Well, you can't expect me to consider the day I got the book in the mail to be Day 1. So this will have to do.
The emphasis of this diet is on eating what they call the right carbohydrates and the right fats.
It is a 3-prong affair. The first two weeks is semi-strict—you are allowed 5 meals a day (3 meals and 2 snacks), but no starches and sugars of any kind, even fruit.
Mmm, fruit.
This is difficult for me. I love bread, crackers, beer, and such. I don't eat much candy or ice cream, but I love a bagel as much as any Christian man.
It also means I must shelve my Slimfast regimen for the duration. Too much sugar.
I am doing OK. I cheated and scarfed a handful of Reduced-Fat Oreos last night—another reason why today is Day 1 and not yesterday.
No Oreos today. Hah!
Weight after 24 hours—up 2 pounds, but that is likely water. And Oreo.
I'm going to try to do an honest job of this—no small feat, as diets are typically haunted by rampant dishonesty.
"Oh surely this doesn't count."
"I only had a single serving!"
Your prayers are welcome.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - rebecca
Best of luck to you. I started Slim Fasting this morning. We should do a day-by-day comparison of our success. See what works.
2 - Fran
Good luck! Please keep us posted!
3 - Tammy
Can anyone tell me what the difference is between the south beach diet and the atkins diet? They are both "Low-Carb", correct?
4 - CZ
Still haven't seen any "honest" and in-depth response as to the difference between the South Beach and the Atkins diet....the only dif I can see is that it is a convergence between the Sommersizing (which teaches you to combine the right kinds of foods that optimizes the ability of your body to metabolize the intake of food) with the Atkin's theory of ketosis.
5 - Shannon
You have to read the book. It is intelligent and educational. You do not starve, and you do not eat bacon! You eat wisely. Good fats, such as olive oil. Lean meats. Basically, no starchy carbs - or very rarely. Beer is the worst thing for you - which freaked me out because I LOVE my beer. Beer contains MALTOSE - high sugar, which just turns to fat if you don't burn it, which we don't because alcohol by nature slows your FAT BURNING metabolism. Wine is fine. It is simply knowing what is sugar, and then eating correctly. It is relatively easy.
6 - valelys
I've been on the South Beach Diet a bit over 4 weeks now and have lost 18 lbs. (Thanksgiving day was a day off the diet, but tried to be reasonable!)
I must admit that I have more or less stayed with the 1st (stricter) phase of the diet. I've added whole grain bread 3 - 4 times a week. This diet is fairly easy for me to follow. Craving are gone (except following Thanksgiving, when I added anything I wanted!).
I'm finding the diet a bit boring, but probably due to my lack of imagination and choosing the variety that I could have.
I think I am getting more vitamins and other needed nutrients on this version of a low carb diet as opposed to the Atkins diet.
7 - Eric Olsen
Excellent, good work and keep it up, make sure to exercise so you're new body isn't flabby.
8 - Sarah Arthur
I had tried the Atkins diet and lost 32lbs, but kind of got bored with it and put back 10 lbs. My question is this, with this South Beach Diet it says that it works on the stomach first. With the Atkins diet, everything went but the belly and that is what I need. I have what I call a kangaroo pouch(from the kids) and I want that to go. I started to exercise, water aerobics and walking and lost 16 and half inches, but as I said the waist only lost 4 inches. So I want to know if it is true? Does the stomach go first or like life in general you have to work at it.
9 - cakes
Why, oh, why do diet book authors not understand me? I am a creature of habit and could not care less about COOKING! If I can throw it in a bag or open the cabinet/refrigerator and carry it back to where I am working/sitting, it becomes a food I will return to. The recipes are ridiculous. I am lucky to get the milk in the bowl of Cheerios before I drive off to work--and that is repeated every day. I WANT to eat the same thing for breakfast and lunch so I don't have to THINK about it! Please, please, please, give me a diet that uses: 1)some user-friendly components, 2)no heat in preparation except maybe for dinner, 3) solid throwable food which will land happily in the bottom of a paper lunchbag. I can't even contemplate a diet that confuses me. I don't want to have to think about food.
I do want to eat less. Spending MORE time to fix a meal that has me eating LESS is not an efficient way to spend my time. Let's get real.
10 - Monika
Atkins versus South Beach - I started Atkins and switched, have read both books. There are LOTS of differences!
In a nutshell, Atkins is ultra-low carb, and because the vitamin-containing veggies and fruits are also cut, it is so low in vitamins that you have to buy additive vitamins.
South Beach is low carb, low fat, high fiber. A lot healthier and more variety than Atkins.
11 - RHONDA
I AM STARTING ATKINS OR SOUTH BEACH TOMORROW, WHICH OF COURSE IS MONDAY. GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE.
12 - 3_day_diet
Gooding reading. Thanks.
13 - Free Dieting
It is important to note that Arthur Agatston (author of SBD) stresses that the diet is NOT low carb.
Sure enough if you compare it to Aktins - Atkins is a VERY low carb diet. You've got to wonder how your energy levels are on Atkins....
The SBD is a much more 'sensible' diet, and by still consuming SOME carbs you can have the energy to work out or get some exercise...
14 - strep
I've read through the South Beach Diet book. Sounds like a good diet. He hardly speaks about hard alcohol however. I understand that beer is off limits and red wine is the best choice. Is hard alcohol off limits also? If not, how much is too much? And is clearer really better cuz it has less sugar (e.g. vodka has less sugar than whiskey)?
15 - stephanie
I wanted to know about alcohol consumption on the South Beach Diet. I am in phase one and it says striclty no alcohol (beer/wine), but says nothing about hard alcohol vodka etc... I am in my 20's and enjoy going to the bar with firends on weekends. If I have a drink or two is this going to affect my progress?
16 - Jessica
I started the SBD today! I was looking around on the Net to find out more about it when I came across this. Anyway, I was also wondering about the alcoholic drinks. I have heard that Michelob Ultra has only 2 carbs. Appearently that's pretty low for beer. I also have heard that Miller Light is low in carbs. I have no idea how much sugar. I am not sure if this info is correct, please correct me if I am wrong. I also like to drink beer on the weekends when I am out with friends so please if anyone knows for sure let me know! I was looking for a message board to post to others and I found the one on the SBD website but I guess you have to pay to use it? Anyone know of another SBD message board? I am considering making one! Please let me know about that too! I am hoping to meet others on the diet to have a little support! Thanks!
17 - Hether
I have been on south beach diet phase 1 and have some questions too, such as sodas diet sodas not mentioned in this chapter. Can you or cant you drink them
Looks like water and V8 juice and tomatoe juice is only allowable beverage beside coffe and tea.
18 - Judith
I was on the Atkins diet for 9 months. It wasn't hard for me because I like meat...however, I got very constipated. I went off the diet due to the constipation and started eating a high fiber cereal in the morning which corrected the problem. I am now on the South Beach Diet because I understand you can eat more fiber. So, this is my first week and I am constipated again! I have also hardly lost anything. I am hoping this will correct after the second week. Do you have any suggestions?
19 - laurie
I didn't last three weeks on atkins. i lost weight but i started feeling lathargic and constipated. I started reading south beach and it makes more sense. i am going to try it.
20 - Jessica
I have been on SBD for 5 days. I don't know if I have lost anything yet. I plan to weigh tomorrow... The first 2 or 3 days were really rough. I was craving all my junk food and Mt. Dew, I was also feeling a little sick and tired. The 4th day was better but I was super tired still. Lastnight I went to bed at 7pm and got up at 6am and I feel great today! I think I needed to get some zzzzz's and rest, it definitly has been hard on my body. I am hoping to stay on the diet for another 2 weeks, I am going to see how it goes. I found a great message board for SBD here is the link http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/forum/index.php
Good Luck to everyone!
Jessica
21 - melissa
My husband and I have been on South Beach for one week. He's starving for pizza and we saw an online recipe for portabello pizza and the writer said it is good for the first and second phase. Does anyone eat pizza?
22 - HW Saxton Jr
The South Park Diet?????????????????????
Ya mean like cutting out Cheesy Poofs?
23 - AlanB
I started SBD today after visiting some friends this weekend who have lost 13lbs in the last 2 weeks. They say the first few days are the worst, as you still crave everything. After that they went okay through the rest of the 2-weeks. I have read that with the other low-carb diets the initial weight-loss could just be water-weight. But if it motivates you to stay on it then its all good. The SBD differs from Atkins in that only Phase one is super restrictive. After that you can slowly add back in "Good carbs"(ie: fruits and whole grains) It's supposed to break your addiction to processed starches. Atkins makes you swear off carbs for life. On SBD you should learn healthy eating that will maintain your initial weight-loss. And if you fall off and splurge, just repeat Phase-1&2. As for alcohol, the reference guide says no beer, even light beer. Shots of vodka, rum, whisky and gin are "allowed", but not in Phase-1. Rum & cokes (my drink of choice) are to be avoided. Diet coke is allowed, so I'm not sure if rum & diet coke once-in-a-while is okay.
Good luck to all
24 - NickieG
I am currently doing the induction phase of Atkins. I am thinking about switching to the South Beach Diet next week. Does anyone know how that will affect my weight loss? Will I gain back what I lose during the first two weeks on Atkins. So far, I have lost 4 pounds.
25 - Olga
For the person who is constipated, I would recommend a cup of Three Ballerina a day. It's a senna based natural tea that some people use to lose weight. Do not think as a tea for flavor, take it for what it's worth. I personally take one cup or two made with one tea bag. Start that way. If you don't experience any discomfort, then you could increase the dosage. It really works and of course, it's absolutely natural.