South Beach Diet

[ColoradoBuffaloMom]

Does anyone have any experience with this diet. I've done a bit of surfing on the web about this diet and it looks like something my husband and I could do.

Has anyone been on this diet or know folks who have used this diet? What are the pros and cons?

Thanks for your help

Elise

 

[jwfla422]

I did the diet for a few weeks and lost about 4 lbs but I did cheat and once I cheated I blew it.

It is actually a good diet if you can cut most carbs out of your diet. It is a bit similar to Atkins because it is a low carb diet and you are allowed a few healthy carbs the first 2 weeks however after that you can gradually work fruit and "GOOD" carbs back into your diet.

I may get flamed by the ATKINs' dieters for saying this but I believe it is a much HEALTHIER diet than ATKINS because it allows you to eat healthy carbs. Totally discourages refined sugared type of carbs, etc. It doesn't promote high cholesterol proteins like ATKINs does. (not to mention the tons of chemicals found in those low carb bars).

The South Beach book has a list of what you can eat the first 2 weeks and what to avoid, and then what you can eat the 3rd week and what to avoid, and so on. There are recipes also that are good.

Basically the South Beach diet is a low carb diet but not nearly as strict as ATKIN's - it stresses healthy carbs which ATKINs still discourages (no fruit, will never get that with ATKINs). South Beach allows fruit after the first 2 weeks.

For me personally, low carb diets are not good, if I overeat my carbs on a particular day after keeping to a low carb diet for several days I get sick (faint feeling, low blood sugar, quezy, etc), so it's not good for me. I do try to "control" the amount of refined sugary carbs I eat.

If you eliminate most carbs from your diet you will lose weight but you better make a life long committment to it because if you start eating carbs you will not only gain the weight you lost but you'll gain more on top of it (i've seen this happen to many friends of mine who did Atkins)...South Beach is a little more doable since it allows carbs in moderation but it is still a committment.

 

[Christine]

jw,
I totally agree with your assessment of South Beach. It is low carb like Atkins but it focuses on the healthier fats (you will NOT be eating bacon or saugage on this diet). It also is a bit more lenient with the carbs and certainly phases 2 and 3 look quite normal (but without all the refined carbs).

Right now I'm on a restricted diet for medical testing but will probably pursue South Beach when I'm done with that.

For more info, you may want to do a search on the W.I.S.H board where this topic is discussed more. Also, Prevention magazine's website has a lot of good info and message boards on this diet.

 

[ColoradoBuffaloMom]

Christine and JW, thanks for the info and comments. I think I will look into this. It really does seem like something I could do and it would be healthy also.

Any other comments from anyone else?

Elise

 

[Mattsmom]

There is a thread on the WISH board on the South Beach Diet. If I knew how to post a link I would.

I started the diet Tues., so far it's going great! I bought the book and have been using it as a guide.

 

[ColoradoBuffaloMom]

Thanks for the tip about the WISH board. That helped a lot.

It looks like I'm off to Barnes and Noble tomorrow

Thanks so much

 

[Blondie]

I tried Atkins many years ago, and like previously mention, I felt so sick that I came off of it.

It can't be healthy to walk around feeling nauseated and feeling faint. I know Atkins has worked for many people here, but I still don't think it's a healthy way to lose weight!

I'll have to look into this South Beach diet...I've never heard of it before!

The problem I have is with getting enough protein, I don't eat red meat or pork. And you can only eat so much Tuna!