South Beach Diet - Anyone follow it???

Hi

Wanting to know if anyone has tried the South Beach Diet???

How was/is it? I have heard it is good for diabetics so I assume it is also good for those with PCOS or insulin resistance.

I really need to break my refined carb habit.... :(

Thanks :)

Not South Beach, but Atkins. So essentially monitoring how much "white" foods I consumed and no I did not use it as an excuse to eat mounds of fat ;)

Lost over 21kgs, felt great, slept better, my IBS disappeared. Did it just before I started TTC and fell pregnant pretty much straight away (probably a coincidence, but who knows!) Honestly since then whenever I have made an effort to reduce breads, pasta's, potatoes in my diet I have always felt much better and lost weight (why I don't follow it all the time is beyond me).

As for the PCOS side of thing, I think Rouge might be able to help you there.

My name is N2L and I am a refined carb junkie :(

It has been 10 minutes since I last used.

Thanks Astrid! Seriously though, I am actually physiologically addicted to these foods. I crave them when I dont eat them. And I KNOW they are responsible for my fat. I love bread, cake, pastry, pasta, rice, potato, biscuits.....And I KNOW my body can't process them (my last fasting insulin test had gone from 9 to 15 in a year). I have pcos and I carry all my weight on my stomach (almost all anyway!).

I know all about Low GI (Have a gazzillion books) and CSIRO (have those books too) but I think I need to go cold turkey for a couple of weeks just to break the habit. South Beach seems very similar to these but has no refined carbs for the first two weeks.

I love my carbs, oh how I love them, but they are just not good for me. I am surprised I don't suffer from any insulin issues, but talking to my dad it just does not seem to be in his side of the family. All the women were big, as in turn sideways to get though a door way" big, but did not have diabetes.

Going cold turkey is hard, but so worth it when on the 3rd day you wake up feeling awesome. I remember being so cranky, shakey etc I got my way through with sugar fee lollies. Something I so need to do again, but another time around seems so daunting, especially with kids this time!

Well I think I am going to give it a bash.

Feel free to join me. We can detox together.

Can do in a week. Have a kids birthday party to get through, followed by living off what is in the pantry week.

Also have the CSIRO books. I do think I need to be like you, go through the detox then follow something moderately carb, like CSIRO.

Okay - deal!!!

I am starting this coming week though because I need to get my weight down ASAP for IVF.

I will be still going when you start though. It is going to be hard and I have trouble sticking to these sorts of things but I MUST lose at least 10 kgs!!!!


I may change my user name to Beached Whale :rofl:

So which diet are you following? I seriously need someone to keep me on track :(

Google South Beach diet.

It is legit (I am not into the fad diets).

The South Beach Diet is not depriving of food but gives alternatives and teaches you to choose food containing the right carbs and the right fats for your health. It does not limit portion size like most traditional diets, it only limits the wrong kinds of foods.

The South Beach Diet plan is based on a three-phase structure:

The first phase
Lasts two weeks and aims to banish food cravings by restraining carbohydrates intake.
•It is the most restrictive and consists of three meals a day, normally sized, and snacks, based on food from the main food groups except the grain products group.
•Weight loss: between 8 to 13 pounds at the midsection of your body.

The second phase
Lasts until you reach the desired weight level reintroduces carbohydrates back into diet.
•Some of the banned foods are reintroduced. Foods from all the dietary food groups are allowed but within limitations.

The third phase
Lasts for life focuses on healthy weight maintenance and should become a way of life.
•Includes foods from all the food groups.
•Focuses on foods with low and medium glycemic index and limits high GI foods — they are allowed moderately.

The success of the South Beach Diet relies on low glycemic index foods with good carb. In the first phase, only low glycemic food is allowed. During following phases higher glycemic number foods can be added to the diet, in moderation.

South Beach diet rules for all phases
1.portion size should be normal — enough to satisfy your hunger, but no more than that.
2.each day, at least eight glasses of water or decaf beverages (beverages with no sugar added, without caffeine: club soda, flavored seltzers, tea or coffee).
3.caffeine-containing beverages should be limited to 1 cup per day.
4.a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement as well as a calcium supplement (500mg/a day for men and women; 1,000mg/a day for women over 50 years old) are recommended.

Thanks, I remember hearing/reading about that one.

Off to google some more :p

PHASE ONE

South Beach Diet phase 1 is the strictest but most effective one. You can lose up to 13 lbs in two weeks. The objective here is to put the insulin level under control and thus lose weight and eliminate the unhealthy cravings (for sweets, baked goods and food containing starches).

During Phase 1 six meals a day are allowed: three main meals and three snacks, based on protein, good fats and the lowest-glycemic index carbs needed for satisfaction and blood sugar control. The quantity will be enough to satisfy hunger — normal size meals.

Allowed foods
•meat and nuts — tenderloin, sirloin, boiled ham, peanuts and pistachios,
•poultry — skinless chicken or turkey breasts, turkey bacon,
•all types of fish, whole eggs,
•fat-free cheeses,
•green vegetables, legumes — salad, tomatoes, zucchini, snow peas, cucumbers, broccoli, and asparagus,
•canola and olive oils,
•lots of water.

Foods to avoid
•meat beef rib steaks, honey-baked ham, breast of veal,
•all dairy products except low fat cheeses — all yoghurt, ice cream, milk including whole, low-fat, soy, and full fat cheeses,
•carbohydrate-laden vegetables — beets, carrots, corn, potatoes,
•fruits and fruit juices,
•all alcohol,
•all starchy foods such as bread, cereal, oatmeal, matzo, rice, pasta, pastries, baked goods, crackers, etc.
•sweets or sugar — candy, cake, cookies, ice cream

These foods will be reintroduced into your diet again after phase 1 (two weeks). During these weeks you will lose some weight and your body will use insulin more efficiently so that when the carbs will be re-introduced your body will be able to deal with them better.

PHASE TWO

On South Beach diet phase 2 only good carbs are reintroduced — low GI foods.

After the two weeks of Phase 1 many are tempted to stay on phase 1 as it has very good results on weight loss.

It is strongly recommended to get to phase 2 after phase 1 — only two weeks. Dr. Agatston's advice is not to maintain phase 1 for too long because the danger is to lose all results from phase 1.

South Beach diet phase 2 aspects
•During phase 2 the weight loss is much slower, 1-2 lbs/week, that is why people tend to prolonge phase 1 of the diet but cannot strictly observe the eating rules so they cheat — a chip here, a cookie there and so on — losing what they gained during Phase 1. Besides, the body needs the nutrients that are reintroduced during phase 2.
•The slower loss of weight is healthier and will keep the weight off. The accumulated fat is not the result of a short period of time therefore, its correction will need time.
•Reintroducing the carbs and only good carbs should be done gradually, as big amounts of carbs reintroduced all at once will put back on the weight lost during phase 1

Foods containing healthy carbs are back into your diet: fruit, sweet potatoes, whole grain bread, whole grain rice, whole wheat pasta, but not all at once! Start with one piece of fruit a day for lunch or dinner, and continue with some cereal or a piece of bread.
•The second phase of the diet has no time limits and should be maintained until the desired weight is obtained.

Major changes
•on the body level — the way your body reacts to foods that make you overweight is being corrected;
•on your mentality on eating: all cravings for bad foods slightly disappear. The results consist not in eating less but in the fact that you are eating now fewer of the foods that start craving and store excessive fat. Foods with a high content in carbohydrates will be avoided — that is not totally banned but not eaten on a permanent basis.
Should some weight be put back, switch back to Phase 1 until you lose it.

Mind this: For a successful reintroduction of carbs into diet choose only foods with a low GI — whole grain breads, high-fiber cereal, apples, berries, grapefruit — instead of those with a high GI — white bread, pasta, cakes or cookies.

Once the goal reached you can turn to phase 3 and the diet becomes more permissive — thus your weight will remain constant.

PHASE THREE
South Beach diet phase 3 is meant to last for a lifetime. The purpose now is to maintain the desired bodyweight that you achieved through phases 1 and 2. All food groups are allowed in this part of the diet, but the proportions must change. By all means, do not return to the eating habits before the diet. You can eat almost anything but highly processed food that contains “bad” carbs and “bad” fats. The change at the level of your body and mentality should by now help maintain a healthy weight. By the time you reach phase 3 of the diet, a third change happens — the change in blood chemistry that will have beneficent effects on your cardiovascular system.

Rules
Normal foods are allowed in normal-size portions, only the diet's basic rules must be observed:

•eat three well-balanced meals a day.
•replace “bad” carbs and fats with “good” ones.
•always prefer foods with a lower GI.
•keep the portion size within normal limits — enough to satisfy hunger. You should eat more slowly as it takes some time until your brain gets the signal that you are no longer hungry.
•the daily menus should be based on the healthy foods recommended throughout the diet.
Should your weight begin to climb, you return to Phase 1 and repeat the diet plan.

Strong points
•the decrease of carb and fat intake — allowing only unsaturated fats and complex carbs — and a preference for low GI foods;
•it educates people to eat healthy, to find healthy ways of cooking, in such a manner as to reduce cholesterol and avoid heart disease and at the same time lose weight.
The idea of “diet” should be forgotten in South Beach diet phase 3 and should be replaced by the new, healthy way of life.

So no dairy at all? Ever? Hmmmm

Just the first fortnight I think

Although I am still going to have milk in my coffee - I only have one a day. And, as it is a low amount, I am going to have full fat because studies show this is much better for fertility. Fat is not my problem - carbs are!!

The South Beach Diet allows most low-fat dairy products, including the following foods:

South Beach Diet Phase One Dairy Products

2-3 cups daily of any of the following are allowed:
•Milk (fat-free and 1%)
•1% or fat-free buttermilk
•Low fat goat's milk
•Soy Milk - Low-fat plain, vanilla, or sucralose-containing soy milk (4 grams of fat or less per cup)
•Fat-free plain yogurt (see also Yogurt on a Low Carb Diet)
•Small amounts of fat free or reduced fat sour cream
•Nonfat plain kefir
•Fat free or low fat evaporated milk (NOT condensed milk)
•Fat free powdered milk or buttermilk

Dairy Produts on the South Beach Diet Phase Two
Same as Phase One, except can add:
•4 oz fat-free yogurt that is flavored and artificially sweetened

Dairy Products to Avoid
•Whole or 2% milk
•Full-fat soy milk
•Cream
•Yogurt that is NOT non-fat and/or has sugared sweeteners
•Ice cream or frozen yogurt

Cheeses Allowed On South Beach - All Phases
All cheeses should be fat-free or low fat varieties, having no more than six grams of fat per ounce. Exceptions are small amounts of high-flavor cheeses such as Parmesan, Asagio, and Blue Cheeses which can be used occasionally. These low fat varieties could include:
•American
•Cheddar
•Cottage cheese (2% fat or less)
•Cream cheese, fat-free or low-fat
•Cream cheese substitute, dairy-free
•Feta
•Mozzarella
•Parmesan
•Provolone
•Ricotta (part skim)
•String Cheese
•Swiss

Cheeses To Avoid on the South Beach Diet
Any full-fat cheese, except for small amounts of strongly-flavored cheeses as listed above (blue, etc). Especially avoid:
•Brie
•Camembert
•Cream Cheese, Full fat
•Mascarpone
And other cheeses with over 6 grams of fat per ounce

So will you be doing it yourself or the who family?

I find it so time consuming trying to cook 2 different meals (DH + kids then me)

Both kind of.

I get my own breakie anyway (DP gets his at work, DD eats cereal, etc)
Lunch we have seperately - DP work, me work, DD school
I just wont eat carb portion of dinner.

That makes it seem a lot more manageable.

Hmm really need to buy scales if I'm going to do it. Hate scales :(

Maybe just use a tape measure - esp around your waist. Apparently, that's where the most weight comes off...

I carry all my weight around the tummy and well if we're being honest my bum :rofl:

my bum isn't too bad.

Big boobs though...

My boobs are large, not huge but don't change with weight all that much.

If only I could get DH to ditch the coke and do it with me!

DP and I ditched Coke (zero) in January. I havent had any coke/cola, etc of any kind since Jan 15!!!!

I drink pineapple juice, soda water, water, etc.

He now drinks iced tea.

I am going to have a bit of a think and come up with some menu/recipe ideas and plans for the first phase.

You in TMS??? Astrid, I have put you down for next week.

Anyone else want to join us????

I'm in, we starting monday?

Yep.

No backing out. *I said that for me as much as you ;)

Well hopefully it gets us both closer to our end goal :hug:

:bump:


Anyone else want to join us???????

Whats for breakie?

I'm trying to decide what I'll be able to keep down :( Its kind of cheating if I don't eat anything!

I reckon breakie is hard. I had two half rashers of lean bacon, an egg and a big mushroom. I will have coffee when I get to work. Lunch is crustless quiche and salad. Snacks are celery with natural peanut butter and almonds. Dinner is casserole with veg.

Good luck today!!!!

Day 2 of no food for me, sorry :(

How are you going through?

Yeah, not too bad. Had a work breakfast meeting and had poached eggs, mushies, bacon and chipolata. Oh and coffee. Light lunch of celery and light hummus and a cup of rosehip tea. Dinner will be chicken breast fillet with cabbage and leek and a mushroom with fetta. Will have some almonds and a v8 to snack. I feel good. Not hungry at all.

I read you aren't well. I hope it is for a good reason ;)

Yumo

I can't wait to start it, I was worried it was a little limiting but from what you emailed me it seems quite the opposite!

Okay, Day 7 today and this morning's scale shows I have lost two kilos!

Happy with that :)

It hasnt been hard physically. In fact, I feel better for not eating carbs. Psychologically I am struggling a little bit when I think of that lovely food that I really cannot ever eat again :( Also, I am looking forward to some porridge or cereal when I reintroduce it next week.

My aim is to lose a total of 10 kilos by the end of August.

Toomany and Astrid, are you giving it a bash this week???

N2L - well done on your journey so far! :) I look forward to hearing more about it...and once I've had this baby I want to look more in to starting a low carb approach again myself - I know I feel so much better in myself (more energy etc) when I eat that way.

Keep up the good work! :D

Thanks Sarah85!

I agree, it is a much better way of eating. Especially for those with PCOS or insulin resistance.

I will be reintroducing complex carbs slowly (in accordance with what my body can handle) but I am going to have to banish "white stuff" forever :(

Will hit it when I can this week. Must get over house of sickness first. Thankfully the chooks are laying well (and where we can find the eggs), so I have access to plenty of protein.

Great news on the loss N2L :D