The South Beach Diet consists of three phases. In the first phase you cut out carbs and eat lean and reduced-fat foods to "kick start" your weight loss. For two weeks you will heat three balanced meals as well as snacks. The allowed foods are lean meats, chicken, turkey, fish, and shellfish (vegetarians can enjoy meat substitutes and tofu), along with eggs, reduced-fat cheese, nuts, beans, and plenty of vegetables. Meanwhile, in this phase you will eliminate bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, baked goods, fruit, sweets and alcohol.
In the second phase you'll reintroduce the right carbs, including whole-grain breads, pastas and fruits. You'll reintroduce these carbs into your system slowly, adding a single carbohydrate to one daily meal for one week. As you make sure the carbs work well with your body, you can introduce more of the right carbs into your diet. There is no time limit for phase 2, you follow this phase until you reach your goal weight.
Once you reach your goal weight, you may proceed to phase 3 known as the maintenance phase. You'll continue to make smart food choices by experimenting with new recipes and ingredients, while maintaining the fundamental principles of the diet. The South Beach Diet will become a way of life instead of a diet.
|
