This is it!! Starting South Beach Diet tomorrow! - Weight Loss Message Board

Bracelet · 11-26-2006, 07:30 PM

Anyone here tried it? I guess the first phase is hardest, but if the book is true, then it should be no problem losing weight.

Geez, I'm so desperate. My last attempt lost me about $690 with Jenny Craig, who still owe me money back. Stupid soy.

Anyway, if anyone has any words of wisdom about South Beach, I'd love to hear about it. Any tips for getting through phase 1?

luv2sing · 11-26-2006, 08:03 PM

No diet is ever easy-that's why you should not diet because any program that restricts you wil backfire because once you can eat regular foods again, you will gain weight back. Did you try Weight Watchers? It's a lifestyle change and they have the highest success rate of people who have lost and kept it off. It's a wonderful program and you are never restricted: you can eat ANYTHING but in moderation-that's the key. But you have to be prepared to change your habits and commit to it. Is it easy? Yes but you will struggle as we all do. You should really try it!

Bracelet · 11-27-2006, 12:57 PM

The first two weeks of the south beach diet, known as Phase 1, is almost identical to the Core Program for weight watchers. I've tried it twice. I did flex points the first time and core the second time. It did not work for me. Rather, it worked at first but I found it very hard to stay on that type of regimen for long term. It just wasn't happening for me.

South Beach diet is something that can be a lifestyle change as well. The first 2 weeks is the only time you do not eat any carbs of any kind. After those 2 weeks are over, you start gradually re-introducing lower glycemic carbs that don't cause weight to go up, and only eat those carbs that are healthy. Such as whole grains and fruits/vegetables that are not high in sugar.

If you read the book then you would understand this. It can be a lifelong food choice to stay at Phase 3, during which time you reintroduce more carbs, but making sure to choose the carbs that are not empty calories like white potatoes, white flour and white refined sugar items.

For people like me who have tried pretty much everything else, South Beach seems to be a really good option. I'm well into day 1 and feeling fine without carbs. The next few days will be harder, but if I can train my body into not craving carbs anymore, then I won't be so dependant on things like pasta and bread to get me through the day.

boicrazy3188 · 11-27-2006, 02:40 PM

Any diet that makes you cut something out is a fad diet. How long do you really think you could go not eating certain things?

I have tried so many diet plans, and have failed each time. I just wanted something easy, that I could stick to and that didn't make me give anything I liked up.

I am now 15 pounds down and counting, and I just made a few tweaks in my diet. I exercise almost everyday and eat about 1200 calories. I am cheating a bit, because I am on phentermine, but it has helped me in overcoming my disease, obesity. I can't take it forever, but I've been on it a month, and have learned so much, and I think so much differently.

I'm not saying you should go on phentermine, or any diets pills for that matter, but just realize that diets don't work, ever. You have to adapt new rules for yourself, and teach yourself that food is for survival, not pleasure.

Good luck

Bracelet · 11-27-2006, 03:38 PM

If you don't read the book, you won't understand the concept. It's more than a fad diet because you only cut out those things for TWO WEEKS and then you gradually reintroduce them back into your meal plan.

The fact is that any "diet" that allows you to eat whatever you want, whether it's healthy or garbage, is not going to make you lose any weight. With south beach, you make better food choices based on foods that are higher in fiber which makes you feel more full and therefore you eat less.

It's not a new concept. And it was developed by a cardiologist. I would trust a cardiologist to know what he is doing when it comes to developing an eating plan that is healthy for his patients.

You really should read the book before you start making snap judgements about things you may have heard that are most likely untrue.