South Beach Diet Investigated

Hello! I am a 21 year old college student. I am about 5'8 and weigh about 148 pounds. I am looking to lose about ten pounds to be where i was over the summer. I attempted phase one of the diet before the holidays and completely gave up because of the many distractions. Now I am trying again before I return to college. Does anyone have any tips or suggestions about maintaining SBD in a college setting? Or tips in general so I can stick with phase one?

Has anyone ever heard of Carbino Sugar - can't find info on it?

Can't handle chemical substitutes for sugar such as the "Sweet-N-Low", "Equal", "Splenda", etc. So how does one do the SBD and go "sugar-free"?

I started the South Beach Diet 5 days ago and I have lost 8 pounds. I find it VERY difficult to each so much in one meal; however, I am hungry at night. I am very dissy and nauseous. I was told it would help to eat peanuts to help this feeling. Is this true? My energy level is very low and I sleep later in the day because I do not feel like getting up, which is unusual for me. I can handle this change of life style, I just need to know if it is possible to loss a good 60 pounds in 3 or 4 months?

Need some advice before I start:

I am about to start the SBD tonight, and I just have a couple of questions before I do. I know you're allowed to eat all the eggs you want in Phase 1, but does that include the yolks as well? Also, I have read that this diet is designed for people who are significantly overweight, and I'm not sure if it's going to work for me. My boyfriend thinks I need to skip to phase 2, but I need someone's opinion who has done this or is maybe my size. I am 5'1 and I weight 107 lbs, I am trying to get down to 90/95 lbs of pure muscle and zero fat. I am working out 1 1/2 hr a day, 6 days a week but I've just started doing this since the beginning of January....What do you all think? Just need a little insight to this diet. Thank you all! :-)

Melanie, this diet is not really for you. You don't need to diet at all and you know it. Why would you want to be 90/95 pounds? Is that healthy? Look up online how much you are suppose to weigh as an aveage 5'1''. I'm trying to lose 70 pounds; this is why I choose this diet. Phase one for you might make you ridulously sick and weak, I would reconsider and be very careful. If I were you, which I wish I was...I would just do phase three which changes your diet enough to lose some pounds. good luck with that

THIS IS MY 4th DAY ON THE sbd AND IT IS G0ING WELL..THE 0NLY THING I AM W0RRIED AB0UT IT EATING AL0T 0F SALTED NUTS...WILL THAT HAVE AN AFFECT 0N THIS DIET..?? IM DRIVING MYSELF NUTS!

Melanie -

I went on the diet the summer before last, more as motivation and company for my friend than anything else. I didn't feel the need to diet, but I had gained a little weight in college. I was about 115, and 5 feet. while this is "healthy," so is 95, at this height (I checked), so I know where you're coming from. I wanted to lose some of the excess flabby areas.

I stayed true to the diet for about a week (3 meals, 2 snacks, stayed away from prohibited foods, etc) and started "cheating" my second week (eating a leftover taco here, a piece of chocolate cake there...). While i'm not recommending that you cheat, I was still able to lose over 10 lbs doing so. Maybe it was because I gave it a good solid week first, but at any rate, it still worked. I had to buy all new pants - i went from a size 2-3 to 00 or even a kids 12. And at 5 feet, they were the first pants that fit me lengthwise.

I weighed under 100 lbs after phase 1 and I didn't feel the need to continue to phase 2. I gained some of it back but kept it off for the most part. It's been over a year of eating anything I want whenever I want and I have not been over 105. While this diet IS a little extreme for just a few lbs, it works.

Oh and I had omlettes everyday (yolks and all), so it really IS true that you can have all the eggs you want.

Elle-

Thank you so much!I feel so much better now! I cheated a little wednesday celebrating with a little alcohol, but I've been doing really well otherwise. I'm really excited now thank you for your response. I feel more motivated now that I know it actually works. I just have one more question, how often did you exercise? I think it says 30 min/day, but do you think I'll get the weight off if I just diet?

Thanks again for the motivation! :-)

Erica-

Thanks for your input, and here's my advice on the nausea. I've been on this diet for about 4 days and I started getting a nauseas feeling as well, I think this is because of all the protein intake and not any bread in your stomach. I went to the store and bought sugar free popsicles that I eat when I get hungry (as a late night snack or sugar craving) or feel sick, they seem to help. I also got sugar free fudgicles as well. Good luck! Hope this helps you!

I am on day 5 of Phase 1 and I have lost 4 pounds so far. Some people were commenting that most of the weight lost is water weight and muscle, however, I work out 6 days a week (45 mins of cardio) and lift weights 3 days a week. With eating the protein and working out, you should be building muscle not losing it. Phase 1 is also not a "no- carb" phase. Many of the things you can have in Phase 1 have some sort of carbohydrate. Milk for example, has Lactose, and vegetables also contain carbohydrates. Green peppers are among the highest in carbohydrate count on the allowed list, yeilding about 10 grams of carbohydrates in about 1 cup. Even with not eating fruit, you are getting carbohydrates to help your body function, they are just lower on the Glycemic Index. I have felt a little "weird" when I wake up in the morning, but as soon as I eat breakfast I feel better. I have also included a big glass of skim milk into my breakfast as I found it helps me get the eggs down (especially after eating eggs 5 days in a row). I have also found that plain fat free yogurt can be very yummy if you add in a little sugar free flavored gelatin powder. It turns pretty colors (the raspberry Jell-o looks like Peptol Bismol) and turns a lot of heads in the faculty room, but it is something sweet for at the end of lunch. Another savior of mine is Smart Balance all natural peanut butter. I have tried a lot of all natural peanut butters and some are so gritty, oily, and taste so awful. Smart Balance made for a smooth transition from Jiff Reduced Fat, which has added sugars, and I love it as a snack or with breakfast on celery.
Good luck to others, I hope you enjoy the SBD as much as I do!

Hello,

I have been on SBD for about a week,and I have lost about 5 pounds. However, my problem is that I have "quit" three times already.

So what I do is : for each day that I quit my diet, I add another day to my 2 weeks of Phase one. Is that okay? Will I still lose weight even if I have quit so many times before? Should I continue with phase one until I have completed 2 straight weeks of no cheating? Should I start all over? Should I quit?

I would really appreciate anyone's help,

Thanks
Mya

Hey Mya,

I originally "started" a week and a half ago, but I to cheated so I am just adding on the days that I cheated on. It has been about a week for me, but I've only lost 3.5 lbs. I didn't cheat with food, I just had a few glasses of wine, I don't think this impacted my deit too much though. With this diet, I am measuring myself rather than weighing myself every day or every week. If you work out you will gain muscle (which weighs more than fat), but inches are where you'll be able to see the difference! I've lost 1.5 in my waist, half an inch in my bicep, and inch in my thighs, and 1/2 an inch in my calf. So..?? Seems like it works. I think you should just stay with Phase 1 until you get to a desired wieght, up to 3 weeks. I will probably stay on it for 3 because I usually go and drink once a week.

Hope this helps you!

Thanks a lot Melanie, it really did help to hear that someone else had the same experiences that I did. I'm glad I'm not the only one that gives in to cravings. I have decided to add an extra week (total 3 weeks) to get myself into that "diet" mode, we'll see.

Thanks again

My husband and I were successful on the South Beach Diet 4 years ago. I lost approximately 50 pounds and he lost approximately 30 lbs. As a result of the diet I began cooking healthier meal choices (sweet potatoes instead of white, etc.). Over the past 4 years we have both put on some of the weight. I would like to lose a total of 15 pounds and my husband would like to lose 20 pounds. We have been on Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet for 2 weeks and 3 days. We have each lost only 3 pounds. The diet does not seem to be working as well as it did the first time. Has anyone else experienced this situation? We could sure use some encouragement.

Is it absolutely necessary to excercise while on SBD? I am a 21 year old student and very active...but I don't "work out". Am I still going to get good results? Thanks!!!!

I started phase 1 on Monday. Would a glass of white wine really make alot of difference if I don't get cravings for anything? You are allowed 75 calories a day of sweet treats, I only have 10 calories of sugar free jello, and I'm having little to no sugar in anything, could it possibly just even out?

Ive been on the SB for 10 days. Ive been doing everything right and have not cheated. Not 1 pound lost. Im 125 and want to loose about 10-15 lbs. Everyone is talking about how they loose weight the first couple of days. Im still waiting and its getting to the point that I want to give up. I really dont want to give up, but I need to see some restults. What do you all think?? Need some advice. thanks

Hi thre, started the SBD today! Just wondering, though I had my gallblader removed 2 years ago and have piled on the weight, does anyone recommend this diet? thanks for your time, Beau

Hello everybody

I started the sbd on moday (4 days ago). The first 2 days were horrible. I had terrible headache, but the other days I felt pretty good. I notice that eating more protein made me feel full and also made my headache disappears. Also this mooring I saw that I lost 4 lbs wich made me more than happy.

Good luck to all

i did Ph 1 of the SB diet for about 5 days last week...i was really fatigued and unusually sore after workouts. i did lose 7 lbs from the last time i weighed myself before the diet (about 2 months ago so im not sure how much SB is to thank for that).
anyways, one major problem for me is this Splenda thing. i think its disgusting. i cant stand the way it tastes, and i generally dont like to eat weird manufactured foods. is there any other way to fix the sweet tooth without splenda? anyone have any good suggestions?

So, this thread is a little old, but I thought I would drop a comment. The South Beach Diet is the focus of this month on my blog where I am moving from one diet to the other as I move through the year. Maybe not the healthiest option, but consider it investigative dieting for all of us who have tried a diet, followed it, and still seen it fail. In any event, I find it to work pretty well in Phase I. I am not yet to Phase II. I have done this one before and had some success. I have some doubts about how well it accomodates "cheats" and it is not the greatest match for my lifestyle, but I could see it as a great option if you found yourself 60 days from swimsuit season and needed some rapid change. Long term, I don't think it would work for me as a "lifestyle change".

Joel
www.dozendiets.com

Oh wow. Not an old thread at all. My mistake. I have been charting my success since starting 11 days ago and I have dropped about 7-8 pounds. I think lots of water is key and I think the exercise piece is critical. I know in the past when I have tried this one without exercise I haven't lost much. My theory (and I am not a nutritionist or anything) is that my metabolism accomodates the lower level of carbs unless I exercise to prevent that from happening.

I am on day six of phase 1 and baked a pound cake for a friends anniversary. I couldn't help myself and felt it wouldn't hurt to have just one small slice. I trimmed the edges and everything. Is this really bad? Other than this I have stuck to the diet religiously. I work out daily and before I started I lost 10lbs in three weeks just by exercising and cutting back. I have lost 6 pounds in 6 days, which sort of scares me. Phase 2 really scares me.

scare you? Why in the heck would you be scared? Im jealous since for some reason I cant lose weight on this diet no matter how little I eat :(

OUCH ,,, started Phase 1 this week. I am stubborn. I don't make any food items, I just eat the cooked eggs, bacon in the morning, snack on 15 almonds, and low-fat plain yogurt, and pieces of turkey slices, lettuce salad with balsamic vinegar, hot tea, ice water and the ricotta almond dessert. I think I am still starving myself in the wrong way. I am not losing weight and I need to "run" to the rest room a lot (if you know what I mean) I also get a flushed feeling in my face almost like I'm sweating. I am not feeling hypoglycemic but I wonder what that over all "flushed" business is all about!

Close to the end of Phase 1!!!
I started 10 days ago, and have lost 6 lbs. Those 6 came off within the first week, and so far this week I haven't lost any. I had a baby in November and have been having a hard time dropping the last 15 lbs. I was hoping that Phase 1 alone would put me very close to my goal, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen. I think the less weight you have to lose in total, the less you lose in Phase 1. This makes the promotion of "Lose 8-12 lbs in 2 weeks" a little frustrating as it made me hope for better results than I am seeing. Also, when I exercise I feel very fatigued very quickly. I hope that improves as I adjust to the absence of carbs!!

victoria,
congratulations on your little one - and on nursing. i had my first baby 11 months ago. you had a question about losing slowly while nursing. actually, looking back, after i had the baby i tried really hard to lose weight (in other, non SBD ways) and found it impossible. I honestly believe that the weight just wants to HANG ON for the first 3-6 months after birth, and then becomes easier to lose. Haha. I know that's the opposite of what they say, especially for a nursing mother, but it's the truth as I've experienced it! It's great that you're getting your body back, but I also read that weight loss of more than 2 lbs per week while nursing isn't good for the baby. Maybe your body's slowed down for a reason...at least for now?

Nicky :)

do you have to eat and drink EVERYTHING suggested in the first 2 week meal plan? I don't like coffee or warm teas. Can you just drink more water instead? Is cold green tea with honey okay?

If Americans ate in the fashion recommended by this book, we would be slimmer, healthier, and live longer. The South Beach Diet blends the best of Atkins and a Mediterranean-style diet.

Dr. Agatston’s theory to explain overweight is that we eat too many sugars and starches. The detrimental carbohydrates are concentrated sugars—such as soft drinks, some fruits, and commercial fruit juices—and over-processed low-fiber starches, such as enriched white flour and white rice. These are his “bad carbs.” According to his theory, bad carbs increase insulin levels sharply, leading to increased fat storage (especially abdominal fat) and increased cravings for carbohydrate as the insulin eventually causes abnormally low blood sugar levels a few hours after the carb intake. This is reactive hypoglycemia. Then you eat more carbs to raise your sugar level back to normal. Dr. Agatston spends much time explaining the glycemic index, a measure of how rapid and high a spike in blood sugar is seen after ingestion of particular foods.

Figuring less prominently in this obesity theory are his “bad fats”—saturated fats and trans fats. These are associated with cardiovascular disease according to most nutrition experts. A few of the “good fats” allowed on South Beach are olive oil, canola oil, and peanut oil.

If sugars and starches cause overweight, then the cure should involve avoidance of them. And that’s exactly what Dr. Agatston recommends over three diet phases. Phase One, lasting two weeks, eliminates nearly all concentrated carbs, like the Atkins diet Induction Phase. Starches, low-fat milk products, and alcohol are forbidden. You eat lean meats, fish, nuts, eggs, low-fat cheeses, healthy oils, legumes, and limited vegetable juices and high-fiber vegetables. Saturated fats are eaten in low to moderate amounts, and trans fats are non-existent in all phases of South Beach. In Phase One, your craving for bad carbs—sugars and starches—is cured, according to the author.

In Phase Two, lasting two weeks, “good carbs” are gradually re-introduced: low-fat milk and yogurt, sweet potatoes, whole grain bread and pasta, most fruits, brown rice, more high-fiber vegetables. Start with one or two servings daily. If your rate of weight loss stalls, cut back on carbs. If you gain weight, return to Phase One. Red wine is allowed. Starches are still eaten only sparingly. Lists of foods to eat or avoid are provided for both Phase One and Two.

Phase Three starts after you have reached your “ideal weight” and lasts the rest of your life. Curiously, the author never tells you how to determine your ideal weight. There’s no more “approved foods” list. My sense is that this phase is similar to Phase two, except even more of the good carbs are allowed. Judging from the 14-day meal plan, this phase is close to a Mediterranean diet, although providing more protein (in eggs, chicken, fish, and lean beef). If you gain weight, you cut back carb intake until you find a level of carb intake that allows you to hold steady on your weight. This is reminiscent of Atkins’ CCLM: Critical Carbohydrate Level for Maintenance. Overall, there is great food variety. Regarding what to eat in Phase Three, the author writes “…if you want it, and it doesn’t undo all your sacrifices, you should go ahead and enjoy.” If and when you regain a few pounds, you can always return to Phase One. All three phases involve two weeks of eating exactly what and when Dr. Agatston specifies on detailed daily meal plans. The meals involve cooking and you will need a blender or food processor. The recipes look tasty and are relatively easy to prepare from readily available ingredients. Fish is featured often. [Full disclosure: I made none of the recipes, nor did I go on the diet.]

How much do you eat? “The meals should be of normal size—enough to satisfy your hunger, but no more than that.” So the author never says how many calories you will eat. “Our major concern is that dieters eat good carbs and good fats. Once that’s all under control, portions and percentages take care of themselves.” In the first two phases, mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks are prescribed, to prevent hypoglycemia and carb cravings. You eat five or six times daily. The author had intended to produce a diet with few rules, yet he tells you exactly what and when you will eat for 6 straight weeks. Although he says it is not a low-carb diet, it is. Especially the first four weeks, but even in Phase Three. Most of the testimonials in the book agree that South Beach is a low-carb diet.

Strongest points? 1. The composition of South Beach is generally reasonable and would tend to improve health and longevity while controlling weight, compared to the usual Western developed-world diet. I agree with Dr. Agatston that, “This diet…can save your life.” 2. The recipes look tasty and relatively easy. 3. High-fiber, minimally processed carbohydrates are indeed healthier than pure sugars and refined starches. This part of the “good carbs, bad carbs” concept is sound, even if bad carbs are not the cause of the current obesity epidemic. 3. The “good fats, bad fats” concept is also sound. 4. Plenty of people say it has worked for them. 5. Food variety. 6. South Beach is an improvement over Atkins, especially to the extent that the author moves Atkins toward a Mediterranean-style diet. Agatston never claims his diet is Mediterranean, which would have too much carbohydrate and not enough protein to suit him.

Weakest points? 1. My biggest turn-off is the six weeks of prescribed eating, leaving no room for flexibility. 2. “Foolproof” is in the subtitle. The author admits this is an overstatement. 3. Scattered throughout the book are testimonials from his followers. One woman claims to have lost 50 pounds within six weeks—that’s averaging 1.2 pounds daily or 8.3 pounds per week! My kindest comment is that there must be a misprint. It’s impossible to lose that much fat that fast. The author says loss of eight to 13 pounds in the first two weeks is typical—I would have predicted four to 10—then one or two pounds per week thereafter. One or two pounds per week over the long run is safe and reasonable. 4. After two weeks, “the physical cravings that ruled your habits will be gone, and they’ll stay away for a long as you stick with the program.” I’m highly skeptical. 5. Reactive hypoglycemia is not nearly as common as he implies. 6. Exercise is recommended—essentially a brisk walk for 20 minutes daily—but is not stressed nearly enough. Anyone looking for an excuse not to exercise will find it here. The benefits of weight training are mentioned in passing. The exercise portion of the book is only two pages. 7. People can still easily overeat and gain weight, even eating just from the lists of approved foods. 8. There is certainly no scientific consensus that sugars and starches—“bad carbs”—have caused our obesity epidemic. 9. There in no reference section and very few references are given. You cannot read for yourself the scientific journal articles that support the author’s opinions. His attitude seems to be, “Trust me, I’m a doctor.”

An improvement to South Beach would move it further away from Atkins and closer to the time-honored healthy Mediterranean diet of the mid-20th century, in which more “good carbs” and fewer proteins would be encouraged. And myriad benefits from exercise should not be ignored. One of the few diets that meets these criteria is “The Advanced Mediterranean Diet: Lose Weight, Feel Better, Live Longer.”

-Steve Parker, M.D.
author of The Advanced Mediterranean Diet

If Americans ate in the fashion recommended by this book, we would be slimmer, healthier, and live longer. The South Beach Diet blends the best of Atkins and a Mediterranean-style diet.

Dr. Agatston’s theory to explain overweight is that we eat too many sugars and starches. The detrimental carbohydrates are concentrated sugars—such as soft drinks, some fruits, and commercial fruit juices—and over-processed low-fiber starches, such as enriched white flour and white rice. These are his “bad carbs.” According to his theory, bad carbs increase insulin levels sharply, leading to increased fat storage (especially abdominal fat) and increased cravings for carbohydrate as the insulin eventually causes abnormally low blood sugar levels a few hours after the carb intake. This is reactive hypoglycemia. Then you eat more carbs to raise your sugar level back to normal. Dr. Agatston spends much time explaining the glycemic index, a measure of how rapid and high a spike in blood sugar is seen after ingestion of particular foods.

Figuring less prominently in this obesity theory are his “bad fats”—saturated fats and trans fats. These are associated with cardiovascular disease according to most nutrition experts. A few of the “good fats” allowed on South Beach are olive oil, canola oil, and peanut oil.

If sugars and starches cause overweight, then the cure should involve avoidance of them. And that’s exactly what Dr. Agatston recommends over three diet phases. Phase One, lasting two weeks, eliminates nearly all concentrated carbs, like the Atkins diet Induction Phase. Starches, low-fat milk products, and alcohol are forbidden. You eat lean meats, fish, nuts, eggs, low-fat cheeses, healthy oils, legumes, and limited vegetable juices and high-fiber vegetables. Saturated fats are eaten in low to moderate amounts, and trans fats are non-existent in all phases of South Beach. In Phase One, your craving for bad carbs—sugars and starches—is cured, according to the author.

In Phase Two, lasting two weeks, “good carbs” are gradually re-introduced: low-fat milk and yogurt, sweet potatoes, whole grain bread and pasta, most fruits, brown rice, more high-fiber vegetables. Start with one or two servings daily. If your rate of weight loss stalls, cut back on carbs. If you gain weight, return to Phase One. Red wine is allowed. Starches are still eaten only sparingly. Lists of foods to eat or avoid are provided for both Phase One and Two.

Phase Three starts after you have reached your “ideal weight” and lasts the rest of your life. Curiously, the author never tells you how to determine your ideal weight. There’s no more “approved foods” list. My sense is that this phase is similar to Phase two, except even more of the good carbs are allowed. Judging from the 14-day meal plan, this phase is close to a Mediterranean diet, although providing more protein (in eggs, chicken, fish, and lean beef). If you gain weight, you cut back carb intake until you find a level of carb intake that allows you to hold steady on your weight. This is reminiscent of Atkins’ CCLM: Critical Carbohydrate Level for Maintenance. Overall, there is great food variety. Regarding what to eat in Phase Three, the author writes “…if you want it, and it doesn’t undo all your sacrifices, you should go ahead and enjoy.” If and when you regain a few pounds, you can always return to Phase One. All three phases involve two weeks of eating exactly what and when Dr. Agatston specifies on detailed daily meal plans. The meals involve cooking and you will need a blender or food processor. The recipes look tasty and are relatively easy to prepare from readily available ingredients. Fish is featured often. [Full disclosure: I made none of the recipes, nor did I go on the diet.]

How much do you eat? “The meals should be of normal size—enough to satisfy your hunger, but no more than that.” So the author never says how many calories you will eat. “Our major concern is that dieters eat good carbs and good fats. Once that’s all under control, portions and percentages take care of themselves.” In the first two phases, mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks are prescribed, to prevent hypoglycemia and carb cravings. You eat five or six times daily. The author had intended to produce a diet with few rules, yet he tells you exactly what and when you will eat for 6 straight weeks. Although he says it is not a low-carb diet, it is. Especially the first four weeks, but even in Phase Three. Most of the testimonials in the book agree that South Beach is a low-carb diet.

Strongest points? 1. The composition of South Beach is generally reasonable and would tend to improve health and longevity while controlling weight, compared to the usual Western developed-world diet. I agree with Dr. Agatston that, “This diet…can save your life.” 2. The recipes look tasty and relatively easy. 3. High-fiber, minimally processed carbohydrates are indeed healthier than pure sugars and refined starches. This part of the “good carbs, bad carbs” concept is sound, even if bad carbs are not the cause of the current obesity epidemic. 3. The “good fats, bad fats” concept is also sound. 4. Plenty of people say it has worked for them. 5. Food variety. 6. South Beach is an improvement over Atkins, especially to the extent that the author moves Atkins toward a Mediterranean-style diet. Agatston never claims his diet is Mediterranean, which would have too much carbohydrate and not enough protein to suit him.

Weakest points? 1. My biggest turn-off is the six weeks of prescribed eating, leaving no room for flexibility. 2. “Foolproof” is in the subtitle. The author admits this is an overstatement. 3. Scattered throughout the book are testimonials from his followers. One woman claims to have lost 50 pounds within six weeks—that’s averaging 1.2 pounds daily or 8.3 pounds per week! My kindest comment is that there must be a misprint. It’s impossible to lose that much fat that fast. The author says loss of eight to 13 pounds in the first two weeks is typical—I would have predicted four to 10—then one or two pounds per week thereafter. One or two pounds per week over the long run is safe and reasonable. 4. After two weeks, “the physical cravings that ruled your habits will be gone, and they’ll stay away for a long as you stick with the program.” I’m highly skeptical. 5. Reactive hypoglycemia is not nearly as common as he implies. 6. Exercise is recommended—essentially a brisk walk for 20 minutes daily—but is not stressed nearly enough. Anyone looking for an excuse not to exercise will find it here. The benefits of weight training are mentioned in passing. The exercise portion of the book is only two pages. 7. People can still easily overeat and gain weight, even eating just from the lists of approved foods. 8. There is certainly no scientific consensus that sugars and starches—“bad carbs”—have caused our obesity epidemic. 9. There in no reference section and very few references are given. You cannot read for yourself the scientific journal articles that support the author’s opinions. His attitude seems to be, “Trust me, I’m a doctor.”

An improvement to South Beach would move it further away from Atkins and closer to the time-honored healthy Mediterranean diet of the mid-20th century, in which more “good carbs” and fewer proteins would be encouraged. And myriad benefits from exercise should not be ignored. One of the few diets that meets these criteria is “The Advanced Mediterranean Diet: Lose Weight, Feel Better, Live Longer.”

-Steve Parker, M.D.
author of The Advanced Mediterranean Diet

I have almost completed my 2nd week of the SBD I am about 5'1 and now i am down to 141-138. I want to get to 125ish by mid may. I have been extremely strict my day consists of eggbeater omlet and turkey bacon, salad with tuna, raw almonds, a yogurt, an hour workout, then htink sliced chicken and loads of veggies. I do vary each day someimes my snack is pb in celery or cheese sticks or fish at dinner.. I havent even cheated. I feel that my weight loss has stalled as I lost of the the weight in the first week of phase one.. now I am going into phase two and I am nervous to start it as I fear I might gain the little weight i lost... Any tips? Help im getting worried I wont lose more.

This is day four on South Beach for me. I started at 193.5 and now weigh 187.5. This weight loss is probably water weight but I love seeing the numbers on the scale decrease. One problem: I have been craving sweets since day one. Today seems to be the worst for me. I had made up my mind to cheat today. I was on line searching to find out if I would have to start all over for a small cheat, and I came across this site. Reading your entries have been very helpful. I actually feel more encouraged to continue on without having some candy tonight. Thank you and know you all are an inspiration. Good luck to all! ONE DAY AT A TIME!!!

i am wondering what isthe recomended carb intake for phase2?also i want to know can i have cereal and milk? anyone????????????????

I am just starting the SBD and hope someone could answer a few questions I have.
I am 6 feet tall and 180pounds with about 15% bodyfat. My goal is to actually maintain as much of that weight as possible, Ideally all of it but I know that wont be the case, but to drop my bodyfat as low as possible (8%)? Anyways if anyone has any pointers please let me know. Also will drinking Vodka water or diet coke be harmful during phase 1?

Hey everyone! I have a question! I know that a lot of the weight you lose during phase one is water weight... did anyone start gaining weight BACK during phase 2 if they followed the diet correctly?

Hi Everyone!

I did the south beach diet a couple of years ago, and saw great results. I had lost roughly 12-14 pounds during the first two weeks of phase 1. I have tried it a couple of times since then, but have noticed that while I did lose weight, I didn't lose it as quickly as the first time that I did the diet. Has anyone else experienced this?

I started the diet again today, and really need to lose at least 10 pounds in the next two to three weeks. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can overcome this hurdle?

Thanks!

My boyfriend and I have been on SBD for 9 days now. By the 7th day, he had lost 9.5 lbs and I had lost 4.5. I lost 4lbs in the first 4 days, but after reading all the other entries, I realized a lot of that had to be water weight. I haven't weighed in a few days so I don't go crazy. The first week wasn't super easy, but the second week is worse. I feel really tired and bloated, not gassy, just bloated. I can't wait for phase II because I feel like my body is going through major withdrawal.

I usually make an omelet in the morning, have a salad for lunch and a salad with poultry or fish for dinner. Snacks include nuts, low fat cheese, and turkey bacon. The nuts usually make me feel the most satisfied, probably because they are higher in carbs and fats then some of the other snacks. I have also been getting small headaches and nausea. At this point, I don't think I can look at another egg. I agree with some of the other entries about the first 2 weeks being psychological and I am starting to wonder if this torture is worth it. I am hoping I can continue another 5 days. Any motivational words?

Also, has anyone tried the Metamucil with your food consumption to help the slowing of carbs into your system? I have been really curious about that and I am thinking about trying it with Phase II. Thx.

Hello everyone,

My name is Brooke. I am 26 and I getting married in July. I have been on the SBD for two days now (phase 1). I want to lose about 40 lbs total. I tried the SBD about 2 years ago and lost about 40 lbs. I love this plan. It really does educate you on good and bad foods. Although knowing some thing is bad does not stop me from eating it :). I wish everyone luck.

Jimmy you had asked about vodka. I know that Sky vodka has no sugar in it. My mother is diabetic and she swears by it. So Mixing it w/diet cola probably has no effect. Be careful though, the taste is very smooth and goes down easy. Almost too easy :)

Hello all, my name is Nina, this is day 2 of the SBD. Im finding it very exciting, even the trip to the grocery store was exciting, trying to find the things that I could eat with my diet. My boyfriend is on the diet with me, which is a big help and I think that he is finding it exciting also, but Im not so sure how long he will last. I am weighing my self every day and I know its my first day but I can already feel the diference and I have lost 2 lbs already. I hope that the rest of the 2 weeks are as good as today!! Im going tonight to work out, and Im a little scared due to the fact that I am starting to feel the light headedness of the effects. But Im going to give it a go. I want to start before I feel tired, as so many of you have said you became a few days into the diet. I am already starting to feel it, but at the same time Im starting to feel healthier. My thing is, I was an occasional drinker, I was drinking about three nights out of the week and am finding it a bit hard to deal with. Im going to stick to it, but I dont wanto to give up drinking altogether. After I finish Phase 1, does anyone know if it would be okay if I only drank once a week, and not just a drink but enough to have a good time with friends, will this effect Phase 2? I was hoping that if I did drink and then watched my carb intake for the next few days after that it wouldn't make to much of a difference. They dont say much about drinking, other than not doing it, lol, and I just cant deal with that forever. Im not an alcoholic but I do drink when Im around friends and see nothing wrong with it besides the fact that it hold many unneeded carbs, so somone please help.

Hello All,
I am trying SBD for the second time and am on day one. I thought that blogging might help me stick with it this time and get through the bad spots like the carb cravings or the sweet cravings. So far all is well, I had some veggie-packed scrambled eggs, canadian bacon and a veggie juice for breakfast with some pistachios as a morning snack. I've been drinking lots of water and had a bean, veggie, tuna salad with a couple slices of reduced-fat cheese and a raspberry jello for lunch. Feeling good and not hungry at all; I plan on weighing myself when I get home as I forgot this morning and then going for a 2 mile walk with my dogs. Tonight's menu will include spinach and feta stuffed chicken breasts with a tomato and asparagus salad and a fudge lite for dessert. I'm not sure if the fudge lite is technically acceptable but it is sugar free so here's hoping... Anyway, I feel like I'm better prepared for this go-round as I've been down this road before and know 1)what to expect and 2)how better to prepare. The thing I battled the most the first time around was the preparation time and the blandness of the meals I ate; this time I think I've got a better idea of the concept and therefore feel more confident in experimenting with different recipes. I've also found it helpful to just get a bunch of "good" foods together to bring to work so I can grab them throughout the day to snack on. Well, good luck to all!