How To Lose Weight With The South Beach Diet

The South Beach Diet is a well-known diet named after Miami's South Beach. It was developed by cardiologist Dr. Arthur Agatston. This diet emphasizes healthy carbohydrates, such as whole grains, fiber, fruit and vegetables, and healthy fats, such as monounsaturated fat. The South Beach Diet recommends foods that are low on the glycemic index and thus will not increase your sugar levels so quickly.

Phases One to Three

Step 1

Remove most carbohydrates from your diet during phase one. During this phase, which lasts for the first two weeks, 10 percent of your diet come from carbs, instead of the generally suggested 45 to 65 percent. During this phase, eat vegetables, meat and seafood, eggs and cheese, and healthy fats. The purpose of this phase is to train your body not to crave carbs.

Step 2

Add foods back into your diet. The second phase is the longer-term weight loss phase, which you stay on until you lose the desired amount of weight. During this phase, you add back to your diet certain foods, including whole grains, fruits and vegetables. You bring carbohydrates back up to 27 percent of your total calories during phase two.

Step 3

Maintain your healthy diet by utilizing what you learned during phases one and two. The third phase is supposed to be the diet you stay on for the rest of your life. At this point, carbs make up about 28 percent of your total calories.

Tips and Warnings

If you gain weight during the third phase, the South Beach Diet recommends going back to phase one. Although exercise is not part of this diet program, the South Beat Diet does suggest walking and states that exercise will help you lose weight while on the diet.
Even though the South Beach Diet was developed by a doctor, MayoClinic.com advises that you should speak to your own doctor before doing this diet, which it emphasizes is a commercial diet. This diet plan will most likely help you lose weight in the beginning, but it will not have lasting, long-term results. Low-carbohydrate diets, such as this one, are still controversial.