Very Restrictive First Phase
The South Beach Diet does have large food groups that cant be eaten such as fruit and grains. There are also specific guidelines around how much of certain foods can be eaten and when during different phases.
Carbohydrates in particular are cut considerably on the diet plan. When food groups are cut back so much, it can cause people to feel more tired and lethargic and ultimately, cause them to lose interest.
Its important to find something that you can follow long-term because if you revert back to your old way of eating, youll lose any benefit you achieve.
Yo-yoing between diets can also be unhealthy some studies find that dieters often end up heavier than before they started their diet .
How Much Exercise Do You Have To Get
For the best results, you will want to get some form of exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes every day. This can include simple activities like going on a walk or bike ride, or more vigorous things like yoga, weight-lifting, or running.
The activity choice will be up to you, so long as youre moving for at least half an hour each day, you should see measurable results.
How Does The South Beach Diet Work
The diet involves only complex carbs whole grains, legumes, beans, etc. in limited amounts. Based on a typical 2,000-calorie per day meal plan, carbs should only make up not more than 30% of calories in the final phase, which is aimed at weight maintenance. The first two phases are more restrictive than this
It also educates on the quality and types of fats, encouraging you to consume more healthy monounsaturated ones.
Also, there are highlights on the importance of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains as great sources of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Exercise is an important part of the newly updated South Beach lifestyle as it is an important factor in your health.
Knowing this, what foods are allowed on the South Beach Diet? It really depends on the phase, which there are 3: two for weight loss and one for maintenance.
Don’t Miss: Low Cholesterol Diet Meal Plan
Phase 1 Meal Plan + Pdf
During this first phase, youre going to prepping your body for this new way of eating and living. Because of that, this ends up being the strictest phase of the South Beach Diet.
Youre going to cut way back on carbs , pretty much eliminate sugar, and say goodbye to booze and sugary drinks.
Dont worry, though, after you get through these first two weeks, youll slowly get to reintroduce some of these foods in moderation, of course.
Phase 1 Exercise Requirements
Before starting a diet and exercise plan, you should talk with your doctor to make sure youre healthy enough for it. This includes South Beach Diet. Assuming you get the all-clear, South Beach Diet recommends getting at least 30 minutes of exercise per day during the first phase.
Heres a short list of example activities you can participate in:
When it comes to your physical activity, you can basically do whatever youre comfortable with and enjoy. Remember, even a walk counts, so consider going for one after dinner, or come up with something else that fits your needs and schedule.
The key takeaway here is to keep it fun, and make it something that you enjoy. Exercising doesnt have to be something you tread, as long as youre picking something that fits your lifestyle.
RELATED: South Beach Diet Reviews & Cost
Recommended Reading: Thyroid Diet Chart For Weight Loss
Weekly Meal Planner For South Beach Diet Phase 1
Day 1.
South beach diet phase 1 PDF turkey omelet
Breakfast- 1 serving of tomato and egg scramble
Snack- 1 serving of turkey omelet
Lunch- 1 serving of scrambled eggs with spinach and cream cheese with 1 apple
Snack- 1 serving of egg white spinach omelet with pecans
Dinner- 1 serving of basic scrambled eggs
Day 2.
South beach diet phase 1 Egg cups
Breakfast- 1 serving of scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese
Snack- 2 servings of scrambled eggs with spinach and ricotta
Lunch- 1 serving of egg cups with 4 strips of bacon
Snack- 2 servings of pico de gallo egg white cups with 1 orange
Dinner- 2 servings of baked eggs in ham
Day 3.
South beach diet phase 1 PDF Ham and egg breakfast muffins
Breakfast- 1 serving of scrambled eggs with spinach and feta with 1 apple
Snack- 1 serving of Turkey omelet
Lunch- 1 serving of cream cheese omelet
Snack- 1 serving of scrambled eggs with spinach and parmesan
Dinner- 1 serving of spinach, ham, and egg breakfast muffins with 4 strips of bacon
Day 4.
South beach diet phase 1 Bacon
Breakfast- 2 servings of cabbage hash browns
Snack- 1 serving of pineapple Greek yogurt smoothie with 2 strips of bacon
Lunch- 1 serving of omelet with goat cheese and bacon and 1 orange
Snack- 1 serving of turkey omelet
Dinner- 2 servings of zucchini hash browns
Day 5.
South beach diet phase 1 Broccoli
Breakfast- 1 serving of microwave egg ham cup with 2 strips of bacon
Snack- 1 serving of chia seed papaya shake with 1 cup of strawberries
Day 6.
Day 7.
General Guidelines For South Beach Diet Phase 1
- You have to cut down on most of the food items like pasta, bread, and rice, that are high in carbs
- Stay away from all kinds of sugary food items and beverages to avoid all those unwanted calories on your meal platter
- You are not permitted to drink any juice or alcohol during this diet plan
- The focus has to be mostly towards all sorts of lean proteins items like seafood, lean beef, or chicken breast
- You can also consume all the low-fat dairy, high fiber vegetables, and other foods that are a good source of healthy unsaturated fats
- Drink at least 2-3 liters of water daily to avoid your body from getting dehydrated
Read Also: Diet Plan For Muscle Building
What Else You Should Know
Cost: Healthy eating can be costly. The South Beach Diet web site offers money-saving tips, such as buying food in bulk, shopping at farmersâ markets, using coupons, and preparing simple meals.
Support: The South Beach Diet Online offers tools you can use to track your weight, recipes, a customized meal plan, dining-out guides, and community support. Membership starts at $29.98 for a one-month membership subscription.
South Beach Diet Food List
In the light of the latest research, the food pyramid that traditionally ranges the food groups according to the amount that should be used for a healthy diet has essentially changed. Dr. Agatston suggests a reconsideration of the traditional food ranging pyramid. Thus, the pyramid base should be occupied by the good carbohydrates from vegetables, whole fruits and whole grains. The next level should include lean proteins, low-fat dairy products and good fats. The following level should include saturated fats, then processed carbohydrates and at the apex, trans-fats.
Also Check: What Can Eat On Atkins Diet
Is The South Beach Diet Safe And Sustainable
The South Beach Diet is a healthy way of eating that is far lower in carbs than conventional low-fat diets. It also encourages dieters to eat mainly unprocessed foods, liberal amounts of vegetables and healthy, high-fiber carb sources.
However, the diet allows processed vegetable oils, which could pose health risks. Nevertheless, you can avoid this drawback by choosing unprocessed monounsaturated fats like extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil or macadamia oil instead.
All this being said, the South Beach Diet is likely a sustainable way of eating.
Many people have reported losing weight and keeping it off by following the diet.
Yet in the end, the most effective diet for weight loss is whichever one you can easily stick with long-term.
Understanding The Basics Of The South Beach Diet Phase 1
The first phase is all about limiting your carbs intake.
So, if you are heading on to the grocery store with a South beach diet phase 1 grocery list, skip all the high-carb food options without a second thought.
Phase 1 will last for around 14 days and you mostly need to go with all the high-protein food options in your meal plan.
You are not allowed to eat any whole grains and fruits during the time and your diet must pack all the high-fiber vegetables instead.
On the other side, you need to cut off all the starchy vegetables while also limiting the fat content in your diet.
Read Also: Diet For Your Blood Type
How Often Do You Eat
You will be eating up to six times per day during Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet. Dont get things confused, though
Youre not going to be eating huge meals all day long these are six portion controlled meals and snacks. That means youll eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner just like normal. On top of that, youll get three snacks or shakes that you can have at different times of the day or night.
These small, but frequent meals help control your hunger, and keep you from having big hunger spikes throughout the day .
You should like the way you feel once you get used to it, and its nice not have those giant hunger pains sneak up on you and ruin your diet because you decide to overeat.
*You can find the Phase 1 PDF at the end of this post.
Cons Of The South Beach Diet
- The Reboot Phase and Phase 1 restricts most fruits, vegetables and whole grains and is too low in calories.
- Eating out is difficult, especially in the beginning.
- Time management is required to plan, shop and cook your meals.
- Not advisable for people with certain medical conditions including those who are pregnant, allergic to soy or peanuts, have an eating disorder, of kidney condition.
Don’t Miss: Diet To Lose Love Handles In 2 Weeks
What Kind Of Food Do You Eat On The South Beach Diet
The South Beach Diet involves three phases.
- This phase lasts just 2 weeks and involves cutting almost all carbohydrates from the diet, including grains such as breads and pasta, rice, and fruit. Avoid alcohol.
- This phase is designed to eliminate cravings for sugar and carbohydrates.
- Foods to eat during phase 1 include:
- Lean protein such as skinless poultry, fish and shellfish, lean beef such as sirloin and tenderloin, eggs , and soy products such as tofu
- High fiber vegetables
- Foods that contain healthy fats such as nuts, seeds, and avocado
Much of the South Beach Diet now involves pre-packaged foods and meal plans that are supplemented with some foods dieters prepare on their own.
How Does The South Beach Diet Work Exactly
An important emphasis of the South Beach Diet is controlling hunger by eating before it strikes. To that end, the South Beach Diet includes three different phases. Phase 1 is one week long and aims to reset your body to help burn fat and increase your metabolism, as well as reduce sugar and starch cravings. Phase 2 is for steady weight loss, where you add in good carbs to your diet. Phase 3 is the weight-maintenance phase, where you learn to maintain your new weight without deprivation or hunger, according to the South Beach Diet website.
The phases help jump-start some weight loss, Stephens explains. Its a mental thing: When patients see early success, theyre more likely to stick to the plan. She notes that the different phases also help acclimate people to a new lifestyle, since phase three is essentially a lifelong choice rather than a diet.
Heres a look at the three-phase program.
You May Like: Is Tuna Good For Diet
South Beach Diet Phase 1 Snacks
Most of the South Beach Diet Phase 1 snacks are quite apt for all those mid-day hunger pangs and further prevent you from overeating during the meals.
Now, the thing you need to take care of here is your food choices. You know that phase 1 is all about minimizing the carbs intake.
So, picking food options that suit well to your dietary preferences holds the key to your success here.
Phase Iii: Adopting A Lifestyle
In Phase III, the individual learns to make good food choices and maintain their new weight in the long term, while enjoying all foods in moderation.
Phase III is the maintenance phase. Now, the person should feel that they are adopting a lifestyle, rather than following a diet.
If the food cravings return, or if weight increases, the dieter can go back to Phase I or II.
The creators of The South Beach Diet say that, in Phase III, people do not go back to eating whatever they like. Instead, they continue to make good food choices, try new recipes and ingredients, and enjoy a new lifestyle.
Phase III is about maintaining an ideal body weight and experiencing better health.
- wish to lose weight quickly in the early stages
- have type 2 diabetes and need to control their blood sugar levels
However, it remains unclear whether it will help to manage cardiovascular risk. Some studies have found that low-density lipoprotein cholesterol rose when a person followed a low-carb diet, but others have found only small changes.
The creators of the diet list several advantages of their approach.
They say that people who follow the diet are better able to:
- maintain an ideal body weight for the long term
- prevent hypertension
The South Beach Diet, they say, means that people enjoy better health and feel satisfied with the food they eat. The approach offers a lifestyle, rather than a diet.
Read Also: Easy Diets That Work Fast
Benefits Of The South Beach Diet
There are several benefits of the South Beach diet, including its ability to produce weight loss without hunger.
Research, including an analysis of 24 studies, has consistently shown that high-protein, low-carb diets are effective for weight loss (
7 ).
Whats more, gradually adding small amounts of healthy carbs back into your diet may promote continued weight loss in some people and make it easier for them to stick to the diet long-term.
In one study, overweight and obese people with metabolic syndrome followed the South Beach Diet for 12 weeks .
The South Beach Diet encourages a high intake of fatty fish like salmon and other foods that fight inflammation, such as leafy greens and cruciferous veggies.
In addition, it recommends dieters regularly consume eggs, nuts, seeds, extra virgin olive oil and other foods that have been shown to protect heart health.
The book makes meal planning easy and pleasurable by providing two weeks of sample menus and recipes for each phase. There are also hundreds of recipes available online for phase 1 and phase 2 meals.
SUMMARY
The South Beach Diet may help you lose weight and belly fat, reduce insulin levels, increase hormone levels that promote fullness and help protect heart health.
Nutritious Dairy Products And Eggs
Cheese, fat-free yogurt, buttermilk and soy milk are allowed during phase 1. They provide calcium and protein. Eggs, which are also allowed, are high in protein and low in carbohydrates. You can have them scrambled, poached or in omelets for breakfast. Or, you can prepare hard-boiled eggs and egg whites ahead of time for snacks or to add to sandwiches and salads. Avoid full-fat cheese because of its high amount of saturated fat. Also forbidden are ice cream, frozen yogurt and sugar-sweetened yogurts because of they have high amounts of fat and added sugars.
- Cheese, fat-free yogurt, buttermilk and soy milk are allowed during phase 1.
- Or, you can prepare hard-boiled eggs and egg whites ahead of time for snacks or to add to sandwiches and salads.
Also Check: Zero Sugar Vs Diet Soda
How Does South Beach Diet Phase 1 Meal Plan Work
The diet is named after the famous south beach in Miami and focuses on encouraging people to lead a healthy lifestyle overall.
While practicing this diet, you have to cut down your daily carb intake while increasing the consumption of proteins and healthy fats alongside.
The diet has three phases that mostly talk about minimizing the consumption of unhealthy carbs and processed food.
Moreover, the first phase lasts for around two weeks and before going ahead for printable south beach diet phase 1, you must go for a detailed overview of its rules and guidelines.
A Sample Menu Of Phase 3 Of The South Beach Diet
Stephens says this is what a day of eating in phase 3 of the diet may look like:
Breakfast Mini crustless quiches with a slice of whole-grain toast like Ezekiel bread, a cup of berries, and a cup of black coffee or tea
Lunch Salad greens with salmon or chicken and olive oil and vinegar dressing
Snack Greek yogurt with berries
Dinner A plate filled with half-roasted vegetables , a small, 4-ounce portion of lean meat , and 1/3 cup of a hearty grain
Dessert Mascarpone cheese or Greek yogurt with peaches, topped with slivered almonds and cocoa powder
Don’t Miss: Best Diet Food For Dogs
South Beach Diet Phase 1
The purpose of the first phase is to kick your cravings. So you have to cut out most of your carbs during this period. In Phase 1, the South Beach Diet says you can lose between 8 and 13 pounds, notes the Mayo Clinic â and you should shed a majority of this weight from your midsection.
Phase 1 is a two-week period in which you cut out pretty much all carbs and fill up on protein. You’re allowed to eat high-fiber vegetables and small portions of monounsaturated fats. Make sure you stay away from starchy vegetables.
Throughout each phase of the South Beach Diet, you’ll eat three meals a day and three snacks. For breakfast, fill up veggies and protein plus 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Lunch and dinner have the same requirements â unlimited protein, 2 cups of vegetables at a minimum and a tablespoon of fat. When picking a snack, stick to vegetables and protein.
