South Beach Diet Hints

The South Beach Diet was designed by Dr. Arthur Agatston, a cardiologist who bases the diet on a relatively balanced diet plan that relies on the glycemic index as the basis for food choices.

Clean Your Kitchen

• Get rid of all of the high-carbohydrate, processed or fat-laden foods in your house. If foods are not available to eat, it is less likely that you will be tempted to go off of the diet. If other family members are not on the diet, encourage them to work with you for at least the first two weeks during Phase 1 until you have developed some willpower and are able to resist foods that are not allowed. Prepare for food cravings by making small portions of allowable snacks ahead of time and putting them in small snack-size baggies in your kitchen or pantry.

Stock Your Pantry

• In order to stick to your diet, stock your kitchen with the right foods. During Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet, you are only allowed lean meats such as fish, chicken, steak, lean ground beef and turkey, so be sure to have enough of these for at least two weeks. Have enough eggs, cheese, low-fat milk, almonds, peanuts and pecans during this phase as well. Be sure you have spices and seasonings for taste purposes, and have vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, cucumbers and spinach. Check the South Beach Diet food list for a complete listing of foods, and stock your pantry with your favorites to avoid hunger during the strict Phase 1 of the diet. Purchase fruits and starches for Phase 2 of the diet plan.

Diet Hints

• During Phase 1, you can eat unlimited meat and eggs. Limit fat to 3 tbsp. daily. Fat choices include mayonnaise, salad dressing, safflower oil, sunflower oil, avocado, canola oil and corn oil. During Phase 1, eat 4 1/2 cups of vegetables daily. During Phase 2, add three fruit servings and three starches to the diet. Some acceptable fruits for Phase 2 are grapefruit, cherries, peaches, pears, plums, blueberries and apples. Starches such as bagels, popcorn, pasta and muffins are allowable to some degree in Phase 2. During Phase 3, gradually add more foods into your overall diet by adding one starch or miscellaneous item to one meal to maintain weight loss.

Cooking Tips

• Use oil and spices to increase the taste of your meats and vegetables. Have sliced fruit for a healthy dessert. Add a packet of no-calorie sweetener to bitter fruits. In Phase 2 of the diet plan, make vegetables taste richer by topping them with melted cheese. Use cooking spray to coat pans and eliminate calories and fat. Use egg whites when cooking if possible to avoid fat and cholesterol. Use non-fat milk for coffee or tea and when cooking to cut down on saturated fat intake.