The South Beach Diet has been popular since its creation in 2004, and it has motivated many to change their eating habits via restrictions on calories, carbs and saturated fats. It was created by cardiologist Arthur Agatston, and little did he know his plan to help overweight heart patients would evolve into a national phenomenon.
The Promise
The South Beach Diet is a low-carb diet that differs from competitors like the Atkins Diet because it restricts saturated fats linked with health concerns like heart disease and high cholesterol. South Beach promises dieters that their cravings for carbs and sweets will dissipate over time, thanks to the diet's ability to keep blood sugar levels balanced. The diet also promises you'll lose as much as 12 pounds in the first two weeks as long as you follow its rules.
The Approach
The South Beach Diet has three phases during which you hit your "target weight" while substituting friendly foods for unfriendly foods. Phase 1 takes two weeks and focuses on reducing cravings while you lose weight. The "serious" weight loss occurs during Phase 2, as you eat everything from Phase 1 while adding "good" carbs. The site suggests you start at Phase 2 if you have less than 10 lbs. to lose. Phase 3 assumes you have adopted the South Beach methodology, have met your target weight and are in maintenance mode. This phase allows you to indulge while following the principles learned during Phases 1 and 2.
Food Dos and Don'ts
By minimizing carbs and adding more lean meats, fruits, veggies and whole grains, you will lose weight on this diet. While the diet forbids carbo-loaded foods like pasta and potatoes, it does make room for other lighter carb foods during Phase 2. For added ease, you can buy frozen microwave-ready meals or follow recipes from their cookbook.
Benefits
The South Beach Diet encourages you to eat in a heart-healthy way that does not require pills or medications. It reportedly has a following of over 750,000 members.
Concerns
The South Beach claim that sugar levels remain stable and thus alleviate cravings is not accurate, according to Diets in Review, and in fact most nondiabetics will have a stable sugar level even after eating a candy bar. Another concern is that the diet may be hard to tolerate for vegetarians, as well as for those who have difficulty eating foods high in sugar-alcohols, as do many of the South Beach products. You may find that Phase 1 is difficult to get through and that Phase 3 is difficult to maintain over time.
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