South Beach Diet

Background

If you are looking for a diet that teaches you how to change the balance of the food that you eat everyday and will have you eating healthier than you ever have, then the South Beach Diet may be for you.  With this diet you are getting rid of the bad carbs and bad fats and learning to eat only good carbs and fats.  Started by Dr. Arthur Agatston to teach his cardiology patients how to eat sensibly, it has turned into a world wide phenomenon.

What the South Beach Diet Really Is

There are three phases to the South Beach Diet.  Phase one is to start losing weight.  You learn to eat in a new way with normal size helpings of meat and seafood with plenty of veggies, cheese, nuts, and eggs.  You will eat three hearty meals per day that will satisfy your hunger.  By eating two snacks a day as well you will learn how to get rid of your cravings.  For the first 2 weeks of the diet plan you will not be able to have many of the bad carbs such as rice, potatoes, pasta or baked goods like cookies and pastry.  You also cannot drink alcohol.

Phase two will have you reaching your goal of a healthy weight.  You will eat many of the same foods as in phase one but you will also reintroduce some bread, wholegrain cereals, pasta and low fat milk.  You stay in phase 2 until you have reached your goal weight.  Phase three will reintroduce a wider variety of food which will help you keep your weight off and steady.  You will have a diet rich in vitamins and minerals and you will eat more from each group of food, including desserts.

You have a choice of following the South Beach Diet book or joining online.  If you choose to go through the online option you will get a customized plan that will guide you through the three phases.  Included are:

•    Personalized diet
•    Recipes and food guides
•    Weight tracker tool
•    Personal journal
•    Daily newsletter to keep you motivated and on track
•    Expert dieticians that are ready to answer your questions
•    Supportive community of South Beach Diet followers

Cost of the Program

The cost to join South Beach Diet online is $20.00 monthly which can billed either in monthly increments or by the quarter.  The minimum requirement is 4 weeks so if you cancel early there is a $20.00 cancellation fee.

Recipes and Foods Available

When you join the online program there are tons of recipes and food plans available to you.  You will have a daily meal planner that you can swap out with your favorite foods or you can learn to try something new.  Recipes include:

•    Grilled salmon with rosemary
•    Meatloaf
•    Stuffed chicken
•    Whole wheat pizza
•    And so much more

Cons of the South Beach Diet

•    The diet focuses more on foods rather than any form of exercise
•    The first phase is very restrictive and when most people want to give up
•    Not enough structure when adding carbs back in because it is left up to the individual which can sometimes lead to carb overload

Conclusion

If followed properly the South Beach Diet is a diet that you can stay on for the rest of your life.  After you have reached the maintaining portion of the diet you feel good about your choices of foods and are still able to indulge once in a while.  Although not perfect for everyone, for someone who can be structured in their eating and have willpower for a good portion of the diet it can be an excellent choice.

Have You Tried The South Beach Diet?

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