A Bride Worth Billions (51 page)

The South Beach Diet consists of three distinct phases including specific acceptable foods, meal plans, and recipes.

Phase One

This is the strictest phase of the South Beach Diet. It lasts 14 days.

In this phase, you eat normal-sized servings of acceptable foods. The goal is to eat three balanced meals per day in order to avoid frequent hunger pangs. The phase is designed to eliminate cravings for foods that have high sugar contents and refined starches to set weight loss in motion. You eliminate nearly all carbs from your diet and focus on eating lean protein. You also eat vegetables high in fiber, low-fat dairy products, and unsaturated fats. During this phase, you are allowed to eat most of the foods you enjoy.

Acceptable foods include, but are not limited to:

• Fish of all types, preferably wild-caught fish
  
• Tenderloin
  
• Beef sirloin
  
• Skinless chicken breasts
  
• Whole eggs
  
• Turkey bacon
  
• Lean ground beef
  
• Peanuts
  
• A wide variety of vegetables, including leafy vegetables, okra, onions, squash, and tomatoes
  
• Most types of beans
  
• Macadamia nuts
  
• Almonds
  
• Sugar-free candy
  
• Mayonnaise
  
• Olive oil
  
• Canola oil
  
• Fat-free cheese
  

Forbidden foods include, but are not limited to:

• Ice cream
  
• Prime rib
  
• Honey-baked ham
  
• Dark meat chicken
  
• Carrots
  
• Beets
  
• Corn
  
• Pasta
  
• Potatoes
  
• Bread
  
• All fruits
  
• Fruit juice
  
• Whole milk
  
• All alcohol
  
• Cereal
  
• Pastries
  
• Crackers
  
• Soy milk
  

The expected weight loss at the end of the two-week period of Phase 1 is 8-13 pounds.

Phase Two

This phase is more liberal in comparison to Phase 1. It is a long-term weight loss phase that lasts until you reach your ultimate weight loss goal. You can begin to reintroduce some of the forbidden foods from Phase 1 back into your diet. It is up to you to pick and choose which foods to add back to your diet based on their glycemic index.

In Phase 2, you can eat fiber-rich carbohydrates like whole grain bread. Some additional diet foods to enjoy include 1% milk, most fruits, low-fat dairy products, pinto beans, red wine, and whole grain starches. It is advisable to eat certain foods sparingly such as potatoes, carrots, bananas, beets, honey, and refined wheat baked goods.

Follow the South Beach Diet correctly and you will most likely lose 1-2 pounds every week during Phase 2.

Phase Three

The final phase of the South Beach Diet is the least restrictive. It is a weight maintenance phase designed to last for the rest of your life. Dr. Agatston describes Phase 3 as “a way of life.” You continue to follow the diet principles of the first two phases. In this phase, you can eat all kinds of food in moderation. 

To make the South Beach Diet journey easier to follow, here are some tips and tricks of the trade for maximum results:

1. Breaking a Weight Loss Plateau
   

Losing weight for the first several weeks is a success, but then you hit a plateau in which the scale won’t budge another ounce. This is completely normal, especially during Phase 2 of the South Beach Diet. The key to getting back on track is to acquire the skills and self-knowledge that will enable you to overcome a frustrating weight loss plateau. The following are some strategies that will enable you to get back into the program:

• Add more variety to your diet by incorporating new foods and experimenting with new recipes. A few changes to your diet might just be what you need to break out of that weight loss plateau.
  

• Enhance your fitness routine by incorporating both total-body workouts and interval training in which you alternate intense activity with slower recovery periods.
  
• Keep a journal of the foods you eat. Doing this will help you pinpoint any high-carb foods you might be consuming, foods that are stalling weight loss.
  
• When all else fails, revert back to Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet. If you have plateaued for several weeks, then it might be a good idea to go back to where you started. More often than that, the numbers on your scale will begin to head to the right direction again.
  

2. Make Healthy Choices When You Eat Out

Frequent eating out can be harmful to your diet. Most foods served at restaurants contain ridiculously high amounts of saturated fats and calories. It is best to cook at home so that you are in total control of how your meals are prepared. Eating at home enables you to choose your own low-fat and low-calorie ingredients. If eating out can’t be completely avoided, keep the following tips in mind:

• Avoid eating at fast-food chains and choose the restaurant wisely. Making the healthiest food choices involves choosing a restaurant that relies heavily on healthy ingredients.
  
• Use your server as a resource and do not be afraid to ask questions about how the restaurant’s menu items are prepared. You can ask them to cook it your way and since quality customer service is typically practiced in restaurants, they will most likely oblige.
  
• Avoid bread baskets and load up on vegetables instead. Refined carbs like white bread can cause your blood sugar levels to spike. When opting for vegetables as a side dish, be sure to order vegetables that are high in fiber.
  
• When eating dessert, practice the South Beach Diet’s “Three-Bite Rule.” Make sure to order enough forks for you and your tablemates. Savor three bites, then pass the dessert dish over to your fellow diners.
  

3. Curb Hunger with Filling and Nutritious Foods

To lose weight with the South Beach Diet, it is important to control your hunger and cravings. It’s difficult, but not impossible. It’s all about eating foods with a high nutritional value, lean protein, unsaturated fats, and fiber-rich carbohydrates. Curb your hunger with these tips:

• Eat reasonable servings of fiber-rich foods. Fiber slows the absorption of sugar in your digestive system, which promotes that satisfied, “full” feeling.
  
• Introduce monounsaturated fats to your meals whenever you can. For example, drizzle a slice of bread at dinnertime with olive oil instead of eating it plain. The fat contained in the olive oil will slow down the digestive process, lessening the amount of insulin that the bread prompts your body to make.
  
• Opt for lean protein as your main course such as turkey, shellfish, and skinless chicken. Your body digests protein slowly; thus, they do not cause the spikes in blood-sugar levels that stimulate hunger.
  
• Incorporate acidity like lemon juice and vinegar to your meals whenever possible. Acidic foods slow down the rate at which your body digests carbs; thus, promoting a feeling of fullness.
  

4. Read Nutrition Labels

If you don’t know how to read nutrition labels, it is advisable to learn, especially if you are following the South Beach Diet. While the diet does not technically require you to count calories, carbs, and grams of fat, it wouldn’t hurt to pay attention to the Nutrition Facts on food packaging and labels in order to ensure that you are getting the proper amount of daily nutrients.

5. Practice Proper Hydration

The South Beach Diet stresses the importance of consuming a minimum of eight glasses of water every day. Believe it or not, water is essential for good health. Every system in the body depends on water to function. Water eradicates toxins in your vital organs and helps carries essential nutrients to your cells. It is advisable to keep a bottle of water on hand at all times, allowing you to sip it throughout the day.

6. You Don’t Have to Completely Eliminate Caffeine

Caffeine is a weakness among the population, and the South Beach Diet knows that. Eliminate soda from your diet, but don’t say no to coffee and tea. The South Beach Diet allows you to indulge in one caffeinated beverage per day. Be sure to save it for that particular time when you are feeling the most lethargic. Also, keep in mind that adding sugar to your tea or coffee is prohibited; use artificial sweeteners instead.

7. Increase Your Vitamin Intake during Phase One

Incorporate a daily multivitamin into your diet during the second week of Phase 1. Before starting to reintroduce the prohibited foods into your diet, it is a good idea to begin taking flaxseed oil and a fiber supplement.

8. Exercise at the Right Time

Regular exercise is essential for anyone following the South Beach Diet. Exercising at a particular time of the day actually makes a difference in how much fat you burn.

Dr. Agatston recommends working out first thing in the morning as you burn slightly more fats when you exercise right after waking up.

9. Get a Sufficient Amount of Sleep

If you want to continue losing weight with the South Beach Diet, then you should not neglect sleep or sacrifice a good night’s sleep. Poor diet and lack of exercise are not the only things that cause you to gain weight; sleep deprivation can cause weight gain, as well. Lack of proper sleep impedes your body’s ability to properly metabolize food.

Condition yourself to wake up at the same time every day. Similarly, you should also go to sleep at the same time every night. Getting into these two habits practically ensures that you regularly get the proper amount of sleep every night.

Creating an environment conducive to sleep will also greatly improve your sleep experience. Having a comfortable bed is important, as well as blocking out unwanted noise and keeping your room slightly cool.

10. Eat Good Carbs

You already know that the South Beach Diet does not rule out carbohydrates; the point of the diet is to choose good carbs over bad carbs. Good carbs actually help you lose weight as they have low glycemic indexes. The best way to identify foods that contains good carbs is to check if the food is still in its natural state, or is similar to its natural state.

Good carbs include, but are not limited to:

• Amaranth
  
• Quinoa
  
• Wheat germ
  
• Almonds
  
• Sesame seeds
  
• Cashews
  
• Soybeans
  
• Peanuts
  
• Sour cream
  
• Olives
  
• Pickles
  
• Mustard
  
• Soy sauce
  
• Agave nectar
  

Bad carbs include, but are not limited to:

• Potatoes
  
• Raisins
  
• Fruit juice
  
• White rice
  
• White bread
  
• Quick oats
  
• Corn
  
• Couscous
  
• Honey roasted nuts
  
• Sweetened nut butters
  
• Sweetened yogurt
  
• Ice cream
  
• Popcorn
  
• Rice cakes
  
• Honey mustard
  
• Barbecue sauce
  

11. Find the Right Fats

The South Beach Diet does not force you to give up fats, but it emphasizes the importance of replacing bad fats in your diet with the good ones. Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are classified as good fats that lower cholesterol.

Good fats include, but are not limited to:

• Avocado
  
• Canola oil
  
• Walnuts
  
• Flaxseed
  
• Trout
  
• Salmon
  
• Sunflower oil
  
• Herring
  
• Natural peanut butter
  
• Sunflower seeds
  

Bad fats include, but are not limited to:

• Lard
  
• Whole milk
  
• Ice cream
  
• Bacon
  
• Cookies
  
• Microwave popcorn
  
• Frozen pizza
  
• French fries
  
• Potato chips
  
• Margarine
  

12. Eat Fiber-Rich Foods

Dr. Agatston recommends eating more foods that are rich in fiber as doing so will boost weight loss. Fiber-rich foods tend to be filling; thus, enabling you to control your cravings and keeping you from snacking in between meals. 

Here’s a list of some foods that are extremely high in fiber:

• Oat bran
  
• Wheat bran
  
• Garbanzo beans
  
• Lentils
  
• Pinto beans
  
• Raspberries
  
• Strawberries
  
• Barley
  
• Quinoa
  
• Millet
  
• Wild rice
  
• Whole-wheat pasta
  
• Split peas
  
• Collard greens
  
• Swiss chard
  
• Flaxseed
  
• Pumpkin seeds
  
• Sweet potato
  
• Jicama
  
• Figs
  

13. Increase your Lean-Protein Intake

Protein is essential to a healthy diet. However, choosing the right proteins makes a world of difference. Foods that are rich in protein act as a natural appetite suppressant. While hamburgers are protein-rich, it is lean protein that you should be consuming if you are to successfully follow the South Beach Diet.

Lean proteins include, but are not limited to:

• Skinless chicken breast
  
• Ground turkey
  
• Pork tenderloin
  
• Veal
  
• Salmon
  
• Tuna
  
• Crab
  
• Hard-boiled egg
  
• Pistachios
  
• Cashew butter
  
• Tofu
  
• Pumpkin seeds
  
• Edamame
  
• Hummus
  
• Cottage cheese
  
• Greek yogurt
  
•  
  

14. Stock Up on Snacks

The South Beach Diet allows two snacks per day, so take advantage of it. Just be sure to choose the right snacks. Eating junk food as a snack defeats the purpose of the diet. Any snack you eat should be a good carbohydrate with a low glycemic index. These snacks will enable your body to break down sugar more slowly and efficiently, which will give you a feeling of fullness for longer.

Here are some acceptable South Beach Diet snacks:

• Apple slices with peanut butter
  
• Sunflower seeds
  
• Kale chips
  
• Raw vegetables such as jicama, celery, and cucumber.
  
• Whole-wheat or whole-grain crackers
  
• High-fiber, whole-grain cereal
  
• Grapes
  

15. Reevaluate your Goals

After a month or two into the South Beach Diet, provided that you’ve reached your weight loss goal, it may be time to re-evaluate your goals as maintaining the strict lifelong regimen tends to be a tough task. Continue to eat sensibly, exercise regularly, and allow yourself occasional indulgences.

16. Reward Yourself

There are many ways to measure your South Beach Diet achievements. You might go a week without missing a day of exercise, or you brought a healthy lunch to work instead of eating out. Whatever the accomplishment may be, you can reward yourself without sabotaging all your efforts.  After all, you deserve it.

• Treat yourself. It could be a new pair of shoes, some flattering gym clothes, or a piece of jewelry. Whatever you’ve had your eye on at the mall for the past several weeks, get it.
  
• Enjoy a day/night out. Go sightseeing, visit a gallery, go play golf, or head to the spa with your friends.
  
• Make time for yourself once all your daily responsibilities are completed. Take a long bath or lose yourself in a really good book.