How was the South
Beach Diet created? The
South Beach Diet was created by Arthur Agatston, MD, a cardiologist whose motivation
was to improve the cholesterol and insulin levels of patients with heart disease.
He was looking for a safe way for his heart patients to lose weight in a healthy,
sustainable way. His research at Mount Sinai Medical Center became the foundation
for the diet that has become a phenomenon - especially in South Florida. He presented
his findings at a national meeting of the American College of Cardiology and the
American Heart Association and the word spread quickly. The result-- The South
Beach Diet! [ BACK
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How
does the South Beach Diet work? The
South Beach Diet is not a low-carb or low-fat diet. Instead, the South Beach Diet
emphasizes health and weight-loss by changing the balance of the foods you eat.
You'll do away with bad carbs and bad fats, and start eating good fats and good
carbs. During the first two weeks of the South
Beach Diet (Phase One), you'll eat normal-size helpings of lean meat, fish, eggs,
reduced-fat cheese, nonfat yogurt, nuts, and plenty of vegetables. You'll have
three balanced meals a day as well as two snacks! You won't be eating any bread,
rice, potatoes, pasta, baked goods, or even fruit. But don't worry, you'll begin
adding those things back into your diet again as the program progresses. During
Phase Two, you'll begin adding some of foods you cut during Phase One. But you'll
be adding them back in a healthy way by eating the right balance of carbs and
only adding one additional carb per week. This will continue until you can eat
two-three servings of the right carbs a day while continuing to lose weight. Finally,
in Phase Three (once you reach your ideal weight), you will be able to add even
more foods back into your diet. When you get to this point, the plan should feel
less like a diet and more like a way of life. You'll be eating normal foods in
normal-size portions, just rebalanced to keep your weight exactly where you want
it. [ BACK
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What
are the Pro's of the South Beach Diet?
The South Beach Diet provides a tried
and tested approach to healthy living. The plan not only emphasizes foods that
will help you loose weight, but foods that are universally considered healthy
eating choices. And since it is not a low-fat or low-carbohydrate diet, it allows
for greater flexibility and a wider variety of food choices. Compared
to the Atkins Diet or other low-carb diets, the
South Beach Diet is much better for your overall health and encourages healthy
life-long eating habits. People not only loose weight with the South Beach Diet,
but they lower their cholesterol, reduced their risk of heart disease and diabetes,
as well as eliminated cravings without always feeling hungry. [
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What
are the Con's of the South Beach Diet? Overall,
the South Beach Diet is a great program. But the extreme carbohydrate restriction
during the first two weeks requires serious willpower and may leave you feeling
weak. You also won't be getting your five fruit and vegetables each day during
Phase One, which may leave you missing some important vitamins and minerals. Another
problem some people may experience is all the lowfat dairy snacks. Since the plan
restricts soy from being used during the first two weeks, the snacking option
becomes useless for people that can’t consume dairy. [
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