Menu for the South Beach Diet

Creating a menu for the South Beach Diet may not be as difficult as you think. If you plan your grocery shopping according to a list, menu-planning becomes second nature.

About the South Beach Diet

Stocking up your pantry and refrigerator with foods to eat on the South Beach Diet takes planning. If you are new to this diet plan, you need to understand the basics first. It is a high protein/low carb diet plan. Throughout its three phases, the amount of carbohydrates eaten is slowly increased. The goal is to rid yourself of the sugar/carb cravings, and to eat more sensibly balanced and nutritious meals and snacks. To get started, purge your kitchen of all "off limits" foods and stock up with those allowed during all of the phases of the South Beach Diet.

Foods for Your South Beach Diet Menu

The South Beach Diet is broken down into three phases. As you progress through them, your food choices available in creating a menu for the South Beach Diet, while not completely extensive, do increase.

Phase One

The first phase consists of eating mainly proteins, excluding most carbohydrates, including fruits. The phase usually lasts about two weeks until your body goes through its "withdrawal" of being dependent on carbohydrates/sugar. This phase is the strictest in terms of what can and cannot be eaten.

Foods allowed to be eaten include:

* All seafood
* Only lean ground beef
* Turkey bacon
* Low- or non-fat deli meats including boiled ham
* Most vegetables except for carrots, peas, corn, beets and lima beans
* Avariety of legumes including pinto beans, chickpeas and black eyed peas
* Low-fat cheese
* Tofu (soft, low-fat or lite)
* Eggs
* Sugar substitutes and sugar-free treats (in limited amounts)
* Fats such as avocados, canola and olive oils
* Spices and broth

Menus featuring these foods can include:

* Eggs with turkey bacon, boiled ham or tofu for breakfast
* Deli turkey lettuce wrap with tomatoes, low-fat cheese, cucumbers, onions and touch of olive oil for lunch
* Broiled salmon with a salad for dinner
* Water, water, water!

The great thing about phase one, is you can eat a variety of these foods together without filling up on starches such as bread, rice or pasta.

Phase Two

By week three of the program, you will be ready to start adding some carbohydrates to your menus. You will remain in phase two until you've reached your desired weight. So, when you hit the grocery store, make sure you stock up on all of the foods eaten during phase one as well as these:

* Fruits that don't have overall affect on your blood sugar (low-glycemic Foods):

• Cantaloupe
• Apples
• Bananas
• Pears
• Oranges

* Whole grain breads and pastas
* Sweet potatoes
* Red wine is permissible
* Low-fat or fat-free dairy products

Some delicious menu items could include:

* Fruit salad with fat-free yogurt for breakfast
* Baked sweet potato topped with fat-free sour cream and steamed veggies and chicken for lunch
* Whole grain pizza crust with fat-free feta cheese, spinach and mushrooms for dinner, with a glass of red wine
* Fresh fruit parfaits make great snacks!

Phase Three

Congratulations! You've reached phase three of the South Beach Diet, which means you've reached your goal weight. In this phase, you will find what foods you can eat to help maintain your weight loss. The food list for South Beach Diet's third phase include:

* All food from phases one and two
* Three servings of whole grains and fruits each day
* Pretty much anything else as long as you don't gain the weight back. If you notice yourself putting on a few pounds, go back and review phases one or two.

As for menus, you should stick to what has worked for you during the first two phases, unless you are comfortable trying more new things. Just remember, bad habits are hard to break, so unless you are completely confident you won't top your pasta with Alfredo sauce instead of marinara, then go ahead and try incorporating some of your old menu ideas into your new lifestyle.

Menu for the South Beach Diet Ideas

Now that you are used to eating everything on the food list for the South Beach Diet, be creative and invent a few more menus for you and your family to enjoy. If you need help finding ideas, there are a few Web sites offering recipes to try:

1) South Beach Diet Recipe Collections offers a variety of dishes that can be used in at least one of the plan's phases.
2) All Recipes has several recipes for South Beach dieters that have been tried and reviewed by readers.
3) Kalyn's Kitchen has a variety of "low-glycemic" menu ideas for those on the South Beach Diet.
4) Kraft Foods has not only recipes, but a listing of prepared foods already approved for the South Beach Diet.

Don't Break the Bank With This Diet

It's not cheap to diet. It's also not cheap to have medical bills associated with being overweight. If you really want to follow the South Beach Diet, sit down and plan your meals. Your vegetables don't have to all be fresh -- frozen ones, as long as they are on the list, work just as well. And if you are doing the diet along with a family member or friends, buy in bulk and split the price. Plan a cooking day and have a few friends join you. Making large amounts of South Beach Diet-friendly meals to split among friends helps stay within a budget.

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South Beach Diet Food List

While many diets have at least one or two food or food groups that are suggested to eat from or to avoid entirely, the South Beach Diet food lists offer precise guidelines to help with compliance on this popular diet plan.

Glycemic Index Food List

The South Beach Diet begins its journey by listing foods and their glycemic index (GI) factor. The program recommends eating foods that have a low in an effort to regulate blood sugar via its rate of absorption and the insulin response. Basically, the faster a food and its carbohydrate content gets absorbed into the bloodstream, the higher the blood sugar, and hence the higher the insulin amount coming in to transfer the blood sugar to the cells of the body. The problem with this mechanism is that if and when there is excess insulin in the bloodstream after it transports the blood sugar, then cravings for more sugar, increased hunger, and overeating are apparent. Alas, low GI foods will help keep insulin in check so the cravings and overeating episodes do not occur.

The following list is set up to represent the lowest 3 GI foods within the category and the 3 highest GI foods in that same category. It is a brief list in comparison to the full list found in the South Beach Diet book, and mainly to show popular food categories. When three of each do not appear, it is solely due to the fact that the program did not list more than 6 foods for that category.

Breads

* Oat bran bread – 68
* Mixed grain bread – 69
* Pumpernickel bread – 71
* French baguette – 136
* Gluten-free bread – 129
* Kaiser roll – 104

Beverages

* Soymilk – 43
* Unsweetened juice – 57
* Grapefruit juice – 69
* Pineapple juice – 66

Cereals

* Rice bran – 27
* All-bran – 60
* Oatmeal – 70
* Rice chex – 127
* Crispix – 124
* Cornflakes – 119

Dairy

* Low fat artificially sweetened yogurt – 20
* Chocolate milk (artificially sweetened) – 34
* Whole milk – 39
* Ice cream – 87
* Low fat ice cream – 71
* Low fat yogurt (fruit flavored) – 47

Fruit

* Cherries – 32
* Grapefruit – 36
* Peach - 40
* Watermelon – 103
* Pineapple – 94
* Banana – 89

Vegetables

* Artichokes - <20
* Arugula - <20
* Asparagus - <20
* Pumpkin – 107
* Sweet corn – 78
* Green peas - 68

Root vegetables

* Sweet potato – 63
* Carrots (cooked) – 70
* Yams- 73
* Baked potato – 158
* Parsnips – 139
* French fries – 107

Phase 1 Food List

Since phase 1 of the South Beach Diet is the most restrictive 2 weeks of the plan, the list of foods to avoid is lengthy and necessary to follow if weight loss is to occur.

Phase 1 foods and beverages to avoid include: (most common)

* All alcohol beverages
* All dairy products
* Beets
* Carrots
* Corn
* White potatoes
* Sweet potatoes
* All fruits
* All juices
* All starchy foods (pasta, rice, breads, cereals)
* Oatmeal
* Baked goods
* Some beef products (brisket, liver, ribs)
* Chicken wings and legs
* Duck
* Goose
* Honey baked ham

Phase 2 Food List

While the list is much shorter now that phase 2 has begun, the following foods are not to be consumed at this time:

* Bagels
* White bread
* Cookies
* Cornflakes
* Matzo
* Pasta
* White potatoes
* Instant potatoes
* Rice cakes
* White rice
* Dinner rolls
* Bananas
* Canned fruit
* Fruit juice
* Pineapple
* Raisins
* Watermelon
* Honey
* Ice cream
* Jam
* Beets
* Carrots
* Corn

During this phase, foods can be reintroduced. These include most fruits, low –fat dairy products, whole grain breads, cereals, pasta, and rice, red wine, barley, pinto beans, and black-eyed peas.

Phase 3 Food List

The final phase of the South Beach Diet is not written as a weight loss plan, but rather as a weight maintenance strategy. For this reason, while phase 1 was restrictive and thoroughly designed for weight loss, phase 3 is liberal and without food lists of any kind. However, with the knowledge gained from following the recommended food lists from phase 1 and phase 2, along with the glycemic index list, food choices during phase 3 will likely follow suit.

Recipe Lists

The following list is a sampling of the many recipes that can be found in the South Beach Diet book for each phase. It is intended to give you an idea of the combination of foods presented on the diet in an effort to make your decision to follow the plan easier. If these recipes sound appealing, perhaps the South Beach Diet may work for you.

Phase 1:

* Western Egg Omelet
* Chicken Pistachio Salad
* Spicy Tuna
* Balsamic Chicken
* Marinated London Broil
* Mashed “Potatoes” (made with cauliflower)
* Cilantro Mayonnaise
* Vanilla Ricotta Crème

Phase 2:

* Sunrise Parfait
* Oatmeal Pancakes
* Salsa Chicken
* Shrimp Louis
* White Asparagus Salad
* Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
* Pistachio Bark
* Chocolate Cups

Phase 3:

* Tomato Herb Frittata
* Endive and Pecan Salad
* Roast Beef Wrap
* Apricot-Glazed Cornish Hens
* Lime-Baked Fish
* Herb Roasted Potatoes
* Poached Pears
* Chocolate Sponge Cake

Additional Comments

Popular diets are a mainstay in today’s dieting world. However, since there is no magic tricks or solutions to weight loss, only long-term lifestyle changes will offer the healthiest results. With this in mind, if you choose to use the lists presented here and the complete lists available in the book, approach wisely and keep in mind that healthy eating habits, appropriate portions, balanced meals, and physical activity are invaluable to weight loss success.

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South Beach Diet Recipes: Phase 1 Overview

During Stage One of the South Beach Diet, almost all carbohydrates are a no-no. That means no sugar, no bread, and no honey ham. You can get creative with the diet, however. One of the simplest things to do is to create a wrap with the outer layer consisting of a large lettuce leaf. In the wrap, you can put a variety of things, from low-fat cheese and turkey, to a mixture of diced and sautéed veggies. Just remember not to add any teriyaki sauce to your sauté, however!

As a dessert lover, one of my favorite recipes from the book is the one where you take one-half cup low-fat ricotta cheese and mix it with a bit of cocoa, vanilla extract or lemon extract and add Splenda to your liking. Very easy, and quite yummy.

This Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Sauce recipe is a South Beach Diet Phase One recipe. Here is a recipe for you that is so good that you won’t even miss pasta. With this recipe, you have the option of using a commercially prepared spaghetti sauce, but if you choose to go this route, read the ingredient list carefully to make sure that sugar or corn syrup are not listed in the ingredients

Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

1 large spaghetti squash
2 medium tomatoes
1 zucchini
1 small white onion
5 button mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

Cut the squash in half, and remove the seeds. Lay it face down in a baking dish containing ¼ cup water and cover it with plastic wrap. Microwave about ten minutes or until tender.

While the squash is cooking, dice the onion, and cut the tomatoes, zuchinni and mushrooms into small pieces. Heat the oil in a skillet and sauté the onion for three minutes, then add the rest of the vegetables and sauté until tender. Add sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Remove the squash from its dish and scrape out the spaghetti-like strands into a bowl. Pour the sautéed vegetables over the squash.

More South Beach Diet Recipes

* South Beach Diet Recipes: Phase 2
* South Beach Diet Recipes: Phase 3

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South Beach Diet Recipes: Phase 2

During Phase Two, you can gradually begin adding in a few carbohydrates here and there. This means that a piece of fruit is not verboten, and some low glycemic index vegetables are okay as well. In the world of cooking, there are so many things you can do with these ingredients that the sky is the limit.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 slices of Canadian bacon
4 oz Swiss Cheese
1 Tablespoon virgin olive oil
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup powdered Parmesan cheese

Pound chicken breasts until they are about ½ inch thick, or thinner, if you can manage. Place the Canadian bacon on each breast, then add one ounce of Swiss cheese. Roll up and fasten together with a toothpick. Mix the olive oil and the egg together and dip the chicken breast into the mixture. Roll in Parmesan cheese and place in a well-oiled baking dish. Bake at 350ºF for 30 to 35 minutes.

Tangy Black Bean Salad

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 roasted red bell peppers, chopped
1 red onion

Roast peppers in the oven until blackened. Peel, and then chop into half-inch squares. Place the beans in a bowl and add the remainder of the ingredients. Mix well until combined. Thinly slice about one third of the red onion and use as a garnish. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to let the flavors blend together. Serve chilled.

More South Beach Diet Recipes

* South Beach Diet Recipes: Phase 1
* South Beach Diet Recipes: Phase 3

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South Beach Diet Recipes: Phase 3

Phase 3 is the maintenance phase of the diet. This is the part of the diet where it is most important to feel comfortable cooking various recipes, because if you are following the South Beach Diet, this is the way of eating that you have committed to for the long term. Feel free to experiment with your favorite recipes during this phase of the diet, looking for ways to cut out as many carbohydrates as possible. Incidentally, the recipes below are also appropriate for the other stages of the diet, as well.

Any Flavor Cheesecake

1 - 8 ounce package fat-free cream cheese
1 - 8 ounce package low-fat ricotta cheese Gourmet Vanilla Sugar
4 tablespoons Da Vinci Gourmet Sugar Free Syrup, flavor of your choice
1/2 cup Splenda granulated sweetener, or to taste
1 packet unflavored gelatin

In a large bowl, soften the cream cheese and then mix in the ricotta, beating at medium speed until smooth. Separately mix the syrup, Splenda and gelatin together, and add one cup of boiling water. Stir until the gelatin has dissolved. Add this mixture to the cheese mixture and mix well. Pour into ramekins and let chill for at least two hours.

Foil-Baked Fish

4 fillets fish
1 cup fresh green beans
1 cup fresh yellow squash
1 teaspoon dill
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lime

Brush each filet of fish with olive oil and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Sprinkle with a pinch of dill. Place on a sheet of aluminum foil and add one fourth cup of green beans and squash. Sprinkle with a bit of lime juice. Repeat this process for each fillet, and fold each into a tight packet. Place on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven and cook for at least 15 minutes, or until fish flakes when separated with a fork.

More South Beach Diet Recipes

* South Beach Diet Recipes: Phase 1
* South Beach Diet Recipes: Phase 2

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South Beach Diet: High Protein Cereal Bars Review

Kraft has launched a line of South Beach Diet food products, targeted at people following Dr. Agatston's popular South Beach Diet plan. The plan emphasizes consumption of lean proteins and high fiber carbs, and the South Beach products are designed to help dieters find this balance in their food choices.

South Beach Cereal Bars

The South Beach High Protein Cereal bars come in several flavors:

* Chocolate
* Peanut Butter
* Maple Nut
* Cranberry Almond
* Cinnamon Raisin

Packed With Protein

Each bar is a single 35 gram serving and contains 10 grams of protein and 7 grams of sugar. This is more than 3 times the protein in several of the leading cereal bars. The protein largely comes from the first ingredient – soy!

South Beach Phases

The bars are intended for use in Phases 2 and 3 of the South Beach Diet plan.

Tasting the Chocolate South Beach

The flavor of the chocolate cereal bars is fairly good. The chocolate has enough intensity to satisfy a chocolate craving, without being heavy or overly rich. The texture is crunchy and light, although it is a little on the dry side. Like many of the cereal and protein bars on the market, you don't want to eat this without having a handy drink. It also has a very slight chalky after-taste, typical of many products that use a lot of soy protein.

Nutrition Information

Each chocolate cereal bar has:

* 140 Calories
* 5 g fat (3.5 saturated, no trans fat)
* 15 g Carbohydrates (3 g dietary fiber, 7 g sugars, 3g sugar alcohol)
* 10 g Protein

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South Beach Sugar Cravings

Dieters sometimes need a little help battling those South Beach sugar cravings. While many people begin the South Beach Diet with enthusiasm, they often find themselves struggling with those overwhelming sugar cravings that come and go throughout the day. If you are one of those people, don’t despair. This article will show you how to make the most of the diet and conquer those cravings as well.

Snacking 101

One of the best things about the South Beach Diet is that it encourages snacking. That’s right, you can munch, munch, munch, as long as you are munching on good snack food. What’s good snack food? Foods like nuts, raw vegetables, and low-fat cheese make great snack choices.

South Beach Sugar Cravings

One of the biggest roadblocks in dieting involves overcoming those powerful cravings…cravings which typically involve foods that aren’t healthy or even satisfying. The science behind the South Beach Diet is simple. Because it is a carbohydrate-restricting diet, it focuses on foods that are low on the glycemic index and low in saturated fats. Foods like nuts, eggs, low-fat cheese, vegetables, and lean meats are the basics of this diet. The diet also emphasizes good carbs, including fruits and whole grains.

Carbohydrate cravings actually escalate from a high carbohydrate diet. Cravings result from high levels of insulin in the body, which have developed from foods high in fats and sugars. Probably the most difficult phase in the South Beach Diet is Phase One. During this phase, which lasts for two weeks, the purpose is to erase the dieter's cravings for high glycemic index foods, such as bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, and sugar.

Other foods which are restricted during this first phase include alcohol, cereal, fruits, and even vegetables like carrots and corn. Protein-rich foods are stressed, however, and these may include eggs, cheese, lean meat, fish, nuts, and other vegetables, such as broccoli. Coffee and tea are also allowed, but they must be free of additives such as sugar and sugar substitutes. A balanced diet includes three regular-sized meals each day, with mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks included, as well as a dessert. The purpose of this phase is to change the body’s chemistry and reduce or eradicate the body’s powerful sugar cravings. At the same time, rapid weight loss usually occurs.

Battling those Cravings

For those just embarking on the diet, South Beach sugar cravings may be the number one obstacle that stands between you and success. You can battle those sugar cravings, though, and once your body’s chemistry changes, the cravings will become less severe. Eventually, you shouldn’t have to struggle to stay away from the sugar-laden snacks that are hidden in your pantry. Until then, however, there are some steps you can take to succeed in your efforts to lose weight.

• Change your buying habits: Have you ever noticed how snack foods are scattered throughout the grocery store? This wasn’t done without some serious merchandising strategy. If they don’t tempt you on one aisle, they may get you on the next one. Be ever vigilant by sticking to your grocery list. Browse those aisles as if you are wearing blinders. Purchase only what you’ve listed on your list, and steer clear of snack foods high in carbs and sugar.
• Buy healthy snacks: When those South Beach sugar cravings hit (and they will), be sure you have plenty of healthy snacks on hand. Be sure the snack falls into the approved category of the appropriate phase you are in. Keep plenty of raw veggies, nuts, low-fat cheeses, and other good-for-you snacks available.
• Don’t give up: It’s easy to throw in the towel when you’ve fallen off the wagon. Don’t! Just start over again…and again…and again, until you finally establish a pattern in your daily eating habits and gradually lower those high sugar cravings. Don’t give up even if you’ve had a bad day…or two…or three!
• Find a buddy: It’s easier to diet when you have someone else to encourage you. Find someone to buddy up with as you diet. You can encourage each other and provide much needed support. Look for forums online as well.

Finally, celebrate your success! Buy yourself that new sweater you’ve been eyeballing, spring for a massage, or purchase that new bestseller. You deserve it!

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