For those who tried the South beach diet...?!
Question: I was thinking about trying the South Beach Diet. I know what it is and I have a book on how to do it. My question is for those who have tried it. What kind of experience did you have with it?
Answers: I was thinking about trying the South Beach Diet. I know what it is and I have a book on how to do it. My question is for those who have tried it. What kind of experience did you have with it?
My parents tried it for awhile, and I had some of the food, and it has some pretty good recipes. (Not too many in the original book, but there are other accompanying cookbooks.) I generally don't recommend low-carb diets, but this one makes a lot more sense, in that it mainly stresses staying away from refined carbohydrates (sugar, white bread, white rice, too much pasta, etc), while eventually allowing you natural ones that are whole grain.
There are a few downsides, though. The first two weeks are rough - that is the period with almost zero carbs, including things you normally take for granted, like ketchup, salt, and even alcohol. This is the really intense phase, though, and it eventually becomes much easier. There is a second phase that introduces healthy carbs, and a third phase that is basically a well-balanced diet that you're intended to stick to forever. It's also designed so that if you feel yourself slipping, or gaining weight back, you can revert back to the first or second phase again to get back on track.
The other downside is that the recipes can be a tad time-consuming, as all the meals involve a good bit of kitchen prep, so you may find yourself having to fix your breakfast, lunch, and snack the night before in order to have it ready. If you think you can handle that, then by all means go for it!