South Beach Diet

Hi!  I normally visit the "lap-band" message board.  I'm hoping to eventually have that surgery.  My dr. would like for me to drop pounds and bmi before I do it.  (it will just make it safer for me and easier for him )  I've decided to try the South Beach Diet.  I've read the book and subscribed to the website.  I still have a few questions though... What is considered a portion size on this diet.  I read to start with 3 oz. of meat and then if I want more I can go back.  That confuses me...I could go back several times!   Second question-am I allowed a low-cal store purchased salad dressing?   I'm so confused and scared.  Any help will be appreciated!

I think they mean, start with a real portion of meat, the 3 ounces, eat your sides, veggies...then if you want more, eat a little more - like 1 ounce meat or so at a time.   Speaking from personal experience, when I eat one plate of portion-correct foods, and eat everything pretty slowly, I am surprised how much i do feel satisfied. Time to let your new stomach feel food is important!  I wait a while, then go for seconds. The low cal dressing, as long as it does not have a lot of carbs - sometimes they have some high fructose corn syrup going on. Better check with the website on this one to be sure. South beach is more into good fats rather than low fat, pretty much.

Hi, I lost 142 pounds on the South Beach diet.  Well, the South Beach approach.  I stick to low-carb, low- fat.  That being said, I have yet to add anything "white" back into my program.  I don't eat bread unless it is whole wheat or whole grain, and even then I only eat in in severe moderation.  I don't eat potatoes or pasta at all.  I stay away from all sweets as those are my trigger foods and can send me off of the deep end.  Christmas really screwed me up with the cookies, which combined the white flours AND sugar, and I am still detoxing from that! The idea behind any program is portion control, period.  The premise behind South Beach is dense protein will fill you up.  I know that when I started I was able to detox from carbs and for a while I wasn't able to eat more than a post WLS person could.  You can read my profile for some more information. The South Beach diet can be confusing.  I suggest just using your brain in figuring this stuff out.  Obviously if you eat beyond the 3 ounces too many times, no weight is going to come off.  As with anything, it has to be a way of life, not a diet. Good luck. Donna

WOW!!  It's great to actually hear of someone that's done well on this.   I'm not much of a bread eater and love beef and chicken breast so I think this will be good for me.  Thanks for your help!  

Hiya Donna,      Just wanted to say that I really enjoyed reading your profile.    I must say that the main PS procedure that I obsess about having is my arms.  Yours look like they're turning out very nicely.  I'll be eager to see the pics at the end of the year too.      And I'm right there with you on the sweets=trigger food thing.  I just have to realize that there is no cake/cookie/pie/candy/etc... that I can ever have a normal relationship with.  I'm an addict through and through.  They are drugs for me and have to be treated as such. Julie

Hi Julie, Thank you and I am glad you enjoyed the profile.  I am very happy with the shape of my arms and the amount of skin removed.  I am not overjoyed with the scars but what did I expect.  I am waiting til I am one year out before deciding if there is anything more I want to do with them.  In the meantime I use all kinds of lotions and creams on them just to keep the scars moist.  I just got back from my PS and I am scheduled for the Lower Body Lift on March 27.  Now THAT has me scared!!! Sweets are the worst for me.  I can eat something sweet and suddenly there is no stopping me.  No saying "no more", even though I am consciously aware that I am out of control.  It scares the bejesus out of me.  I find that if I stick to complete protein and the plan I set forth, I'm great.  If I veer for a moment I am a mess!!!  But I also have to not be so hard on myself and realize that I am human and as long as I am conscious of it, I am not dead, and I will beat it!! Donna