The South Beach Diet is a low-carbohydrate plan created by Dr. Arthur Agatston. This diet focuses on choosing the right carbohydrates along with low-fat proteins and dairy products to help you reach your goals for weight loss. Prior to starting the diet, know the foods you can have on the diet, such as skim milk, and know how much you can consume each day to stay within the plan guidelines.
Skim Milk
Skim milk is an allowed food in all phases of the South Beach Diet, but you need to monitor your intake during each particular phase. This dairy source provides you with the calcium and other nutrients you need for your health without the fat contained in whole milk.
Allowances
The South Beach Diet breaks down into three phases, and in the first two phases you must follow a strict set of food guidelines. Some foods you can eat without set restrictions, but you must eliminate some foods while limiting your intake of others. In the first phase, you can have up to 2 cups of dairy each day. You can choose to have 2 cups of skim milk, or you can have skim milk and other allowed dairy to meet these recommendations. The second phase allows you to have two or three cups of skim milk or other allowed dairy daily.
In phase three, also known as the maintenance phase, you can have as much skim milk as you choose, keeping in mind that too much of these foods could result in weight gain.
Other Dairy
You may choose to eat other dairy products in a day in addition to skim milk. Other allowed dairy sources include 1 percent milk or buttermilk and low-fat soy milk. You can also have low-fat yogurt, but in the first phase you cannot have yogurt with sugar or fruit. Other options include fat-free half-and-half and evaporated milk, but you must limit your intake to 2 tbsp. of these two products each day.
Considerations
Prior to starting the South Beach Diet, discuss the plan with your doctor. She can help you evaluate your nutritional needs to determine if this diet is the best for your health. Your doctor can also help you create a meal plan that will provide you with the right intake of nutrients.
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