From Arthur Agatston, MD
Like The Thyroid Diet, the South Beach Diet is a low-glycemic, healthy approach to eating that may be of particular help to thyroid patients trying to lose weight. One of the greatest challenges to any diet is going out to eat. South Beach Diet author Dr. Arthur Agatston has these helpful suggestions.
 You have a busy life. Chances are that work and family keep you the go, and
preparing home-cooked meals may be difficult because of time constraints. Finding a
healthy lunch in the middle of a hectic day is often just as hard, and eating a good
breakfast at home may be a rare event. In fact, if you're like most Americans, you
purchase at least one meal a day at some sort of restaurant.
And that's just on an ordinary day. What about weekends, holidays, special
occasions, travel days, business dinners, and all the other times you're away from
your own kitchen? Does this mean putting your South Beach Diet on hold?
Not at all.
One of the best things about the South Beach Diet is that it's easy to dine out-and
still eat well -- while following the principles of the program. No matter what
phase you're on, you can continue to lose weight and improve your health, whether
you're grabbing a take-out order or enjoying dinner with family, friends, or
business associates at a fine restaurant.
The first, and most important, step in sticking to the South Beach Diet when eating
out is to keep the following ground rules in mind:
- Choose unprocessed, unrefined carbohydrates, such as whole grains, whole fruits, and
fresh vegetables.
- Enjoy plenty of lean protein, such as chicken, fish, certain cuts of meat, low-fat
dairy, and reduced-fat cheese.
- Choose foods that are high in good fats, such as fish, avocados, and nuts, and make
sure your foods are prepared with healthy oils such as olive oil or canola.
- Avoid foods that are high in saturated fat, such as fatty cuts of beef, bacon,
processed meats such as salami, and full-fat cheese.
- Eat plenty of fiber -- it's found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, seeds, and
whole grains.
- Avoid refined carbohydrates such as white bread, cake, candy, white rice, and other
processed foods that are high in sugar and often high in fat as well.
- Avoid added sugar. Choose diet soft drinks, for instance, and watch out for hidden
sugars in salad dressings and sauces.
Once you have the ground rules down, you'll also need to master some proven
strategies that will help you enjoy your restaurant meals even more.
How to Make Healthy Food Choices When Eating Out
Dining out is one of life's pleasures, but it's also a challenge when you're trying
to maintain a healthy diet. At home you can control what you put on your plate, but
when you eat out, you're bound to come up against some common pitfalls: oversized
portions, tempting refined carbs, extra ingredients that add bad fat and bad carbs,
and of course menus that don't offer many South Beach Diet-friendly options. The
following tips will help you stick to your healthy eating plan.
- Have a protein snack before you leave the house. By eating something with protein --
a hard-boiled egg or a piece of reduced-fat cheese, for example -- about 15 minutes
before you arrive at the restaurant, you'll take the edge off your appetite. If
you're not ravenous while you're reading the menu, you'll be able to make better
food choices.
- Banish the bread basket. And the tortilla chips basket. And the crispy noodle
basket. They're all filled with bad (refined) carbs, such as rolls made from white
flour or deep-fried tortilla chips. Eating these carbs will give you a glucose jolt
that could raise your blood sugar, and you might end up feeling hungrier. If it's
okay with your fellow diners, ask your server to remove the basket before you even
have a chance to nibble. If not, wait until everyone has taken some and then ask the
server to remove the basket. (If that's not appropriate for the group you're with,
at least position the basket as far from yourself as possible.) Once you're on Phase
2 or 3, you can indulge in a slice from the bread basket -- as long as it is made
from whole grains. To prevent a rapid rise in blood sugar, dip the bread into olive
oil or even spread a little butter on it. The added calories are offset by the
feeling of fullness that the fat adds.
- Order soup. If possible, order a cup of soup -- the dieter's friend -- as soon as
you're seated. Look for soups that are rich in vegetables and that aren't
cream-based, or order clear broth or consommé. The beauty of soup is that it fills
you up, so you're not so hungry when it comes time to order from the rest of the
menu. It also sends a message to your brain that you're eating and will be full
soon. Since it takes about 20 minutes for that message to travel from your stomach
to your brain, by the time your main course arrives, you'll already be on the way to
feeling satiated.
- Ask for extra veggies instead of starches. Main courses usually come with starchy
side dishes, such as white rice or mashed potatoes, which are undesirable foods for
South Beach dieters on Phase 1 and 2. Ask instead for extra green vegetables, such
as broccoli or string beans, or for a small green salad. Today, this is a routine
request in many restaurants -- and your server should be happy to help.
- Pick healthy cooking methods. Stay away from anything on the menu that appears to be
coated or battered and fried. If the dish comes with a rich butter or cheese sauce,
ask for it on the side. Stick to cooking methods -- such as roasting, broiling,
baking, grilling, steaming, and even sautéing -- that don't add bad fats.
- Have a (nonalcoholic) drink or two. When your server asks if you want something from
the bar, order a glass of water or diet soda. Sip it instead of a mixed drink or
beer, and order another to go with your meal. Beyond Phase 1, have a glass of red or
white wine along with your food -- this is a form of alcohol that's not only
acceptable but good for you.
- Enjoy dessert -- within reason. The South Beach Diet is a lifestyle, and life
without dessert would be no fun at all! But you have to make the right choices. Skip
high-fat, high-sugar desserts. After Phase 1, if the menu offers fresh fruit, like
berries or melon, that's your best choice. If you decide to indulge in something
more decadent, use common sense. Ask the server to bring extra forks, limit yourself
to three bites, and then share the rest with your fellow diners. After you've been
on the South Beach Diet for a while, you may well find that your sweet tooth is more
than satisfied with a small portion.
Arthur Agatston, MD, is an associate professor of medicine at the University of
Miami Miller School of Medicine and has authored groundbreaking studies, as well as
reviewed manuscripts for major medical and cardiology journals. He is the author of
the best-selling books The South Beach Diet and The South Beach Diet Good Fats Good
Carbs Guide and has appeared on national television shows including Today, Dateline,
Good Morning America, and 20/20. In addition, Dr. Agatston is frequently quoted as
an expert in cardiac health and diet in the media. He maintains a private cardiology
practice, focusing on prevention, in Miami Beach, where he lives with his wife,
Sari, and their two children.
Copyright © 2006 Arthur Agatston -- The South Beach Diet Dining Guide, by Arthur Agatston, MD
Excerpt Published 02/17/06
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