It’s been 12 years since we took our first steps onto South Beach. Life has changed a bit and we’ve put a lot of miles on these old bones…as well as a few pounds. And so, in 2010 Rangers vernacular, “It’s Time.”
Time to head back to the beach.
With all the other diet options out there, why South Beach? Here’s our top 5:
- You use REAL food. Not some pre-packaged, delivered-to-your-door, can’t-replicate-this-at-home meal plan. Not jars of powder or supplements or pills. South Beach takes the healthy food that’s probably already in your pantry and refrigerator and teaches you how to prepare it and serve it in a way that is good for your body AND your taste buds.
- You use REGULAR food. I’m not afraid to try new things, but I do like to cook with what is familiar. I’m not big on experimenting in the kitchen. South Beach lets me use food I know and enjoy – basic food like eggs and cheese and celery and spinach and mushrooms and peppers and onions and ground beef and chicken breasts – to create meals that are delicious and healthful. I don’t have to scour the grocery store for odd items or shop at specialty boutique stores to get what I need, which also helps keep my pocketbook happy.
- You learn how to eat for life. The truth is, South Beach isn’t *just* a diet. It’s a lifestyle. The ultimate intent is to train your body and mind to crave the good stuff rather than the junk, and to develop eating habits that keep your body – and your waistline – in tiptop shape. I love that whatever meals I prepare or snacks I eat on Phase 1 or Phase 2 I can prepare and eat any day thereafter, because it’s all good for me.
- It was recommended to us by Matt’s oncology nutritionist as the most balanced, most healthful eating program available…once you get to the maintenance phase. I figure if a medical professional – whose full-time job is all about helping sick people eat well during treatment – says it’s the best, then it’s the best. Phase 1 is a reset – two weeks of allowing your body to rid itself of the toxins you’ve ingested through processed foods, bad fats, and WAY too much refined flour and sugar, and giving your body time to start working the way it’s supposed to – which is why it is so restrictive. From that point on, the focus is on using good carbs and good fats in tandem with lean proteins to provide your body with the best nutrition possible from a wide variety of sources. And while there are still certain restrictions in Phase 2, there are still plenty of choices to keep your palate from becoming bored.
- It works. Between August 1, 2008 and October 31, 2008, I lost 28 pounds. Matt lost 30. In March, 2010, I added running into the mix and lost 10 more pounds, virtually instantly. And kept it off for the next 5 years. While I have gained significant weight in the past 5 years, the fault is due more to my own choice to stray from the plan coupled with some medical complications and injuries rather than a failing of South Beach itself.
They say the journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step. I guess in South Beach speak, that would translate to “the loss of 1,000 pounds begins with Day 1”. Okay, so maybe it’s not 1,000 pounds but our goals are significant and ambitious:
Matt – 20
Debbi – 48
Crisana – she’d really *like* to lose 100, but more realistically about 70
I’ll spare you the gory details of the “before” picture for now, but I’m sure it will pop up now and again in progress updates. Surf’s up!