day....try not to feel guilty and give up. Instead, get right back on the next day.

-Good luck, hope this helps!! Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[Lorelei]

Can you ever have any chocolate on this diet please?

It sounds kinda interesting...

 

[ephemery1]

Years ago my fiance's parents were doing a low-carb diet... and since his dad is a cardiologist and presumably wouldn't do something risky or unhealthy without knowing the facts, I was intrigued. When I looked into it and began adopting some of those eating habits myself, I found it did wonders for my issues with hypoglycemia and also for my stomach problems. My dad then began doing a modified South Beach and lost an enormous amount of weight fairly easily.

I think as with any change to your eating, it is important to consider it a lifestyle change rather than a strict diet. KCoursolle's tips were fantastic and show that she really did her research to understand exactly how low-carb works... I hate when people say "oh yeah, I don't eat carbs"... then just skip the bread at dinner and wonder why nothing changes. It seems like EVERYTHING has sugar in it, when you really start paying attention to the labels... there is just so much to learn about your own food habits!

My fiance and I aren't currently following South Beach, but we've altered our own habits enough that I rarely eat the whole bun with a hamburger (sometimes I'll have half)... breakfast is eggs or some other protein... we don't bother with rice or noodles as a side for dinner, just meat and veggies... and I haven't craved fruit juice or sugary sodas for years. And when whole-grain or low-sugar options are available (of peanut butter, oatmeal, salad dressing, etc)... it's a no-brainer for us.

 

[kcoursolle]

Date: 8/28/2006 5:40:11 AM
Author: Lorelei
Can you ever have any chocolate on this diet please?

It sounds kinda interesting...

On phase two-three you can have dark chocolate sparingly. He says that dark chocolate is more satisfying (you''ll eat less), contains less sugar than milk chocolate, and is healthier for you (cocoa is good for you he says).

 

[Mara]

IMO in general, i think that something like the SB diet is really just advocating a way of changed food lifestyles. i don't think you do it for a month or two and take weight off then go back to old ways. it IS a lifestyle change. i have slowly made a change in my own food lifestyles over the last 2 years. now most of my day consists of fresh fruits, lowfat milks, high fiber and protein cereals, granolas for snacks, and fish or lean meats for dinner prepared in a 'cooking light' kind of fashion, with tasty salads with blue cheese and balsamic etc. sure i still have the off hamburger and fries and we do enjoy tasty steaks and potatoes sometimes (love a good steak) but for the most part it's very green and granola for the 'day to day' kinda stuff.

it is SO TRUE about what your taste buds get used to! i used to drink a few cokes a week and i was used to the sugar intake...well all i drink now is water and sometimes black iced tea...the other night we were out at dinner (where i typically eat what i want when we go out), and i wanted a root beer because this place brews their own, but i thought well i remember it being totally not sweet enough for me and if i am going to spend the 150 calories or so then will it taste good (that's my own gauge of do i want it...) enough. well i got it and i tried it and it was sooo sweet!!! way sweeter than i remembered. and i realized it was because my taste buds weren't used to sugary drinks anymore. amazing!!

anyway mmm i think you should try it or something like it and see how it works out...honestly i don't know about the SB diet itself as i tend to just think that with changing lifestyle and food habits and incorporating light workouts like walking a mile a day to start...your body will change. i used to think that it was carbs that made my stomach bloated so much. well guess what, it wasn't carbs. it was fat on my belly, and then eating carbs on top of it!! now that i have lost a few inches around my waist, when i eat carbs, my stomach is still pretty flat. it's like a lightbulb went off for me. it's a combo of food and workout and just being more healthy. good luck gal!!!

ETA...i am a total foodie too!!!! but my recipe for success thus far has been that during the week, aka breakfasts and lunches on my own while working or whatever, i am really healthy. it's not like i am eating for fun during work hours kinda thing...my mind is distracted anyway. then i use cooking light recipes (which are REALLY tasty, some of them!!!) to do things like cut corners on making favorite dishes with substitutes for greg and i. for me it HAS to taste good, whatever i am eating. then on weekends we do our own thing out at restaurants. and it's worked out really well. but i am also working out a lot too. so anyway i just want to say you can be a foodie and also be healthy too, it's moderation and not 'deprivation'.

 

[moremoremore]

thanks girlies! Yes, I definitely know that it is a lifestyle change and not a diet...although it is a diet too LOL....well, at least Phase III is the real long term way of life...I definitely consider Phase I a diet LOL... It is pure evil! I just think it's unrealistic that I make my own stir fry sauce after a full day of work, or that I never have a carrot which I love. I also don't see the harm in a little pre-made veggie dip...Those are my issues with Phase I. I also don't love eggs and am somewhat lactose intolerant...so Phase I doesn't really "work" for me. I'm going to modify it every so slightly to fit my needs....

that is all I can think about right now. the whole lifestyle change Phase III is the hardest part imo. I love nothing more than to eat a hunk of bread or have a huge tub or movie p-corn.... Moderation is something I can't get a grasp on and this is all about what Phase III is about...Well, let's just get through phase I first LOL...

For me, it's definitely the bad carbs that are the problem...wreaking havoc on my system...so a little excersie will help to regulate my blood sugar with a good carb diet..and I'll lose weight too!...

Moderation is my biggest hurdle. I want to eat all of the almonds on my desk right now. It was so funny to me to count out 13 of them as a snack this morning...Usually, the bag would be gone....It doesn't matter WHAT is it, I want to eat all of it til I puke LOL...

One day I really hope I"m in a position to have everything I like in moderation. That is my goal...I'll never be a stick as a large framed 5'10"+ gal...but at least I'll be healthy

and still eating what I love. I think the being really good during the week and being able to chow down on the weekends would be very do-able!

 

[bar01]

Date: 8/28/2006 12:45:28 PM
Author: kcoursolle

Date: 8/28/2006 5:40:11 AM
Author: Lorelei
Can you ever have any chocolate on this diet please?

It sounds kinda interesting...

On phase two-three you can have dark chocolate sparingly. He says that dark chocolate is more satisfying (you'll eat less), contains less sugar than milk chocolate, and is healthier for you (cocoa is good for you he says).

You can have it on Phase I too.... You can use unsweetened chocolate powder (dark or regular) in plain unsweetened non-fat Yogurt (or ricotta) along with some splenda. This was a favorite of mine in Phase 1 for breakfast or a treat.

 

[mrssalvo]

I made hubby the splenda cheesecake when he was in phase 1 too. (at least I think it was phase 1

). hubby had great success with the SB diet but phase 1 was no fun at all.

 

[lovelylulu]

moremoremore,

Until about 10 months ago, I had never been on a diet. When I was younger, I was always a sporty kid, so I never had to regulate what I ate. I remained active in college and only during the three years I spent in grad school did I start to lead a more sedintary exsistence. Last fall, I sort of took a look at my life and realized that I''m not getting any younger and if anything my metabolism is going to slow down, so i needed to re-develop healthier habits in both diet and exercise (getting engaged was also a helpful motivation

)

I researched a couple of different "diets" and honestly they were all a little scary. I didn''t completely want to carve out a food group - My mom has had incredible success on atkins, but it just doesn''t seem healthy. I came across south beach and felt that it was much less a diet and much more a simple and sensible way to eat. It makes sense that if you eat good, fresh veggies, lots of lean protein and not a lot of processed sugar you will lose or maintain your weight. Plus, I could see how the food could also taste good. For about three months, I tried to follow the strict setup of the diet (ie phase 1, 12 almonds, drinking V8

). I definatly saw results and for the first time really started to think about what it was I was putting in my mouth to eat -- but being so regimented about my eating proved to be too strict and I couldn''t really keep up with it.

I didn''t revert to my old eating habits, I just loosened the diet to fit me better while maintaining the basic principles of eating more lean protein and veggies and a whole lot less processed carbs and sugar. I also starting exercising between 3-4 times a week. I think that exercise is such an important component. I know that it''s difficult to fit everything into a single day, but you can. you just have to want to.

I wasn''t terribly overweight, but I just wasn''t in shape -- since I''ve starting thinking about food and exercise I''ve lost 20 lbs. I got married in July and almost completely refrained from exercising during July and August and definately ate what I wanted on our honeymoon -- I was sure that I must have gained heaps of weight back -- I just started back at the gym over the past two weeks and on my first time on the scale I had only gained 2 lbs.

so don''t be scared of people telling you that once you stop you gain back all the weight. it might be true if all you are losing is water weight (phase 1) but really it''s just not true.

Good luck! you can definately balance the foodie in you with eating healthy!