South Beach Diet Rules - Keeping on Track is Key to Success

Carefully following the South Beach Diet rules is extremely important if you want to see real weight loss. Some people try the South Beach Diet and are disappointed because they don’t see significant weight loss during Phase 1, but in these cases it is usually because they didn’t stick with the rules as strictly as they needed to. The South Beach Diet works by dividing it into three distinct phases and you need to carefully follow the rules and restrictions for each phase in order to guarantee diet success.

South Beach Diet Rules Phase 1

The rules for phase 1 don’t allow fruits – which is often where people stumble. Most people don’t realize that many fruits such as apples are actually packed with starchy carbohydrates, and eating them will continue to encourage unhealthy cravings. By eliminating them for at least two weeks, South Beach dieters will stop craving carbohydrates and set their bodies up for comfortable weight loss even after some carbs are added back to the diet in later phases.

Keep in mind that this phase will only last a few weeks before you can begin adding new foods to your diet. Understanding that this is a short term commitment and looking forward to new foods during Phase 2 should help dieters to stay on track with the rules for Phase 1.

South Beach Diet Rules Phase 2

For many dieters, Phase 2 is the most important part of their diet. This focuses on steady, permanent weight loss. You can stay in this phase for as long as it takes to reach a healthy body weight. You’ll add in a variety of carbohydrates and fruits as well as some grains. In this phase, you’ll be eating foods from all of the major food groups, but will practice moderation. The foods that are added into your diet at this point will continue to have a low glycemic index.

South Beach Diet Rules Phase 3

Phase 3 of the South Beach Diet is all about maintaining your weight. You can stay in this phase for the rest of your life in order to keep unwanted pounds at bay. This is more about learning to eat a healthy diet than it is about restrictions. The rules state you can eat foods with a higher glycemic index (which means eating them can trigger blood sugar fluctuations), but only in limited amounts. You’ll continue to focus on healthy food with a low to moderate glycemic index.

The South Beach Diet rules were created in three phases to make it easier to stay with the plan for the long haul. If you use these phases as a way to learn how to eat healthier, the weight you lose will stay off.

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