Cycling on South Beach?

[channlluv]

I saw an endocrinologist yesterday who is concerned with my high insulin numbers - I'm not diabetic, but only just - and he suggested I get on the South Beach diet to help lose this weight.

I bought the book yesterday, and it looks like good food, but I'm concerned about training on a diet like this. Have any of you done it? Successes? Challenges? Suggestions for amending the diet on long ride days?

Thanks!
Roxy, looking to knock out another 10% of my body weight by June 1

[SadieKate]

Phase 1 is the difficult part. I can't remember how long it lasted.

As you work into Phases 2 and 3, I think you'll discover it's how we should all eat anyway.

My schedule is a typical M-F workweek with Sat and Sun off. I found the afterwork non-high intensity rides under an hour were just fine during Phase 1, but to cope with long rides on the weekends I had to "carbo load" starting with Friday lunch and then go back to strict Phase 1 with Sunday lunch. My glycogen stores couldn't cope with the super strict part of Phase 1 for anything of extended duration. As long as I followed this regimen, I was OK. I did NOT try to change my exercise level or train with any added intensity during Phase 1.

Unfortunately, I don't know how that regimen would affect your insulin. Basically, South Beach focuses on lean protein and complex carbos, getting rid of processed foods and simple sugars.

[moonfroggy]

i know nothing about the south beach diet but when i was having some insulin issues and was worried i might become diabetic i started following the nutritional advice in a book called eat to live by dr furhman and it really changed my life. it is a way of eating where you eat a LOT of really healthy food but it is low calorie very nutrition food it is about nutrient density and he has good advice for people who exercise a lot. dr furhman was an Olympic figure skater at one point so he takes stuff like exercise into account.

[zoom-zoom]

South Beach is good. I lost a ton of weight on Atkins and South Beach is similar, only with more low-glycemic whole grains. It's kind of like Atkins maintenance phase.

I have had a heck of a time losing my last 20#s...I started running to lose weight, but running makes me ravenous and the carby stuff that helps the run makes me want to eat everything in sight. I have thought a lot recently about making a conscious effort to eat more South Beach-like. I think the whole grains and quality food would be far better for all of us than the overly processed garbage that is so prevalent in most of our diets.

[KnottedYet]

Just wanted to throw into the mix that the maintenance level of the South Beach diet (not necessarily the 2 week prep part) is also very good for hypoglycemics. (I'm hypo and have been for decades, with diabetes in my family... I gotta watch my p's and q's)

I eat the "good" diet and fuel carefully with complex goodies before a ride, but use somewhat simpler carbs during rides (fast in, fast out) with wild abandon. Mind you, I'm doing Clif Shot Blox which are fairly complex in the carb universe.

My nutritionist saw no problems at all with this approach. Ask your doc or nutritionist for guidance. Those folks are awesome!

[shootingstar]

You seem to be doing well with gradual weight loss so far, channelluv. Keep it up.

I have no idea what the South Beach diet really is since I've never looked at the bk. I only have 1 "diet" book and I don't really read it anymore because I bought it because parts of the Okinawan diet (based on eating and living style of traditional Okinawans in Japan who have a record of longevity and health) mirror what I used to eat more often as a kid. Book confirmed certain things for me....I should rely more on veggies, soups, low fat, of what I used to eat as a kid/teen.

Like you I did get a near diabetes 2 borderline reading which panicked me. Got 2nd doctor's opinion which was my sister who is a physician. She recommended looking at these books: http://www.glycemicindex.com/
Database has some values for foods. It is this organization that began the whole trend several years ago on low glycemic index diet.

I read it more not memorize everything or follow diet plans, but to eliminate or reduce my consumption of white rice, heavy pastas, heavy breads,...

Also improve timing of when I eat my meals. So the carb part of my diet has changed alot in past 2 yrs. By the way, the same sister followed some of these rules herself. She lost weight..but had to return to it for gestational diabetes 2 control when she was pregnant.

[Crankin]

About 7 years ago my DH wanted to lose 10 lbs before we went on a vacation. We had about 3 months. It was September, so the cycling season was winding down by the end of October. In order to support him, I did the South Beach diet with him. I agree; the initial phase was very difficult to do while cycling/running/hiking. It was only 2 weeks, but we did "cheat" a bit and add in some whole wheat bread and cereal on the weekends when we were doing longer rides. The other phases were really not much different from the way I already ate, so for me it was more a question of adding more protein. He easily lost the 10 lbs. and I think I lost 5 (I really didn't need to lose it).

[shootingstar]

I should add my sister lost 50 lbs. on the low glycemic diet PLUS jogging daily, but she regained about 30 after her lst child. So yes, she struggles with the weight issue.

We'll see after child 2.

[TrekTheKaty]

I did South Beach over the winter. It isn't really a diet, but a healthy way of eating. It DID however, crack my sugar addiction. I'd say the Phase 1 is basically a "cleanse." It might be hard to keep up your energy if you are doing any long rides, but you are not limited on protein. That will give you enough energy to keep exercising.

[channlluv]

Thanks, everyone. I still have to go shopping for South Beach-approved meal fixin's. The thing that worries me most is giving up fruit for two whole weeks, and then limiting it to one piece a day thereafter. I eat three or four pieces of fruit every day. Maybe that's contributing to my high sugar numbers, but I really wouldn't have thought fruit could do that.

I think because I'm less than enthusiastic about the whole thing is making me a slow-poke on shopping for it and cooking for it. No bread...not even my whole grain sandwich thins? Oof.

Roxy

[shootingstar]

Thanks, everyone. I still have to go shopping for South Beach-approved meal fixin's. The thing that worries me most is giving up fruit for two whole weeks, and then limiting it to one piece a day thereafter. I eat three or four pieces of fruit every day. Maybe that's contributing to my high sugar numbers, but I really wouldn't have thought fruit could do that.

This link describes the purpose of the glycemic index.
http://www.glycemicindex.com/
On the left hand side is clickable choice for GI database where you can put in a food type to determine the glycemic index.

It may help you about the types of fruits to start off if you don't eliminate fruit. I know my sister avoided eating or eating much of melons,etc. If you are cycling daily or nearly, you are already making an effort in addition to the diet change....

Certain fruits are abit higher in GI index.
For instance whole grapefruit is lower.
Also the American Diabetes Assoc. website might have some general guidelines too.

Like you, I couldn't avoid fruit completely. I actually consider some daily fresh fruit necessary to prevent constipation for myself. But that's just me. I just want to avoid medicinal laxatives.

Hope you strike the right diet balance. Meanwhile you can always clear the dietary head cobwebs with a great bike ride. :)

[Pedal Wench]

I keep seeing this and want to send you a link to the route we do on South Beach. As in, where we go "Cycling on South Beach!"

[ny biker]

I keep seeing this and want to send you a link to the route we do on South Beach. As in, where we go "Cycling on South Beach!"

That was my first thought, too. :)

[Rcj176]

I am a Type 1 diabetic. I have just recently gotten into cycling. I did the South Beach about 5 years ago and again started in January. I am restarting the "Beach" now but in a different way. I am going to gradually change one meal at a time. Right now I am doing dinner. Most nights I eat chicken, mushrooms, zucchini and fresh spinach or I will make a really hearty salad. My numbers seem to be doing well with this and it has also cut out my late night snacking around 11pm.
As someone already mentioned its more about changing your eating lifestyle. I have about 25-30lbs still to lose and will go about this at a slower pace than shocking my body as I have previously done.