[Clete]

Does anyone have any experience with the effects of the South Beach diet on training?<br><br>
I want to drop 10 to 15 pounds. I'm 5' 8" and 170 pounds, I've been trying just "watching what I eat" and it isn't working. I'm thinking about giving the South Beach diet a try.<br><br>
I'm 54 and running 30 to 35 miles/week. I'm thinking of starting the diet on January 2 (racing 5K on Jan. 1). The first two weeks of the diet are fairly strict: no alcohol, bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, baked goods, fruit, candy, cake, cookies, ice cream, or sugar. Just chicken, beef, turkey, fish, and shellfish, lots of vegetables, eggs, cheese, nuts, and garden salads using 100% olive oil for your salad dressing.<br><br>
I'm planning to run the <a href="http://www.races2run.com/2008/2008Details/01-2008details.htm#011308-psci" target="_blank"><span style="color:#00407C;">Icicle Ten Miler</span></a> (Wilmington, DE) on January 13 and <a href="http://www.pretzelcitysports.com/chillycheeks.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#00407C;">Chilly Cheeks 7.25 mile trail run</span></a> on January 20.<br><br><br>
Is this "no carbs" diet going to affect my training?<br>
Clete

 

[pace2race]

It's not really zero carbs, just restricted to certain types of carbs in the first phase in an attempt to improve blood chemistry. I think the bigger picture is managing the total calories in with the running volume. You need to achieve a reasonable caloric deficit. You can still get ample carbs eating to this plan. They will just be green vegetables in the first phase.