SOUTH BEACH DIET
Dr. Arthur Agatston is the cardiologist who started the South Beach Diet, which is based on a diet he created for his Floridian heart patients. People who were chronically overweight were able to get results by following the diet. There is a misconception that this diet is similar to Atkins or that it is low-carb. Dr. Agatston strongly makes clear that his diet is not low-carb; it only has a two-week imposement on high-carb consumption. After that, carbohydrates are fine. The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss is his book which details the diet plan, although those that prefer to do their dieting online can find resources there, too.
Foods Emphasized: High-fiber foods, healthy fats and lean proteins
Foods Restricted: Bread, pasta, fruit, rice and potatoes
Premise and Guidelines: The South Beach Diet was created in the late 1990s by Dr. Arthur Agatston to address the concerns of his overweight cardiac patients. The South Beach Diet is a ‘carb-right’ diet as opposed to a low-carb or no-carb diet. Instead of completely cutting carbohydrates from the diet, eating low-glycemic carb vegetables and whole grains, better fat choices such as canola and olive oil, and lean proteins are encouraged.
The South Beach Diet consists of three phases; the first one being the source of confusion with the Atkins Diet. Phase One is a restriction phase lasting two weeks. This is the short phase when dieters eliminate carbs, and instead eat healthy-sized servings of fish, lean meat, low-fat cheese, eggs, fat-free yogurt, nuts and vegetables. Participants must avoid sugar and sweets of all types. This phase marks rapid weight loss. In the second phase, carbohydrates are transitioned back into your diet with the proper carbs mentioned above. This time frame depends on the dieter, since they stay in Phase Two until their weight loss goals are achieved.
The maintenance phase is the third and last phase. After achieving your weight loss goal, you are allowed to move to Phase Three. The goal in this phase is to maintain your weight by continuing with healthy eating choices. The South Beach diet is another diet that uses the insulin-level theory to create a healthy eating pattern. And because it is created to benefit those with medical issues, it is more nutritionally sound than some other diets. It is proven to be effective, with results being achieved up to twice as fast as traditional low-fat diets.