So most people think of any diet as a restrictive, boring pain in the ass form of torture. And I agree. Having been on just about every diet out there, I can tell you that for the most part, they all suck. There are a couple good ones though, and I believe South Beach is just about the best there is (I also think Weight Watchers is pretty damn good).
South Beach is so uncomplicated, which is why I love it. There’s really no guess work. My favorite thing about it is that there’s no measuring. I hate that! It does, however, expect you to not eat gargantuan (I love that word… gargantuan….) sized portions. I highly recommend that anyone interested in going on the Beach buy the book and thoroughly read it. I am not a doctor, nor am I a paid representative of South Beach. I do not know it all (s’up, Dave?). I am not an expert. Have I written enough disclaimers?
Here’s the gist (For a complete perfect list, read the book or go to www.southbeachdiet.com):
On Phase One, which lasts two weeks, you can eat lean meats (chicken, turkey, lean beef, fish/seafood), vegetables (except corn, carrots, beets, and a few others that I probably didn’t like anyway and therefore don’t remember), eggs, low fat dairy products (THIS IS THE ONLY CATEGORY THAT YOU CAN BUY THINGS LABELED LOW FAT. MOST LOW FAT ITEMS ADD SUGAR TO COMPENSATE FOR THE MISSING FAT), nuts – small portions only, SF jello, SF diet drinks, tomato juice.
You cannot eat fatty meats, whole fat dairy, fruits, bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, anything with sugar including fruit juices
After the initial two weeks, you move to Phase Two. You can eat all of the above items including:
Carrots, sweet potatoes, whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, wild rice, fruits (except pineapple and watermelon which are very high in sugar)
You stay on Phase Two until you have lost the weight you want to lose. Phase Three is pretty much Phase Two adding in an occasional no-no. This is how you will live the rest of your life. If you gain any weight, go back to Phase Two.
Honestly, it’s pretty simple. It’s the way we should be eating all along. I won’t go into the reasons to avoid things like white bread, white pasta, etc, other than to say it’s like eating pure sugar. Your body has nothing to break down. South Beach is not saying you need to eat perfectly the rest of your life. But the occasional treat should be just that… occasional. And items like potatoes (oh, how I heart thee!) are a treat, not a vegetable.
I’ll post some recipes here and there under this page. For starters, here’s one of my favs for Phase One:
Chicken Cordon Bleu
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 slice of low fat ham (be sure it’s not sugar cured!)
1 slice of low fat swiss cheese
season with favorite spices (mine are garlic, onion powder, rosemary, salt, pepper)
Slice a small opening into the chicken to create a pocket. Coat chicken lightly with olive oil or spray with Pam. Rub spices on chicken and in pocket. Carefully stuff chicken with the ham and cheese. Place in a lightly sprayed baking pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until juices run clear. Serve with Dijon mustard, a side of steamed vegetables and a salad.
On Phase Two, you can coat the chicken with wheat breadcrumbs or wheat flour.
