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Now that you’re aware of the advantages and disadvantages that exist while on the South Beach Diet, you should be able to concretely know whether or not the South Beach Diet is something that you’re going to want to try. Moving forward, the next step in your evolution to a better you through the South Beach Diet is to have a general strategy throughout each phase of the diet plan. This chapter will provide you with specific information regarding techniques that you can use that will better your chances of success throughout each phase of the South Beach Diet. This will also include lists of foods that you can eat while on the diet.
Portion Control
It’s important to note that each phase of the South Beach Diet has specific portions that should be eaten throughout the day. Let’s take a look at some of the portions that the diet requires, as well as the specific types of food that should be eaten during each phase of the South Beach Diet.
Protein: 3 ounces per meal, three times a day. Protein that is approved include the following:
Dairy: 1 ounce per day (or ¼ cup). Dairy that is approved include the following:
Seeds and Nuts: 1 ounce per day (or ¼ cup) for nuts. For seeds, you can eat 1 ounce per day or three tablespoons. Seeds and nuts that are approved include the following:
Vegetables: 1 cup per day, or ½ cup when cooked. No added sugar or salt is allowed. Vegetables that are approved include the following:
Oils and Fats: One tablespoon of fats and oils are allowed per day, so make sure that you’re choosing which fats and oils you’re going to consume per day carefully. Oils and fats that are approved include the following:
It’s extremely important to note that while the foods that were listed above can be eaten throughout the entire duration of the South Beach Diet, these are the only foods that can be eaten during phase one of the diet plan. From this point forward in the chapter, you can eat these other foods, but only during phases two and three of the diet.
Fruits: After the two-week period of phase one of the diet, you can then add fruits to your diet. Women can have one serving of fruit per day, and men can enjoy two servings of fruit per day. Please refer back to the list of fruits that we have already gone over in this book to understand what fruits are allowed and which are not allowed while on the South Beach Diet.
Legumes and Beans: You are prohibited from eating legumes and beans during the first two weeks of the South Beach Diet. After the two-week period is over, you are then allowed to eat ½ cup of cooked legumes and beans. Legumes and beans that are approved include the following:
Alcohol: After the two-week period, you are allowed two alcoholic beverages per week. Your options for alcoholic beverages are somewhat limited, but they include the following items:
As you can hopefully see from after reading this chapter, you have extensive options for eating while on the South Beach Diet. Unlike other types of diets that are out there, you’re not going to be limited to eating the same types of foods over and over again. There is a wide variety of foods that you can eat while on the South Beach Diet, which should make dieting in this manner all the easier. Let’s take a look at some other tips that go beyond the specific foods that you can eat while on the diet.
Strategy 1: Consider Quinoa for Breakfast
You may have never eaten quinoa for breakfast before, but this is a strategy that can help you to feel both full and fit while on the South Beach Diet. Quinoa is a superfood in the sense that it has the same type of protein that can be found in red meat and eggs. It’s also known to be quite filling. If you eat quinoa first thing in the morning, it’s sure to keep you feeling satisfied throughout the day. It’s important to understand that because of the fact that quinoa is a grain, you are not going to be able to eat it during the first phase of the diet. Lastly, quinoa is known to repair torn muscles after a workout, which is yet another reason why so many athletes consume it to achieve a fit lifestyle and body.
Strategy 2: Take Up a Hobby for your Hands
This may sound a bit strange, but researchers from the United Kingdom have found that when people who are experiencing food cravings played with an object such as a Rubik’s Cube, Silly Putty, or Play-Dough for ten minutes at a time, their food cravings diminished in intensity. Perhaps this could be a good strategy to implement once you start the South Beach Diet. The adult coloring books that have become popular recently may be something in which you should be considering investing, as well as a puzzle, Sudoku, or crossword book. Whichever activity you end up choosing, remember that it’s important for your hands to be doing something during this time. Distracting yourself by watching a movie or a television show is not going to do much in terms of curbing your cravings. Remember this is likely only something that you will want to try during phase one, the one that is not so fun. But 2 weeks is achievable for anyone.
Strategy 3: Slow Down, Be Mindful
The last technique that is important to keep in mind while you’re on the South Beach Diet is to be mindful while you’re eating your food. Instead of reading a book while you eat or being distracted in some other way, it’s a better idea to simply take in each bite and savor the flavor. Additionally, it’s important to think about how your body is feeling after each bite. If you’re someone who typically gobbles your food down as fast as you can without much thought involved, perhaps take the time to notice yourself becoming full. Try to enjoy each bite that is going into your mouth. Studies have shown that people who eat more slowly end up consuming fewer calories than those people who shovel food into their mouths as quickly as possible. Since you’re going to be limiting your caloric intake, it might be a good idea to try this tactic out for yourself to see if you are able to feel fuller with less food.
Sample Day of Eating While on the South Beach Diet
You can pay to have full days’ worth of meals planned and prepared for you, but if you aren’t looking to invest in things like that, which really is just a luxury of the wealthy, then you will need to prepare your own sort of meal plan. The thing with the South Beach Diet is that it is so flexible, and can really adapt to anybody’s preferences, but here is just an example of what a full day of eating looks like on the South Beach Diet. Note, this is an example of a full day of eating for someone on phase 2 or 3 only.
Breakfast:
- 2 scrambled eggs with 2 slices of turkey bacon, and sliced tomatoes
- 6 oz. vegetable juice smoothie (surprisingly good actually, especially if you add some artificial sweetener like stevia)
- Coffee or tea with skim milk
Morning Snack:
- Carrots sticks (or dippable vegetable of your choice) dipped in guacamole or dressing of your choice
Lunch:
- Sirloin beef burger (93% fat free) on a whole-grain bun with reduced-fat 2oz Swiss cheese, tomato slices, bed of lettuce, and condiments of your choice
- Three-bean salad: Combine equal amounts of black beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas with chopped red onion to taste. Toss with 2 Tbsp balsamic vinaigrette dressing (1 serving equals 1/2 cup)
Late Afternoon Snack:
- Celery sticks stuffed with 1 wedge French onion and garlic reduced-fat spreadable cheese
Dinner:
- 6 oz. filet of salmon
- One large fried egg (use olive oil over butter to cook)
- An assortment of grilled potatoes and mixed vegetables of your choice
Dessert:
- Vanilla Ricotta Cream: In dessert bowl, whisk 1/2 c part-skim ricotta cheese, 1/4 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 packet granular sugar substitute.
This is a good example of how eating healthy and losing weight can still be enjoyable. Take advantage of all the different recipes and meals in the following chapters to mix and match your days while on the diet.
