South Beach Diet® Review
Review At A Glance
Cardiologist Arthur Agatston created The South Beach Diet in the mid-1990s. Though known as a low carb diet, rather than focusing simply on low carbs and/or low fats, the South Beach diet is marketed as the "right carbs and the right fats." It is seen by some as more physiologically correct than the Atkins diet. Overall, we find the offerings available at eDiets superior to the South Beach Diet, due to their flexibility and customization (currently, 24 separate plans are offered).How Does It Work?
The basic idea behind low carb dieting, including the South Beach Diet, is that if there is a shortage of this primary energy source (the carbohydrates) then the body will begin to burn fat as a source of energy. The "right carbs" to consume are the complex ones, rather than the simple ones, according to this program.Who Is It Good For?
Not just for people who "live on the beach." A sensible - if somewhat trendy - diet program for many. Some schools have even adopted the South Beach approach to deal with obesity in young populations.Keys: Phases
- Most carbohydrates are banned.
- Low GI carbs are reintroduced.
- An even wider variety of foods are introduced, with the aim to keep your weight steady, for life.
Pros
- For each phase, there are no limits on portion sizes - you simply eat enough to satisfy your appetite - and you're encouraged to eat three meals and snacks each day.
- It's good to see a diet that recommends eating fewer foods packed with saturates and replacing some of these foods with heart-healthy monounsaturates.
- Once you get past the initial phase, there are fewer dietary restrictions than some other diet plans.
- Plenty of recipes - over 900, broken into the 3 phases.
Cons
- The extreme carbohydrate restriction in the first two weeks requires serious willpower and may leave you feeling weak.
- Most nutrition experts are less happy with the recommended weight loss. General guidelines recommend losing no more than 2lb a week for good health and so experts are concerned that this diet promotes such a large weight loss in the first two weeks.
- Some of the foods that the diet recommends can be costly.
- The initial weight loss may be of water, and not actual fat. Phase 1 restricts most carbs, and without energy entering the body in the form of carbs, the body turns to energy that's stored with water in the muscles.
- The diet is fairly new and doesn't have years of support to back up its claims.
Further Thoughts
Most nutrition and fitness experts believe it's impossible to lose fat from just one part of your body.Kraft Foods has jumped on the South Beach bandwagon, announcing a line of snacks, cereals, and frozen foods based on this diet.