South Beach

Gretchen27
Gretchen27 Posts: 82 Member
edited September 23 in Health and Weight Loss
My mother in law talked me into trying the South Beach diet for a week, two if I can make it. Has anyone tried this befor and is it doable? I am already committed to changing my eating so can this be a way of life too? All comments welcomed, please :)

Replies

  • crazymama2two
    crazymama2two Posts: 867
    i have done it and it does work. HOWEVER, i strongly recommend you dont waste your time. i lost my weight and didnt stick with it for life and gained all of it AND THEN SOME back...i'ts not a "way of life" at all...you want to change your eating habits, start with MFP, track your food and you'll get results - real results that will last beuase youre not restricting yourself from anything at all. youre just making smarter choices with real-world food.
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
    I do Primal Blueprint, which is another VLC lifestyle. Check out http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-blueprint-101/ for more info. I've never tried South Beach, but do feel that Primal Blueprint is sustainable, as it's all about clean eating and healing the body.
  • nickiejohnson
    nickiejohnson Posts: 58
    I did it for a month before my wedding and let me tell you that it is difficult but the results you get with it are undeniable! I lost about 20lbs in that month and I looked good for my wedding! Its difficult, especially going out to eat! I always repacked my lunches before the day and planned my dinners. I had a hard time w/grazing! I never realized how many carbs and calories I ate just by that! Good luck! You can do it! Its def worth it if you can stick to it! After I got married I stopped and gained it all back =/ but that is me! Stay motivated and you'll get good results!
    :)
  • jennlee80
    jennlee80 Posts: 142
    I have done the SB Diet and LOVED IT!!!!!! The first 2 weeks are hard! After that you can add back fruits, veggies, and whole grains. I didn't follow their exact recipes but ate off of the allowed foods list. I did it different times and lost about 40 the 2nd time. I've kept most of it off.
  • pyro13g
    pyro13g Posts: 1,127 Member
    South beach is a great way to break bad habits and eat better. Before I turned Paleo I considered South Beach but Dr. really wanted the wheat gluten eliminated and grains to only be eaten as a cheat food. Paleo is sustainable too. I don't like the plans that allow all those carbs back in . That's like telling an alcoholic they can have a drink here and there or telling a meth addict they can use once a month.
  • Tammysboys
    Tammysboys Posts: 23
    You have to do what works for you, I have tried South Beach and it did not work as I felt deprived because I couldn't eat everything. Counting my calories, I can still eat it, just can't eat as much, therefore I don't get the cravings like I did on South Beach, Atkins or Weight Watchers. Good Luck!
  • skinnyme125
    skinnyme125 Posts: 396 Member
    I have heard it is NOT the healthiest way to go about losing weight. This is not something you want to do long term. Carbs are what give you energy and what keep you going threw the day. Without them you will have a harder time concentrating and will feel tired and grouchy more often. You just have to be careful not to eat too many . Also when you eat carbs make sure to eat the whole wheat and whole grain. NOT the bleached or white, they have no nutritional value. We studied this a little in my nutrition class I took last semester. It however could be a good way to get you on a good jumpstart. I would suggest just eating as many fruits and veggies as you can and stay away from the high fat, empty callories. Moderation is the key, eat less exercise more. I know you have heard all this before, but it is the only true way to go about losing weight and keeping it off. IT is also the only way to go about it if you want to make it a lifestyle not just a diet.
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
    The original South Beach diet was all about healthy eating. For the most part it was all about eating REAL food.and limiting the presence of processed food in your diet. The first 2 weeks have the strictest limitations, but by week 2 you can add back in healthy carbs like grains, fruits, oatmeal, etc. And while they did recommended you avoid certain foods while you are trying to lose weight, most of us do that in some way, shape, or form anyway. A lot of the recipes are pretty good and still part of my regular cooking routine. It was quite safe and instrumental in the loss of my first 30#.

    However, I feel like they "sold out" @ some point when they went to a lot of commercialized/pre-packaged foods, much like Atkins. That's where they lost me....so much for the initial focus on eating REAL food.

    Bottom line...whatever plan you choose needs to fit your lifestyle and include foods that you enjoy. Otherwise you won't stick to it.
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
    I have heard it is NOT the healthiest way to go about losing weight. This is not something you want to do long term. Carbs are what give you energy and what keep you going threw the day. Without them you will have a harder time concentrating and will feel tired and grouchy more often. You just have to be careful not to eat too many . Also when you eat carbs make sure to eat the whole wheat and whole grain. NOT the bleached or white, they have no nutritional value. We studied this a little in my nutrition class I took last semester. It however could be a good way to get you on a good jumpstart. I would suggest just eating as many fruits and veggies as you can and stay away from the high fat, empty callories. Moderation is the key, eat less exercise more. I know you have heard all this before, but it is the only true way to go about losing weight and keeping it off. IT is also the only way to go about it if you want to make it a lifestyle not just a diet.

    Sure you can get cranky the first week or two going VLC while your body adapts (ask ANYONE starting a new lifestyle how they feel, and you might get a snappish answer, ie: smoker giving up cigs, caffeine addict giving up coffee-- carbs are an addictive substance), but after that you should be out of the woods & running on all cylinders. Healthy fats (avocados, some nuts, coconut, critter) are GOOD FOR YOU. Fat is an essential nutrient in daily diet. Eat more, eat CLEAN, stay active, don't kill yourself exercising.
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