South Beach Diet Plan, Phase and Menu

South Beach Diet Phase 1 Food

This initial South Beach Diet phase lasts for two weeks. Most people should see a rapid weight loss during phase 1. Although this phase is the most restrictive of the diet, many people that have tried it have reported that the cravings for many of the prohibited foods disappear within the first few days. In this beginning phases of the South Beach Diet, Agatston requests only foods with a low glycemic index be eaten, because they will cause your blood sugar to rise and fall more slowly. Phase 1 lasts for two weeks and promotes the quickest weight loss. On average, people lose between eight and fifteen pounds during this phase. Most of the weight is lost from the midsection, which holds the bulk of the excess weight in middle-aged people.

Acceptable foods during this phase are lean meats, including red meat, chicken, turkey, fish and shellfish. Vegetables, eggs, cheese and nuts are also important food choices during Phase 1. Each day is broken down into three balanced meals, a mid-morning snack, a mid-afternoon snack and dessert. Acceptable drinks include decaf tea or coffee and water. A 6 oz. glass of vegetable juice in the morning is also permitted. Foods to avoid during this phase are bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, baked good, fruit, candy, cake, cookies, ice cream, sugar and alcohol.

South Beach Diet Phase One Food List

Food To Be Avoided In Phase One

Arthur Agatston’s book, “The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss,” offers meal plans for the first two weeks of each phase. A typical menu during Phase 1 would include a two-egg omelet and two slices of Canadian bacon for breakfast, a part-skim mozzarella cheese stick for a mid-morning snack, a chicken Caesar salad for lunch, celery stuffed with 1 wedge of Laughing Cow Light Cheese for an afternoon snack and grilled salmon, steamed asparagus and a tossed salad for dinner. A desert of sugar-free gelatin or flavored ricotta cheese may follow dinner. Dessert is recommended because it decreases the risk of overindulging in sweets during the “danger zone,” which exists between dinner and bedtime.