3 Tips for First-Time South Beach Dieters from Angelica Panganiban

Celebrity Angelica Panganiban has proven herself to be both a worthy actress and a comedienne. In 2011, in particular, she established herself as the latter  by winning two awards for Best Comedy Actress, one each from the Guillermo Box-Office Awards and ENPRESS Golden Screen Awards for Movies.

But Angelica isn't just a winner when it comes to her craft; she's a fitness enthusiast too! Part of her commitment involves undergoing the South Beach Diet to make sure she's at her ideal weight. The diet involves figuring out which foods you should eat and avoid and at what increments to make sure you get good fats and not bad ones.

If you're interested in trying the diet yourself but don't know how to begin, Angelica has these simple tips for you to keep in mind:


1. DON'T DEPRIVE YOURSELF. IT'S OKAY TO CHEAT ONCE IN A WHILE.

"Ang cheat ko naman ulam pa din: tuyo, itlog na maalat, kamatis. 'Yun ang happiness ko. (My cheats are still viands: dried fish, salted egg, tomato. That's my happiness.)"


2. GET INTO THE DIET GRADUALLY. DON'T CHANGE YOUR EATING HABITS OVERNIGHT.

"Ang iniisip ko dati, 'Bukas South Beach na ako, kakain ako ng marami ngayon.' Tapos kakain ako ng mga pagkaing mami-miss ko. Hindi siya makakatulong kasi hinang-hina ka the following day. Kailangan mo siya gawin gradually. Isipin mo, 'Bukas South Beach na ako, so ngayon medyo pakonti-konti na lang.' Kumbaga nag-a-adjust din yung stomach mo. Huwag mong biglain kasi mahihilo ka talaga."

(I used to think, 'I'm going on the South Beach Diet tomorrow, so I'll eat more today.' Then I'd eat all the foods I'd miss. It doesn't help because you'll feel weak the next day. You need to do things gradually. Think, 'Tomorrow I'll go on the South Beach Diet, so now I have to decrease the amount of food I eat.' Your stomach also needs to adjust. Don't just suddenly go on the diet because you'll really feel dizzy.)"


3. AVOID HIGHLY PROCESSED FOOD LIKE SOFTDRINKS AND JUNK FOOD.

"Nakita kong difference talaga, in fairness ha, nung tumigil ako mag-soda, yung puson ko talaga umimpis ng mga 2 percent. Iba pala talaga 'yung soda at siguro din yung chips. Kasi simula nung nag-South Beach ako, hindi na ako nagchichirya. (I really saw the difference, in fairness, after I stopped drinking soda, I noticed my stomach got flatter by 2 percent. It really is different when you swear off soda and even chips. When I started using the South Beach Diet, I stopped eating junk food.)"


Want to learn more about the South Beach Diet? Check out this article:

• What You Should Know About 5 Popular Fad Diets

For more weight loss strategies, try these:

• High-Protein vs. Low-Protein Diets: No Difference When Trying to Lose Body Fat
• Pound Patrol: 7 Bad Eating Habits You Should Drop to Control Your Weight
• Don't Be a Diet Diva! 5 Things You Can Do Instead of Dieting
• New Study: Loving Your Body Helps You Lose Weight
• Think Right, Eat Right: 8 Tips for Keeping Your Weight in Check

Want to read more articles about Angelica? Check these out on FN:

• 5 Life Lessons You Can Learn from Angelica Panganiban
• Should Angelica Panganiban have gotten into a Twitter fight with a Phil Younghusband “fan”?
• Angelica Panganiban and Gretchen Barretto Reconcile + Healing Rifts With Rivals
• Derek Says He'll Marry Angelica if She Wants: 5 Signs He’s Ready to Tie the Knot

(First published as a sidebar to "Sexy State of Mind" in Women's Health Magazine in June 2011; photo courtesy of PEP.ph; adapted for use in Female Network)