The South Beach Diet is a low-carbohydrate diet that has you follow three phases. In phase one you consume a restricted diet for two weeks to help you eliminate cravings. The following phases gradually allow some of the previously restricted foods back into your diet. Understanding the limits of the first phase will help you determine if the South Beach Diet is appropriate for you.
Meat and Legumes
During the first phase and the following phases, the South Beach Diet encourages you to select lean proteins. The plan defines a lean meat as having 10 g or less total fat. Your choices include beef tenderloin, skinless chicken breast, turkey bacon, fish, seafood and low-fat cold cuts. Low-fat tofu, hot dogs and sausage will also work well during the first phase.
You can eat any type of bean or legume during the first phase of the South Beach Diet, but you should only consume up to one 1/2-cup serving each day. Choices include black beans, chickpeas, lentils, pinto beans or split peas. You may also eat canned refried beans if they do not contain fat.
Dairy
As part of phase one you can consume up to 2 cups of dairy products daily. Your options include many low-fat options such as skim or 1 percent milk, nonfat plain yogurt and soy milk. If you enjoy cheese, select low-fat versions of cottage cheese, mozzarella, ricotta or Swiss cheese.
Nuts and Seeds
You can have one serving daily of a nut or seed, but you should not exceed the recommended serving amounts. For example, you can eat 15 almonds, walnuts or cashews. Other options include 1 oz. of sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds or flaxseeds.
Vegetables
You can eat almost any vegetable during the first phase of the South Beach Diet, and in unlimited amounts. The vegetables you should not eat during this first phase include carrots, corn, pumpkin, green peas, beets and all varieties of potatoes.
Other Items
The South Beach Diet recommends up to 2 tbsp. of healthy oils each day, including olive oil or flaxseed oil. Instead of oils, you may choose other fat sources such as avocado.
If you enjoy sweets, the South Beach Diet also allows you to consume up to 75 calories each day in desserts such as sugar-free gelatin and sugar-free candy.
Considerations
The South Beach Diet eliminates a significant number of foods during the first week, and you should talk with your doctor before beginning such a strict diet plan. Your doctor can help you identify signs that the diet is not appropriate for you, such as tiredness that may result from a low carbohydrate intake.
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