Featured Diet Article of the Month

The South Beach Diet Explained

by Anton Souvlak

The South Beach Diet Promise: Quick and easy weight loss, tasty food, doctor approved

The South Beach Diet is one of the hottest diets on the market today. It combines a seemingly common sense approach to dieting with some specific phases and food lists. This diet is not focused on quantity of food but rather the quality of food.
The South Beach Diet is one of the many newer and popular diets that seem to be founded on strong nutritional concerns. Additionally, the South Beach Diet gains much credibility due to its founder - Dr Agatston, a cardiologist as well as an associate professor of medicine at the University of Miami Medical School.

What Exactly is the South Beach Diet?

The South Beach Diet has three phases. The first is designed to take off a good amount of weight quickly (8-12 lbs in 2 weeks). The Second phase is a long term sustainable weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week until your weight loss goals are met. And the third phase is a life long change of dietary habit to help you keep the weight off.

Phase 1:

This phase is focused on temporarily eliminating carbohydrates and "bad" fats. This means no carbs of any kind -

NO: grains, bread, pasta, rice, root vegetables(carrots, potatoes, beets, etc), soda, sugar (this includes chocolate, ice cream, cake, pies, cookies, all sweets - you get the idea), and no alcohol(including beer). You will also need to restrict "bad" fats like those from animals - this generally means no to gravy, butter, bacon, sausage, cheeseburgers(but who wants a burger without a bun!), or anything else dripping with grease. It also means low-fat versions of things like cheese, yogurt and milk. Finally no fruits and only low glycemic index vegetables. Whew! Luckily this phase only lasts 2 weeks.

What you should eat: In phase one of the South Beach Diet you should eat leaner meats like chicken, turkey, fish, shellfish, shrimp, and even beef (occasionally, maybe once per week). Green vegetables like lettuce, broccoli, kale and chard, as well as green peas, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, tomato soup, chickpeas, lima beans, black beans, kidney beans, lentils, soybeans. These are all 51 or lower on the glycemic index, green vegetables are by far the best foods for you to eat on this list - favor them. Also, healthy oils like olive or canola are just fine to use, for instance olive oil on a salad.

Phase 2:

The second phase lasts until you reach your desired weight taking off a healthy 1-2 pounds per week. During this phase many of the previously forbidden foods can come back into the diet slowly. Carbs must still be limited but you can once again enjoy bread, pasta, alcohol, and even chocolate. This phase is about finding the right balance of foods for you.

Phase 3:

Finally you can bring back some more of the previously banned foods. This phase is focused on finding the right balance of healthy and delicious foods for you to eat for the rest of your life. To keep you healthy and vibrant.

The Verdict: One of the most sensible approaches to eating we've ever come across.

What it doesn't tell you: Dieting is about being healthy and looking great, to really be healthy we can't forget about exercise. Getting out to stretch and use your body is a necessary addition to this diet.