Meal Plan Guidelines from SBD site - portion sizes, etc.

[CarolG]

Due to popular request (OK, it was one request, but it was Kimboroni ), I'm posting the current "How to Adapt your Meal Plan" guidelines from the official SBD site. These reflect the recent increase in recommended dairy products and an emphasis on including those yummy beans.

How to adapt your meal plan - Phase 1
The South Beach Dietâ„¢ is designed so that you can easily swap meals and ingredients. If you don't like eggs for breakfast, have low-fat cottage cheese or lean meat instead. Not a fish lover? Then choose lean beef or poultry. In Phase 1 of the diet, you can eat as many proteins and vegetables as you like, plus fats like olive oil. Fruit and starches aren't allowed until Phase 2. Here's a look at some general eating guidelines. For specific food choices, check out the Phase 1 Foods to Enjoy and Avoid list.

BREAKFAST
Protein: Quantity is not limited. Start with a 2 oz. portion, eat slowly, go back for seconds if still hungry.
Vegetables: Minimum 1/2 cup or 6-8 oz. tomato or vegetable juice.
Fruit: NONE
Starch: NONE
Milk/Dairy: 2 cups allowed daily (including yogurt)
Fat: 1 tsp mayonnaise, trans-free margarine, or oil (optional)

SNACK: Snacks are required. Choose a protein, vegetable, fat-free plain yogurt, or nuts/seeds. A snack that combines protein (1 oz.) and vegetables is encouraged.

LUNCH
Protein: Quantity is not limited. Start with a 3 oz. portion, eat slowly, go back for seconds if still hungry.
Vegetables: Minimum 2 cups. We encourage you to include a serving of beans (1/3-1/2 cup) as part of your vegetables.
Fruit: NONE
Starch: NONE
Milk/Dairy: 2 cups allowed daily (including yogurt)
Fat: 1 Tbsp mayonnaise, trans-free margarine or oil, or 2 Tbsp salad dressing

SNACK: Snacks are required. Choose a protein, vegetable, fat-free plain yogurt, or nuts/seeds. A snack that combines protein (1 oz.) and vegetables is encouraged.

DINNER
Protein: Quantity is not limited. Start with a 3 oz. portion, eat slowly, go back for seconds if still hungry.
Vegetables: Minimum 2 cups. We encourage you to include a serving of beans (1/3-1/2 cup) as part of your vegetables.
Fruit: NONE
Starch: NONE
Milk/Dairy: 2 cups allowed daily (including yogurt)
Fat: 1 Tbsp mayonnaise, trans-free margarine or oil, or 2 Tbsp salad dressing

DESSERT / EVENING SNACK: Desserts are optional. Enjoy a Sweet Treat or any of the snack choices.

BEVERAGES: Diet, decaffeinated, sugar-free drinks are not limited. You can enjoy caffeinated coffee or diet sodas with caffeine added, but limit to 1 - 2 servings per day.

How to adapt your meal plan - Phase 2
In Phase 2, you'll gradually begin to reintroduce healthy carbohydrates into your diet. Here's how to do it: Week one and two: Add in two good carb choices daily. We suggest you reintroduce fruit at lunch, dinner, or as a snack, but it's not the best choice first thing in the morning at breakfast. We recommend a high-fiber cereal for breakfast. Week three and four: move to four good carbs choices daily: 1-2 fruits and 1-2 starches. You can now eat anything from the Phase 1 Foods to Enjoy list list as well as items from the Phase 2 Foods to Reintroduce list.

BREAKFAST
Protein: Quantity is not limited. Start with a 2 oz. portion, eat slowly, go back for seconds if still hungry.
Vegetables: Minimum 1/2 cup or 6-8 oz. tomato or vegetable juice.
Fruit: 1 fruit serving allowed daily (with this meal or other). Gradually increase to 3 total servings for the day.
Starch: 1 starch serving allowed daily (with this meal or other). Gradually increase to 2 or 3 total servings for the day.
Milk/Dairy: 2-3 cups allowed daily (including yogurt)
Fat: 1 tsp mayonnaise, trans-free margarine, or oil (optional)

LUNCH
Protein: Quantity is not limited. Start with a 3 oz. portion, eat slowly, go back for seconds if still hungry.
Vegetables: Minimum 2 cups. We encourage you to include a serving of beans (1/3-1/2 cup) as part of your vegetables.
Fruit: 1 fruit serving allowed daily (with this meal or other). Gradually increase to 3 total servings for the day
Starch: 1 starch serving allowed daily (with this meal or other). Gradually increase to 2 or 3 total servings for the day.
Milk/Dairy: 2-3 cups allowed daily (including yogurt)
Fat: 1 Tbsp mayonnaise, trans-free margarine or oil, or 2 Tbsp salad dressing

DINNER
Protein: Quantity is not limited. Start with a 3 oz. portion, eat slowly, go back for seconds if still hungry.
Vegetables: Minimum 2 cups. We encourage you to include a serving of beans (1/3-1/2 cup) as part of your vegetables.
Fruit: 1 fruit serving allowed daily (with this meal or other). Gradually increase to 3 total servings for the day
Starch: 1 starch serving allowed daily (with this meal or other). Gradually increase to 2 or 3 total servings for the day.
Milk/Dairy: 2-3 cups allowed daily (including yogurt)
Fat: 1 Tbsp mayonnaise, trans-free margarine or oil, or 2 Tbsp salad dressing

SNACKS AND DESSERT: Snacks and dessert are optional. Choose a protein, vegetable, fat-free plain yogurt, artificially sweetened non-fat flavored yogurt, nuts/seeds, or a Sweet Treat. A snack that combines protein (1 oz.) and vegetables is encouraged.

BEVERAGES: Diet, decaffeinated, sugar-free drinks are not limited. You can enjoy caffeinated coffee or diet sodas with caffeine added, but limit to 1 - 2 servings per day.

How to adapt your meal plan - Phase 3
By the time you reach Phase 3, you'll know which starches and carbs you can eat without gaining weight, so you'll have already integrated them into your diet. You'll be eating normal foods in normal-size portions, sticking to the good carbs and good fats. There's no list of forbidden foods in Phase 3, however. In other words, if you want it, and it doesn't undo all your sacrifices, you should go ahead and enjoy it! Here's a look at general eating guidelines.

If you'd like to adapt some of your meals to exclude meat, simply choose protein sources such as beans, soy products, lower fat cheese, eggs and egg substitutes, and eat vegetables and nuts for snacks.

BREAKFAST
Protein: Quantity is not limited. Start with a 2 oz. portion, eat slowly, go back for seconds if still hungry.
Vegetables: Minimum 1/2 cup or 6-8 oz. tomato or vegetable juice.
Fruit: 3 fruit servings allowed daily.
Starch: 3 to 4 starch servings allowed daily.
Milk/Dairy: 2-3 cups allowed daily (including yogurt)
Fat: 1 tsp mayonnaise, trans-free margarine, or oil (optional)

LUNCH
Protein: Quantity is not limited. Start with a 3 oz. portion, eat slowly, go back for seconds if still hungry.
Vegetables: Minimum 2 cups. We encourage you to include a serving of beans (1/3-1/2 cup) as part of your vegetables.
Fruit: 3 fruit servings allowed daily.
Starch: 3 to 4 starch servings allowed daily.
Milk/Dairy: 2-3 cups allowed daily (including yogurt)
Fat: 1 Tbsp mayonnaise, trans-free margarine or oil, or 2 Tbsp salad dressing

DINNER
Protein: Quantity is not limited. Start with a 3 oz. portion, eat slowly, go back for seconds if still hungry.
Vegetables: Minimum 2 cups. We encourage you to include a serving of beans (1/3-1/2 cup) as part of your vegetables.
Fruit: 3 fruit servings allowed daily.
Starch: 3 to 4 starch servings allowed daily.
Milk/Dairy: 2-3 cups allowed daily (including yogurt)
Fat: 1 Tbsp mayonnaise, trans-free margarine or oil, or 2 Tbsp salad dressing

SNACKS AND DESSERT: Snacks and dessert are optional. Choose a protein, vegetable, fat-free plain yogurt, artificially sweetened non-fat flavored yogurt, nuts/seeds, or a Sweet Treat. A snack that combines protein (1 oz.) and vegetables is encouraged.

BEVERAGES: Diet, decaffeinated, sugar-free drinks are not limited. You can enjoy caffeinated coffee or diet sodas with caffeine added, but limit to 1 - 2 servings per day.

[LyndaB]

Hey, I just spied this thread. Thank you so much for posting it. I'm going to print it out and hang it on the fridge. Very helpful!

[Kimboroni]

Thank you, Carol! It's nice how specific they're getting-- this new one contains more details than ever.

I just wanted to make a few notes about some inconsistencies as well as my own experience with SB over the past year:

• Snacks and dessert-- They strangely don't include fruits and grains in the list of possible snack foods in phases 2 and 3, although this is clearly consistent with the diet-- it's often recommended in the book's meal plans to have a serving of fruit or grain with a "sugar stopper" like a little nuts or cheese.
  
• So much food!-- I'm up to 3 fruits and 3 grains daily, and there's no way I can eat 2 cups of vegetables with every lunch and dinner plus all of those daily fruits and grains just in meals alone. It is important to integrate those more carb-dense foods while also eating a good number of veggies, so I work much of my fruits and grains into snacks.
  
  Also, I've noticed that if I have a grain in a meal, I just don't have room for 2 cups of veggies as well, so I eat maybe ½ to 1 cup-- I'm still getting in good carbs, so it seems okay. I do try to keep one daily p1 meal so I can eat a lot of veggies in that meal.
  
  If you're a small person, you might not be physically able to eat 2 cups of veggies and 3 oz of protein, so try to keep that proportion, like maybe 2 oz of protein and 1½ cups of veggies. One isn't more important than the other. Or if you're a large person, don't eat a 12 oz steak and only the minimum 2 cups of veggies. The veggies should be increased as well to maintain the balance.
  
• Veggies with breakfast-- In p1, veggies with breakfast are quite crucial, since your opportunities for good carbs are lessened. However, in p2 and on, the book's meal plans only have you eat vegetables with breakfast when you don't eat fruit in that meal, so that's what I've been doing all along-- as long as you're eating some good carbs, that's the most important thing.
  
• Wait... the book says not to count or measure anything-- Yes, he does say that you don't have to weigh portions, but he also says to eat balanced meals of fats, carbs, and proteins. In a perfect world, we would all know exactly what he means by that and be able to follow that loose instruction. But it isn't, so we can't. That's where a breakdown like this is so helpful.
  
  There is also often residual influence from other diets that we've done or heard about, like low-carb or low-fat. Because of this, sometimes people get confused and think they aren't supposed to eat any veggies, or they avoid good fats and use a fat-free salad dressing. This breakdown is a great way to see that it isn't low-carb, low-fat, high-fat, or high-protein, but moderate carb, moderate fat, and moderate protein. Probably the bulk of our foods will be carbs, but the right carbs tend to be lower in calories. That's part of why SB works so well-- choose the right foods, and you eat less calories without being hungry and without counting calories.

DISCLAIMER: CarolG's post represents the official word from the SB camp, but this post of mine represents my own observations, opinions, and suggestions from personal experience and what I see in the book. Please take them as such.

-------------------

This also looks like a good place to tackle that burning question, "How much fat, protein, and carbohydrate should I be eating each day?" People often come from a site like Fitday.com with a pie chart of their intake and percentages, wondering what it should look like. There really isn't a straight SB answer for this. Here's one that I found:

Q: In your book, you seem to have steered clear of counting carbs, but can you recommend a desirable daily percentage for Phase 2 and beyond?

Dr. Agatson: There are societies that are very successful with low heart attack, low stroke, and low cancer rates with quite variable amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. For instance, the Greenland Eskimos and the Greeks traditionally consume very high fat and low carbohydrate foods but are free from the chronic diseases that plague Western countries. Other societies such as those in the Chinese countryside have high carbohydrate intake and low fat yet also do very well. The question is not the amount but the types of carbohydrates and fats consumed. That is why we do not count grams of carbohydrates on the South Beach Diet.

But, let's face it, people like having limits and making charts and graphs, so I thought I'd collect some info from other sources to at least give people an idea what to strive for, if they're into that sort of thing. SB isn't about tracking every bite, but it can be helpful to enter your foods into a site like Fitday.com every few months or so just to see the overall picture.

I wouldn't try to worry about most of this in Phase 1, which is a very temporary eating style, and the proportions will be much different once you become established in a Phase 2 and 3 eating style that includes a lot more carbs.

Fat

The newest US guidelines have this to say about fat:

• Keep total fat intake between 20 to 35 percent of calories
• Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fats
• Keep consumption of trans fats (partially hydrogenated oils) as low as possible-- this one is very important in all phases for overall health
• Most fats should be from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats (fish, nuts, olive or canola oil, olives, avocado, etc.)

Protein
Harvard's Nutrition Source says this about protein:

"We know that adults need a minimum of 1 gram of protein for every kilogram of body weight per day to keep from slowly breaking down their own tissues. That's about 9 grams of protein for every 20 pounds."

140 lbs-- 63 g of protein
180 lbs-- 81 g of protein
220 lbs-- 99 g of protein
260 lbs-- 117 g of protein
and so on

Keep in mind that this is the number of grams of dietary protein, not the grams of a portion of animal protein, which includes water, fat, and other components in addition to the dietary protein to make up its total weight. For instance, a 3 oz skinless chicken breast half contains 27 g (about 1 oz) of dietary protein. When the guidelines CarolG posted above say to "start with 3 oz of protein," they mean a 3 oz portion of protein-bearing food (like the chicken breast half), not 3 oz of dietary protein.



Carbohydrate

Many sources (such as this US guidelines page) say that the brain needs a minimum of 130 g of carbohydrate daily in order to function properly. Of course, they question this claim at Atkins.com. Who knows what the truth is. On SB, we know that we do need good carbs, and 130 g can easily be done on Phase 2 and Phase 3, such as with the following daily intake of healthy carbohydrate-bearing foods:

2 cups skim milk
1 cup plain yogurt
½ cup dry old-fashioned oatmeal
1 oz Triscuit Thin Crisps
1 Smoked Chicken Salad w/ Raspberry-Balsamic Vinaigrette (SBD cookbook)
1 medium apple
2 Tbsp hummus
2 Tbsp natural peanut butter
1 serving of Roasted Veggies (original SBD book)
½ cup black beans
portion of protein for dinner

The above, with only 2 fruits and 2 grains, is about 150 g of carbohydrates (not including fiber). So it's easy to surpass the 130 g minimum with a balanced diet as recommended by Phases 2 and 3.

Summary

Hopefully, this gives you charters and graphers an idea of what numbers to look for. I'd imagine, though, that following the rough guidelines in CarolG's post would result in pretty much the same outcome as the numbers seen above.

[LyndaB]

Kimboroni, thanks so much for adding your personal experience on this. I think this material is crucial, especially for someone like me with the intent of going full speed ahead after this week (I'm still on the beach but am not monitoring my journal with my meals and weight to give myself a mental break and relieve some stress).

All of this information will really help me to focus and strategize. Thanks again to both you and Carol for providing this.

[audreyh1]

Kimboroni:

I'm so glad you presented some of your personal opinions on the meal plan guidelines. There were definitely a couple of places where I felt the recommendations were "off".

- Fruit should so DEFINITELY be considered for a snack. I was kind of shocked that it was so overlooked. People how are a little more "carb sensitive" can always have some cheese or peanut butter with their fruit if they don't want to eat pure carb for a snack.

- Veggies at breakfast. I too consider this an option in Phase 2 and beyond AS LONG AS you are having fruit with breakfast. With fruit you are getting the good carbs and fiber that vegetables provide in Phase 1.

- As for the 2 cups of veggies. Well I always interpreted that as 2 cups of raw veggies (like a salad). Normally, 1 cup of raw veggie is considered a serving, and 1/2 cup of cooked veggies a serving. So I always interpreted "2 cups" to actually mean 2 servings, because 2 cups of cooked veggies is way too much. When I look at it that way I do manage 1 protein, 1 grain, and 2 servings of veggies at a meal no problem.

And of course, I wish SBD would emphasize fruit for dessert. Actually, many of the Phase 2 meal plans do include fruit as at least part of the dessert. But it's never reinforced and I notice a lot of people continue on with their Phase 1 desserts into Phase 2. I wish they made a blanket statement "Now that you are in Phase 2, consider using fruit to satisfy your sweet tooth instead of using artificially sweetened treats".

By the way - have you ever noticed how in Phase 3 menus, the often have oatmeal AND and egg for breakfast? Wow - there is no way I can have that much for breakfast. It's one or the other for me.

Audrey

[Kimboroni]

I totally agree, Audrey-- 2 cups of veggies should be a raw measurement. They do cook down quite a bit, especially when roasted. And I love fruit for dessert.

Maybe the bigger breakfasts are to make up for the lack of snacks (since they become optional), but I'd personally need to keep the breakfast a normal size and still have my snacks for blood sugar control.

[bethwy]

It must be kismet! I am starting tomorrow and what a wonderful guide this is. Thanks CarolG!

What are some suggestions for breakfast veggies? I know we can have anything, but I am not sure I could handle cabbage or other things in the am. I love eggs and suppose I could make some omelets or something. I really like eggs just fried or soft boiled.

I am excited to start on this new way of life and eating.

[audreyh1]

Yes Kimboroni - I noticed the Phase 3 meal plans said you don't need snacks now because you are eating bigger meals. But I'm NOT eating bigger meals in Phase 3. It makes more sense to me to eat modest meals and keep the snacks.

You need blood sugar management even when you are maintaining your weight - so snacks still play a valuable role.

By the way - I didn't finish my thought on veggies at breakfast above. I just edited the post above to finish that sentence.

Audrey

[vickil]

This IS nice, isn't it? Sometimes I forget to read the Stickies and don't realize when they are updated. If all the newbies (and oldies) would read this, it'd help them a lot!

Bethwy - suggestions for breakfast veggies: onions, peppers, celery, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach cooked into eggs or quiche; zucchini "hash browns"; or a small can of V8.

[judi]

all those veggies suggested above are great! i usually sautee a handful of mushrooms and then either make an omelet or eat them beside my eggs. the breakfast quiche cups suggest you include spinach but i really don't like them with spinach; i use frozen (thawed) broccoli instead. since i love broccoli, i find that if i keep a bag of the cut broccoli in the freezer, i can zap a half cup in just a minute and include it with my eggs or just eat it on the side. and i LOVE the zucchini hash browns (i just grate the zucchini and mix it with an egg and a bit of parmesan cheese; iirc, the original recipe was somewhat more complicated than that, but my way's easier and tastes the same!)

also, beans are good in the morning too, and count as veggies.

this is a fabulous thread; thanks so much for posting it! it really helps to have it all spelled out this way. and i agree with the subsequent comments, especially about why they don't suggest fruit for dessert instead of all those sugar-free products!

[wrknfool]

Can anyone give me an idea of like:
What to eat for breakfast?
Lunch?
Supper?
All in phase one...
I am not good at eatting consistant meals...so I need help with that terribly!

[judi]

breakfast: omelette or quiche cups with eggs, lf cheese (small amount) and veggies

lunch: grilled chicken, small salad, veggies or beans (or if veggies aren't available, make a larger salad)

dinner possibilities: 1) chili with very lean gr. beef, beans, no-sugar tomato sauce
2) chicken cacciatore with no-sugar spaghetti sauce, peppers, and onions (no pasta in P1)
3) lean pork with sauerkraut

veggies and salads with all

[LisaB]

By the way - have you ever noticed how in Phase 3 menus, the often have oatmeal AND and egg for breakfast? Wow - there is no way I can have that much for breakfast. It's one or the other for me.

Same with me..both are too much ... BUT I wonder if the reasoning behind that is to combine the protein with the carb....I re-read the book yesterday to refresh for the New Year and it reminded me about eating a fat or protein with a carb to slow the digestion and not spike the blood sugar....??

Lisa

[Squzer]

HI, this thread is great.

I am just starting SBD tomorrow. I really want to be sucessful and in making my menu for the week (I will fail if I don't plan ahead- I know me) I am having some difficulty planning snacks. Could really use some help in that area.

Thank you

[babice]

bumping