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.

You will be shocked and delighted when you check out the foods you can eat while on the South Beach Diet. Although some foods are restricted, the foods on the “approved” list are more than sufficient to allow for healthy and delicious dining.

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.

The South Beach Diet is Mecca to the seafood lover. Eating the fruit of the sea is encouraged on all phases of the South Beach Diet, and you are especially reminded to eat fish that offer up high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, like cod and mackerel.

In Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet, your intake of high-carb fruits and grains is restricted, but don’t fret. It’s only for two weeks, and during this time your body will stop craving unhealthy amounts of these foods. Now when you start eating fruits and grains again in Phase 2, you will be more able to control your portions and eat them healthfully.

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.

South Beach Diet menus encourage you to eat a wide variety of healthy green veggies, and this helps avoid boredom and introduces you to even more new ways of eating that are healthy and promote weight loss. For a delicious dinner, try a small portion of meat paired with two or three vegetables like asparagus, cauliflower or collard greens. Or munch on some celery when you want a little snack. You will be surprised at how satisfying this can be.

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.

When you look at the foods that are allowed on the South Beach Diet, you may be surprised to find many things you thought you would have to give up while dieting. Even when you take away the foods that are restricted, the sheer variety of food combinations available with the South Beach Diet are what makes this a popular program that will help you successfully reach your weight loss goals.