1. Introduce Carbs
During Phase Two, you'll slowly reintroduce healthy carbohydrates into your diet in the form of starches and fruit. During week one, you should add one serving of each a day. Just avoid fruit for breakfast. During week two, introduce another fruit and another starch serving anywhere during the day. Continue adding one serving until you can eat two or three fruits and starches a day, without stalling or reversing weight loss. When adding bread back into your diet, stick to whole wheat or multigrain--white bread is still restricted. Whole-wheat pasta and high-fiber cereal are also healthy starches to add during Phase Two. Most fruits are allowed, with the exception of watermelon, canned fruit, pineapple and raisins. You should eat actual fruits instead of relying on juices, which are often filled with sugar.
2. Follow Portion Guidelines
Protein is never limited in the South Beach Diet, but you should still start with small, 2 to 3 oz. servings and only go back for more if you are still hungry. The same minimum amount of vegetables is recommended, but you can now add an extra cup of dairy products each day. Even when following the portion suggestions, you should avoid packaged products that contain high-fructose corn syrup or have excessive fat content. Try to find low- or non-fat varieties of hot dogs, sausages, cheese and yogurt.
3. Check the Glycemic Index
Since the South Beach Diet allows you to eat breads and pastas after week two, it differs from traditional low-carb diets. The product choices are based on the glycemic index (GI), which measures how much blood sugar increases after consumption. Low-GI foods include oats, barley and bran-based cereals and breads. For healthy carbohydrates, also try brown rice instead of white. When looking foods up by their GI number, you should still follow the other guidelines of the diet. While one serving of a snack food may have the same GI as a vegetable or dairy product, you should choose the more nutritious item. You cannot base your food choices on the GI alone, and you don't have to count. Simply take notice of which foods rate high on the index and learn to avoid them. The index can be found on The Official Website of the Glycemic Index and GI Database.
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