South Beach Diet - Has Anyone Tried It and Successfully Lost Weight?

Yes, I have tried it. Before I got pregnant with my daughter I went on it for the first time and lost 12 pounds in 3 weeks. The great thing was that it stayed off too until I was 5.5 months pregnant. I see it as a lifestyle change rather than a diet.

My husband and I tend to get back on the wagon after the winter comfort food months and do the south beach to start eating healthier. We just did it again and in 2 weeks I lost 6 pounds. I am continuing to eat healty and lose the weight. I love it! It is the only "diet" that I can actually say has ever worked for me.

If you want to lose only 8 pounds it would be great for you because it really helps the last few pounds come off and it tends to fall off around the stomach area first, at least for me it has.

I'm another living testimony of the South Beach! I lost almost 50 lbs. after my daughter was born! If you can be strict with yourself...it will work. I think that's the key. You can "choose" to follow to the plan some days and "slip" for a week in between. But if you're dedicated to loosing weight...it will work! And it is healthy, It has changed the way I look at food even today.

I'm now 8 months pregnant, and still follow a lot of the same principles, but will be going back on it full force after my son is born to help shed some of these pounds.

Good luck! And I promise.....if you truely want to loose weight....and FEEL healthier, this is the diet! It's amazing, trust me!

YES, South Beach Diet works!!
I went on it a few years ago because I was going to be in a wedding and wanted to lose 20lbs. Well I ended up dropping 30 with no problem. The only thing is as soon as you stray from the diet at all you gain the weight back in your belly.
Although once you get the hang of the diet it is easy to go back on. It's more of a lifestyle than a short-term diet.

The way it works is in three stages.
The 1st stages lasts 2 weeks and it's a body detox. You are really limited to what you can eat. It's the hardest part. You may very well lose all 8lbs in this stage.
The 2nd stage I think last 1 month and you start to introduce more foods. When you get to this stage it's like heaven in comparison to stage 1. I ended up staying on this stage for longer than recomended because it was easy and I was losing a lot of weight.
Stage 3 introduces how you make the diet a lifestyle and how to cook and even how to order when you dine out.
If you're going to do it be sure to get the book, it has lots of recipies and gives you lists of food you can eat in each stage. It was like my bible when I first started. I even made copies of the lists of foods I could have for each stage and kept them in my purse or pocket in case I was out eating or went to the store.

Good Luck
Steph

Hi R..

I did the South Beach Diet two years ago after my first baby was born. She was six months old and I was finished with breastfeeding, so I was definitley ready for the pounds to come off by then! I lost 11 pounds in the first two weeks, and another four in the six weeks to follow. I would suggest buying the book and reading it through. It will give you a really good idea of what the diet is all about. It is a VERY well balanced diet and the strictest part is only two weeks long. I bought the South Beach Diet 30 Minute cookbook too, and I use that to plan out meals in advance. I actually end up saving money at the grocery store because I have started planning meals in order to make the diet easier to stick with.

Here's a note about something another mom said about the diet: It's not very often that you eat or use artifical sweeteners. Sweeteners aren't gas-causers. I did have to run out and buy gas-x the first week I was on the diet because of all the vegetables/fiber I was eating. It was actually a good thing. My body wasn't used to all those veggies! Most people get gassy with a lot of fiber.

I am currently doing the diet again, though I am breastfeeding, so the weight isn't dropping off like it did the first time. If you are breastfeeding it's suggested you start with phase two of the diet. It is also said that the diet is the most effective the first time you do it. Even if you just adopt some of the principles from the diet after you've lost the weight, then you shouldn't have a problem keeping the weight off.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any more questions.
J.

I LOVE the South Beach Diet. I asked my OB-GYN about it, and she said that's how she would ask me to eat while pregnant, anyway. My husband and I started it last January and have stuck to it. He's lost 20+ pounds and I've lost 18. One hint that makes it easier to follow is to purge your house of all of the food you're not allowed to have, so it's impossible to cheat. Another tip is to get the cookbooks from the library. It will help you come up with meals that follow the plan while you get used to it. I also posted the food list on the fridge for easy reference. My husband likes to tell people that he was amazed how good the food was on South Beach!

I find that I don't feel so tired in the afternoons, I don't give in to food cravings, and I have a flatter stomach. I feel healthier, and look better too.

Hi R.,

Yes, it works if you are strict with yourself. My husband and I both lost a lot of weight on it. In 6 months, he lost 60 pounds and I lost 40. I'd be happy to help you out, give you some great recipes (most of the ones in the book are not practical), etc. Give me a call: ###-###-####.

Just going to throw this out there.

Is it possible that, if you wereactive during your pregnancy, you gained muscle that won't budge?

Can't lose it because it is healthy, heavier muscle?

Maybe, just maybe, you look and feel healthier? I don't know.
Maybe I am justifyint my inability to get down to my pre-pregnancy weight od 97!

Sounds like you are doing the best things though. Good luck to you.

A

my mom was on this diet for a while and lost a little weight but then she came off of it to try something else then went back to it and didn't lose anything but here is the big thing it is all about no sugars so they want you to use artificial sweeteners which are poisonous and many people expierance bad cramping diarea bloating and gas. so you really want to be careful and I have heard that splenda isn't all that great either. I have heard that the zone diet works really well but most of the recipes are not practical at all but he tells you to stay away from artificial sweeteners. good luck I am try a green tea and spicey food diet and I have lost about 10 lbs but I have been slacking.

Hey, I just wanted to say that I've been hearing all sorts of things lately about cutting out trans fats. I know this isn't South Beach talk, and I'm sorry, but I really think the South Beach follows some of that from what I've heard of it. Brown rice, (no simple sugars) stay away from anything hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated. That's easy to say, not so easy to do, and not cheap.
Check your labels well, and btw, it sounds like you've done well so far. I hope you find what works for you.

I had a friend who tried it and didn't like it. I am partial to Weight Watchers. You get to eat real food (even pizza) and the weight really comes off. It worked for me. Got rid of those last few baby pounds.

S. p

What have you done to lose weight? My daughter is now 4 months (and she is my 4th baby) and I would like to lose about 15-20 pounds (I'm at 128 now...) and I feel like I've tried eating better, I've tried eating less, and starved myself, changed to diet soda...I don't get much excercise so what did you do to lose the weight?