I'd love to jump on in as part of this discussion, tomorrow is the first day of phase 2, I wanted to stay on Phase One for a while, but the good doctor says that we really should switch over after two weeks.

Would anyone be interested in some kind of challenge?

We can do this-- I love life on the beach !

Watch out. That little book doesn't specify which phase of the diet you can eat those foods on. It says a lot of foods are okay, which they are in two or three... A lot CANT be eaten in phase one. Just to forewarn you!

The guacomole and celery and hummus sound amazing!!! What a novel idea. I didn't think yogurt was allowed until phase two???

Thanks Foxgluvs for your most encouraging reply!
My hubbie is so sweet-- he says he can see a difference already! (I personally think I am genetically predisposed to retaining mucho water and this diet has flushed me out, which is good!! I'll take it!) (:

Katzue what'd you have in mind?I'm lovin life on the beach too!

I would liek to set some type of mini exercise goal... I would like to drink more water, take my multivitamin, and eat more veggies... I also hope to lose 10 more pounds by the 4th of July when my friends come up to visit-- not to mention look stunning on my 21st birthday (July 19th)... Any body interested in holding some kind of challenge? Making us accountable for the daily things AND the bigger goals?

That sounds good to me. I'm game for it if everybody else is.I'm really determined to get this weight off me. After a depressing binge and gaining 10 pounds I'm finally ready to take control of my life. I am so sick of losing that saaame ten pounds over and over. I think I finally reached that point that people always talk about. Accountability is a wonderful thing, and so far we seem to have a great group of people.WOO HOO!

Plain non fat yogurt is allowed in phase I, to be included in your 2 cups of dairy daily.

If you look at the chart that foxgluvs pasted in the first post in this thread, it tells you what you are allowed in each phase. That chart is a very helpful guide and I still use it when I feel that my food is getting sloppy.

Sounds good and I'd be careful of having guacamole and hummus at the same time as thats alot of fat/oil in one meal. This isn't Atkins!!

Hey yall! i am not starting south beach until june 10 but i just wanna check in and say im coming! haha

wow such strict accountability! wow! that's great!

Sillygirl,
why wait until June 10?Why put off till tomorrow what you can start today I need to tell myself that when I need to get my ample behind off the couch

My carbs came in at 36 g and calories at 1578 (I know on South Beach it's not about low carb or low cal, bu tthe right ones). I just never realized how much I had decreased my eating patterns. I used to eat between 2300-2600 a day :-) I'm super excited.

Hello everyone,I would like to climb on board too if there is room This is my first week at SB too.I am not weighing myself til next monday tho!! I was on atkins since bout 20Feb but have since found the beach is the best place for me!Look forward to getting to know you all. Pamela

Ok, here are the acceptable foods from each of the Phases!

I have found this information (together with the chart that Judy has) invaluable - but you can find all you need to know about the kinds of food alowed in these lists

Phase 1

Foods to Enjoy:

PROTEIN

BEEF Lean* cuts, such as:
Bottom Round
Eye of Round
Flank Steak
Ground beef:
· Extra Lean (96/4)
· Lean (92/8)
· Sirloin (90/10)
London Broil
Pastrami, lean
Sirloin Steak
T-bone
Tenderloin
Top Loin
Top Round
* Lean meat has, per 100 gram portion, 10 grams or less of total fat and 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat.

POULTRY (SKINLESS)
Cornish hen
Low-fat turkey sausage (3-6 grams of fat per 60 gram serving) can be eaten as an occasional treat (approximately once/week)
Turkey bacon (2 slices per day)
Turkey and chicken breast

SEAFOOD
All types of fish and shellfish
Water-packed tuna and other canned fish
Salmon roe
Sashimi

PORK
Boiled ham
Canadian bacon
Loin
Tenderloin

VEAL
Chop
Cutlet, leg
Top round

LAMB (Remove all visible fat)
Center Cut
Chop
Loin

LUNCHMEAT
Fat-free or low-fat only
Boiled ham
Deli sliced turkey breast
Steamship roast beef
Smoked ham

MEAT SUBSTITUTES (SOY BASED)
Unless otherwise stated, look for products that have 6 grams of fat or less per 2-3 ounce serving

Bacon - Limit to 2 slices per day
Burger
Chicken, unbreaded
Hot Dogs
Sausage Patties and Links - Limit 1 patty or 2 links per day
Seiten
Soy Crumbles - 1/4 cup (2 oz) suggested serving
Soy Nuts - 1/4 cup for a protein snack is suggested serving
Tempeh 1/4 cup suggested serving
Tofu All varieties, 1/2 cup suggested serving
Yuba (Bean Curd or Sheet)

CHEESE (FAT-FREE OR LOW-FAT)
Look for varieties that have 6 grams of fat or less/ounce
American
Cheddar
Cottage cheese, 1-2% or fat-free
Cream cheese substitute, dairy-free
Feta
Mozzarella
Parmesan
Part-skim Ricotta
Part-skim String
Provolone

EGGS
The use of whole eggs is not limited unless otherwise directed by your doctor. Use egg whites and egg substitute as desired.

MILK/DAIRY
(2 to 3 cups allowed daily, including yogurt)
Low-fat milk (fat-free and 1%)
Fat-free half & half (less than 2 tablespoons)
Low-fat plain, vanilla, or sucralose-containing soy milk (4 grams of fat or less per 8 ounce serving). Be sure the product does not contain high fructose corn syrup
1% or fat-free buttermilk
Fat-free plain yogurt

BEANS/LEGUMES

(Start with 1/3 - 1/2 cup serving)
Adzuki Beans
Black Beans
Black-eyed peas
Broad Beans
Butter Beans
Cannellini Beans
Chickpeas or Garbanzo
Edamame
Great Northern Beans
Italian Beans
Kidney Beans
Lentils
Lima Beans
Mung Beans
Navy Beans
Pigeon Peas
Pinto Beans
Soy Beans
Split Peas
White Beans

VEGETABLE CHOICES
(May use fresh, frozen or canned without added sugar)
Artichokes
Arugula
Asparagus
Broccoli
Bok Choy
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Capers
Cauliflower
Celery
Chayote
Chicory
Collard Greens
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Endive
Fennel
Garlic
Green Beans
Hearts of palm
Jicama
Kale
Leeks

Lettuce (All varieties)
Mushrooms (All varieties)
Mustard Greens
Nopales
Okra
Onions
Parsley
Peppers (All varieties)
Pickles - Dill or artificially sweetened
Radicchio
Radishes (All varieties)
Rhubarb
Sauerkraut
Scallions
Sea Vegetables
Snap Peas
Snow peas
Spinach
Sprouts
Squash, Spaghetti
Squash, Summer
· Yellow
· Zucchini
Swiss Chard
Tomato
Tomato Juice
Turnip Greens
Vegetable Juice Cocktail
Water Chestnuts
Watercress
Wax Beans
Zucchini

FRUITS Lemon Lime

NUTS AND SEEDS (Limit to one serving per day as specified. Dry roasted recommended.)
Almonds - 15
Brazil Nuts - 4
Cashews - 15
Flax Seed - 3 TBS (1 oz)
Macadamia - 8
Peanut Butter, Natural, and other nut butters - 2 TBS
Peanuts, 20 small (May use dry roasted or boiled)
Pecans - 15
Pine Nuts (Pignolia) - 1 ounce
Pistachios - 30
Pumpkin Seeds - 3 TBS (1 oz)
Sesame Seeds - 3 TBS (1 oz)
Soy Nuts - 1/4 cup
Sunflower Seeds - 3 TBS (1 oz)
Walnuts - 15

FATS/OILS
The following monounsaturated oils are recommended to be consumed daily:
Oil, canola
Oil, olive
Other Oil Choices that may be chosen (Polyunsaturated or a blend of Monounsaturated):
Corn
Enova
Flax
Grapeseed
Peanut
Safflower
Sesame
Soybean
Sunflower

Other Fat Choices:
Avocado - 1/3 whole = 1 TBS oil
Guacamole - 1/2 cup = 1 TBS oil
Margarine - Chose those that do not contain Trans Fatty Acids such as Fleishmann's Premium Olive Oil, Smart Balance, or Brummel & Brown spread
Mayonnaise - Regular - 1 TBS
Mayonnaise - Low Fat - 2 TBS (avoid varieties made with sugars such as high fructose corn syrup)
Olives (Green or Ripe) 15 = 1/2 TBS oil
Salad Dressing - 2 TBS. Use those that contain 3 grams of sugar or less per 2 TBS. Best choices contain canola or olive oil. Low carb salad dressings may also be used if they meet these guidelines.

SEASONINGS AND CONDIMENTS

All spices that contain no added sugar
Broth
Espresso powder
Extracts (almond, vanilla, or others)
Horseradish sauce
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! Spray
Lemon Juice
Lime Juice
Pepper (black, cayenne, red, white)
Salsa (check labels for added sugar)
Use the following toppings and sauces sparingly (check labels for added sugar and MSG)
Cream Cheese, fat-free or light - 2 TBS
Hot Sauce
Low carb condiments (such as ketchup), as long as they meet South Beach guidelines (have no added fat and are sugar-free/contain no added sugar)
Miso - 1/2 TBS
Shoyu - 1/2 TBS
Sour Cream, light and reduced-fat - 2 TBS
Soy Sauce - 1/2 TBS
Steak Sauce - 1/2 TBS
Tamari
Worcestershire Sauce - 1 TBS
Whipped Topping, Light or Fat-Free - 2 TBS

SWEET TREATS (Limit to 75 calories per day)
Sweet treats are items that contain sugar alcohols, such as:
Candies, hard, sugar-free
Chocolate powder, no-added-sugar
Cocoa powder, baking type
Fudgsicles, no sugar added
Gelatin, sugar-free
Gum, sugar-free
James and jellies, sugar-free
Popsicles, sugar-free
Syrups, sugar-free
Whipped topping, light or fat-free - 2 TBS
Some Sugar Free Products may be made with sugar alcohols (isomalt, lactitol, mannitol, sorbitol or xylitol) and are permitted on the SBD. They may have associated side effects of GI distress (abdominal pain, diarrhea & gas) if consumed in excessive amount

SUGAR SUBSTITUTES
Acesulfame K
Fructose (needs to be counted as Sweet Treats, Caloric Limit)
Nutrasweet (Equal)
Saccharin (Sweet & Low)
Sucralose (Splenda)
Whey Low (contains lactose and fructose)

Note: Stevia was on the original list, but has been removed because it is not FDA-approved.

BEVERAGES
Decaf Coffee and Tea
Diet, decaffeinated, sugar-free sodas and drinks
Herbal teas (peppermint, chamomile, etc.)
Milk (1% or fat-free) and soymilk (low-fat plain). See Milk/Dairy list.
Sugar-free powdered drink mixes
Vegetable Juice
Note: caffeinated coffee or diet sodas with caffeine added are allowed, but limited to 1–2 servings per day.