The South Beach Diet encourages snacking because munching on the right foods helps normalize your blood sugar, which keeps cravings for unhealthy foods at bay. Ultimately, this allows you to lose weight and improve your health. The key to controlling your blood sugar (and cravings) is to avoid foods made with refined carbs (like those on the doughnut tray or bagel platter) whenever possible and replace them with lean proteins or fiber- and nutrient-rich whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Here are some simple — and office-friendly — swaps.

• Reach for sugar-free sucking candies or a bit of dark chocolate (Phase 2) instead of the typical candy jar offerings.
• When you're in Phase 2 and can choose bread products, select whole-grain crackers, pretzels, and popcorn over refined-flour products like saltines.
• Munch on nuts, soy nuts, or roasted edamame (all Phase 2) instead of chips.
• Sip on sugar-free sodas and flavored seltzer waters (no sugar added) instead of sugary sodas and juices.
• Enjoy a piece of fruit (a perfectly portable Phase 2 snack) instead of fruit juice.