You'll drink water, of course, plus coffee or tea if you wish. What you won't eat: For the first 14 days you won't be having any bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, or baked goods. No fruit, even. Before you panic: You'll begin adding those things back into your diet again in two weeks.
Vegetables and Legumes - This diet encourages you to eat lot of vegetables. At least 1/2 a cup for breakfast and 2 cups for lunch and dinner. Eat vegetables such as spinach, cabbage, celery, kale, onions, citrus, bell pepper, arugula, broccoli, egg plant, mushrooms, zucchini, cauliflower, asparagus.
Phase 1. This two-week phase is designed to eliminate cravings for foods high in sugar and refined starches to jump-start weight loss. You cut out almost all carbohydrates from your diet, including pasta, rice, bread and fruit. You can't drink fruit juice or any alcohol.
Mayonnaise
Remember: The South Beach Diet is not a low-fat diet. Your body needs the nutrients and heart-disease-fighting ingredients in Healthy Fats, which is why olive or avocado-oil based mayonnaise is on the approved list. (You're welcome!) Remember to watch your serving size, though.
In two separate announcements, the International Banana Association announced that The South Beach Diet will now allow practitioners to add bananas to their regimen during the diet's maintenance phase.
Sweet yet salty, all natural peanut butter is the perfect addition to your snack menu to maintain your Healthy Fat intake. Spread two tablespoons across some celery sticks for a little punch of flavorful crunch, and you'll be in peanut butter bliss in no time!
Although the South Beach Diet is generally safe and beneficial, it also has a few possible downsides. These include: Risk of ketosis: Ketosis is when your body does not have enough carbohydrates to burn for energy.
South Beach Diet Definitions:
Poultry (skinless): cornish hen, turkey bacon (2 slices/day), turkey/chicken breast. Seafood: all types of fish and shellfish. Pork: boiled ham, canadian bacon, tenderloin.
Non-compliant Foods (Phase 1)
Starchy vegetables: During Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet, you should avoid starchy vegetables such as potatoes and sweet potatoes, corn, beets, yams, turnips, and green peas.
You'll have plenty of vegetables, eggs, cheese, and nuts. You'll have salads with real olive oil in the dressing. You'll have three balanced meals a day, and it will be your job to eat so that your hunger is satisfied.
It's important to avoid microwave popcorn as manufacturers often include trans fats or partially hydrogenated oils. Also beware of kettle-cooked popcorn because it's loaded with sugar. If you want to add more flavor to your popcorn, try a drizzle of avocado or olive oil and seasoned salt.
There's no reason that meat, even beef recipes, can't be part of a heart-healthy diet, but choosing the right cuts is a big part of the South Beach Diet equation. Stick to tasty sirloin and top or bottom round steak, and you won't go wrong. If you have the opportunity, try grass-fed beef.
Q: Can we take protein shakes in South Beach Diet Phase 1? Dr. Agatston: Protein shakes alone can be dangerous. If they are taken to supplement good vegetables, salads, and good oils, they should be fine.
The South Beach Diet emphasizes non-starchy vegetables such as leafy greens, broccoli, bell peppers, tomatoes, asparagus, green beans, and mushrooms. They are packed with nutrients, low in carbs, and high in fiber.
Beware the Baked Beans.
Navy beans are an approved food on South Beach Diet but high-sugar content is not. And virtually every baked bean recipe calls for brown sugar, maple syrup, molasses and/or honey, which are all forms of pure sugar. Unless your mom makes the very best baked beans you've ever had, avoid this dish.
If you want your extra serving of carbohydrates to be a fruit, it's recommended that you eat it at lunch or dinner rather than at breakfast. If you want your extra carbohydrate to be a whole grain, you might start with high-fiber, low-carb breakfast cereal or oatmeal. After this, you can add a second carbohydrate.
Sweet Treat: Sugar-Free Dark Chocolate
It also has potassium, phosphorous, zinc and selenium, making it one of our favorite snack ideas. Just watch your serving size and count sugar-free dark chocolate towards your daily Extras on the South Beach Diet.
You're not allowed to eat a family-sized bag of tortilla chips and an entire jar of salsa, but the South Beach Diet does give some wiggle room. On this plan, eating your “Extras” and “Free Foods” is encouraged.
Healthy lunch meat
Choose lean, lower-fat lunch meat that's South Beach Diet approved such as roast beef or smoked turkey to make your sandwich.
4. Olives & Olive Oil. Nutrient Power: The monounsaturated fats in whole olives and olive oil help reduce your body's supply of undesirable LDL cholesterol and improve its healthy HDL cholesterol level. Olives and olive oil also feed you antioxidants that soothe inflammation and reduce blood pressure.
Foods to avoid
All fresh and frozen fruits are allowed in phase 2 and 3 except dates, figs, pineapple, raisins and watermelon. Start phase 2 with a single serving of fruit a day, working up to a maximum of three servings a day. Butter and coconut oil. Whole milk.
You cut out almost all carbohydrates from your diet, including pasta, rice, bread and fruit. You can't drink fruit juice or any alcohol. You focus on eating lean protein, such as seafood, skinless poultry, lean beef and soy products.
While some experts acknowledged that the South Beach diet can help people lose weight, it's typically only for a short term during the initial phase. Long-term weight loss and management on this diet is challenging largely due to its complexity and potential nutritional deficiencies.