South Beach Diet Mistakes to Avoid

The South Beach Diet has become one of the most popular diet plans available, hitting the top of the bestseller list season after season. It's a low-carb plan designed to provide nutritious, well-balanced meals for anyone interested in losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It's not as extreme as the Atkins diet and doesn't follow the high-carbohydrate plan of the American Heart Association's recommendations, but new dieters can run into problems during each phase. It's easy to make mistakes on the diet because a few rigid rules such as no dairy during phase one, and sticking with a carb-restricting diet. Here are just a few South Beach Diet mistakes to avoid:

1. Avoiding seafood and lean meat during Phase 1. Since this is the strictest part of the diet program, dieters are encouraged to eat three balanced meals per day that include lean proteins. Lean protein is essential for strength and energy and can be easily combined with vegetables and some fruits.

2. Skipping meals. The South Beach Diet does not require dieters to skip meals, but encourages three balanced meals and at least two snacks per day to keep energy levels in check. Skipping meals can easily lead to a diet disaster, and the easiest way to overcome the challenge is to plan ahead and prepare meals and snacks ahead of time.

3. Eating oatmeal and cereal during Phase 1. Phase 1 eliminates virtually all complex carbohydrates, and it's easy to forget oatmeal is on the ‘do not eat' list here. Breakfast should be comprised of eggs and lean meat instead of cereals and grains, and this can be a challenge for many people.

4. Eliminating dairy completely. Phase 1 is designed to be the strictest phase of the diet, but Phase 2 allows for low-fat and fat-free dairy products. Phase 2 also introduces whole grain starches and a few high-fiber carbohydrates such as oatmeal.

5. Eating a banana. Bananas are on the ‘eat sparingly' list in Phase 2, and are generally discouraged throughout the diet. Even during the maintenance stages of Phase 3, bananas need to be kept at bay.

6. Skipping the gym. While the South Beach Diet offers many opportunities to lose weight, exercising at least 20 minutes per day is recommended. The South Beach Diet, combined with a simple weight training and cardio routine is all it takes to keep up with a healthy lifestyle.
About The South Beach Diet

The South Beach Diet has been on the bestsellers list for over four years, and continues to draw a large following of dieters interested in changing their lifestyle and moving into healthier territory. The South Beach Diet is witten by Dr. Arthur Agatston, a cardiologist who believes that a low carbohydrate diet is the best approach to losing pounds fast, as well as maintainng a healthy weight for a lifetime. While some people consider it another ‘fad' diet, others are certain that the plan works and is valuable for life. The plan is divided into three phases; an induction phase, a weight loss phase, and a maintenance phase so dieters aren't jumping straight into drastic changes as they set out. Overall, the diet plan offers many easy-to-prepare recipes and a simple outline of what foods are allowed during each phase. Dieters of all ages can make some valuable changes by following the principles of The South Beach Diet and adapting them to fit their lifestyle.