Doc recommends South Beach (for life, not as a diet)
mhwhetsell
Posts: 21 Member
My doctor recommended that I adopt the South Beach Diet as a lifestyle, not as a short term diet. Basically my metabolism is crap, I'm on thyroid meds also, and he feels that the low carb lifestyle is the only way I'm going to lose weight. I am probably about 60 lbs overweight at this point and nothing has helped so far. I was running 20+ miles a week, participating in half marathons, no weight loss...hired a personal trainer, no weight loss....HCG (I know, bad idea but I was feeling fairly desperate), weight loss but gained it all back in a couple of months....calorie counting, very minimal weight loss that came right back within a month. All of this was done with reasonable food/diet (except for the HCG, that just sucked). So I guess my question is, has anyone adopted the South Beach Diet as a lifestyle and not just a short term fix and if so how have you fared? It isn't that I don't trust my doctor, he's great, but I am sick of being directed to try something else and getting no results. So before I buy the book and remove all carbs, or at least most of them as it seems that the crux of the diet, can I get any feedback? TIA!
***Yes, this is my first post but I'm not a troll, just a lurker.
***Yes, this is my first post but I'm not a troll, just a lurker.
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Replies
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1) dont buy any book
2) use google to find a list of low carb foods.
3) replace current meals with low carb foods.
why is your Dr recommending a brand? (USA?)
Low carb lifestyle wont change your thyroid issues.
eating a Carb rich diet means the body is catabolic and gets its energy from breaking down carbs into sugers.. then into glucose/glycogen
eating a protein rich diet (low carb) means your body is ketogenic and gets its energy from breaking down fats into aminos and into glucose/glycogen
Both require the same level of metabolism.. roughly speaking..
best of luck though, if low carb is your only option0 -
The diet doesn't remove all carbs.........but if it's instructions you need, there are worse ones out there.0
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He says that he feels it is the best option for me because I struggle with weight loss due to the low functioning thyroid and slow metabolism. He said there is no way to speed up your metabolism permanently (you can boost it here and there but no final fix) so eliminating carbs may help with the weight? I'm just sick of trying so many things and being told one day sugar is bad, no sugar is good, chemicals are bad...carbs are bad, no carbs are good...eat less and move more, no you have to have a perfect macro balance or all the dieting and exercise in the world won't help, etc. I think that Googling the low carbs foods/recipes may be the best way to handle it though, at least save me some money
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If you haven't seen an endocrinologist, do that as soon as you can. If you do nothing else, do that.
I had to stop my Synthroid for a bit and the pounds just came piling back on.
Being hypo means you have less energy. When your body has no energy, it wants food. Badly. Especially carbs. And it will cause a very strong desire for more food (especially carbs) on a regular basis. It doesn't matter how much you've eaten. Because it has no energy, it pushes for more. You may as well tell a starving person not to eat as tell a hypothyroid person to avoid carbs.
Even if you manage go low-carb and eat very few calories, you won't lose weight like people whose bodies work, because yours doesn't.
You have to get the hypo thing under control if you want to lose weight. Even under control, it's still harder than it is for others, but at least it can be done.0 -
See another Doctor. I had a thyroid problem and saw 3. The last one told me I wouldn't need to be put on medications for life and fixed me with short term treatment and BAM I lost weight.
Your case will be different but I honestly think you should see a few other people before committing to a life style change like this.
My other 2 GPs tried to convince me to jump on the hormone tablets for life and start looking into optifast, another said Keto (Atkins) Yeh, no.
I really don't trust most GPs now days. But if you've spoken to a few you'll have a better idea of what to do.
I have done low carbs and it did nothing for me. I just had really oily poo. I found weighing and counting everything I eat, eating between 1200-2000 zigzagged throughout the week worked for me, though I had to weight everything and I had to log everything.
You could also try south beach for a month and see if you like it. If it's something you end up enjoying then it's a great life plan indeed! If you don't like it then there's no point trying to commit for life to something you hate as it will back fire.
I guess its all trail and error in the end. I think I lost almost 65lbs doing the counting. I gained 15 back when I went over seas, ate everything in sight and didn't count for 3 months. haha but I'm back on track now
I hope you find something that works for you perfectly! :flowerforyou:
This is my 3rd doctor (regarding thyroid issues) and he is an endocrinologist so supposedly he should be able to "fix" what ails me, ha ha, pun intended. I guess by recommending a certain diet he though it would be easy for me to get resources. One doctor is recommending hormone testing (again-did it once already for another doc) and the capsules that are placed under the skin. I'm only 39 years old so I don't know that hormone tablets are the answer, especially since the other doctor that tested me said my hormone levels are fine. Maybe I should just stop seeing doctors and try to figure it out on my own!!0 -
I agree. I think the SBD book is worth its cost as a cookbook alone, and I'm certain it is a healthy way to eat for life.The diet doesn't remove all carbs.........but if it's instructions you need, there are worse ones out there.
Why not spend $6 and give it a read and see what you think? A month on it would be a good learning experience and you'd lose some weight. He is your doctor and knows you better than anyone here.0 -
If you haven't seen an endocrinologist, do that as soon as you can. If you do nothing else, do that.
I had to stop my Synthroid for a bit and the pounds just came piling back on.
Being hypo means you have less energy. When your body has no energy, it wants food. Badly. Especially carbs. And it will cause a very strong desire for more food (especially carbs) on a regular basis. It doesn't matter how much you've eaten. Because it has no energy, it pushes for more. You may as well tell a starving person not to eat as tell a hypothyroid person to avoid carbs.
Even if you manage go low-carb and eat very few calories, you won't lose weight like people whose bodies work, because yours doesn't.
You have to get the hypo thing under control if you want to lose weight. Even under control, it's still harder than it is for others, but at least it can be done.
Endocrinologist put me on Armour and has bumped me up to 60mg a day from 15mg a day. He is the doctor suggesting that I do the low carb thing for life.0 -
South Beach if you follow their guidelines is only low carb at the beginning and assuming a lifestyle change you will be consuming carbs for the rest of your life. The basic philosophy is based on whole foods, which is never a bad thing and like I said there are worse gimmicks out there.He says that he feels it is the best option for me because I struggle with weight loss due to the low functioning thyroid and slow metabolism. He said there is no way to speed up your metabolism permanently (you can boost it here and there but no final fix) so eliminating carbs may help with the weight? I'm just sick of trying so many things and being told one day sugar is bad, no sugar is good, chemicals are bad...carbs are bad, no carbs are good...eat less and move more, no you have to have a perfect macro balance or all the dieting and exercise in the world won't help, etc. I think that Googling the low carbs foods/recipes may be the best way to handle it though, at least save me some money0 -
South Beach Diet is NOT at all in any way low carb! Even doctors seem to misunderstand that. Only phase one is low carb, and that's only supposed to be for 2 weeks. The main losing phase, phase 2, includes whole grain breads and pastas and cereals and fruit, all high carb foods. Is your doctor suggesting you stay on phase one? Then that's a different diet, not South Beach. South Beach is really the "Mediterranean diet", emphasizing lean proteins, healthy oils, fruits and vegetables, and nuts; also includes red wine in the losing phase and adds some limited sweets in the maintaining phase. Basically it could just be called the "Healthy Eating" diet, lol.0
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I agree. I think the SBD book is worth its cost as a cookbook alone, and I'm certain it is a healthy way to eat for life.The diet doesn't remove all carbs.........but if it's instructions you need, there are worse ones out there.
Why not spend $6 and give it a read and see what you think? A month on it would be a good learning experience and you'd lose some weight. He is your doctor and knows you better than anyone here.
You are right that my doc knows me better than anyone here, that's why I was asking for anyone else's experiences with the SBD that had been on it for a long period of time. I am not really questioning his advice, not really, just maybe whining a bit about having to yet again try something else. Basically I was hoping that someone who was in a similar situation could let me know if the SBD had really helped them. I agree that buying the book couldn't hurt and I guess that is what I will do.0 -
It's possible he recommended low carb because with hypo, you generally burn less calories too. Going low carb will help allow you to get get adequate protein and fats (essential nutrients) and provide the greatest satiety levels for the given calories. Personally, I wouldn't adhere to a specific low carb diet, but rather use the below group to educate yourself on techniques to guide you.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-group0 -
I can't speak about your thyroid issue, BUT I am a huge fan of the South Beach Diet, and I WOULD recommend reading the book.
It explains how your body metabolizes different variations of food- not just carbs, but also fat, protein, sugar etc. It's only "no carb" for 2 weeks, which is easy to get through. If you can do it for 3 days, you can do it for 14, I promise!! After that, its all about eating healthy and fiber-rich carbs...
• If you want bread- has to be multigrain, whole wheat, or rye
• If you want chocolate- has to be sugar-free/NSA and dark
• If you want a potato- switch it for a yam/sweet potato
Same goes for fats... just try to find a lower-fat version of whatever you're craving or make sure to maintain portion control.
In a nut shell, the diet consists of lean means, lots of veggies, healthy carbs (but not too many of them), and healthy fats: nuts, avocados, etc.
I originally lost 8 lbs on the South Beach Diet (which is exactly what I wanted) and after switching to "Phase 2" I've maintained the same weight, but I also just look a lot better. Less puffy and much leaner.
Hope that helps!0 -
i've been doing atkins (basically a stricter version of south beach but both are low-carb ways of eating) on and off for the last... damn... 17-ish years. i've had my reasons for switching back and forth from low-carb to the standard american diet (meaning crap, basically), but i've always felt better physically and mentally on low carb. here's a few things i've picked up along the way.
1. learn to cook. if you don't know how to cook, learn to cook.
2. learn to love cooking. if you hate cooking, at least learn to like cooking.
3. for at least the first month or so, ignore all the replacement foods out there. stick with ingredients to make things, not prepackaged things. even if that package of low-carb tortillas says that it's only got 5g of net carbs, stay away from it at least in the beginning.
4. #3 becomes a lot easier when you stick to the outer perimeter of the grocery store... produce, dairy, meat counter. scoot past the bakery as quickly as you can, do not pass GO, do not collect $200.
5. if you don't have a membership to costco, get one. the quality of their meats and produce is far better than a lot of what i've seen in the grocery store, except for maybe winco. the prices are comparable.
6. in the process of tackling #1 and #2, start learning what foods can replace others. i picked up one of those vegsketti thingies that makes long spiraling julienne "noodles" out of things like zucchini, summer squash, mexican grey squash, cucumbers, or any similar veggie. those zoodles replace all pasta for me (hubby and son are fine eating that stuff). cauliflower can be grated and steamed and replace rice... the taste won't be the same (it's still cauliflower), but the texture will be similar and can be used as a base for stir frys or curry-sauced dishes. large lettuce leaves (romaine, red, green, or even iceberg sometimes) can be used to make wraps for sandwiches.
7. when eating out, don't be shy about asking for things without bread. just about any sandwich can be made into a salad. burgers can easily be eaten with a knife and fork. low-carb diets are mainstream enough that just about any restaurant is going to be able to accommodate you, including fast food places.
8. stock up on healthy fats... olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil. they are not your enemy. sugar is what you want to avoid, so if you're fat-phobic you're going to have to get over that.
9. i realize that south beach isn't considered a ketogenic diet, but if you find yourself feeling tired, headachy, and grumpy a few days in, DO NOT PANIC. if you've got your carbs below 20g per day, THIS IS NORMAL. it's called "keto flu" and happens when the body runs out of glucose from dietary sources and switches over to burning fat for energy. you know how marathon runners will "hit the wall" and then get their "second wind"? that's exactly the same process, just drawn out a little longer. i don't know what the carb levels are for the beginning phases of south beach, so it's possible they're kept high enough that you don't experience that. just give it a few days and do NOT give up.
one of the things i've found is that i can go longer between meals when i'm eating more fat and less carbohydrate. i don't obsess about when i'm going to eat again. and after a while, breads and cakes and cookies just lose their appeal. you'll probably also find that after a few weeks, your taste buds will start picking up on inherent sweetness where you didn't notice it before.
there's also a low-carb group within MFP where you can get a lot of information from other south beachers. the main boards tend to be not so tolerant of anything that doesn't adhere to the concept of "just eat less" for weight loss.0 -
South Beach Diet is NOT at all in any way low carb! Even doctors seem to misunderstand that. Only phase one is low carb, and that's only supposed to be for 2 weeks. The main losing phase, phase 2, includes whole grain breads and pastas and cereals and fruit, all high carb foods. Is your doctor suggesting you stay on phase one? Then that's a different diet, not South Beach. South Beach is really the "Mediterranean diet", emphasizing lean proteins, healthy oils, fruits and vegetables, and nuts; also includes red wine in the losing phase and adds some limited sweets in the maintaining phase. Basically it could just be called the "Healthy Eating" diet, lol.
Ha, ha, yes I guess it could be the "Healthy Eating" diet instead. I typically eat healthy and do not consume a lot of processed foods. I wouldn't be consuming the carbs in wheat form, I have to sub out wheat/breads/pastas because the gluten makes me sick (I know you hear it all the time but I am really gluten intolerant... .09 away from Celiac when I was tested). Not really sure if that makes a difference but I would have to modify the diet in that manner regardless. Of course I just saw on Amazon that there gluten sensitive version of the SBD now so I will pick that version up instead.0 -
It's possible he recommended low carb because with hypo, you generally burn less calories too. Going low carb will help allow you to get get adequate protein and fats (essential nutrients) and provide the greatest satiety levels for the given calories. Personally, I wouldn't adhere to a specific low carb diet, but rather use the below group to educate yourself on techniques to guide you.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-group
Thanks for the link!0 -
I can't speak about your thyroid issue, BUT I am a huge fan of the South Beach Diet, and I WOULD recommend reading the book.
It explains how your body metabolizes different variations of food- not just carbs, but also fat, protein, sugar etc. It's only "no carb" for 2 weeks, which is easy to get through. If you can do it for 3 days, you can do it for 14, I promise!! After that, its all about eating healthy and fiber-rich carbs...
• If you want bread- has to be multigrain, whole wheat, or rye
• If you want chocolate- has to be sugar-free/NSA and dark
• If you want a potato- switch it for a yam/sweet potato
Same goes for fats... just try to find a lower-fat version of whatever you're craving or make sure to maintain portion control.
In a nut shell, the diet consists of lean means, lots of veggies, healthy carbs (but not too many of them), and healthy fats: nuts, avocados, etc.
I originally lost 8 lbs on the South Beach Diet (which is exactly what I wanted) and after switching to "Phase 2" I've maintained the same weight, but I also just look a lot better. Less puffy and much leaner.
Hope that helps!
Thank you!! I was hoping to hear from someone that had been "doing" the SBD!0 -
i've been doing atkins (basically a stricter version of south beach but both are low-carb ways of eating) on and off for the last... damn... 17-ish years. i've had my reasons for switching back and forth from low-carb to the standard american diet (meaning crap, basically), but i've always felt better physically and mentally on low carb. here's a few things i've picked up along the way.
1. learn to cook. if you don't know how to cook, learn to cook.
2. learn to love cooking. if you hate cooking, at least learn to like cooking.
3. for at least the first month or so, ignore all the replacement foods out there. stick with ingredients to make things, not prepackaged things. even if that package of low-carb tortillas says that it's only got 5g of net carbs, stay away from it at least in the beginning.
4. #3 becomes a lot easier when you stick to the outer perimeter of the grocery store... produce, dairy, meat counter. scoot past the bakery as quickly as you can, do not pass GO, do not collect $200.
5. if you don't have a membership to costco, get one. the quality of their meats and produce is far better than a lot of what i've seen in the grocery store, except for maybe winco. the prices are comparable.
6. in the process of tackling #1 and #2, start learning what foods can replace others. i picked up one of those vegsketti thingies that makes long spiraling julienne "noodles" out of things like zucchini, summer squash, mexican grey squash, cucumbers, or any similar veggie. those zoodles replace all pasta for me (hubby and son are fine eating that stuff). cauliflower can be grated and steamed and replace rice... the taste won't be the same (it's still cauliflower), but the texture will be similar and can be used as a base for stir frys or curry-sauced dishes. large lettuce leaves (romaine, red, green, or even iceberg sometimes) can be used to make wraps for sandwiches.
7. when eating out, don't be shy about asking for things without bread. just about any sandwich can be made into a salad. burgers can easily be eaten with a knife and fork. low-carb diets are mainstream enough that just about any restaurant is going to be able to accommodate you, including fast food places.
8. stock up on healthy fats... olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil. they are not your enemy. sugar is what you want to avoid, so if you're fat-phobic you're going to have to get over that.
9. i realize that south beach isn't considered a ketogenic diet, but if you find yourself feeling tired, headachy, and grumpy a few days in, DO NOT PANIC. if you've got your carbs below 20g per day, THIS IS NORMAL. it's called "keto flu" and happens when the body runs out of glucose from dietary sources and switches over to burning fat for energy. you know how marathon runners will "hit the wall" and then get their "second wind"? that's exactly the same process, just drawn out a little longer. i don't know what the carb levels are for the beginning phases of south beach, so it's possible they're kept high enough that you don't experience that. just give it a few days and do NOT give up.
one of the things i've found is that i can go longer between meals when i'm eating more fat and less carbohydrate. i don't obsess about when i'm going to eat again. and after a while, breads and cakes and cookies just lose their appeal. you'll probably also find that after a few weeks, your taste buds will start picking up on inherent sweetness where you didn't notice it before.
there's also a low-carb group within MFP where you can get a lot of information from other south beachers. the main boards tend to be not so tolerant of anything that doesn't adhere to the concept of "just eat less" for weight loss.
Excellent advice!! I do love to cook and do so often (I just hate the clean up). I had never heard of a zoodle so I'm going to Google that and see if I can find one. I am intrigued by the idea that I can use zucchini or whatever vegetable as a replacement for pasta.0 -
South Beach isn't a low carb diet. It may be lower than the average person eats, but it's not overly restrictive like some. It's a sensible diet that focuses on slow digesting carbs, rather than eliminating carbs. Along with fruits, vegetables, protein, etc.
I believe there are stages at the beginning, so you do need some type of guide, be it the book or a website or someone knowledgeable about the diet.0 -
You're not going to go low carb and continue training for half marathons. Can't be done. Endurance athletes need a high carb diet.0
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You're not going to go low carb and continue training for half marathons. Can't be done. Endurance athletes need a high carb diet.
This is exactly what is driving me crazy!! My endo dr is a marathon runner and he is the one recommending the SBD to me. Of course what I am reading here says that it is not really low carb (which was what I thought though I have read the book yet). I have barely been running at all lately and I am beginning to feel like crap because of it. I have to get back in the game so to speak and I am concerned about how I will be able to run/exercise, etc. with lower carbs. While on a low calorie diet I ran a short, 4 mile race and thought I would die by the time I hit the finish line. Worst race of my life, I have never been sick at the end of a race other than that day so I am definitely concerned but I am not sure what else to do.0 -
See another Doctor. I had a thyroid problem and saw 3. The last one told me I wouldn't need to be put on medications for life and fixed me with short term treatment and BAM I lost weight.
Your case will be different but I honestly think you should see a few other people before committing to a life style change like this.
My other 2 GPs tried to convince me to jump on the hormone tablets for life and start looking into optifast, another said Keto (Atkins) Yeh, no.
I really don't trust most GPs now days. But if you've spoken to a few you'll have a better idea of what to do.
I have done low carbs and it did nothing for me. I just had really oily poo. I found weighing and counting everything I eat, eating between 1200-2000 zigzagged throughout the week worked for me, though I had to weight everything and I had to log everything.
You could also try south beach for a month and see if you like it. If it's something you end up enjoying then it's a great life plan indeed! If you don't like it then there's no point trying to commit for life to something you hate as it will back fire.
I guess its all trail and error in the end. I think I lost almost 65lbs doing the counting. I gained 15 back when I went over seas, ate everything in sight and didn't count for 3 months. haha but I'm back on track now
I hope you find something that works for you perfectly! :flowerforyou:
This is my 3rd doctor (regarding thyroid issues) and he is an endocrinologist so supposedly he should be able to "fix" what ails me, ha ha, pun intended. I guess by recommending a certain diet he though it would be easy for me to get resources. One doctor is recommending hormone testing (again-did it once already for another doc) and the capsules that are placed under the skin. I'm only 39 years old so I don't know that hormone tablets are the answer, especially since the other doctor that tested me said my hormone levels are fine. Maybe I should just stop seeing doctors and try to figure it out on my own!!
There are some pretty terrible GP's out there. Hormone testing could be a good way to go as that's what you really need sorted 100%, I did 3 tests over 6 months to see what my body was doing and why I had a lump in my thyroid(It's gone now) Still today they can't answer that, so I guess there's still a lot to research. I'm 23 and I refused the Snyth tablets as one GP I spoke to said it could be my body sorting itself out. And yep each 3 tests were absolutely different. They improved how ever. If the blood test came back fine and you don't have any thyroid issue's I would avoid taking the tablets until further tests say otherwise.
Try the South beach diet and see how you go after a month. It can't hurt trying and you may find you like it.
I know it's tough =( It can be a real downer when you've worked so hard and nothing seems to be working out but if you keep at it, keep having the tests they should hopefully figure out what's wrong and treat it correctly.
When I was having the tests done for the first month I was told to change my diet to a strict 1200-1400 cal diet, with supplements. I found it was terrible so I upped my calories. I was to eat fruits, veges and whole grain foods. Stay away from anything processed. And I after a month I started to lose weight the next few months I slowly started introducing treats and things and now I eat pretty much anything and it's fine. From what I've seen south beach is kinda like that but more strict. So maybe he is on to something there.
My hormone tests were normal but I needed thyroid meds so after talking it over we went with Armour Thyroid instead of Synthroid.0 -
You're not going to go low carb and continue training for half marathons. Can't be done. Endurance athletes need a high carb diet.
This is exactly what is driving me crazy!! My endo dr is a marathon runner and he is the one recommending the SBD to me.
Just because your endo dr is a marathon runner and is recommending SBD for you, doesn't mean SBD is good for marathon runners or that he follows the diet himself..
Nothing wrong or hypocritical there - dr's don't neccesarily follow diets they recommend for others.
For example endo Drs would often recommend diabetic diets for diabetics - but if they are not diabetic they wouldn't be following the same diet themselves.0 -
Didn't read all the comments as I'm on my way to work ....... but go to GROUPS ..... join up on "South Beach for Life" ...... South Beach is an easy way of eating. I was on SB website for awhile until they had troubles with their website, then I came here. I lost 40 lbs & kept it off. Still eat "beachy" ..... it's ingrained in me now ...... planning & focus & common sense ...... and a lot of vegetables :drinker:
Best of luck to you !0 -
You're not going to go low carb and continue training for half marathons. Can't be done. Endurance athletes need a high carb diet.
This is exactly what is driving me crazy!! My endo dr is a marathon runner and he is the one recommending the SBD to me.
Just because your endo dr is a marathon runner and is recommending SBD for you, doesn't mean SBD is good for marathon runners or that he follows the diet himself..
Nothing wrong or hypocritical there - dr's don't neccesarily follow diets they recommend for others.
For example endo Drs would often recommend diabetic diets for diabetics - but if they are not diabetic they wouldn't be following the same diet themselves.
I realize this and suppose I should have included that we discuss running often and chit chat about our favorite running spots, etc. so he was well aware of my running and he told me that he himself followed the SBD as a lifestyle so it surprised me a bit when I did some reading online about the diet as it did not seem to be carb heavy or supportive of running long distances as I have always had carbs while training and before long runs (admittedly I have not read the books, just tidbits of info so far).0 -
Didn't read all the comments as I'm on my way to work ....... but go to GROUPS ..... join up on "South Beach for Life" ...... South Beach is an easy way of eating. I was on SB website for awhile until they had troubles with their website, then I came here. I lost 40 lbs & kept it off. Still eat "beachy" ..... it's ingrained in me now ...... planning & focus & common sense ...... and a lot of vegetables :drinker:
Best of luck to you !
Thank you for the positive post I will check out the group! 0 -
I have not done the SBD specifically, but I did decide to try a lower carb approach because I have PCOS and subclinical hypothyroidism. I try to keep my carbs below 100g per day (sometimes more on days that I run). By limiting my carb intake and upping my healthier fats, I find that I am not hungry all the time like I was before and the weight (while still coming off slowly) is coming off quicker than it was when I was just trying to hit my calorie goal and not focusing on my macros. The first week was the roughest, as I had a killer headache on days 3 and 4, as well as mega-carb cravings. But, now that I'm cooking with real butter, coconut oil, and cream, snacking on cashews, almonds, avocados, and other fats, I don't feel deprived at all. I keep my calories at about 1600 on days that I do not workout and eat around 1800 or so on days that I run. On days that I run my carbs are a little higher from adding in more fruit and I'll usually have a sweet potato. I still have a couple of pieces of dark chocolate a day and have not completely cut out sugar, but I just try to be more aware of where my calories are coming from.
If you are on Pinterest, it has a multitude of great lower carb meal ideas and resources.
Just remember that it is really trial and error and you have to find what works for your body.0 -
My husband's diabetic and lost 18 lbs. about 5 years ago in about 6 weeks on South Beach. He did phase I and then phase II. He then gained all the weight back once he stopped following it. I did SB at the same time, but Phase II because I just couldn't go completely without carbs, and I lost 20 lbs. at a rate of 2 lbs. per week and pretty much kept most of it off. I'd say Phase II is a pretty healthy plan, low carb, but not no carb. Phase I is like any extremely low carb diet -- if you can follow it, you'll lose lots of weight really fast, but a lot of it will be water weight.0
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The South Beach Diet wasn't written as a weight loss diet, but as a sensible, healthy way to eat. It's not really low carb or low fat. It's healthy carbs and healthy fats (such as whole grains instead of processed flour, and olive oil instead of margarine). It's an easy plan to follow. Having said that, you can lose weight on South Beach if you count your calories. You can get the book from the library. It explains the hows and whys of eating this way. And then try some of the recipes online if you'd like. Basically, a meal like this--4 oz lean sirloin steak, 1/2 cup green beans, 1/2 cup brown rice and a salad--is the South Beach way of eating. It's not complicated. You don't need to buy any foods from their product line. It's just sensible eating.0
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I feel like I'm in the same boat. For the last 3 weeks I have been counting my steps and exercising and eating about 750 calories less than I should be burning -- no weight loss. I also have no thyroid after having it removed several years ago. A couple of years ago I did Dr. Poon's Metabolic diet (very similar to South Beach) and it really started to work for me. I'm going to start on that again today (Day 1). Feel free to add me as a friend as we will be going through a similar journey!0
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I feel like I'm in the same boat. For the last 3 weeks I have been counting my steps and exercising and eating about 750 calories less than I should be burning -- no weight loss. I also have no thyroid after having it removed several years ago. A couple of years ago I did Dr. Poon's Metabolic diet (very similar to South Beach) and it really started to work for me. I'm going to start on that again today (Day 1). Feel free to add me as a friend as we will be going through a similar journey!
Thank you!! I added you 0
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