I’ve been on a constant diet for the last two decades. I’ve lost a total of 789 pounds. By all accounts, I should be hanging from a charm bracelet. - Erma Bombeck

I have been trying to loose the weight on my own for months now using a low-fat diet but with no success, sure I haven't gained more weight, but I haven't lost any either.

My friend Megan has been on a low-carb diet since the first of the year and she has lost a lot of weight, she looks and feels great. But she has given up a lot of food on this diet, food that she probably will never be able to enjoy again. I have thought about doing the low-carb thing but I confess, there are certain foods that I don't want to give up.

While surfing the internet I came across an article on Prevention.com called South Beach Diet Basics and after reading it I have decided to go on The South Beach Diet. Today is the first day. If you want to check on my daily progress stop by my other blog, Diet Another Day...I wish, from time to time.

In case you have been wondering about The South Beach Diet here's some basic information.

The South Beach Diet is neither low-fat nor low-carb. It teaches you to choose the right fats and the right carbs. You will learn to enjoy foods that taste good, satisfy your appetite, and don’t create hunger hours later. And you won’t have to count calories or restrict portion sizes.

Much of our excess weight comes from the carbohydrates we eat, especially the highly processed ones. Decrease the consumption of those "bad" carbs, studies show, and you begin losing weight and metabolizing carbs properly. Even the craving for carbs disappears once you cut down on their consumption.

The South Beach Diet permits good carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, and whole grains) and curtails the intake of bad carbohydrates (the highly processed ones, like white flour and white sugar). As you’re guided through the diet’s flexible three-phase system, you’ll lose weight, alter your metabolism, and improve your blood chemistry.

Here’s how:
Phase 1: The Strict Phase
For the first two weeks, you’ll eat normal-size helpings of meat, fish, vegetables, eggs, cheese, and nuts. You’ll have three meals a day, plus snacks, and it will be your job to eat until your hunger is satisfied. During this period, you'll start shedding weight, changing your body chemistry, and end your cravings for sugars and starches.

Phase 2: The Weight-Loss Phase
In the second phase, you’ll gradually reintroduce "good" carbs into your diet (like fruit, whole-grain bread, and whole-wheat pasta). Using the Glycemic Index as your guide, you’ll learn to avoid the carbs that increase your blood sugar and make you gain weight. You'll stay in Phase 2 until you reach your ideal weight.

Phase 3: The Maintenance Phase
By the time you reach the final phase of the diet, you’ll have lost weight and significantly improved your blood chemistry to the long-term benefit of your cardiovascular system. You’ll continue to eat normal-size helpings of wholesome foods you enjoy, while maintaining the health benefits you earned by following Phase 1 and Phase 2.