South Beach Diet Phase 2

South Beach Diet Phase 2

Phase 2 of the South Beach diet takes place two weeks after the first phase. Many individuals are very happy to reach that two week bench mark. They are ready to add some items back into their diet. In phase 2 of the diet plan a person can eat some fresh fruits, whole grains, and more dairy products. The portions of them have to be very small though in order to keep the glycemic index low. 

It is very important to think logically about meals as you enter phase 2. Some individuals feel the urge to splurge all the time after all the restrictions from phase 1. Yet if you give into them you will counter all the efforts you put into phase 1. You may gain some of the weight you lost back and that will be discouraging.

Slowly add whole grains and fresh fruits into your diet plan at this stage. It is important to understand that doing so is going to slow down your rate of weight loss. Yet adding these items is very important. They will help keep your heart healthy, increase your energy level, and ensure your body is getting all of the essential vitamins and nutrients that it needs.

You will really need to monitor how much of these items you can introduce in phase 2 of the South Beach diet. That amount is different for everyone so some experimentation is in order. You need to find the balance between enough for your to continue losing weight yet not enough for you to hit a plateau. Be patient as you figure this out and don’t give up on your weight loss efforts.

It is a very good idea to increase your level of physical activity as you move into phase 2 of the South Beach diet. You want to be able to continue losing weight at a good rate. The increased activity will help you to burn more fat than before. This is a great way to continue getting into shape both physically and mentally. If you started out phase 1 with very little physical activity you should be adding more time to the workout anyway by this point.

As a word of caution, some individuals are tempted to stay in phase 1 for more than two weeks. They do so in order to try to lose more weight faster than before. Yet doing so can be very stressful on your heart. Any diet plan including the South Beach diet needs to be something you consider for the long term benefits. You want your weight loss to be at a slow but constant pace. This will give you the best chance of keeping it off than if you lose it all rapidly.

Most individuals who have tried the South Beach diet say phase 2 is very simple for them. They have gotten used to the food guidelines from phase 1 by this time. They have stopped craving sweets as often too which helps them stay on track. They are also seeing the results of their efforts. That is enough to prevent them from backsliding and they continue to pursue doing all they can to lose weight and to get healthy again.

Phase 2 of the South Beach diet has no specific time frame. This is because a person needs to stay here until they have reached their goal weight. That will be different for each of us. Once that goal is reached though a move to phase 3 occurs. This is to ensure the person doesn’t gain their weight back.