The South Beach Diet is a commercial diet for weight loss and maintenance. Arthur Agatston, a cardiologist from Miami, formulated the original South Beach Diet in the early 1990s for his patients, and popularized it in 2003 in his book "The South Beach Diet." The diet claims to promote heart health and eliminate cravings, but get your doctor's approval before starting this diet because it restricts some nutritious foods.
Diet Overview
Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet is designed to jumpstart your weight loss and eliminate food cravings. Phase 2 begins after two weeks on Phase 1. You can start the diet in Phase 2 if you have fewer than 10 lbs. to lose and you do not have problems with food cravings. Phase 2 is for steady weight loss. You move into Phase 3, the maintenance phase, once you reach your goal weight.
Foods in Phase 1
In Phase 1, you can eat plenty of lean proteins, such as white-meat chicken, egg whites, soy-based meat substitutes and seafood. Have healthy fats, such as monounsaturated fats from olive oil, canola oil and avocados. You can eat nonstarchy vegetables, nuts and seeds and low-fat or fat-free milk, cheese and plain yogurt. You can have sugar-free candy, frozen pops and gelatin, but you cannot have grains, fruit or added sugars. Drink sugar-free or diet beverages, and avoid alcohol.
Foods in Phases 2 and 3
Phase 2 allows all the foods that you had in Phase plus additional foods with carbohydrates. You can have artificially sweetened, plain, reduced-fat yogurt, dark chocolate and fat-free, sugar-free pudding, pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes, whole grains and high-fiber, low-sugar cereals. You can have most fresh fruits in Phase 2. When you arrive at Phase 3, you add white potatoes, beets, corn and all fruits, including watermelon, canned fruit, pineapple, figs and raisins.
Other Information
The South Beach Diet Supercharged is a newer program than the original South Beach Diet. This updated version of the diet keeps the same meal patterns and phases as the original, but it includes more recipes and a more extensive food list. Another difference is that the South Beach Diet Supercharged introduces a new fitness program. Dieters still pay to access the full range of online features, such as a meal planner, community discussion forums and individual nutrition counseling.
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