Before you run screaming out of the kitchen that you are going to starve to death, start thinking more creatively about how those basic foods on the list can be turned into meals much like you are used to eating.

The fact is you may not be able to eat a huge cheeseburger dripping with grease with this new eating plan, but you can create alternatives that will satisfy many of your cravings. For instance, what about a turkey burger instead? Once you hit phase two you could even put it on a whole grain bun with some of your favorite condiments.

Even on the more restrictive phase one, you do not have to eat just simple combinations of the foods you see on the approved list to make up your south beach diet meals. Those lists are meant to be jumping off points from which you create real meals that will sustain your body as well as your mental satisfaction level.

Let’s consider a couple ideas of how common foods that are not approved can be created solely from approved foods.

Mashed potatoes can be recreated from cauliflower. In fact, you can add in reduced fat cheese to give it some extra taste. Try this alongside a patty of lean meat and your required veggies and you have a tasty phase one meal.

In phase two, you could even experiment with breading a chicken breast in whole grain bread crumbs with egg yolk to create a delicious “mock” chicken sandwich.

Creating South Beach Diet meals may seem more complicated at first, but you can look around online to find an endless array of recipes created by everyday followers just like yourself.