Starting a new diet can be intimidating, especially when you have to give up some of the foods you love. The South Beach Diet, created by Dr. Arthur Agatston, offers a flexible approach to weight loss. The diet was created in 2005 and amended in 2020 with a nod to the keto diet in Dr. Agatston's book The New Keto-Friendly South Beach Diet. During the most restrictive part of the South Beach Diet, phase one, breakfast doesn't need to be difficult. The first phase of the original diet lasts 14 days, but the keto-friendly version extends that to six months. The longer introduction phase was designed to allow the body to become keto-adapted. The ketogenic diet is a very low-carbohydrate, high-fat and moderate-protein eating plan that forces the body to use fat as fuel instead of carbs, explains Harvard Health Publishing.
The goal of the initial 14-day period of the original South Beach Diet is to decrease insulin resistance in the body, according to the diet handbook. This is accomplished by cutting out sugar and refined carbohydrates. In addition to refined carbs, you should cut out include fatty meats like beef, pork and chicken wings. Starchy carbohydrates like bread, cereal oatmeal and pasta are also prohibited. During this period, you'll give up alcohol and sweets.
Even though it sounds like you're giving up a lot, there are many foods you can still enjoy. The goal is to get rid of sugar and alcohol cravings while bolstering your diet with lean protein, healthy fats and minimally processed carbs.
Understanding Phase One Restrictions and Approved Foods
The first phase of the South Beach Diet focuses on eliminating cravings and stabilizing blood sugar levels. This means cutting out refined carbohydrates, sugars, and unhealthy fats. However, the diet still allows for a variety of delicious and satisfying foods.
Foods Allowed During Phase 1:
- Lean Proteins: Flank steak, 93 percent lean ground beef, London broil, sirloin steak, Skinless turkey breast, ground turkey breast, turkey bacon, turkey sausage, Fish, sashimi, shellfish, canned fish, Boiled ham, Canadian bacon, pork tenderloin, Center cut lamb, lamb chop, lamb loin, Deli meats such as chicken breast, turkey breast, ham and roast beef.
- Dairy Foods: Most types of cheese are allowed on the diet. Greek yogurt, milk, buttermilk, kefir and soy milk are also included. You can have eggs and egg whites as well.
- Healthy Fats: Most nuts, seeds and vegetable oils are allowed during phase one.
- Vegetables: You have plenty of options: artichokes, arugula, tomatoes, shallots and zucchini are just some examples of the available veggies. During this phase, the bulk of your carbs will come from vegetables.
Foods to Avoid in Phase 1:
- Red meat such as beef, lamb, pork, honey baked ham, veal.
- Chicken thighs, wings.
- Bread, rice, pasta, cake, matzo, cereals.
Quick and Easy Breakfast Options
Finding suitable breakfast options during Phase One can seem challenging, but with a little creativity, you can enjoy delicious and satisfying meals. You can either find South Beach breakfast recipes online or use the company's prepared meals, which can be shipped to your door.
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South Beach Diet Phase 1 Meal Planning
Follows the list of foods (ingredients) that are recommended in the Phase 1 of South Beach Diet. (always exercise portion control as too much of anything is not good.)
- Lean Proteins - You are encouraged to eat lean meats such as white meat chicken, seafood. Vegetable proteins such as soy protein such as soy milk, soy bean, chickpeas, beans.
- Vegetables and Legumes - This diet encourages you to eat lot of vegetables. At least 1/2 a cup for breakfast and 2 cups for lunch and dinner. Eat vegetables such as spinach, cabbage, celery, kale, onions, citrus, bell pepper, arugula, broccoli, egg plant, mushrooms, zucchini, cauliflower, asparagus.
- Fats - Avoid high glycerides fats and stick to good fats that are monosaturated. Eat avocado, seafood. Use olive oil and avocado oil in moderation.
- Dairy Foods - Use low-fat or fat free cheese such as feta. Fresh cheese such as cottage cheese, paneer. Low-fat yogurt. Eggs. Limit yourself to 1-2 servings per day.
- Nuts - Limit nut consumption to one snack a day. Prefer raw nuts over fried or roasted. Almonds, pepita seeds, flax seeds are perfect for phase 1.
- Others - You can drink coffee and tea but prefer unsweetened.
Tip: All recipes listed below are or can be Phase 1. Substitute ingredient that is not Phase 1 with one listed in the list above. e.g. replace rice or pasta with cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles. Use white meat chicken breast instead of chicken thigh meat.
Chocolate Shake
One option for breakfast is a chocolate shake. This shake, for example, has 200 calories, 13 grams of net carbs, 11 grams of protein and 10 grams of fat.Shakes are a fast option if you're on the go in the morning. If you typically skip breakfast, this is probably the most convenient option. You can create a shake of your own at home, using the ingredients allowed during phase oneStart with a cup of whole or soy milk. Add two tablespoons of peanut or almond butter for healthy fat and a little protein. Add half a scoop of chocolate protein powder and blend.
Tropical Coconut Almond Bar
Perhaps eggs aren't your thing, but you'd like something more solid and filling in the morning than a protein shake. While most carbs are off the menu, you can have a Tropical Coconut Almond bar, which is one of the popular South Beach breakfast products. The bar contains 10 grams of net carbs, 210 calories, 8 grams of protein and 15 grams of fat.You can make your favorite South Beach breakfast recipes at home using the available foods in phase one. This recipe for Hemp Hearts and Coconut Bars calls for coconut, almond butter, hemp hearts, maple syrup and cinnamon, so it fits into this diet.
Egg Scramble
All you need to do is add eggs. The scramble includes kale, onion, cheddar cheese, mushrooms, tomatoes, spices and garlic. When you cook it at home, crack two eggs into the mixture, stir to scramble and microwave to cook.You can re-create this recipe easily at home. Chop the vegetables and cook until softened, then add the eggs and scramble. Total nutrition for this meal is 70 calories, 2 grams of carbs, 5 grams of protein and 4 grams of fat.
Read also: Delicious South Beach Desserts
Spinach Egg Cups (Florentine Egg Cups)
Spinach egg cups or Florentine egg cups are a quick grab-n-go South Beach Diet (phase 1) breakfast. These spinach egg cups are tasty, simple to make, and freeze well. You can make a batch, eat some, and save some for later. When frozen, they take about 1 minute in the microwave to warm up. This dish is also known as Florentine Egg Cups. The original recipe came from The South Beach Diet cookbook. The recipes in this book are all excellent, and this recipe is one of the best. Sometimes, I vary the vegetables I use in the recipe. Instead of peppers, I have used zucchini squash or asparagus. For this recipe, you will need a knife, cutting board, measuring cups and spoons, ramekins or a cupcake tin, and a colander. Note 1: The egg cups can be wrapped in plastic and frozen in a freezer bag until you want to eat them. Two egg cups can be reheated in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until hot. Note 2: Pecorino Romano is a sheep's cheese.
Egg Muffins
I found a treasure trove of recipes for Phase 1 of South Beach Diet over at Kalyn’s Kitchen, including ones for egg muffins. I’m telling you. Step 1: Dice 1/2 of a small onion and saute in a pan that’s been drizzled with a little olive oil. Step 2: Crack 12 eggs in a large bowl and whisk until scrambled. Cut 4 green onions and mix in with the eggs. Add 2 cups fat-free shredded cheddar cheese and the sauteed mushrooms and onions. Add desired amount of salt and pepper. Combine all ingredients.note I completely forgot to add the cheese to mine, so we ended up having to sprinkle cheese on each fuffin before reheating. Step 3: Use a 1/3 cup measuring cup to scoop out the egg mixture into a muffin tin that’s been coated with canola-oil cooking spray. (I forgot that canola oil is allowed and tried to use olive oil.
Fuffins Recipe
My aunt left a comment below asking for nutritional information so I used this handy-dandy calculator to figure it out. I based the ingredients/ servings on my second batch of fuffins in which I used 18 eggs, 1 standard package of mushrooms, 1 whole vidalia onion, 4 green onions, 2 cups of low-fat shredded cheddar (added to the egg mixture this time), and divided among 24 standard muffin cups. I also accounted for the 2-ish tbsp of olive oil used to saute the mushrooms and onions. Yuseff and I each eat 2 fuffins for breakfast, so 1 serving = 2 fuffins. Yeah. Fuffins.
Exercise Recommendations During Phase 1
Exercise is an integral part of the South Beach Diet plan is exercise. Their handbook includes both a walking and stair-climbing interval training workout during phase. Interval training requires increasing the intensity of your workout for one minute, followed by a period of rest. The exercises recommended during this phase are aerobic and don't require lifting weights.Working out will speed up your progress and help you lose more weight by burning more calories. The exercises included in the handbook are designed for beginners, but if you're already a regular gym-goer, you can continue with your workouts.For example, if you prefer cycling over walking, then stick with that. Unfortunately, it's difficult to convert bike miles to walking steps, so it's hard to compare the work you're doing to the recommended guidelines.
Beyond Breakfast: Expanding Your Phase One Culinary Repertoire
While breakfast is an important meal, the South Beach Diet Phase One extends to all meals of the day. Here are some recipe ideas to inspire your culinary journey:
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- Turkey Lettuce Wraps recipe loaded with citrusy and salty Asian flavors.
- Strawberry Spinach Salad loaded with flavors of strawberries, raspberries, feta, walnuts, and homemade sweet and tangy Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing.
- Miso Salmon prepared in Air Fryer.
- Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad recipe.
- Vegan Caesar Salad with crispy roasted chickpeas, vegan Caesar dressing, and homemade torn bread croutons.
- Shrimp Piccata recipe.
- Sheet Pan Roasted Garlic Shrimp and Asparagus with cherry tomatoes.
- Chimichurri Chicken recipe gets bold, double layers of flavor from lemon-garlic Chimichurri as same sauce works as marinade and pour-over sauce for grilled chicken.
- Roasted Asparagus in the oven, enjoy with homemade Sour Cream Lemon Dill sauce.
- Vegetarian cabbage soup recipe made with fresh cabbage, tomatoes, mixed vegetable medley, oregano, and vegetable broth.
- Chicken Khao Soi - A deliciously sweet and spicy Yellow Coconut Curry Soup made with homemade Thai yellow curry paste.
- Cauliflower Tabouli Salad and Tofu Souvlaki Bowl.
- Sweet Spicy Chipotle Shrimp with Zucchini Noodles pasta coated in dairy-free avocado sauce for Wednesday dinner.
- Almond Crusted Baked Bruschetta Chicken.
- Grilled Salmon with Lemon-Butter Sauce is one of our favorite way to enjoy salmon for dinner.
- Veggie Bowl.
- Bruschetta Chicken.
- Ratatouille-style seasoned eggplant, summer squash, zucchini and red bell pepper cooked with fresh herbs, tomatoes, and spices stuffed in flavorful zucchini boats for an amazing summer weeknight dinner.
- Cucumber Avocado Salad with flavorful Greek Chicken, sweet tomatoes, red onion, olives, and feta.
- Kimchi Fried Rice, quintessential Korean fried rice recipe, where rice (low carb cauliflower rice) are pan fried with Korean Kimchi, seasoning and veggies.
- Chicken Tortilla Soup prepared in Instant Pot for an instant bone-warming, and delicious chili night dinner.
- 4 ingredient Cloud Bread.
- Mussels cooked with delicious Garlic White Wine Sauce.
- Avocado Tuna Salad with chunky tuna, avocado, eggs, cucumber, and zesty no-mayo Mustard-Lime dressing.
- Grilled Shrimp with creamy avocado, tomato and onion salad coated in a vibrant citrus dressing.
- Grilled Tuna Steak Salad with fresh tuna marinated in spicy sesame ginger marinade.
- Nicoise Salad is a Mediterranean Salad bursting with fresh flavors of tomato, cucumbers, tasty olives, hard boiled eggs, pan-seared black pepper tuna and flavorful mustard vinaigrette dressing.
- Grilled Salmon Niçoise Salad.
- Baked Lemon Salmon with fennel.
- Roasted Salmon recipe with garlic butter and Asparagus.
- Chicken Caesar Salad with blanched asparagus and crunchy roasted chickpeas croutons!
- Roasted lean protein shrimp with hearty and gluten free red quinoa and spicy ginger-hemp seed dressing.
- Baked Blackened Chicken tenders with chopped romaine, crunchy cucumber, bell peppers, and juicy strawberries.
- Chickpea and Sweet Potato Salad Bowl.
- Ratatouille's ratatouille.
- No-oil healthy baked chicken recipe.
- Fish Taco Salad.
- Tzatziki Chicken Salad.
- Chicken Souvlaki.
- Paleo carb-free broccoli detox salad loaded with crunchy broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and carrots, coated in a lemony ginger-oregano dressing.
- Mexican Omelette.
- Thai Green Curry dinner made with fresh homemade green curry paste and coconut curry sauce tossed with sauted broccoli, meaty maitake mushrooms, crispy tofu, and brown rice.
- Vegetarian tofu salad with tofu smothered in sweet and spicy sauce, hearty beans, crunchy bell peppers, creamy avocado, sweet peach, and cooling lime-cream bbq dressing!
- Chicken chopped salad marinated with bold Greek flavors.
Staying on Track: Tips for South Beach Diet Phase One Success
- Plan your meals: Knowing what you're going to eat ahead of time will help you avoid impulsive decisions.
- Read labels carefully: Be aware of hidden sugars and carbohydrates in processed foods.
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
- Listen to your body: Eat when you're hungry, and stop when you're full.
- Don't be afraid to experiment: Try new recipes and find healthy foods that you enjoy.
- Consider portion control: Even with allowed foods, moderation is key.
- Seek support: Connect with others who are following the South Beach Diet for encouragement and advice.