Hello everyone,

Just found this website after searching for a support group before I try the South Beach Diet. Have been "trying" to do Atkins since September, 2003. Started out fine, but for last two months have gained back the few pounds I lost and cannot seem to get back down again. Probably too many low carb processed foods; i.e. Atkins Endulge bars, low carb ice cream, etc. I'm still eating low carb but indulge in a low carb snack at least once per day. I think SB sounds much more healthy. I bought the book, but have just scanned it for now. Is anyone succeeding on this diet without preparing all the meals suggested in the different phases? I really hate to cook all the time, and need good ideas for fast food choices, and taking food to work for breakfast/lunch. And, now to begin Phase I... Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Welcome to The Beach.
There is absolutely no need to prepare the meals suggested in the book. They are sample meal plans only. Just select your foods from the allowed list and you will be fine. Read the book thoroughly and check out the FAQ section for ideas and answers.

I usually cook breakfast because I have eggs and stuff which really needs to be prepared fresh. While they are cooking I make a salad for lunch and have that with tuna/salmon or fat free deli meats which don't require any preparation. Sometimes I make a dinner salad at the same time and leave it in the fridge for that night. At night I just need to grill, bake or panfry some lean meat, chicken or fish to go with the prepared salad. Otherwise I cook vegies fresh. I take low fat yogurt and nuts for snacks. You could also take cheese sticks, hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, raw vegie sticks or make up a batch of vegie cups and freeze them.

This way I cook and prepare meals in the morning then quickly do some meat at night. I buy seasonings to add a bit of variety to the meat but am finding that if you vary your salad ingredients and vegetables this isn't that big a deal.

I am waking earlier and feeling more energetic with the increased fitness and weight loss so find it no problem getting up 20 minutes earlier to do this. It was a hassle for the first week but now I'm in the routine of doing it.

Hey New to the beach welcome aboard! I never go by the meal planner in the book.

Well this is just my first day but I just used the meal planner in the book as an idea of what all I could fix for me and my family. Tonight for instance we had black bean taco salads (minus the shell/chips for me)....I had black beans, lettuce, tomoto, onion, sour cream, salsa, shredded cheese, avacodo, cilantro, and black olives on mine. I made some bean/beef chili for tomorrow.

Skinnymini
185/181/150