The South Beach diet

Posted on June 14, 2007 in Nutrition by byronb

Diets have come and gone, there have been hundreds of them, most of them being classed as nothing more than fad diets. They stick around for a few months, people try them and generally fail which leads to them giving up and walking away disappointed yet again.

However, there is one diet which seems to have lasted quite a while and which many people, including celebrities, swear by - The South Beach diet. So what makes this one so special? Why has it stuck around when so many others have failed?

One of the reasons why the South Beach diet has stuck around is that instead of just being a quick fad it is actually a way of life. it is a diet which relies on the person eating the right amount of carbohydrates and fat, what’s more this diet promises that if you follow it then you can lose between 8 and 13 lbs in just a couple of weeks.

The South Beach diet was first introduced to the world by Doctor Arthur Agatson, a cardiologist. The diet basically works in phases that you must follow in order for the diet to be a complete success. The first two of these phases are for a specific amount of time while the third phase is intended to be used for the rest of your life and become your new way of living.

The beauty of following this diet is that there is no need to count calories or the size of the portions on your plate. You don’t have to laboriously weight out the food on weighing scales anymore and you aren’t left feeling deprived because you will be included wholesome and satisfying food in your diet. The diet focuses on you eating three main meals a day with regular sized portions, the meal plans are very flexible and there is more good news. Following this diet you are allowed to eat two snacks a day, you are able to enjoy a wide variety depending on what takes your fancy for that particular day.

The phases of the South Beach diet

The South Beach diet consists of three main phases. During phases one you are allowed to eat normal size portions for your meals with the only addition being that and foods that contain carbohydrates are restricted. This part of the diet will last for two weeks and is considered to be the strictest part to the diet. It is during this stage of the diet that you will have to take care to eliminate carbohydrates from your diet; this includes items such as potatoes, pasta, fruit, bread and rice. Once you have gone through the two weeks then things will get a little easier, now you will get used to eating what are considered to be good carbs.

Phase two will consist of you gradually adding back foods which were restricted due to high carb content, you can slowly add back some pasta, fruit e.t.c although obviously you cannot go back to your old ways.

Phase three is all about continuing with your new diet and seeing it as your newfound lifestyle. If you want to look deeper into the South Beach diet, there is a very helpful book available by the same name.

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