One of the first things anyone ever notices when checking out a diet menu to see if they think they can do it is the “can haves” and the “cannot haves”. You will soon form the opinion that you will not go far with a diet when it is unvaried and boring and all the things you would normally enjoy eating are off the menu. This however is not the case with the South Beach Diet.

Go ahead and examine the foods recommended on the South Beach Diet. Happily, you will find that the South Beach diet recipes use a wide variety of foods and diverse cooking methods to prepare meals that are truly mouth-watering combinations.

When creating the food list for the South Beach Diet, much consideration was given to the foods most people enjoy eating. The South Beach Diet program allows you to eat a variety of meats, like chicken breast, Cornish game hen, lean beef, boiled ham and turkey. Meat is even allowed on Phase 1, the most restrictive part of the diet.

For seafood lovers, you will be happy to discover that all types of food from the sea are allowed throughout the diet and oily fish such as cod and mackerel are well worth a place on your menu as they will provide you with your necessary omega-3 fatty acids intake.

Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet takes carbs out of your system, and this means no fruits and grains for two weeks. While this may sound strict, your body will thank you for eliminating these foods that hamper digestion and prevent healthy Weight Loss. In Phase 2, you will begin eating some carbs again in a healthier way that will still help you Lose Weight.

Phase 2 also allows dairy products and full-fat cheeses back into your diet. As with the carbs you gave up in Phase 1, you will now find that your body does not crave these foods like it did before. This helps you to eat them in a healthier way.

Vegetables are found in abundance throughout the South Beach Diet. Favorites like asparagus, cauliflower, celery and collard greens can be eaten freely. Want a little treat? How about pickles sweetened with Splenda.

By combining some of the available meats and cheeses on Phase 1 with romaine lettuce and spinach you can come up with some interesting salads which are totally allowed when following the South Beach Diet and you will find they are simply delicious.

The variation of the menu is one of the main reasons that the South Beach Diet is both popular and successful. You will be pleasantly surprised to discover that there are lots of food choices on the menu which you would normally eat so take a look at the South Beach Diet and see how following this plan can work for you.