South Beach Diet

[Brooke]

Hi Ladies -

I have just started South Beach Diet (on Day 3) and was wondering if anyone else here had tried this and had good advise or stories to share.

I am looking to lose about 50 lbs and to feel like myself again (I am not sure who this body belongs to, but it is not the inner me).

Thanks in advance for sharing!
Brooke

[Emma]

Hi Ladies -

I have just started South Beach Diet (on Day 3) and was wondering if anyone else here had tried this and had good advise or stories to share.


Tried it but no good things to share about it. Still have the book, I think it's propping up something... Weight watchers worked better for me, I think because it allowed me to still eat bread and because healthy choice, lean cuisine and smart ones (official ww brand) all list points value on their foods so I didn't have to do a lot of thinking.

~Emma

[Rhia]

Wish I could say something good about it, but I hated it - felt like it was Atkin's Lite and it did nothing for me

I'd agree with Emma - I had better luck with Weight Watchers, although still felt very restricted in what I could cook.

I've lost 30 pounds on SparkPeople.com and love it.

On the other hand, there are some people who do well on SB so I certainly hope you are one of them.

[FairieTink]

I suck at all those darn things, I really wish I could find something that
A. fit into my life style (mother of 2 kids)
B. didn't cost me an arm and a leg
C. was easy enough that I didn't always remember I was on a diet.

[Gellis Indigo]

I suck at all those darn things, I really wish I could find something that
A. fit into my life style (mother of 2 kids)
B. didn't cost me an arm and a leg
C. was easy enough that I didn't always remember I was on a diet.

When you find that, can you fill us all in? :wink:

[Brooke]

thanks for the well wishes! I needed to find something "new" to get me thinking in the right direction about food. I have done WW on and off for several years and had varying degrees of success depending on my committment level at the time. Meaning if you do it, I know it works. I just got bored with having to think in points all the time and thought this might be something different to try. It has definitely got me looking at food differently, I must say that for it.

I will let y'all know how it goes, I am trying to wait as long as I can stand to weigh again because I am always so discouraged if the scale doesn't move.

[Lucy]

thanks for the well wishes! I needed to find something "new" to get me thinking in the right direction about food. I have done WW on and off for several years and had varying degrees of success depending on my committment level at the time. Meaning if you do it, I know it works. I just got bored with having to think in points all the time and thought this might be something different to try. It has definitely got me looking at food differently, I must say that for it.

I will let y'all know how it goes, I am trying to wait as long as I can stand to weigh again because I am always so discouraged if the scale doesn't move.

I did SBD a couple years ago and easily lost over 20 pounds. I only gained weight back because some ding dong told me I looked sick...so I got scared and started eating again. It REALLY works on your metabolism - but it's not a magic diet...you still have to do a little bit of exercise. I know a few people who initially lose the weight with SBD and once it's lost they switch to weight watchers to maintain. When I DID start eating what i wanted again, it took my metabolism over a month to slow down and start gaining weight again. What I liked about this one is that you can easily find things to eat that you like...

[Isabelle Warwicke]

I did it a few years back as a way to get lean and build muscle. However, I went into a serious carb-withdrawal.

I still use some of the recipes. The food is good, it was just too big a change for me.

[Phoenix McHeit]

I suck at all those darn things, I really wish I could find something that
A. fit into my life style (mother of 2 kids)
B. didn't cost me an arm and a leg
C. was easy enough that I didn't always remember I was on a diet.

When you find that, can you fill us all in? :wink: Umm, I found that - for me, anyway. Portion control. I'm a mom of 4, this was free and I ate everything that anyone else did.

I also lost 175 lbs over a year-&-a-half period by doing this. That was 10 yrs ago. Its still gone.

My biggest thing was fooling my eyes. So I used smaller plates than everyone else, so it looked just as full as theirs. And snacks in the evening. I used to grab a bag of whatever & sit there eating. All too soon, the bag was empty & I didn't remember eating that much. I hate feeling 'deprived' of food, so I didn't cut out the snacks altogether, I just got my 'snack bowl'. When its gone, I'm done.

[surlywench]

I suck at all those darn things, I really wish I could find something that
A. fit into my life style (mother of 2 kids)
B. didn't cost me an arm and a leg
C. was easy enough that I didn't always remember I was on a diet.

www.ediets.com

not kidding. they start with customized meals and shopping lists for as little as $5 or so per month and there are a bunch of plans to choose from. It's something the whole family can do together as they don't put you on a "diet" they just simply show you how to eat healthily.

The most important thing to remember about "dieting" (if you have to call it that) is that deprivation plans nearly never work. It's perfectly okay to eat well all day and have dessert with dinner, or a candy bar at lunch. the key is knowing what an actual serving of dessert looks like, and being able to stop. Not having "munchies" in the house works also - but having healthier options like a bag of baby carrots or some apples (honeycrisps taste like *candy* they're so sweet!!) on hand. they're just the right size so you don't even need to think about how much is okay!

some other tips that help are:
- keeping food in cabinets and NOT on counters (where they're more tempting - out of sight is out of mind the theory goes),
- avoid eating in front of the television (or even with it on), studies have shown that when you eat in front of the tv you eat significantly more food (more food = more calories = more weight gained)
- cut out things like soda and sugary fruit drinks.
- and this one is kinda weird, but avoid eating under bright direct lights. something about a high light level encourages food consumption.
- when you're full, put your silverware on your plate and cover the food with you napkin, or just mash the left overs until they're kinda gross looking. if you're at home, get up and dispose of the food and put the plate in the sink right away.
- serve food buffet style (with the food not on the table, ideally still in the kitchen or at least on a side-board).
- in addition to breakfast lunch and dinner, it's perfectly okay to have a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack to keep your metabolism going and to fight off a rumbly stomach. a handfull of fruit or veggies and some water/juice is ideal, throw in some nuts for some heart-healthy oils and protein that will help you feel full.
- some studies have shown that color influences hunger - dark blue is supposed to curb it, and orangey/reds like the ochres and burnts increase it. not that anyone can afford to go out and buy a whole new suite of dinnerware, lol.
- eat as a family. conversation slows the rate at which we consume food, which ultimately limits the amount of calories we intake (eating slowly gives your body time to register the 'full' response, wolfing down a plate lets you eat more b/c your body doesn't catch up as quick as your fork can shovel ;) just make sure that when you're full, you cover the plate or mash up the remains to prevent picking at it.
- EAT BREAKFAST. you'll consume fewer calories over the course of the day b/c you'll start off full.


I know it's a broken record, but the single most important thing *any* of us can do to lose weight is to find ways to incorporate more exercise into our daily routines. Even as little as 10 minutes a day is better than nothing, and can make a huuuuuge difference. Even if it's just putting on a music channel on the tv and dancing around like an idiot with the kids while you prep dinner - anything that gets your heart pumping higher than your 'resting rate' will help!!


http://www.health.com is a great resource for women's health, fitness, and diet issues - I cannot recommend their magazine highly enough either, but the website is free, lol.