The South Beach Diet Lunch – A Balancing Act

Creating a wholesome, interesting South Beach diet lunch can be rewarding and easy to do once you get the hang of it. Some people are confused, however, about what you can actually include in your midday meals when you’re on the South Beach diet. It depends on which phase of the diet you’re in and how well your body can adjust to carbohydrates.

Phase 1 South Beach Diet Lunch Menus

Since South Beach Diet Phase 1 is the strictest, this can be the most challenging in terms of having a variety of items on your lunch menu. It can also be easy, however, once you gain an understanding of what is permitted and get a bit creative.

The focus during this phase is on proteins and vegetables. You can eat a variety of soups, beans, and lean meats with a healthy portion of vegetables to fill you up and give you the nutrients you need. There are no carbohydrates and limited dairy products in Phase 1 lunches.

Examples of good South Beach lunches include bean soup with a vegetable slaw or a red pepper stuffed with feta cheese and chopped vegetables. Sounds delicious, doesn’t it? You simply have to get past the “sandwich for lunch” mentality.

Phase 2 Lunch Menus

Once you are on South Beach Diet Phase 2 you can add some low carbohydrate, high fiber grains to your lunch menus and a bit more dairy. Keep in mind, however, that you still have to choose only whole grain foods with a low glycemic index. Look for whole grain breads and alternatives to wheat such as brown rice or oats.

A typical South Beach diet lunch might be a whole grain pita stuffed with tuna salad made following a South Beach recipe. A whole grain muffin with prawns and a side of fruit can be a real treat if you want something a bit different. The key is to add the carbs slowly, whether they are in the form of whole grains or fruit.

Watch for food cravings, especially cravings for sweets or starchy carbs, during this phase. Adding too much starch or sugar to your South Beach diet can trigger cravings you defeated in Phase 1 and will let you know that you need to cut back on some of the carbs.

Phase 3 Lunches

Once you’ve shed those unwanted pounds, you can move on to Phase 3 of your diet. You can create a multitude of South Beach diet lunch menus during this phase that are delicious and easy to put together as this is the least restrictive phase of your weight loss program. The primary focus will be keeping your carbohydrate intake at or below your glycemic index threshold so that you don’t gain weight. You won’t need to use as many South Beach diet specific recipes for foods and will be able to choose from a wide range of whole grain products and fruits for your lunch as long as moderation is the key.

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