The South Beach Diet was developed by cardiologist Arthur Agatston. The diet was originally developed as a means to help cardiovascular patients improve their heart health. When Dr. Agatston realized that the diet had potential for weight loss, he revamped the diet to focus on weight loss as well as heart health.
Diet Basics
The basis of the South Beach diet is a focus on the right types of carbohydrates and healthy fats. The claim is that a fiber-rich diet that offers plenty of nutrients that will keep you full and satisfied. The South Beach Diet offers education on the right types of carbohydrates and the idea behind the glycemic index. The South Beach Diet also provides information about the proper types of fats and the importance of healthy fats in the diet.
Phases
The South Beach Diet consists of three major phases. The first phase lasts for two weeks and cuts out almost all forms of carbohydrates. Phase 1 allows approximately 10 percent of your calories to come from carbohydrates. During the first phase, you are allowed to eat lean meat, seafood, vegetables, eggs, nuts, salads and healthy fats.
The second phase allows you to gradually add back some carbohydrates. On this phase of the diet, approximately 27 percent of calories come from carbohydrates. You can consume all of the foods allowed in Phase 1, as well as whole grains and fruits. This phase lasts until you reach your weight-loss goal.
Phase 3 is the maintenance phase. This is the phase that is meant to be a lifelong diet plan. Approximately 28 percent of calories come from carbohydrates on this phase of the diet.
Claims
The South Beach Diet claims you will lose anywhere from 8 to 13 lbs. during the first phase of the program. During Phase 2, weight loss will slow down to around 1 to 2 lbs. per week. The South Beach Diet also claims that following the diet can improve your cardiovascular health.
Online Resources
In addition to providing you with diet details, the South Beach Diet website also offers tools and support to help you plan meals, generate a shopping list, find recipes and talk to others following the diet. The website also offers tracking tools where you can track your progress.
Exercise
The South Beach Diet does not put a great emphasis on exercise, but the program does recommend getting around 20 minutes of moderate exercise every day. The program states that if you do incorporate exercise, you will lose weight faster, but exercise is not essential for success.
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