The South Beach Diet is not depriving of food but gives alternatives and teaches you to choose food containing the right carbs and the right fats for your health. It does not limit portion size like most traditional diets, it only limits the wrong kinds of foods.
The South Beach Diet plan is based on a three-phase structure:
The First Phase
Lasts two weeks and aims to banish food cravings by restraining carbohydrates intake.
- It is the most restrictive and consists of three meals a day, normally sized, and snacks, based on food from the main food groups except the grain products group.
- Weight loss: between 8 to 13 pounds at the midsection of your body.
The Second Phase
Lasts until you reach the desired weight level reintroduces carbohydrates back into diet.
- Some of the banned foods are reintroduced. Foods from all the dietary food groups are allowed but within limitations.
The Third Phase
Lasts for life focuses on healthy weight maintenance and should become a way of life.
- Includes foods from all the food groups.
- Focuses on foods with low and medium glycemic index and limits high GI foods — they are allowed moderately.
The success of the South Beach Diet relies on low glycemic index foods with good carb. In the first phase, only low glycemic food is allowed. During following phases higher glycemic number foods can be added to the diet, in moderation.
South Beach diet rules for all phases
- portion size should be normal — enough to satisfy your hunger, but no more than that.
- each day, at least eight glasses of water or decaf beverages (beverages with no sugar added, without caffeine: club soda, flavored seltzers, tea or coffee).
- caffeine-containing beverages should be limited to 1 cup per day.
- a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement as well as a calcium supplement (500mg/a day for men and women; 1,000mg/a day for women over 50 years old) are recommended.