South Beach Diet Review

South Beach Diet an Overview

The South Beach weight loss program became very popular in the 1990’s,as a successor to the stringency of the Atkins diet. It was seen by many, as a more healthy and lees obsessive alternative to the low carb regime of Atkins. Although it still encouraged the participant to avoid many cooked and processed carbohydrates. This included many bread pastries and cakes. Also refined carbohydrates such as sugar as in soft drinks and chocolate.

The diet was originated by Dr. Arthur Agatston, an American cardiologist. The system does not follow other diets in a single interpretation of itself as “Low fat or” or “low carb”. It seeks to help the dieter to understand how to eat what is good for them, from both groups of foods so that weight loss can be achieved by eating both “good carbs” and “good fats”.

The diet is in three very distinct sections, and each one has it’s own particular function's, first part is the stricter of the two and is designed both to give a quick start to the weight loss and also to develop the pattern of eating a healthier, more stable diet.

In the first part the dieter is encouraged to eat three proper meals a day. But foods such as many cooked carbohydrates are excluded from this, although good portions of lean meat and fish and plenty of fresh vegetables are recommended. This provides a good start to the diet and also eliminates the problem faced by many weight loss systems, hunger.

The South Beach Diet ensures that you are not plagued by the hunger pangs that ruin so many weight loss aspirations, by making sure that you have three good meals a day. This is one of the reasons that many people succeed on this diet, where they have failed on others. By making sure that you are not hungry in the early phase of the diet, The south Beach Diet gives you a head start and lessens the chance of a failure due to just being too hungry and all the associated lack of enthusiasm that goes with it.

The first part of the South Beach weight loss plan is very limited. Although you will be able to eat three meals a day, the foods that those meals may contain, such as limited carbohydrates reduce the choices available. Part of the thinking behind this is that when the weight loss starts, you will use carbohydrates more efficiently and as such, the need for then will be at a much lower level.

The second part of the South Beach Diet is slightly less restrictive, in that is allows some carbohydrates and other foods that were disallowed in the fist section, back into the diet. It also allows more dairy foods. Many of the foods that were not allowed in the first section (at least the healthy ones) are allowed in the second part.

This is a very good incentive for staying with the program and encourages you towards your weight loss goal, by giving you something to work towards. The second segment is adhered to until you have attained your weight loss target. It is a less strict way of eating, but nevertheless can be effective if followed properly.

The third segment of the diet is put into practice after the weight loss has been achieved, This section is to allow you to ease off, without slipping back to old habits and regaining the weight. It also gives what some believe to be a good basis for normal, healthy everyday eating and may help to eliminate the problem of yo-yo dieting...

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One of the topics that The South Beach Diet does not cover is exercise. Many practitioners consider this to be integral to the notion of weight loss as a route to a healthier lifestyle. This is of course is not a barrier to using the diet, as there is a plethora of good information on exercise available, and there is nothing to prevent you from considering this, after checking with your doctor, in conjunction with your South Beach weight loss plan.

The South Beach diet is very popular weight loss plan and seems to be maintaining its place on the bookshelves of  stores long after its early rush of sales.

Important Reading on Southbeach Diet:

• What can I eat on the South Beach Diet?
• Tips about the South Beach Diet Phase 2
• South Beach Diet Phase One
• Must Have Information on South Beach Diet Snacks
• Is the South Beach Diet Safe for You?
• Great Ideas for a Shopping List for South Beach Diet Foods