South Beach Diet Following the Last Phase Strategies

By this time you have already completed Phase 1 and 2 of the South Beach Diet and you have achieved the results you wanted. You endured so much in adhering to this weight loss program so now is the time to maintain what you have gained (or lost in the case of weight). The benefits of all phases are not just related to losing weight. Your blood chemistry has normalized thus improving your cardiovascular system. This means the development of heart diseases is lessened.

Phase 3 is about keeping not just your new weight but also your new outlook in your diet. Maintaining your weight in this phase can be done by eating a rather liberal diet similar with your diet in phase 2. This 3rd phase will last a lifetime meaning you will stay in this for the rest of your life. After finishing phases 1 and 2, you will feel as if this is your new normal diet so it's rather easy for you to follow. All the foods allowed and avoided in phase 2 will be followed in this phase. To ensure that you get the most out of the final phase, this article lists some tips in effectively adhering to the last phase of South Beach diet.

Strategy # 1: Drink lots of water.

Water is essential in any diet because your body needs to replenish its moisture lost in sweat or urine. You should drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water everyday to ensure you are hydrated well. In addition, you won't feel as hungry if you drink enough water. This feeling of fullness when you drink water is the reason behind this strategy.

You can also drink decaffeinated beverages like decaf coffee or tea on a daily basis. But limit your intake of caffeinated drinks to one cup everyday.

Strategy # 2: Eat small but frequent meals.

Eating frequently will make you feel satiated compared to eating less frequently. By doing the latter you are actually pigging out on certain meals, which is a no-no in SB Diet. If you take small meals that are distributed throughout the day then you will never feel hungry at any time during the day. That's why it's recommended to take snacks between meals and even before bedtime. You have to follow the meal guides in phase 2 to make sure you are not eating more than the prescribed intake.

Strategy # 3: Chew your food slowly.

Chewing your food slowly and in small bites doesn't just make you feel full but it also makes you enjoy the food. You get to taste its flavor up to last bite. Chewing slowly makes you feel satiated because you get tired of this activity thus you eat less.

An added tip in ensuring you get all the needed nutrients by the body, you can take multivitamins everyday. You must also drink calcium supplements everyday with dosage ranging from 500 mg - 1000 mg depending on your age. If you're younger than 50 years old, you can take 500 mg of calcium. But if you're older than 50 years old and an aging woman, you have take 1,000 mg of calcium.

All of these strategies will help you succeed in becoming healthy.