South Beach Diet
Dr. Agaston teaches you how you can get a South Beach body.
BACKGROUND
If you're looking for a diet plan that has grown wildly popular over the past few years, gives your eating habits a dramatic makeover, and shares the name of one of the world's favorite beaches, then the South Beach Diet is for you. Dr. Arthur Agatston, a cardiologist, created this friendly contrast to other prohibitive weight-loss plans and offers a chance to achieve success where you might have previously failed.
The South Beach Diet differs from its low-carb competitor Atkins, in that it restricts saturated fats, which are linked with health problems like heart disease and high cholesterol. It promises that cravings for sugars, sweets and other carbohydrates will disappear as you go along because the diet is supposed to keep blood sugar levels maintained.
The South Beach Diet has three separate phases in which you'll wean yourself away from certain foods and incorporate other South Beach Diet "friendly" foods. The diet promises that you'll lose 8-12 pounds in the first two weeks as long as you adhere to the guidelines.
PRO
- The South Beach Diet supports a clean way of eating that is void of refined sugars and trans fats
- Its emphasis on fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and heart-healthy fats is an eating plan that is full of vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids
- Support from the medical science community
- Thousands of satisfied clients
- Updated its research in the 2008 release"South Beach Diet: Supercharged"
- Has a maintenance plan
CON
- Research shows that unless you're diabetic, sugar levels actually remain stable even if you eat a sugary candy bar
- Many South Beach Diet food products contain sugar-alcohols, which may hard to tolerate
- Not very vegetarian friendly
- Its elimination of sugars, certain fruits like bananas and other carbohydrates make it difficult to maintain
- Science behind Dr. Agastaton's assertions about certain foods and their ability to raise blood sugar levels or put on weight is inaccurate
- No exercise guidelines
DIET and NUTRITION
The first phase lasts for two weeks and has you remove starches like bread, pasta and rice, potatoes, fruits, milk, yogurt, honey and baked goods. Sugars are completely eliminated. During the first phase of South Beach, you'll enjoy three balanced meals and some snacks that should include lean meats and fish, eggs, low-fat cheese, fresh vegetables, beans and nuts.
Phase two of the South Beach Diet will allow you to slowly re-introduce fruits, whole-grain breads and pastas. You'll choose just one carbohydrate and include that in one meal each day for one week. You are encouraged to wait a few days and if there are no noticeable effects, introduce one more healthy carbohydrate. Continue this until you're able to successfully have two or three healthy carbohydrates each day. Phase two will continue until you meet your goal weight.
You'll begin the maintenance, or third, phase of South Beach once you've met your goal weight. It's here that you'll put to practice all that you learned in phases one and two.
The book and website offer many South Beach-friendly recipes. There is also a complete line of South Beach Diet foods that can be purchased in your grocery store from cereals to frozen meals. But many of the nutrition bars and snack items contain artificial sweeteners, which have been known to induce gastrointestinal problems.
EXERCISE
Even though exercise has been shown to be an effective and necessary component to losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, there are no specific exercise guidelines in the South Beach Diet.
CONCLUSION
You must wonder if the South Beach Diet is just another marketing attempt to motivate folks who are desperate to lose weight? With its strong assertions and its complete line of food products hitting grocery store shelves everywhere, makes you question how much of its appeal is fact or fiction? The truth is that any diet that cuts calories will help you lose weight. The South Beach Diet is no different.
It's encouragement of eating vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats is admirable. Its elimination of white sugar and refined carbohydrates is equally laudable albeit challenging to follow. And many people have had a lot luck losing weigh following the South Beach Diet. But the South Beach Diet itself has some scientific flaws and many nutritionists would argue that its promise of losing 8-12 pounds in 14 days is a bit aggressive and may not be able to stand up against the test of time.
But if you've got a lot of willpower and don't mind knowing that you might be buying into another fad diet, then this might be just the diet for you.
Common Misspellings
south beech diet, Southbeach diet, Sobe, SBD, South Beach, South Beech Diet, South Beach Deit, southbeach diet, southbeachdiet.com
Related Diets: Atkins Advantage, Atkins Diet, South Beach Diet Supercharged, Low-Carb Diet, Sugar Busters!
> Leave Feedback
User Feedback
(Page 3 of 5)
I followed the diet for about 2 years and lost 40 pounds. They call it a "lifestyle", but I find it far too rigid for it to be that. All white sugar and white flour is banned forever. Many nutritious fruits an all fruit juices are completely eliminated. Everyone loses in phase 1, simply because carbs are eliminated and glycogen is burned, therefore water weight is lost, but in phase 2 - you have to be very mindful of serving sizes and you need to weigh and measure everything you eat. The obsession with portions takes away the common sense approach to "intuitive eating" or listening to your body as a guide. This diet requires a great deal of time; its not an easy plan to follow
I am new to SBD. yesterday was day 5from and I was down 171 t 166 (I am 5'5" and 35yrs old) today I weight 167.4, so a little dissapointing. My goal is 130 lbs. I cheated a bit with SBD salad dressing I had 2 tbs and I made taco meat which has a bit of a card count, other than that I have eaten meat cheese and veggies with a snack of nuts. I have NOT eaten enough veggies according to the plan though. I hope this diet continues to work for me!
I lost around 80 lbs on the SB diet in about eight months...coupled of course w/ exercise...I rid my house of processed / easy foods - a shocking process (27 grocery bags given to a thin thin friend)...and it was wonderful...don't have it available -you won't eat it...now though after a long winter on the road (with work) I have gained 25 lbs back...going on SB again for a wedding - and more important - for me...so I feel good, am healthy and able to particiapte in all of my life...it's a lifestyle choice - not a 'diet'...good luck!
At first, i loved this diet. You can eat a lot and still lost weight. After 3 months i had lost 25 pounds. However, by this time i am so sick of lean meat and chicken and that actually would look at my plate and get sick of it.
i am on 4th day of South Beach Diet phase 1, and i lost 7 pounds. I am so happy and love the results. i quit my chew and spit disorder.
I have been on the diet for 5 days and have lost only 2 pounds which is kind of discouraging given the talk of losing 10-15 pounds in two weeks. Does the weight loss pick up in the later stages or do most people lose the weight in the early stages?
I want to begin, but I don't like tomato juice, can I have gazpacho instead ? or what else?
I did the South Beach Diet just for the first two weeks as part of Phase 1, and I lost 12 pounds and I have never gained it back. I loved the results, but it was far too restrictive for me
I am on a south beach diet, I am doing everything they say, but I am becoming bulky and gaining weight, what is this?
The SBD, first time around (phase 1), was a hard because I was surrounded by people eating junk, junk, and more junk. It was VERY difficult, I had to constantly distract myself. So my number ONE recommendation: have a small support group. Also, the first time around-while I was doing phase 1- I didn't exactly do the diet by the book... I mean I never anything on the 'bad' list..(no fruit, bread, rice, candy, cookie, cake, non-lowfat dairy, etc.) I ate a TON of veggies, lean meats, low-fat cheese, LOTS of celery, LOTS of eggs, and oh my goodness LOTS of salad & almonds. But, let me get to my point. When I did NOT cook the meals i ate by the book I was very 'out-of-it'. I took a nap every chance I could and had a lot of headaches (the reason being: before I was very addicted to sugar.. before SBD if I had a headache I would just pop a reeses cup in my mouth and be done with it.) Now I'm back to doing phase 1 again, a couple months later, and I'm doing everything by the book and oh my goodness I practically JUMP out of bed in the morning I have so much more energy. So... number TWO recommendation: Do SBD by the book. Also first time around I lost only 6 pounds in the full 14 days, this time it's been only three days since I started again and I've already lost 5 pounds!! DO it by the book!!!
READ THE BOOK!! Too many people judge the South Beach Diet based on hearing there are no carbs and no fruit. This is simply NOT true! READ THE BOOK! Understand the program before you decide that it is not for you. The South Beach Diet teaches you eat properly and healthily. The first two weeks (Phase 1) restricts carbs and fruits in order to recalibrate your body and jump start your metabolism into a proper diet regimen. During Phase 1 you will eat plenty of vegetables (which do have small amounts of carbs) , meats, and dairy (low-fat). Make sure that you are eating proper portion sizes. Eating too much healthy food is still unhealthy. During Phase 2 you will start to introduce whole grain carbs and fruits. During Phase 3 you will begin the rest of your life of healthy eating habits and smart food choices. READ THE BOOK, implement proper portion sizes, and you won't even have to follow the meal plan exactly, you will know what foods and recipes you can substitute without hamperring the diet itself. Buy the recipe book for tons of delicious easy to make meals. Even without exercising, which I reccommend, your body will become healthy, you will feel better and have more energy and sleep more soundly. READ THE BOOK! That can't be emphasized enough. You have to understand why you are eating the foods prescribed so that you will understand that Phases 1 & 2 are temporary and merely a stepping stone to your future.
I used the south beach diet last year and did only Phase 1, I felt great I wasn't tired all the time and I had more energy. I lost around 3lbs at first. I do suggest the book. I left the program due to my working two jobs and never finding the time to be disiplined on my food habits. I am looking to do the program again.
I love the South Beach Diet......i went on it a few years back and lost 62 Lbs in just 9 months. ive gained most of it back now but only because of my own lack of disipline. once u cheat a little bit u wanna just keep cheating. i am starting it again 2morrow n getting the supercharged book today. i refuse to buy the products in the store i rather just know everything i am putting on my plate. even the people that come to me for advice to lose weight i tell them south beach or if they only have to lose a couple pounds and think its to harsh i tell them to go right to phase 2 which is just pretty much substituing anyways.
Phase I nearly did me in. I was weak and starved most of the time and left work early a few times because I was feeling so bad. Plus it was EXPENSIVE to purchase all the fresh veggies. I started it in the winter, however, when fresh produce is more expensive. I did lose weight - 8 pounds in the two weeks of Phase 1. Phase 2, where I could gradually re-introduce fruits and grains, was too hard to maintain. Plus I hated cooking for myself as I live alone. Most of the recipes in the book serve 4. I would recommend it but please read the book carefully. Realize that Phase 1 will be hard and you may be constantly weak.
Hello there, does anyone know if you use some real sugar in the dishes such as the dessert will you not lose the weight; I ask this because my son who is 13 is going on the diet and I know he wont do some of the first phase. Like he hated tomato juice and will want sugar in his dessert. Any advice how you can substitute in the first phase?
On Jan 2006 I went on the South Beach Diet. THe first two weeks I lost 12 pounds. Over the next 6 months I lost another 25 pounds. For almost 2 years I maintained my weight . Sept 2007 I quit smoking Yeppers I have gained all my weight back .....Replacing food for a smoke . YIKES I! So it looks like I am headed Back to the Beach.
I love South Beach! It really is just a healthier way of eating. I have to agree with the posters before me that if you didn't succeed at this diet, you didn't give it a chance. It's so easy to follow. As for the pre-packaged foods, I avoid them like the plague. They go against the very fundamentals thatSouth Beach was based on.
This is my 5th day on this diet.. and i ve been cheating a bit.. cudnt let go of the fruits... i m still a lot lighter.. (5 lb in 5 days) not at all bad for starters.. and i m almost never hungry.. thats the best part..
I read the book and wet on the diet... for a day. I did everything that I was supposed to, but I constantly felt hungry. When I woke up the next morning I had absolutely NO STREGNTH; I could barely even lift my head. I think this diet was too much of a shock for my body. I run on carbs so I switched to a high fiber diet insted.
The South beach Diet is what worked for me and I only have great things to say about it. First of all, I'm a cheater. I can't follow directions well and I eat alot! On the SB Diet, I ate relentlessly but only on the foods that met the low glycemic index. I cheated on mayo and BBQ sauce and plus I ate as much as I wanted of everything I decided I wanted. I rid the fridge of all unwanted (high on glycemic index) food, and filled it with all the goodies that are on the "good" list. I lost 12 pounds and 2 pant sizes initially during the first 2 weeks, and continued to lose an additional 17 pounds over a 3 month period, where I then went on maintenance. If I felt I was cheating too much after awhile I'd go back to Phase 1 for a week and so on and so forth. I introduced exercise immediately as that's the sensible thing to do, but you should alwasy consult with your physician before dieting and exercising. I still have my skinny pants and fat pants which thank God I haven't gotten back into the fat ones. lol
See 157 more diets
