My South Beach Myth List

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[calluna]

Okay, I thought of another one...

I don't know if I'll be able to do this because I love bread/pasta/pizza/etc. and don't want to have to give it up forever.

Okay, maybe that's not exactly a myth per se, but it's something I feel like I see a lot. First of all, it's important to consider whether you're really ready to start making some changes in your diet before you start SBD (or any other plan, for that matter). If you say, "I'm going to do SBD but still have three beers a night plus as much pizza as I want on weekends" (or whatever), you're setting yourself up for failure. You have to be willing and ready to commit to some real changes. You're going to get out of this what you put into it.

On the other hand, it's not like you'll *never, ever, ever* be able to have a beer or a slice of pizza again in your life. It may have to be once in a while, or you may have to switch to whole wheat crust pizza with low-fat cheese most of the time, but this WOE isn't about harsh deprivation. It's about learning how to have a balanced diet, eat the right foods in the right amounts, and make those indulgences a treat instead of a daily occurrence. And on the bright side, most people who really stick with it find that they lose a lot of the desire to have those off-limits foods after a while. But if you come in with a rigid "can't-do" attitude, you may be stymieing yourself before you even start.

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[KathyG]

I forget who it is that keeps saying this is a "live-it" not a "diet", but while cute, it also really captures an important concept.

I think I remember Babice saying this. Oh wise Babice!

[babice]

Avoiding Expensive Diet Gimmicks
(Published 2/2/05) Trying to save money while dieting? The surest way to spend big bucks is to allow yourself to be taken in by expensive gimmicks. With an abundance of fad diets and products on the market, confusion is enemy number one for your wallet. Here are a few to watch out for:

1. Deceptive labeling. The term “low-carb” is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), yet manufacturers have found sneaky ways to use it on food packaging. Terms like “carb smart,” “carb friendly,” and “carb aware” are all unregulated, and are virtually meaningless for dieters. Until the FDA sets guidelines for the use of these terms, consumers should be wary of what they promise. Remember, The South Beach Diet™ is not a low-carb plan. The focus is on selecting the right carbs — ones that are whole grain and nutrient-rich.

2. Tricky addition and subtraction. “Net carbs” is another confusing term. As with other carb-related labels, there are no rules for how net carbs are calculated. Don’t shell out the cash for a product based on its net-carb total — you may be getting more than you bargained for.

3. “Magic” pills. No pill on the market can guarantee long-term weight loss. In fact, most diet pills offer nothing more than empty promises at a huge price. The Federal Trade Commission recently launched a campaign to root out companies marketing products with bogus weight-loss claims. Their “Big Fat Lie” program shows that the best way to lose weight is through healthy diet and exercise, and not through magic pills.

p.s. to give credit where credit is due: this is a "Daily Dish" from the official South Beach Dietâ„¢ Online website. You can get these Daily Dishes, along with updates and some other info, for free via email by logging onto the site (although most info is paid access only):

http://secure.agoramedia.com/sbd2/index ... 3DB&email=

[babice]

I have a myth I'd like to add: "you can only have 1/2 cup of beans a day."

This is not true at all. The fact is, the folks at SB say that a serving of beans is 1/3 to 1/2 cup...just like a serving of fresh veggies is a cup. They suggest a MINIMUM of 2 cups of veggies at every meal and they suggest that include a serving of beans. To prove my point, I found this in a Q&A with a nutritionist on the official SB website:

Member Question: I'm a vegetarian and use beans as my main source of protein. I see in the lists of foods to enjoy and avoid that I should use 1/3-1/2 cup servings. This doesn't often fill me up. Is it OK for me to eat beans until I'm full?

Sandy: It is recommended that individuals start with 1/3-1/2 cup serving. If you find that you are still hungry after eating your meal, going back for seconds is fine. If you find that your weight does stall, then the amount of beans may need to be decreased. The reason I mention this is that some of our buddies have reported weight stalls with increased amounts of beans.

[Kimboroni]

These are great! I'd like to add another one to go with #5 and #6 regarding weightloss:


I'd like my scale to say a certain number, so going on South Beach should make that happen for me. After all, that's what diets are for.

Not true. SB is designed to make you healthy, and that goal could easily happen to your body before that magic number appears on the scale. Dr A. has also said that the diet has done its work if your blood work is good. Good cholesterol and blood sugar levels indicate that you have done what you can to avoid the risk of developing heart disease and diabetes-- that is what South Beach is for. Losing weight is just a nice side effect.

Staying on SB long-term then helps keep heart disease and diabetes (and a whole host of other maladies) away. If you still want to lose a few pounds, you'll need to exercise to increase your metabolism and possibly look at your calories a little more closely. SB isn't about vanity pounds, but about health, so make sure that your personal goal is in line with what is reasonable for health.

You might be able to get down to that magic number on some starvation diet, but then you're putting yourself at a high risk to yo-yo and undo all the good you've done-- you could be losing bone and muscle rather than fat. It's better to let your body settle in at a weight that it likes best for long-term health.

On the flipside, we occasionally read stories from people who reached their goal weights and were trying to maintain, yet they continued losing at a slow trickle. This is the rarer of the two scenarios, but it does happen. Basically, let your body be your guide.

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[Rachael83]

I have a general diet myth that I would like to add...

If the scale says I gained weight I must have gained fat


*EHHHHH* WRONG! There are many factors that contribute to the what the body weighs at any given time. Food intake, water intake, digestion and elimination of said food and water, muscle gain, water retention etc. etc. etc. Everyone who is trying to get in shape needs to remember not to rely on a scale to show your progress. Health, and even body size do not rely on a number. Everything put into your body and not eliminated is going to weigh something.

Always remember to go by what you see, and feel...Not by what a machine tells you. As well remember that fat is not dense, and does not weigh much in ratio to its volume.

[henjon]

Racheal81 is right! You should never rely on what the scale says. Generally you should not use the weight more than once a month! Its not a useful tool at all and using it too much can ruin your diet and self motivation.

Instead you should set your goals on other things.. like running or swimming a certain distance or time.

Sincerly
Henrik J.
http://www.weightlossguide.org

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[girlwhowillbethinner]

I don't think anybody was reading or paying attention to these anyway so I have edited out my original composition. The only real myth is that it will somehow work if you don't. Enjoy your journey. I'm enjoying mine!

I don't understand why you felt the need to remove your excellent post. From what I remember it was loaded with great advice and tips. I know I referred to it often when I started SB last year and it was a great help to me at that time.

Could you please consider putting it back? It was a fantastic starting point for the newbies and I think it is a terrible shame if future novices don't get the opportunity to benefit from the knowledge and advice that you had documented so well.

Please???

[RedRox]

Since my friends and I were no longer welcome at this forum, either as members or myself as a moderator (too unobjective), I no longer felt the need to have my advice represented here as well. It was my written material that was removed and since I had created it, I felt I had the right to remove it and post it elsewhere. It is still posted at the new SBFriends forum that was created to allow honest, truthful and direct communication between members without the animosity that it seemed to create here for some reason. But no, sorry, it will not be returning here in the foreseeable future. Basically it's a package deal, AFAIC.

I think it's time for new voices to step in where the old ones have left and to fill that void. That was not going to happen as long as I/we were still here. Everyone here will do just fine. What I had written was just honest, common sense. There were no great revelations in what was there. Others can do the same thing sharing their experiences. The secret to this thing, if there is one, is self-reliance and building self-knowldedge and self-confidence along the way. It's a very personal journey IMO, and when folks stop relying on the words of others and start relying more on their inner voices and inner strengths to carry them forward on their own path and their own journey, I think it will be a better thing for everyone.

Namaste.

[girlwhowillbethinner]

Since my friends and I were no longer welcome at this forum, either as members or myself as a moderator (too unobjective), I no longer felt the need to have my advice represented here as well. It was my written material that was removed and since I had created it, I felt I had the right to remove it and post it elsewhere. It is still posted at the new SBFriends forum that was created to allow honest, truthful and direct communication between members without the animosity that it seemed to create here for some reason. But no, sorry, it will not be returning here in the foreseeable future. Basically it's a package deal, AFAIC.

I think it's time for new voices to step in where the old ones have left and to fill that void. That was not going to happen as long as I/we were still here. Everyone here will do just fine. What I had written was just honest, common sense. There were no great revelations in what was there. Others can do the same thing sharing their experiences. The secret to this thing, if there is one, is self-reliance and building self-knowldedge and self-confidence along the way. It's a very personal journey IMO, and when folks stop relying on the words of others and start relying more on their inner voices and inner strengths to carry them forward on their own path and their own journey, I think it will be a better thing for everyone.

Namaste.

Seriously?

Just because you had a disagreement with a few members on this board and chose to leave, this is your parting shot to the rest of the entire board who previously had nothing but respect for you?

This thread no longer deserves Sticky status.

[RedRox]

Yep. And I agree, but I thought if I deleted it or unstickied it, it would be perceived as even more heavy handed moderating by me, so I will leave that to the other moderators if they want to do that. Sorry if I wasn't feelin' the love but it seemed like pretty much everyone wanted us gone and those that didn't moved with us. And I think I should be able to decide where what I write is published or displayed regardless of whether you or anyone else agree with my rationale. Honestly it was nothing that special that any of the new "vets" shouldn't be able to write something similar if they choose to do so. You'll all be fine really. Better off probably. The forum needed a new direction and new voices and I was probably hindering that process by sticking around as long as I did and posting too much. I continue to urge people to look forward to the new possibilities and to leave behind what is done and over. What a wonderful opportunity to reshape the forum to be what you all want it to be. The silly part is no one really needs my thoughts anyway. Everything you need to be successful is already within each one of you. It always has been. Just find it and nurture it. You'll figure it out. The myth is that it exists somewhere else or can be found in the beliefs of someone else and it can't. It was really just fool's gold.