South Beach Diet

“is anyone else on this diet?

i'm starting it up again tomorrow and i'm looking for little things that u make or put together that make for a good meal. i have the recipe book but that requires too much cooking throughout the day that i don't have due to working.”

“I tried it and the failure was mine. The only thing that works for me is hikes no shorter than 2 weeks duration. Hanging all my food in a tree at night also helps.”

“i did it before and lost 13 lbs in 2 weeks and kept the weight off. it didn't come right back up on me when eating carbs again like some people say. that's why i want to do it again. get all the extra holiday weight off.”

“I'm going to have to trust the AT. My discipline as concerns eating food sucks, which is why compulsive overeaters have such a tougher time than alcoholics. You gotta eat something and (for me) it's hard to eat a little...especially brownies and chocolate chip cookies.”

“Come to the ADK High Peaks and you can do the High Peaks diet. You can hike up mountains all day and when you get back to camp you will find that the food you hung has been ripped down and eaten by bears. You're guaranteed to loose weight.”

“

---

I just stopped in the local supermarket for a gallon of eggnog, low cal., of course. Eight inch pumpkin pies were $1.00 each. I stocked up and now have enough low cal. stuff for about 15 pounds. Hummmm, the pie is good. And about a quart of eggnog should wash it down. Then it will be time for seconds on the pumpkin pie. Hummmm. But don't worry, everything is under control

Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas.”

“After losing 30-35 lbs (depending on how much I am working out), I am still at my target weight. With a lot of cycling, hiking or skiing, I maintain my target of a very, very lose SB phase 3.”

“pathman, that's really encouraging because i don't really know anyone who has maintained losing a lot of weight on the SB.

i start today, wish me luck!”

“I read in the newspaper last week that the Atkins diet is losing popularity and is being labeled a fad diet. Many of the companies with low carb products are expected to go out of business as more people give up on the Atkins diet.
last edited: 12/27/04 5:55:40 AM”

“Scorchie...what are you thinking? You don't need to lose weight, girl! Especially if you're gonna be doing any winter hiking...you'll freeze! =:0”

“I've been doing Atkins for almost a year now. (January 5th) I took off over 30 lbs and kept them off. Now, in keeping with reality and also along the lines of my consultations with my doctor, I modified the diet several months ago. I am not sure about SB, but my diet is Atkins maintenance with a few more carbs added in. The weight has stayed off and my triglycerides have stayed down. I am guessing that mine is not much different than what I would be doing on SB. As far as low-carb products go, I have found some new ones that are tastier than the ones that were around this time last year. I hope they don't go out of business. But, some may think it's a fad diet, but it's worked for me and if you modify a little for maintenance and keep to it, it doesn't have to be a fad diet...”

“Try pancreitis my friend..you body wont process any fat...it will slide right out of ya! A sure fire way to loose all your extra poundage :D”

“they now say that women need the carbs more then men. I am not sure where I have read this...but I have.

I did the SB, and did't do anythign for me because after a while I craved carbs more then usual. I also thought too much about food, how to cook it, what to cook, when... blablabla...

I stopped all this crap and just ate less, no fat, really only low cal stuff, lots of veggies. i have lost all my quit smoking fat.”

“We'll see how things go in 2005. The mystery is how I got through T-giving and X-mas without putting a bunch back on. Too many treats and too few workouts, but I guess my fitness level going in was good enough to burn it up as I haven't gone above my target weight.

My approach was really a mixture of South Beach eating early on and hiking, XC skiing and biking 3-5 times a week for at least an hour. I lost 95% of the weight in 6 months.
My "gym" is my bicycle or the mountains, mostly the Sandias.

I shifted to focused training and followed "Eating for Fitness" by Chris Carmicheal, carbs roughly adjusted to my workout calories, my proteins and fats pretty constant. I focus on eating minimally processed foods, whole grains, variety of fruits and veggies. Olive oil or Smart balance, low fat dairy, lean meats, nuts etc. I pretty much eat what I want, but keep an eye on carbs. The pistachio and string cheese companies have made a fortune off of me. I never gave up coffee or wine, I did give up beer for the most part.

The hardest part for me is not doing the shopping. If there is Ben and Jerry's in the house, I have little will power. My kids long ago nicknamed me "Cookie Monster" and hid them from me.

I found the low carb stuff is either high fat or has sugar alcohol subsititutes that give my bad gas. I do use Splenda in my coffee most of the time. Land of Lakes makes a good low carb, low fat liquid coffee creamer.
last edited: 12/27/04 8:07:18 AM”

“Sounds like you made your modifications, too, Pathman! That's what I think these diets need to take them from "fad" status and make them a real, workable way of life thast will benefit us in the long run. That's what I was trying to get across...”

“I heard Atkins is losing weight fast.













was that wrong? I'm contemplating not posting it.................................................................oops”

“Being almost 50 at the time and with 2 young children (1 & 3 years old), I knew I had to do something if I wanted to stay around to see them grow up. Also I had planned to do Mount Washington for my 50th birthday Nov. 28th (which I did do on Dec. 5th) and I KNEW I was in no shape to do that. I had let my weight balloon from 170 (granted I haven't been 170 in years) to 210 at my last physical in March 2004. I figured that gave me a good 8 months to get back in climbing shape.

I don't like fad diets... I don't even like the word "diet". It implies to me that you do something, lose weight then you can go back to your old ways and maintain. Once I started to think of the "diet" as a "lifestyle change" rather than a diet I realized this has to be for life if I want to maintain.

Atkins is bull. No one can live on fat & protien alone. There's nothing wrong with fat OR carbs as long as they're the "right" kind. Americans overweight problems really started to boom when we began eating so much processed crap!

I read the SB book and loosely followed the principles, but there was NO WAY I could give up fresh fruit and some of the veggies they say aren't really good to eat (especially on Phase 1).

What I did do? I gave up:

1) Ice cream (I love Ice cream), donuts & other sugar loaded junk foods (like milk chocolate).
2) Processed white flour products (I use only whole grain products). Whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta (and in moderation). Note: wheat is not the same as "whole" wheat. Read the label on your bread... if it says "enriched" wheat flour, then it's NOT whole wheat. They've stripped the flour of its nutrients in processing and that's why they then have to "enrich" it.
3) White potatoes & processed white rice... I do still eat sweet potatoes & yams (not soaked in sugar) and whole grain brown rice (again... in moderation).
4) oh yeah... BEER... I always thought beer was too filling anyway, but I still drink vodka though!
5) As for fats... I try to stay away from saturated fats or anything that says it contains "partially hydrogenated" whatever. I use olive oil for cooking and on salads with balsamic vinegar.

Now I know this may sound restrictive to some of you but after a couple weeks I really started to take off the weight... and the best thing was it came right off my belly first which was VERY encouraging and made me want to stick with it!

Since reaching my goal weight I have loosened up a bit and have even eaten a fair share of holiday junk, but the weight seems to be staying off. If I notice I'm putting some back on, I just go back to what SB calls phase 1 for a couple days and viola, I'm back down again! It really is amazing me.

Oh yeah, all the diet stuff aside... once I started to lose weight, running became easier on the knees again so I started working out for the climb. I live a couple minutes from Wachusett Mountain, not big, but at just over 2000' with about 1200' vertical climb from the parking lot it was perfect for what I had in mind. I loaded both kids and some water and snaks into their "double jogger stroller", and ran/pushed them up and down 3 times a week. Total weight with kids, supplies and stroller was about 110 lbs. The auto road was 3.3 miles up and 1.7 miles down for a nice 5 mile loop. I also did lots of twisting situps, "Rocky" situps & some weight training.

The end result... I did make it up Mount Washington and more importantly I'm healthier and more active with my kids. I went from 210 March 23 to 170 July 30th (lost 40 lbs in just over 4 months). 38" waist to 32" waist. Blood pressure before 130/90, now 110/70. Cholesterol 210 before, 156 now. Resting pulse rate 80bpm before, 54bpm now.

One more side benefit... I always had massive chronic acid reflux and heartburn problems. To the point where jars of tums and OTC pepcid etc. didn't even work any more. Since I've lost the weight I haven't had one single episode!

Sorry about being so long winded, but to anyone thinking of a lifestyle change I whole heartedly suggest some sort of diet and exercise like a loose version of SB... it worked for me... and oh yeah my wife also lost 30 lbs the same way and is now almost as thin as when I met her at 18 years of age! A nice side benefit

Good luck'
CaptainJim”

“Atkins isn't a "fat and protein" diet. Even in the very beginning, it stresses eating vegetables (up to 3 cups a day). You are supposed to eat until satisfied, not stuffed. After induction, you gradually add in more vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, etc. By the maintenance phase, it is your basic healthy diet - whole grains, fruit, vegetables, etc. It's advantage is you don't have to think much about what you are eating and you aren't hungry all the time, so you are more likely to stick to it. I have found that cutting calories per se doesn't work for me - I start adding in a bit here and a bit there and before I know it, I'm eating as usual. I lost 35 pounds on Atkins last year. (Lost the weight in about 5 months, then held steady the rest of the year.) I regained five lbs. over the holidays, mostly water I think, and plan to try to lose another 10-15 next year. For me and my diabetic husband, it has worked very well.”

“Same for me, Ginny. Too many people have that same myopic view of the diet. It's not just fat and protein. Matter of fact, CJ (above) has cut out pretty much the same things I have and we are probably on very similar levels of dieting. It's just labels and connotations of those that seem to make it sound different in people's minds.
last edited: 12/27/04 9:38:17 AM”

“Yeah that sounds very similar to SB, but from what I understand Atking allows pretty much any kinds of fat (correct me if I'm wrong) whereas SB says you can eat any protien, fat or carba as long as they're the right kind.

You're right though... whatever works for YOU is what's best. If you can't LIVE with that diet (over the long haul) you will fail. You gotta be able to eat till you're satisfied... a diet/lifestyle can't be too restrictive or it's hard to live with.

Peace Out...
Capt. Jim”

“I grew up a tough kid. It was probably because I was raised on Rock Candy, Brick Ice Cream and Marble Cake.”

“and discuss the dangers of high fat/protein consumption. I've probably discussed this before(?)

I visited the ER, doubled over with pain coming from my left side and a fever of 101. The discomfort had been building for days, I guess, but I'm a typical guy in this area.

The doctors were hoping for a left side appendix, excitedly discussing how they've never seen one.

But I dissapointed them after they shoved that nasty nuclear crap up my butt and did a scan:

Diverticulitis. At age 32. Rare but becoming less so because of the All-American diet of low/no fiber high protein diet. My diet coupled with stress was the cause of a near blow-out of my Large Intestine. The docs said I probably had less then a day. Of course, with a blow-out, the contents of my LI would have spilled into my peritoneal cavity, causing septicemea, and requiring emergency surgery with a colostomy bag for a few months, if I got to the hospital in time.

I was in for 4 days, thank God for HMO's. On serious antibiotics for 6wks and a no fiber diet for 2. Try to eat no fiber.

White, white, white food.

So now my diet includes tons-o-fibre and I have to keep hydrated.. Which helps in the weight management area greatly.

Every once in a while I have an "episode". Most often caused by stress, dehydration & a small slip in diet. The pain is indescribable and completely incapcitates me. My body reacts as if it's been poisoned & "dumps" everything it can anyway it can. I still have Vioxx for it and it works wonders.

Sooner or later that section of my intestine will have to come out, it never heals.

Enjoy your meat. ;)
last edited: 12/27/04 9:47:17 AM”

“If it is warm blodded (like humans), breathes air (like humans), and gives birth to living young (like humans) I DON'T EAT IT! BTW... That's the definition of a mammal. That leaves me with birds and fish which I eat LOTS of. Being a devout Rastaman (not all Rastas are black, smoke pot and believe Haille Salessie is God), I try to have minimal impact on the environment and eat to the lowest common denominator. Cattle and pig farms are mass producers of pollution and very wasteful users of our natural resources (land, water, grain, etc.)

Jah Live!
Capt.Jim”

“Chicken farmers aren't any better. But I love chicken. I fight the urge but lose sooner or later.”

“Yay! Another rastafarian on the board! :D

BM...My body is like that with food. If I sit down to have a meal in less then ten minutes I'm lossing everything. No kidding. It really sucks. I have to eat small snacks through the day or very healthy mostly veggi meals to prevent that.”

“Hey Captain Jim. I received an e mail the other day from someone I don't know. (This was not an unfavorable one, in case you know not of what I am saying). Was that you, by any chance?”

“I find most backpackers are good environmentalists and Rastas at heart even if they don't know it. Something about walking through the woods or up a mountain alone or with our brothers & sisters makes us realize we (humanity) are not the be all & end all of creation. Something about standing on top of a mountain or being far out to sea makes me feel so small and insignificant yet a part of something greater.

Bearmagnet “Chicken farmers aren't any better. But I love chicken. I fight the urge but lose sooner or later.” ... True BM if you buy mass produced chickens. I live in a tiny rural town and have the fortunate circumstance of having several farms that have free roaming chickens that are fed only organic feed. No pesticides, no genetically modified soy or grains, no hormones etc. They taste awesome and the eggs are fantastic. You can even go pick out the very ones you want. They also give back to the community... a great company. Anyone who has a legitimate charity can come down and they'll GIVE you as many cases of eggs as you want. They know if they don't use them they'll get wasted anyway so they give them out free. Buying local also means less (or no) fuel was used to get them to market through trucking and less pollution by truck exhaust, chemicals in the soil etc...

Spirit Coyote... Rasta? Nice to see someone else who's not afraid to say it!



Treebeard... sorry man, that wasn't me emailing you.

Peace Out from an old hippie...

Capt.Jim”

“From Mass hmm? I had some roomates that were from mass and boy did they know how to party. I used to live in Hippieville central. Where the entire population were hippies. Seriously. Every other day it seemed we were on the beach round the bon-fire with drums and guitars, dancing wildly round the fire under the stars passing the..nevermind. We were surounded by organic farms. Some even loaded up carts with produce and Biked them to the farmers market. No fuel used! The grocery store...you guessed it was the only one in town and it was all organic and mostly healthy stuff. Lots of tree hugging there. We were in the heart of the redwoods! there was a house that was totally independent from the powergrid that was open to ture with a totally organic garden. If you wanted to watch tv you had to ride a stationary bike that powered it. If you wanted to use the blender it was the same..you had to ride the stationary bike. It was totally awesome.
last edited: 12/27/04 10:50:27 AM”

“No problem, CJ. It was about Bob Marley and the guy had a similarity in his name to yours. That's why I thought to ask.”

“Not that I am doubting your farms, CJ, but "free range" can mean leaving the door open or having chickens in mobile cages.”

“true bm...the labals on packaging can mean very little and can be very deceptive. Thats why it is better to eat local and to KNOW where you get your food.”

“Talk soon Spirit... the kids beckon (scream)

CaptJim”

“You really do have to know your sources as Spirit says.. it's best to buy local. I live near the chicken farm and been inside many times... they encourage customers to come look around.

It's true, I've seen really sad farms where the chickens are so cramped into cages they can't move and grow up with all deformed feet and other body parts. These though are out running around in all but the worst weather and inside they walk all over the barns.

You're right though... you gotta keep an eye out for decieving labels and practices.

CaptJim”

“.

"chickens ... inside they walk all over the barns."
CaptainJim

Chickens do not belong in the barn. They should be in a chicken yard with an enclosed chickenhouse. Their droppings make good fertilizer for flowers.

---

My dream is to open a food store selling only genetically improved foods. I'm sure there is a market for it.
last edited: 12/27/04 12:17:09 PM”

“Hey Scorch, I noticed at the grocery store the other day that Lean Cuisine has a whole selection of low carb meals now. And often they are on sale for 2/$5. I'm eating right now in fact. They aren't too bad. And it's an easy cheap lunch.”

“I thought low carb was the Atkins diet. What is the South Beach diet?”

“The Atkins is low-carb to a greater degree. SB is similar, with some variations built in. You are allowed a bit more carbs on the South Beach Diet...

There are a few other modifications on it also that I don't know the exact specifics of...
last edited: 12/27/04 12:50:37 PM”

“SB advocates incorporating what they call good carbs and good fats. For example, carbs in the form of whole grains are okay. Fats such as olive oil instead of butter is recommended. That sort of thing. Also, unlike Atkins, you are not given free reign to eat, for example, a pound of bacon just because there are no carbs in bacon.

There are three phases of the plan. Phase 1 is supposed to be for 2 weeks and is just to jump start the weight loss. Phase 2 is what you follow for the duration of your weight loss. And Phase 3 is for the rest of your life while you maintain. I have heard that dieticians who evaluate various "diets" say that SB is a very healthy way to go when you follow Phases 2 and 3. Phase 1 is a bit extreme. It's not necessary to do Phase 1, but it does give you a nice morale boost when you start. Often people lose 10 - 14 pounds in 2 weeks during Phase 1.”

“From what I understand, Phase I is much like 'induction' is on Atkins...”

“genetically improved foods only: Corn, Wheat, Grapes, Apples, Beef, Chicken, Pig, etc.”

“I want to do this diet but I can't afford the plane ticket to get there.”

“All this repetition of "South Beach" has been making me think of the "North Avenue Beach" in Chicago. But that is a long way from Florida, so I just rode over to Melbourne's Beach at the Atlantic. The surf was up following yesterday's high winds, but I did not see any boarders. It looked so pretty with the sun shinning brightly that I took a picture.
last edited: 12/27/04 3:33:21 PM”

“nigal, you're such a dork : D”

“With a capital D fair haired child.”

“As I read this I am eating Texas Sheet Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream. Leftovers, you know.”

“: \

make me drool why doncha”

“yea, i started this diet again. i go back and forth between the points system and the low carb diets.”

“I'm still following very loose SB, still at target weight.”

“Counterproductive fads intended to enrich those callous enough to prey upon other's simplicity..
last edited: 4/26/05 8:27:18 AM”

“I like this diet. It's not really a diet. It's a healthy eating lifestyle. It's easy, filling. I lose cravings for junk.

I had lost a few pounds a couple weeks ago, then decided to start SB again about 10 days ago. I have lost about 8 pounds plus the 4 or 5 that I had lost before I started SB.

The hardest part is making sure I keep the fridge stocked with lots of veggies. My favorite breakfast lately is zucchini, onion, red pepper and mushrooms sauted with thyme. Then adding an egg or two and a couple sprinkles of parmeson cheese. So yummy. I don't feel like eating again for 4 - 6 hours after eating that.”