Keeping with the theme of restrictive eating, I’m going to do a few posts about people’s first hand dieting experiences. To kick it off, I’ll take a look at The South Beach Diet, and ask a few questions to a former dieter.
First, a recap:
“Phase One lasts two weeks, and excludes most carbohydrates, including all fruit, most dairy products, and most sources of saturated fat. Phase Two lasts until the dieter has completed weight loss. Phase Three is maintenance. Carbohydrate is progressively added after the first phase. As dieters proceed through the phases, they add more carbohydrate, focusing on foods with a low glycemic index. All the while they are monitoring their weight and staying at a carb level where they are still losing. At Phase Three, individuals are eating at a carb level which allows them to maintain their weight, though they are encouraged to go back and forth between phases as needed.”
Sarah Nelson is a 23-year-old college student who gave the South Beach Diet a try with her mother a few years ago.
What did you find to be the most difficult part of the diet?
Getting through phase 1 is difficult. You don’t eat any carbs or sugars, including fruit! I had headaches here and there, and my energy was down, but it was my body readjusting, and by the third week, you don’t crave those things anymore and you function normally.
Did you see results? How long did it take you to achieve them?
I definitely saw results, maybe after the first month, my clothes weren’t as tight and my spirit and energy levels were up. I felt really good about myself, which, I think, is the most important part of a diet.
Did you exercise in addition to the diet?
I did exercise while I was on the diet. My mom joined Curves, and I thought I’d come along and try it out. I even got one of my good friends to come with me. It was fun. I’d also take my dog walking more regularly and taking mini-day hikes in an aboretum.
What happened when you went off the diet?
College happened, and I had to figure out meals on my own since my mom wasn’t buying groceries for me anymore. I did gain back weight, but I kept exercising and I never went back to the tight-clothes feeling. I just feel bleg most of the time because I’m not eating as well as I did.
How did you feel about your experience overall? Would you recommend the diet to others?
I was happy with it. It can be pretty expensive and inconvenient. But hopefully, when I’m no longer in school I can make a better routine for myself. I would recommend it to others, and I’m pretty sure I have in the past. I should really get back on it. If anything it teaches you how to make better choices in what you eat and how you can sustain that healthy eating throughout your life.
What do you guys think about low carb diets? Have you ever tried the South Beach Diet or one similar?
Yes about 5 years ago. The first one i did was also S.B. I had succsess and lost about 30 lbs in 3 months but struggled to keep it off in the intervening years because of lifelong habits and to be honest I do like my beer. The book that realy turned things around for me is not a “diet” book but an exhaustive look at the science of why humans become obese. It’s called “Good Calories, Bad Calories” by NYT science writer Gary Taubes and it changed my life. That and becoming steeped in the open-source culture of the paleolithic-nutrition and evolutionary-fitness blogosphere has helped me lose/maintain weight, become stronger and set higher standards for food and lifestyle. I still enjoy beer but much less often.