The South Beach Diet is based on the premise that you should avoid foods that raise your blood sugar levels because excess blood sugar, not fatty foods, cause body fat. Calories also don't cause body fat, according to South Beach Diet creator Dr. Arthur Agatson. Consequently, the diet's daily plans include three hearty meals and a dessert as well as snacks between meals during the diet's early stages.
Theory
The South Beach Diet urges you to eat "the right carbs and the right fats," according to "The South Beach Diet." Many low-fat carbohydrates that health-related organizations recommend are disdained by the South Beach Diet because their high glycemic index scores show that they raise your blood sugar levels rapidly. Fats and proteins raise your blood sugar barely or not all. Saturated fats don't cause weight gain, but the South Beach Diet discourages them because meals high in saturated fat can "trigger a heart attack," according to Agatston.
Time Frame
The South Beach Diet has three phases. The first phase lasts two weeks and prohibits most foods with carbohydrates, even those with low glycemic-index scores, because drastically cutting carbs theoretically changes your body's chemistry so that it won't crave carbs again unless you resume eating high glycemic-index foods that you no longer crave. The second phase lasts until you reach your weight goal and lets you eat much more of the "right carbs." The third phase lasts for the remainder of your life.
Phase One
The meal plans in the South Beach Diet's first phase are based on the fact that you cannot eat any bread, cereal, dairy, fruits, pasta and rice, according to the "Foods to Avoid" list in "The South Beach Diet." You also cannot eat many vegetables, including beets, carrots, corn, potatoes and tomatoes. Your meals should be "of normal size" in this phase. Recommended lunches include numerous salads, chicken breast and sirloin hamburger steak without bread. Recommended dinners include salmon, London broil and pepper steak. The dinners all include salads or vegetables.
Phase Two
You can reintroduce numerous foods into your diet during phase two because you will no longer overeat them thanks to your body chemistry changes, according to the diet. Fresh fruits except bananas, pineapples, raisins and watermelons, as well as high-fiber breads, cereals, pastas and rice, are allowed. You should still avoid breads, pastas and rice with white flour. Daily plans still include two snacks and a post-dinner dessert. Breakfast plans include oatmeal and strawberries on Day 1, a low-fat cheese sandwich and grapefruit on Day 4, and an egg and a muffin on Day 6.
Phase Three
The first two phases of the South Beach Diet have "Foods to Enjoy" and "Foods to Avoid" lists, but, there are no food lists for the last phase. Agatston wants you to limit your consumption of high glycemic-index foods that he believes your body doesn't crave anymore and foods high in saturated fat, but in general "we strongly encourage you to eat until you're no longer hungry," he writes. However, the diet's meal plans do not include midmorning and midafternoon snacks for the first time.
References
- "The South Beach Diet"; Dr. Arthur Agatston; 2003
- "The South Beach Diet Supercharged"; Dr. Arthur Agatston with Joseph Signorile; 2003
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