The South Beach Diet: What You Need to Know

The South Beach Diet: What You Need to Know

The South Beach Diet consists of 3 phases. It is ideal for someone who wants to live well while eating what they love. This diet will teach you how to eliminate bad carbohydrates and bad fats while replacing them with good carbs and good fats. The first phase takes two weeks, which will eliminate your cravings for sugar and refined starches, while jump-starting your weight loss. Phase one will also stabilize your blood sugar minimizing your cravings.

After two weeks you will move into phase two. You will stay in phase two until you reach your ideal weight. This phase will help promote long term, steady weight loss. If you only have 10 pounds or less to lose or if you do not get cravings then you want to start at phase two. Once you are at your healthy ideal weight you move onto phase 3, which is the lifestyle phase. This is how you will eat and live all year to maintain your ideal weight.



Foods you eat and avoid on the South Beach Diet?

During phase one of the South Beach Diet you are allowed to eat the following foods:

Lean protein meats such as chicken, beef & turkey, fish & shellfish. High fiber vegetables, low fat dairy, eggs, fat- free or low fat cheese, fat free or low fat lunch meat, nuts, and Tofu. You will need to avoid certain foods like fruit and fruit juices, bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, candy, cake & cookies, ice cream, sugar, beer or alcohol or any kind, along with caffeine limited to 1-2 servings a day.

During phase two of the diet you can enjoy the allowable foods from phase one and reintroduce the following: fruit, fat free or 1% milk, low fat or fat free yogurt, whole grain and whole wheat starches (sparingly), chocolate (sparingly) and red wine. The foods you need to avoid during phase two of the south beach diet are cookies, beets, carrots, corn, potatoes, bananas, canned fruit, juice, pineapple, raisins, watermelon, honey, ice cream, and jam.

Once you are at your ideal weight, you can reintroduce the avoided foods in phase two and begin phase three. This will be your new lifestyle of eating the foods you love while following a healthy balanced diet. If you should slip up and start to gain weight, you go back to phase one and start over again.

What exercise is required on the South Beach Diet?

Although exercise is not required for the basic South Beach Diet plan, it is a requirement for the super charged version, which will include a workout plan with each phase. This plan includes 20 minutes a day of either high intensity or low intensity exercises. There is also a 10-week walking program, and strengthening and toning exercises as well.

Who is a good candidate for the South Beach Diet?

The south beach diet may work for those who are pre-diabetic or already diabetic.