South Beach Diet anyone?

[morningstar]

South Beach Diet anyone?
I have just completed day 6, phase I of the South Beach Diet. I am now 6 pounds less than when I started. I am hoping to lose a total of 25 pounds. Anyone else doing this or have done it? The sugar cravings are getting to be less of a problem. I felt bad on day 3-4. I think I can do this to day 14 and then add some carbs back (fruit and whole grains):lafhard: Any thoughts about this diet and your results are welcome.

[Anja]

Not exactly South Beach, but I don't eat "bad" carbs since 11 month. Within 4 month I lost 20 pounds or so and now I'm holding my weight since 7 month. I only eat bread, rice, potatoes or pasta on special occasions.

[darian moone]

Congratulations on the weight loss Morningstar!

I live South Beach Diet and have for about 3 years now. It works! Now I'm Phase 3 all the time. I don't stick to it exactly as prescribed - I eat a bit more fresh fruit, but I don't eat any sugar at all, and very, very rarely eat any refined carbs. I don't miss them (well, hardly ever - ignore my recent post about eating Cheese-Its ;) ).

I haven't felt this healthy in a while.

DH has just gone on South Beach and has lost 9 pounds so far. We both had physicals lately and my cholestral, triglycerides, blood levels, ekg were not just good, but in the "outstanding" category. My doctor and I ascribed that to the way I eat and exercise. DH - not so good. His cholesterol and triglycerides were really bad and the doctor wanted him on medication right away. DH is refusing medication, so he's gone on South Beach and an exercise program. His mom's a doctor and she has approved his plan. If he doesn't improve his number with the diet and exercise he'll go on meds...but...my mom and dad had the same situation (and they're in their 70's) and they went on South Beach several years ago and their cholesteral and triglycerides and blood pressure went down to near normal levels. Mom's medications have been greatly reduced, as has dad's.

On holidays (or just any day), if I really wanted to I could eat birthday cake or cheesecake or something not "ok" for South Beach. You just have to remember to not do this too often and to go right back to eating healthy the next day. If having special treats like this gets out of hand and I start to gain weight, I just go back to Phase One for about a week and the weight comes right back off and I'm back to Phase Three.

I really recommend South Beach - not just as a weight loss program, but as a healthy way of life.

[morningstar]

Anja and Darian Moone Thanks for sharing your feelings on this diet. I was so out of control for so long. About 10 years of eating what ever whenever. I feel more in control now and my feelings are that I will eat some of the bad carbs again some time but not 5 times a day or more. If this weather would warm up soon I will go back to running.

[jessie58]

Morningstar, 6 lbs already, wow, you go. Great idea, I have friends who love this diet and have all lost weight on it.

Darian Moone, no wonder you are always so slim and fit looking, you're a South Beach girl.

[morningstar]

Well I am not going to say that the 6 pounds are fat but probably water and assorted waste. LOL The bloat that surrounds my fat is gone...he heh!

[darian moone]

Darian Moone, no wonder you are always so slim and fit looking, you're a South Beach girl.

Yeah Jessie, I've gotta at least keep the bad carbs very low because I'm a definite carb addict! If left to my own devices I would eat almost nothing but carbs day and night. I got away with it in my teens and 20s but after 30 "something" happened! :purplex:

[morningstar]

I was thin in my teens and twenties too and then I gained a lot of weight in my thirties. I am now trying to get back to the body I had (well the 43 year old version) I could eat carbs all day too. I got on the other scale today and it read a 4 pound weight lose. That seems more realistic than the 6 pound one I saw on the other scale. I am starting the 2nd week of Phase I.

[TammySue]

morningstar, you look so thin and shapely in your picture! Congrats on the loss!

I lost about 70 pounds on the South Beach Diet. I still follow a low carb diet and right now am trying to get some weight off that I gained during a stress-filled time several months ago.

[mugglemomof3]

I've never done South Beach, but Sommersize (the Suzanne Sommers diet) is, from what I gather, very very similar. I lost 25 lbs very easily over Thanksgiving and Christmas a few years back. I keep wanting to give up that sugar and those carbs, but damn! I love them.

I'll have to check out the book, MorningStar. Maybe I'll join you!

[bella77]

I am restricting carbs right now, I had a horrid experience with the raw diet- let's just say it left me bloated and gassy- everything I ate I blew up like a blowfish, it seems carbs are bad for me too, same problem with them. So I am doing a modified atkins for 2 weeks, I am eating dark chocolate , but that's my only treat! Today is only day 2, no bread, no pasta!! (boohoo)

[morningstar]

Thanks TammySue I look slim from this angle. I carry my weight from the front and am quite buxom for my 5'3" frame. Belly fat!! I will do this though although I am with Mugglemom I love carbs!!!!

[bella77]

you and me both morningstar! I love my carbs- I have the same frame type as you!!! It's hard to lose the tubby in the tummy!

[darian moone]

I'll trade my 2 thighs for one tummy if anyone's interested. LOL! :D

[morningstar]

I just want to share on my 10th day without carbs (sugars).
I had arthritis in my pinky finger and in the last few days I have noticed less of a stiffness. I have also been sleeping better and have been tired at night and so going to bed around 10:00 or 10:30. Not saying I don't want a big plate of peanut butter cookies but....

[darian moone]

Good going, Morningstar! Stick with it - you're almost through the tough part: Phase I. Once you start on Phase II and III it's much easier to live iwth. You're going great! :D

[jessie58]

Morningstar, I'm quite interested in your progress, it sounds like you're doing very well. I must get myself off sugar. I swear I have eaten enough sugar in DH's absence to last me a lifetime.

[morningstar]

Ok I will be honest. I strayed yesterday and ate dinner at my parents house. That consisted of 2 glasses of red wine, Roast beef, mashed potatoes, green beans (she cooked them with some bacon pieces...), French dinner rolls, and Red Velvet chocolate cake with rasberry sauce she made from some frozen rasberries she picked from their bushes last summer. Oh and 2 chocolate truffles. sigh...

This used to make me feel so bad when I would cheat in the past and I would hang it up. Today I feel like going back to my diet and adding an extra day to phase I. I ate one egg cooked in a little olive oil and a glass of low sodium V8 juice. I will get back on track.

The food was good last night but not as good as I imagined it would be. The cake was great but I have no desire for more and although she packed half of it for us to take home I don't really care for more. Mark and the kids will finish it up.:eureka: Maybe if I eat healthy foods and start working out the weight will come off and if I eat an occasional no no food. (like peanut donuts..:innocent:) I will be ok and feel more motivated.

[jessie58]

Oh my gosh, I haven't eaten yet and that sounds like heaven. I want to eat at your Mom's house.

That's a good attitude Morningstar, one day of a little indulgence does not have to mean failure or quitting, you just go back to routine and in no time, you'll be where you want to. Great attitude.

[morningstar]

Oh my gosh, I haven't eaten yet and that sounds like heaven. I want to eat at your Mom's house.

That's a good attitude Morningstar, one day of a little indulgence does not have to mean failure or quitting, you just go back to routine and in no time, you'll be where you want to. Great attitude.

I think my mom and I would love to eat at your house any day of the week. :geek: I miss the Grandpa whats for supper thread....:nosey: I was always in awe of your suppers.

[jessie58]

Aw thanks, I haven't cooked for ages. I was not feeling well and then DH cooked or we ate out a lot and I just got lazy after a while. I am going to go back to cooking regularly as soon as DH gets home.

[darian moone]

Ok I will be honest. I strayed yesterday and ate dinner at my parents house. That consisted of 2 glasses of red wine, Roast beef, mashed potatoes, green beans (she cooked them with some bacon pieces...), French dinner rolls, and Red Velvet chocolate cake with rasberry sauce she made from some frozen rasberries she picked from their bushes last summer. Oh and 2 chocolate truffles. sigh...

This used to make me feel so bad when I would cheat in the past and I would hang it up. Today I feel like going back to my diet and adding an extra day to phase I. I ate one egg cooked in a little olive oil and a glass of low sodium V8 juice. I will get back on track.

The food was good last night but not as good as I imagined it would be. The cake was great but I have no desire for more and although she packed half of it for us to take home I don't really care for more. Mark and the kids will finish it up.:eureka: Maybe if I eat healthy foods and start working out the weight will come off and if I eat an occasional no no food. (like peanut donuts..:innocent:) I will be ok and feel more motivated.

That's what I love about South Beach, Morningstar. If you have a special occasion (or a bingey day), the next day you just pick up where you left off and start again and as long as you don't let a "day off" cause you to return to old eating habits, no harm done!

[jessie58]

Do you think I should go on the South Beach diet. I just did something that I never did in my entire life. I bought a pint of Ben and Jerry ice cream and sat down and ate that for dinner.


I am one of those people who have to have meat and two kinds of veggies and rice or something for dinner. I have to have juice and breakfast foods at breakfast and sandwich or soup or salads for lunch. It's blasphemous to veer off that course. I don't eat junk foods instead of meals, however today, all the kids are out but one and I bought him a frozen TV dinner and some ice cream for dinner and then bought myself my own pint of ice cream and just ate that. I can't believe I did that.

Specially since I am so anal about "proper meals". Well it felt sinful and good but I have to get my head screwed on straight. I suspect I will come to my senses when DH comes home but in the meantime. I have lost my mind.

Anyway, what I started out saying was this, I have to work my way back up to exercise slowly now and can't do any heavy duty exercise so I have to adjust my eating habits in the meantime. I think I would really like to try this diet. I have not been on special diets before, other than those of my own making, cutting back foods or eliminating certain foods.

I do need some kind of kick start. I'm going to buy the book this week. I hope I can someday go back to Body For Life though. When I can exercise regularly.

[morningstar]

Hi Tessa, I would recomend looking at this book first before buying to make sure you want to do this thing. I think it has good information in it regarding heart disease and diabetes. If these run in your family it may be useful.
The first two weeks are hard...IMO. You will eat breakfast, lunch and dinner and snacks + dessert. You will not eat for the first two weeks: Bread, potatoes, rice, fruit, fruit juice or any grains and some veggies with sugar in them are No No's like carrots and peas , oh and no wine.
What is left? Eggs, egg beaters, low fat cheese (I eat a piece of Mozzerella, Almonds, chicken breasts, fish, sirloin steak, canadian bacon, lettuce, peppers, onions, cabbage, cukes, asparagus, spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes, (probably some more but I can't think) hummas dip and lots of water..heh he and coffee and tea with non sugar sweetener. Desserts are made with ricotta cheese and other ingredients and I have not made one of them but had sugar free jello and pudding.
The whole theory is that you need to clean out your blood with removing the sugars and then keeping them out for 2 weeks as your chemistry changes. Then you add the good carbs back slowly and keep losing your weight until your goal eating phase II foods. Then you go to a phase III and that is for life (perhaps more like body for life?) I feel better now although it is a bear in the begining. It is also hard when you are cooking for others that do not need to eat the way you are. Let me know what you think.
I have eaten a pint of ice cream by my self before. Haigendaz (I know I butchered that spelling) coffee ice cream....mmmm gosh now I am thinking about it. :geek:

[jessie58]

Thanks for that info Morningstar, that was very informative. It sounds doable. I will miss fruits and grains in the beginning but as long as I can add them back in to some degree, I'll be okay. I am really interested in looking into this book and buying it.

[morningstar]

I know you can do it Tessa. You are one of the motivating factors that made me get it together. I have been overweight now for 10 years. I thought I could just lose it when I felt like it. I thought I gave up on myself. I pretended I didn't care what I looked like. Four years ago I started to care about lots of things and in particular health. Now 4 years later I am doing it in a way that makes sense to me. :gurn:

[darian moone]

Tessa, please let me chime in and say that you can do it! I was 20+ pounds heavier before South Beach, but I took it off and have kept it off with South Beach and exercise. It's been off for several years now and I'm on Phase III. I eat all my favorite fruits and veggies - yes, I even eat potatoes in moderation. If I over do it for a while I go back to Phase I for a week to get back on track. I seldom have to do that though. One day "off" for a special occasion/holiday food, etc., doesn't seem to ruin anything as long as I go back to eating healthy the next day. And I'll tell you the truth, I don't seem to even want the refined carbs and sugars like I used to.

DH is on Phase I (he goes to Phase II on Monday). It's not quite to the 2 week mark and he's lost 19 pounds (and I hope his high cholesteral is going down with the weight!).

If you Google South Beach Recipes there are quite a few links to South Beach cookbooks and recipes for free on the internet as well.

As I mentioned, my parents also have gotten their weight down on this diet. They've been on it for several years now at Phase III. They look great - their cholesteral and triglycerides have gone down to vastly improved levels. What they noticed and I noticed (and DH is already noticing) is that you lose inches fairly rapidly as compared to other diets. Already DH can feel the difference in his clothes. And I'm wearing a smaller clothing size than I've ever worn at the weight I'm at.

As you can tell, I'm a big fan of this diet. For good reason though - it works for me. :)

[jessie58]

Oooooh Darian Moone, this sounds even better the more I hear about it. I am a fan of good eating and am not too fond of junk food, but I do eat too much sugar. I think this will be right up my alley. I'm very excited to go and get the book now. Thanks for the in depth info.

[morningstar]

I started phase II a day early. I had a quarter cup of oatmeal this morning with a quater cup of blackberries, and a dash of cinnamon and splenda. It was great and so much better for me than the huge bowl I was eating with about a quarter cup of real maple syrup. I also ate some onions, green peppers cooked with one egg. This was breakfast and I was stuffed.
Tessa I love this diet cause it really forces you to eat the three meals plus the snacks are mandatory. You need to feel satisfied all day.
Darian I think it is great that your DH is on it too. He and I are at the same phase really. I think I really only lost 5 pounds total the first week but so much depends I think on water and waste in the system and IMO whether you are male or female. I am not sure though and am happy with myself so far.
I was able to have the strength to turn down a piece of birthday cake today when I took the girls to a party. I will try to not waste my sweet intake (if and when I do cheat) on store bought sheet cake with thick greasy frosting. Real French pastry though...yumm.

[darian moone]

You're doing GREAT Morningstar! Men do lose weight far more quickly - at least on this diet they do. My dad lost more quickly than my mom also, but then my DH has so much more to lose than you do also. Percentage wise, I think you've lost more of the goal weight than he has. My DH starts Phase II tomorrow - he can't wait.

Jessie I hope my experiences with South Beach have helped. I really am an enthusiast because it's worked so well for me. I used to get so shakey if I didn't get sugar and carbs. I was truly a sugar/carb addict. My sugar numbers used to come back a little "off" (what's known as borderline hypoglycemic with a flat curve) when I went in for a fasting glucose tolerance test (the one that lasts all day - you go in fasting and they take blood, they give you glucose, wait, then take more blood - over and over all day. :( ). My sugar is fine now and I no longer get the hypoglycemic shakes while eating this way. Plus I find I'm eating so many more whole and organic foods. It's made me more health conscious all the way around.

:flower:

[jessie58]

I am really looking forward to buying the book this week and starting it.
Thanks to both of you for the information and encouragement.

[morningstar]

You're doing GREAT Morningstar! Men do lose weight far more quickly - at least on this diet they do. My dad lost more quickly than my mom also, but then my DH has so much more to lose than you do also. Percentage wise, I think you've lost more of the goal weight than he has. My DH starts Phase II tomorrow - he can't wait.

Jessie I hope my experiences with South Beach have helped. I really am an enthusiast because it's worked so well for me. I used to get so shakey if I didn't get sugar and carbs. I was truly a sugar/carb addict. My sugar numbers used to come back a little "off" (what's known as borderline hypoglycemic with a flat curve) when I went in for a fasting glucose tolerance test (the one that lasts all day - you go in fasting and they take blood, they give you glucose, wait, then take more blood - over and over all day. :( ). My sugar is fine now and I no longer get the hypoglycemic shakes while eating this way. Plus I find I'm eating so many more whole and organic foods. It's made me more health conscious all the way around.

:flower:
Thanks Darian I do find myself thinking about what I put into my body differently now. I have been buying differently for the family too. (whole wheat pasta, lowfat products and I just found Helmans mayo comes in a new olive oil variety.) I am not shaky anymore and I am noticing so many little things that were bugging me. I think my eyesight has improved lately. It could be though that since I started this diet I go to bed earlier and get more sleep thus improving my vision. :eureka: I feel better period. I have lost about 7 pounds so far.

One of the things I have really noticed is that I do not eat what my kids leave behind. 3 goldfish crackers here, 2 pizza crusts there (YUM) and do not eat extra servings of anything. I was over eating and snacking on junk all day long. We have 3 types of cookies at this house and I do not want any of them now.

[darian moone]

:whoohoo: Yay, Morningstar! You're doing great! Isn't it amazing how the foods you desire actually change? I've got the whole family, including DS, on protein shakes in the morning now. They were resistant at first, but now the guys actually ask for them - and not a bit of sugar in them!

Jessie, I'm glad you found my experiences helpful. Here's hoping to read of your success story soon too! :)

[Sibylla]

Bought the book+the cook book. Haven´t started reading it yet. I´ll tell you if it works for me. Hate my belly...

[DecafJane]

I thought I would chime in and also rave about this diet! I am on phase 1, day 6, and have lost 2.2kg in water/fat/mass. It is fun to lose weight this fast, but I would be concerned for myself if it came off faster, because I don't want to lose muscle mass. I know things are supposed to slow down to 0.5-1kg per week in phase 2, which is a healthy rate of weight loss.

I thought that low-fat high-carb would work for me, but it really, really doesn't. Imagine eating "well" for 6 months, almost no desserts, and then stacking on a lot of weight anyway? Not good. The annoying thing is that it clearly worked for my husband, who, even though he didn't need to lose any weight, lost 5 kg, while I put on more than that. For me, that is proof that people need to eat differently.

He is still eating his carbs, and would rather eat cereal in the morning than an egg white omelette - madness, if you ask me! ;) When I made a salad, he uses some of the ingredients as sandwich filling.

The thing I love the most about this diet is that I don't feel that nauseous, ravenous hunger that I used to feel all the time. It is such a relief. Now, I know I need to eat when I start to feel tired instead of hungry. I'm looking forward to phase 2, but right now I am happy as there are a number of phase 1 recipes that I am still excited to try!