Any tips on South Beach Diet Phase 1?

jb_sweet_99 · January 2011

Hi everyone, I have been on The G.I. Diet for over a year because I have Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome which causes insulin resistance so eating low g.i. helps keep it under control. Anyway, I'm starting to feel like I need a bit of a boost, to try something different. SO this is why I'm going to start the South Beach Diet on Monday, it is almost the same diet that I am on except for the first two weeks. In the first two weeks you are allowed no starch (pasta, rice, potatoes), fruit, added sugar or sweets etc. It will be hard but the reason they do this is to get your sugar cravings under control. Since Christmas I've not been in great control of my sweet tooth, I've kept it within my calories but I need to get back to as close to none as possible. The bonus, most people lose from 8-13 pounds in those two weeks, now I know a lot of that is water weight or people that are just starting to change their eating habits, so I am expecting a max of about 4 pounds.
SO I'm just wondering if anyone has any suggestions on how to get through those first two weeks. Also, any great Phase 1 recipes would be greatly appreciated as well!

And please don't tell me that diets won't work this has to be a lifestyle change, I know that. A low G.I. Diet has to be life long for me to control my PCOS...and I have changed my lifestyle accordingly. The South Beach Diet is also meant to be lifelong, which is why they have Phase 3, maintenance, this is how you will continue to eat forever.

Sorry for the last paragraph but I wanted to keep this thread positive and not have it filled with those comments!

Thanks in advance to those who are able to offer some advice :bigsmile:

♥_Ellybean_♥ · January 2011

it going to be hard, I've tried Atkins and SB because I also have PCOS but can never get passed the first two weeks, giving up fruit was the hardest part for me.. To crave the sweet tooth I would just chew gum! I also follow a low GI diet to control PCOS (or try) which has been working for me.

Anyway, if you set your mind to it I know you can do it! and keep going in the right direction.

AudreyMegan · January 2011

hi, my name is audrey and i did the south beach diet during the summer because my doctor thought it would help my IBS. unfortunatly, it was really hard to for me becuase i hate tomatoes and plan pepers. but what i found to be the most tastey is the turkey sausage ! it is really good and you can find it at Kroger! it says south beach diet on it so you know if you are grabing the right one. i still eat the turkey sausage even though i had to stop the diet

i wish you the best of luck and i am impressed that you have lost so much wieght! great job and good luck reaching your goal!

SalsaFaye1983 · January 2011

I have done the South Beach diet - it is how I lost over 5 stone (although I must admit I actually did phase one for about a year rather than 2 weeks...my bad). It is good and I don't think it is too unhealthey because throughout the diet book, it doesn't ban you from foods (at least not for long) and it teaches you how to treat the 'bad' foods with respect. Its great for low GI as you have found. I never realised how high carrots etc were in sugars. Sadly I fell off it myself but I am actually sticking by most of it again now. Not eating bread or potatoes, rice or pasta..... just having some cous cous etc as my starchy type foods. South Beach do a few cook-books - take a look on Amazon, you could easily pick one up secondhand from there.

It can be strict on Phase one but it really REALLY is worth it. Just try to fill up on proteins that are low in fat and eat plenty of the low GI veg - like you do now and it will fly past. If you do go for breads, just have the healthy ones - you can get some low carb ones from places.

I'll add you as a friend and if you have trouble getting the book, I can always go through mine if you let me know what foods you do (or rather, don't like) and pop a couple up for you.

Faye

♥_Ellybean_♥ · January 2011

OOOO I love Turkey Sausage! ... Hubby and I eat Turkey Sausage all the time... Turkey Brats, Turkey Hamburgers, Turkey Meatloaf, Wheat Pasta with Turkey Meatballs LOL

nickiejohnson · January 2011

I did the South Beach diet before my wedding, and let me tell you, I look GOOD! Phase one is the HARDEST! Make sure you make all meals, going out to eat is no fun and is super tempting and frustrating-my experience anyway. I always prepacked all of my lunches the day before to keep me from wanting to go out to lunch w/co-workers. I did have one cheat day a week to keep me sane and so I could have a date night w/my hubby. Load up on mostly veggies and be creative with them; lots of meat gets old after a while! I learned how to make soups and casseroles w/low dairy content! Google resources on South Beach, you can get some really yummy recipes!
It will help you lose weight and phase one is where you lose the most of it. I didn't stay on it after my wedding bc i wanted to cook for my husband and he couldn't/wouldn't eat no carbs, so I gained a lot of my weight back! But if you can stay consistent with it, it really works! My friend has kept it off for 2 years and looks great! I'm doing a low carb diet now, and being on the South Beach really helped and prepared me for it!

I do have a recipe for crustless pizza that my hubby really liked:

1 lb lean hamburger
2 bags of reduced fat mozerella cheese
pizza sauce (look out for high sugar ones)
fresh veggies

brown hamburger and mix with one bag of mozerella and put on pizza pan and flatten to size of crust, pour on pizza sauce, top with cheese and veggies

Bake @ 350 until cheese is melted and browned!

It is really good!!

Good luck with it! Let me know if you have any more questions or need more help!

scagneti · January 2011

When I was on Atkins a lifetime ago, the hardest part for me was side dishes, and it sounds like most of the go-to side dishes wouldnt' be allowed on SB. You can only have a side salad so often before you get sick of them! I learned to like a few different types of veggies because I couldn't handle another salad with light ranch dressing (I don't like oil & vinegar on my salads!).

Figure out the things that you like and do your meal plan for the two weeks that your choices are limited. For sweets, I lived on sugar free jello, unsweetened cocoa powdered mixed with blended Nutrasweet (made a chocolate mousse) and my own creation -- cream cheese mixed with unflavoured gelatin (to give it a fluffier texture) with melted unsweetened chocolate squares (with a bit of Splenda) poured over top to make a crustless chocolate cheesecake type substance. It hit the spot, but I couldn't stay on it forever.

(up in Canada we had very limited low carb choices 10 years ago!)

♥_Ellybean_♥ · January 2011

Iwow this sounds great! might have to try this.

I do have a recipe for crustless pizza that my hubby really liked:

1 lb lean hamburger
2 bags of reduced fat mozerella cheese
pizza sauce (look out for high sugar ones)
fresh veggies

brown hamburger and mix with one bag of mozerella and put on pizza pan and flatten to size of crust, pour on pizza sauce, top with cheese and veggies

Bake @ 350 until cheese is melted and browned!

It is really good!!
Good luck with it! Let me know if you have any more questions or need more help!

jb_sweet_99 · January 2011

Wow, thanks for all of your fantastic replies!! I am in Canada so like scagneti said, we don't have many low carb things, or any of the actual South Beach diet foods unfortunately. I think I will try to do up a food plan for the two weeks, then there's no guessing which in turn tends to lead to eating something I shouldn't!
I think I'm going to try to get to the library and see what South Beach books they have, I'm hoping for the recipe book! The G.I. recipe book really helped me get creative in the beginning and I'm sure this will too!

Thanks again everyone! Keep the tips coming please! lol. :bigsmile:

scagneti · January 2011

Wow, thanks for all of your fantastic replies!! I am in Canada so like scagneti said, we don't have many low carb things, or any of the actual South Beach diet foods unfortunately. I think I will try to do up a food plan for the two weeks, then there's no guessing which in turn tends to lead to eating something I shouldn't!
I think I'm going to try to get to the library and see what South Beach books they have, I'm hoping for the recipe book! The G.I. recipe book really helped me get creative in the beginning and I'm sure this will too!

Thanks again everyone! Keep the tips coming please! lol. :bigsmile:

I've noticed it hasn't gotten much better low-carb wise for products in Canada -- even in Toronto. They were non-existant 10 years ago. I remember going to McDonalds and they wouldn't sell me an Egg McMuffin with no McMuffin. "But it's free with the order", they'd say. "I don't want it", I'd reply. "Please just give me the egg, bacon & cheese without the muffin". It would take a good 10 minutes just to order and sometimes it was right, often it would come wrong. Swiss Chalet was my "eat out" restaurant -- Quarter chicken, white meat with salad and no roll.

I used to make that meat pizza too! Sooo good! My then boyfriend, now husband would joke that it made his heart hurt though so I only made it for me. I used to serve it with "Mock-tato salad" (potato salad made with cauliflower instead of potatoes).

jb_sweet_99 · January 2011

Oh you just gave me a couple ideas there too! I like the McMuffin without the muffin idea! lol..and I love Swiss Chalet and wouldn't have thought of that, thanks a bunch!
I will try that pizza too...I wonder how it freezes...I live alone so it would be great if I could freeze half..hmmm I'll have to try. Also, can I ask how you make the cauliflower when you use it in the "Mock-tato salad" that sounds good to!!!

jb_sweet_99 · January 2011

Self Bump...

kateopotato · January 2011

I did SB for a while last year... did phase one and got into phase 2 before being totally sidetracked. I got a lot of the cookbooks that I still use to this day and one of my favorite places to find recipes is here: http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/

I still use a lot of her stuff because it's so yum.

There is a recipe for chicken stuffed with seasoned ricotta cheese with tomato sauce on top that gets baked that was AMAZING...

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons low-fat ricotta cheese (Part Skim)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons crushed tomatoes
4 slices reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 45 mins
1 In a small bowl mash Ricotta Cheese, Parmesan Cheese, Salt, Pepper, Oregano& Parsley together until well blended.
2 Toss the chicken with the garlic powder and brown in the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat for 10 minutes per side.
3 When done remove to a shallow casserole dish to cool slightly.
4 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
5 Spoon 1 Heaping serving spoon of Ricotta mixture onto each chicken breast and top with 1 tablespoons of Crushed Tomatoes.
6 Place one slice of mozzarella cheese on each one and place in the top rack of the oven.
7 Bake for 20 minutes until a meat thermometer registers 170 deg. farenheit

jb_sweet_99 · January 2011

Wow, thanks so much, that sounds fantastic!! I will have to try it for sure. Thanks for the link too, I'm looking for as many options as I can so I can stick to it! :bigsmile:

jb_sweet_99 · January 2011

I have done the South Beach diet - it is how I lost over 5 stone (although I must admit I actually did phase one for about a year rather than 2 weeks...my bad). It is good and I don't think it is too unhealthey because throughout the diet book, it doesn't ban you from foods (at least not for long) and it teaches you how to treat the 'bad' foods with respect. Its great for low GI as you have found. I never realised how high carrots etc were in sugars. Sadly I fell off it myself but I am actually sticking by most of it again now. Not eating bread or potatoes, rice or pasta..... just having some cous cous etc as my starchy type foods. South Beach do a few cook-books - take a look on Amazon, you could easily pick one up secondhand from there.

It can be strict on Phase one but it really REALLY is worth it. Just try to fill up on proteins that are low in fat and eat plenty of the low GI veg - like you do now and it will fly past. If you do go for breads, just have the healthy ones - you can get some low carb ones from places.

I'll add you as a friend and if you have trouble getting the book, I can always go through mine if you let me know what foods you do (or rather, don't like) and pop a couple up for you.

Faye

Can you have cous cous in Phase 1? I thought not, but it's not mentioned anywhere, that would be great! I just ordered the Cookbook on Amazon so I should get it soon!

Shirley61 · January 2011

My husband and I have done the South Beach diet
many times. We lost weight and I don't eat pastas,
rice or potatoes at all only if out to dinner and I don't
have a choice. If you need help and support
you can add me as friend. The South Beach paperback
book has all the receipes and Phase 1 receipes to follow.
It will get the sugar out of your system. It is tough the
first few days and then you are on your way. I am
type 2 diabetic so no rice, pasta, or potatoes or bread just go
along with that lifestyle. Any questions just message me.

spuzo · January 2011

I eat low carb for a variety of reasons [health reasons, not weight loss reasons]- similar to Phase 1 - my only advice would be ....PLAN, PLAN, PLAN. My biggest mistake was not having enough food on hand at work and I was just starving. Now I keep food here in the fridge so I have snacks on hand when I need them. I didnt realize how much the absence of carbs would make me hungry that first day. Also carbs were my easy "go-to" snack - fruits, 100 cal pack snacks, sandwiches, etc...without those I was at a loss that first day.

Also - Im in Toronto and there's a lot of low carb online stores here in Canada that you can check out for products. I just Googled them and found a variety of shops.

As for the couscous - it's pasta so I wouldnt think it would be a good idea for Phase 1.

Mike523 · January 2011

The main piece of advice I can give you is READ THE BOOK. South Beach is not a low carb diet. Yes, the first two weeks cut out the carbs, but that's only meant to get rid of your cravings, and not meant to be sustained long term. After two weeks, when you move to phase 2, you'll be able to reintroduce fruit, whole grains, and some starchy veggies into your diet.

The book does a fantastic job of explaining why this way of eating is so effective. It's not just about losing weight, it's about eating wholesome unprocessed foods with lots of fiber and nutrients, whole grains, fruits, veggies, lean proteins, good carbs, which make you healthier overall.

I'd also recommend looking here for TONS of information on South Beach, plus support from lots of other folks following the plan:

http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/forum/

jb_sweet_99 · February 2011

Thanks for the tips everyone, sorry just saw this now. I'm onto week three of eating Phase 1 foods because I feel so good, I have PCOS so I don't process carbs really well and they bog me down, this feels so much better. I was doing the G.I. Diet before which is very similar to Phase 2 so I'm not worried about when I get there :bigsmile:

lodro · February 2011

Wow, thanks for all of your fantastic replies!! I am in Canada so like scagneti said, we don't have many low carb things, or any of the actual South Beach diet foods unfortunately. I think I will try to do up a food plan for the two weeks, then there's no guessing which in turn tends to lead to eating something I shouldn't!
I think I'm going to try to get to the library and see what South Beach books they have, I'm hoping for the recipe book! The G.I. recipe book really helped me get creative in the beginning and I'm sure this will too!

Thanks again everyone! Keep the tips coming please! lol. :bigsmile:

I'm on a lowered carb, very low calorie diet for health reasons (reducing formation of a certain type of brain cancer) and I'm going to suggest something very counter-intuitive: try fasting regularly. Fasting increases your cells' resistance to insulin. Personally I've found that it is a tremendous help in getting carb cravings under control. I've also noticed that eating "replacement" low-carb "sweets" will make them worse.

You could build in 24 hour of fasting every two weeks, or even every week: you stop eating after dinner, at about 7PM and don't start eating before 7PM the next day. You'll find that it really is something of a "reset" to your eating patterns.

jb_sweet_99 · February 2011

First of all, good luck, I really hope that this helps you with the cancer and that you get better quick!
It's funny that you mention that, before I switched to South Beach I was doing intermittant fasting a couple times a week and in the beginning it helped but I think towards the end there it was helping me keep the weight on so I"m taking a break from it. Thanks for the tip though!

sunshine86912 · February 2011

I have done SBD before, about 2 years ago was my first go at it. LOVED IT! I am now re-starting phase 1, today! BUT this time I am a vegaterian, so this will get interesting lol, I am really not sure what in the world I am going to eat! I just need to get my sweets cravings under control and phase 1 did that for me every time!

jb_sweet_99 · February 2011

Good luck, I think it will be hard as a vegetarian, I hope you like beans lol! I'm sure if you dig around you could find a lot of recipes online. I've been doing really well with this so far, in fact I just hit my 50 pounds lost mark the other day, yay! :bigsmile:

zcosborne86 · March 2011

I'm just starting the SBD, I'm not sure I'll be able to follow it 100% but fingers crossed.

Great infor on here! Thanks guys.:happy:

Any tips on South Beach Diet Phase 1?

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