Like do you use regular cheeses and dark meat poultry, etc?

Regular cheeses and some cuts of meats that are higher in fat are just more budget-friendly.

Anyone having success just eating regular cuts/regular cheeses but following the South Beach structure?

I was reading an interview with Kalyn Denny who has a South Beach recipe blog, and she said she sometimes eat higher fat foods, following the spirit of the diet instead of the letter of the law. What do you think?

I do. I don't generally like the idea of low-fat milks, cheese, yoghurt and such. I like my food simple and natural, not over processed, even if the processing is only to get rid of fat.

Bearing in mind the diet was originally prescribed to people suffering of heart conditions, and I'm (as far as I know) perfectly healthy when it comes to this, I eat regular cheese and pretty much any meat (though I have always preferred chicken and fish). I am mindful of the portion size, and I never actually fry my food, so in this respect I don't really overdo my fat intake. I've been losing weight slowly but steadily.

Thank you so much for answering. I'm going to do the same, mainly because of budget reasons.

I think if I eat reasonably, I'll do ok, and slow weight loss doesn't bother me at all.

You can trim a lot of the fat from meats, even dark cuts. In terms of cheese, I generally eat regular cheese but I don't eat it all that much. With oils I'm just moderate but always try to use olive or canola if possible. However I'm sort of maintaining (at least right now) so weight loss is not a priority for me; healthy living is. You can buy very inexpensive cuts of meat and cook them in the crock pot and they will tenderize. It's all trial and error.

I do in many instances. I'd rather have a smidge less of full fat cheese or the extra 20-30 calories than get the low fat stuff. I'm not heavy on meat anyway, and really...dark meat is good for you in moderation (well, they say that for athletes...). I guess if you have a problem, you may need to do portion control so you don't overdo it. I have a bigger problem spending too much on vegetables .

Thanks for the feedback! Yeah, I'll feel a whole less neurotic not having to worry about all the fat in food. I'm definitely going to stick to the structure of SB though -no sugars or starches in Phase 1.

Yep, I think the important thing is no sugars/starches. I do sort of a hybrid of South Beach/Atkins diet, and I eat plenty of fat and have been losing about 2 pounds a week. Fat fills me up so well!

I think a balance of lean and higher fat meats and cheese would be acceptable if you find you are dropping weight and inches. For instance,
I try to buy lean meat and lower fat cheese when I can but will balance it out by eating higher fat sausages and bacon now and then. I buy string cheese to snack on which is reduced fat but I buy sharp cheddar cheese and only shave a small amount to put on an omelet.