SubscribeCNN on the South Beach Diet
CNN reviews the South Beach diet:
Called the South Beach Diet, the plan is poised to overtake the Atkins method as the newest weight-loss rage.The diet bears the name of the famous, high-life beach in Miami, Florida, conjuring up images of glamorous people in sexy bathing suits. The book, "The South Beach Diet" by Dr. Arthur Agatston, has been a best seller for months and has moved ahead of "Atkins for Life" to top The New York Times list for hardback advice books.
According to the diet's inventor, a food's calories alone aren't responsible for weight gain.
"It's really the reactive hypoglycemia that causes people to be hungry," said Agatston, a Miami cardiologist.
Eating foods rich in carbohydrates leads to hunger, and the result is bingeing on carbs, according to Agatston.
Refined carbs are rated so high on the glycemic index scale that white bread has a higher, i.e. worse, score than chocolate. Fat-free milk rates worse than whole milk with all the fat left in.
59 Comments
Add Your Comment
New
ADVERTISING
Categories
| Body Image Celebrities Diet Pills Diets Exercise |
Fast Food Funny Stuff Success Stories Teens and Kids Tips and Tools |
Popular
Updated Lists
Comments
- Herbalife Las Vegas on The 5 Worst Fast Food Value Meals: Wow sausage biscuit surprises me. Great information!!...
- Spectra on How To: Break Bad Habits and Build Good Habits: I always get frustrated with New Year's Resolution people because they...
- olga on 28 Tainted Weight Loss Pills: Thank you for that report.It was really interesting and helpful....
- olga on Diet Coke Plus Faces FDA Warning: great article...
- Natural Remedy Reports on Does Caffeine Help Exercise?: I love my coffee. It doesn't really matter to me what researchers say ...
This is a very good thing to understand. SBD has helped many but it's also important to know and respect that powerful diets can have powerful swings. I started the diet, and didn't realize to what degree my body had adjusted until I started experiencing the reactive hypoglycemia which you describe perfectly. It has put me out of commission for two days. I hope that people realize the need to be careful of powerful diets that can radically change our bodies.
ReplyCNN on the South Beach Fat Burner:
ReplyCNN reviews the South Beach Diet and an all new revolutionary dietary supplement called
the South Beach Fat Burner. A well researched formula shown to increase fat loss and suppress appetite by helping the brain receive signals that it is full sooner
Last month I read a post on a new dietary supplement featured on CNN. Does anyone know where I could find the South Beach Fat Burner.
ReplyThanks
I found that I cannot lose weight on the SB diet, unless I also count calories. I firmly believe in the SB principles of avoiding sugar and refined carbs, and controlling blood sugar levels...it's a great life long way to eat. But to lose weight, I think you also need to count calories.
ReplyCarol
ReplyI also went on the south beach diet and lost a paltry 5 pounds after one entire month, I DID NOT cheat, it was very dissapointing to say the least. I dont know if the fact that I am post menopausal and have a low thyroid factored in or not. I am now on a restricted 1300 calorie per day diet and the weight is coming off at a rate of about 2.50 pounds per week. I will soon begin an exercise program and I am eating the diet frozen meals found at the supermarket because I simply cannot afford to go on Jenny Craig or the other popular diet all the stars go on that deliver the food to your home. So far, I do not feel hungry and feeling hungry was the reason all of my diet attempts in the past have failed. While I believe sugar is worse than fat, I also believe sodium is a real culprit in blocking weight loss, at least for me anyway. I really have to be careful not to go over the 2000 mg soduim allotment per day and these frozen meals are loaded with it, but still, for me, its working. Nice to know Im not alone in my failure to lose weight on S.B. it DOES have some very sound principles and should work for everyone, however in my case, that simply is not true.
Carol and Tina,
ReplyIf you have less than 15LBS to lose when starting the South Beach diet it WILL take you longer to lose those pounds because you are so close to your goal weight, at that point in time you will also have to count calories while watching your cab intake. If you had more then 15 then chances are that you were doing something wrong and perhaps didn't realize it. The thing with South Beach is that most people go through Phase 1 and lose weight and continue on Phase 1 hoping for the same fast weight loss BUT that is not what you are supposed to do; continuing on Phase 1 for more than 3 weeks can cause you to start losing muscle mass and can cause your weight to plateau. I have been on South Beach for 7 weeks now and have lost 22 lbs, I am eating the fruit and whole grains as suggested and still losing at a fast BUT HEALTHY pace. There are forums online where you can post your questions about the diet or have people review your food choices to tell you what they think you may need to change,
http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/forum/index.php
South Beach Diet works, if you do it right.
Not trying to be condescending, I just have had great success on South Beach and I wish everyone an equal opportunity.
I started the South Beach Diet on 10/29/04 at the advise of my Pulmonary specialist and as of 5/13/05 I have lost 54 lbs and am still working at it to loss another 45 lbs. I am thankful for this diet because it makes it possible for me to live a better and longer life. I am 59 years old and it is now even more difficult to loss. I do not count calories just carbs. The only thing I do not know is how many carbs should take in a day? Please let me know.
ReplyI have been on the South Beach for 4 weeks. I lost 10 pounds in the first two weeks. That was great but I have lost nothing sice then. I do workout everyday for 30 minutes. I am doing Phase 2 just like the book says. I would like to know why I have stopped losing weight. I have 60 more pounds to go. So I really need to get going. Thank you to anyone who could help me.
Replyi think its because you are exersizing, muscle weighs more than fat
ReplyWhat you have to do is increase your water intake....I also did the SBD last march. I had to stop because of a family crisis . I gained the weight back over the summer from "comfort eating". I am starting the SBD today again and hoping to stick with it again..I weigh 156 LBS and i'm 5'2 I know that I will be able to drop it again pretty quick with this diet.Just remember WATER>>>
ReplyAnything at starbucks I can have? Sugar free vanilla breve latte?? Maybe? Please?:)
ReplyI am wondering why I am not losing Any wieght on the south beach diet. I have been on phase one for 1 week now and no difference other than tired and cranky. I have been very strict about it. What's up?
ReplyI have been on the SBD for 3 weeks now. I have not had anything to eat other then what is in the SBD book. I feel really good, and I do not crave or want any "junk food", however I havent lost a pound. Is this impossible? I dont even mind eating this way. I have found some good healthy food, and enjoy it. I havent started phase 2 yet because I havent lost any weight, but I am hanging in there. Any suggestions?
Replysounds just like me. I've been religious about sticking with the diet. Today begins my 5th week on phase one and I've only lost 3 pounds. I workout at least 4 times per week doing weights and cardio. I'm wondering what to do. Anyone have any advice?
ReplyNONONO! 5th week on Phase 1!!?!?!?!?!?! No. You HAVE to go to Phase 1. Phase 1 is ONLY meant to be 2-3 weeks at the most! You are losing muscle mass at this point. You HAVE to add in fruit and grains, HAVE TO. What you are doing is VERY unhealthy, please please please for your sake, eat some fruit and grains. Read the book again.
ReplyI meant you have to go to Phase 2.
ReplyI have been on SB for 4 days. I feel really good. I'm just experiencing headaches. I drink about 80 ounces of water a day, and i don't like water.
ReplyHi, regarding the water intake, I find it's difficult to drink 64 oz of water straight too. Here are some things I do to get water intake, it just takes some preparation:
Sugar Free Cool Aid slushee--bought at Walmart and zero calories/carb, they don't even need sugar, just water and ice. I can get four really good tasting servings of (basically) water that way
Flavored tea--I will brew 16 oz of hot tea, add about 4 oz of cold milk/soy/whatever to it and about 4 packets of the yellow sugar. This is an English type drink. For some reason this has always *Really* flushed be out and unbloated me, especially if I drank more than one.
ReplyThe key to phase 1 of the SB diet is to eat until you are just full enough. Don't over or under eat. Drinking water is good too because it helps your stomach think that you are full.
Phase 2 is a little different. If you are not losing weight in phase 2, then you are adding too many carbs back into your diet. Start over in phase one for a few days, then try adding just one carb a day for a week and see what happens.
My mother has been eating the SB way for many years now and went from 170 something down to 100 something. All healthy weight loss, all within about a year, and she looks and feels wonderful. It's possible, you just have to adjust the "diet" for you.
ReplyI am in the same boat as Charlene & Rose. I have just finished my second week of Phase 1 - following SB to a tee - at least 4 cardio workouts and 2 strength training per week, water, etc. I have lost nothing. I am 160 trying to get to 150. I don't want to give up because I like what I'm eating and I can live with this easily, but I need to see some results. Any advice on what I should do differently?
ReplyI did the SBD 2 years ago and lost 20lbs. Let myself go, and this past year gained 5 lbs back... Not too back, but bad enough, to get me going again.
Two things about the SBD. DOn't see it as a diet but more as a change of eating habits. Check out their site, as they have a message board withe lots of greta information. Also if you did not loose in phase 1, go to phase 2. That happened to me, but sure enough by the end of the 1st month, I started to loose weight. Whatever you do, please do not stay on phase 1 for over two weeks.
ReplyI have also followed the diet to the tee, no cheating, lots of water, etc. I have not lost one pound! I don't mind the food, got used to no carbs, feel better and it has helped tremendously with my IBS- but what is going on here? I did SB 2 years ago and lost.
Replyfirst i have to say, i have followed the book religiously. the first two weeks (phase I) i lost 4 pounds. when i changed to phase two, i lost an additional 2 pounds the following week.
since then i have not lost a single pound and i have been on the sb diet for about 8 weeks now. honestly after this many weeks weighing in at the same # and staying on track with this diet hardcore this is frustrating.
i really want this to work. i feel great and i like the food i'm eating, but i'm beginning to get depressed now that 5 weeks have gone by on phase two with not a single pound of weight loss.
there's got to be something i'm overlooking here.
ReplyI feel the same way, I'm really frustrated with SB today and feel more than a little irritated with it. I've been eating tasteless crap for the past week, I've been tired and have had 80% of my normal diet taken away from me. But the kicker is that in the last five days, I lost 2 lbs per day, and then I GAINED 2 lbs per day. No cheating. What the hell?
ReplyI am at the end of phase 1 of the SBD (just 3 days to go) and have lost 9 pounds. They came off very quickly and now the weight loss is stalling. Should I stay on phase one for 1 more week. I would like to lose 30 more pounds. I have found that after day 3 on phase 1 I no longer craved food. I'm a little afraid I'm not eating enough. I estimate that I eat around 550 - 800 calories a day. I'm 5'1 and hoping that is enough.
Replyu are starving your self no wonder you lost so much 500 to 800 isnt enupoh u need 1200 a day at the leaste dont be unhealthy eat righte but congrates on the 9 ppunds i am on it also
ReplyI have a caloric question. It's possible that without enough calories (say under 1000) my body has gone into starvation mode. Now if I do adjust my calories to be over 1000, is it going to go "out of" starvation mode or is it just going to add pounds?
ReplyHey,
ReplyI've been on the south beach diet for 3 days now.. I've cheated everyday. First day I had a freezie that was 100 cal.. second day Ihad strawberry milk, and today I had a 100 cal freezie.. I eat perfectly though..
I just want to lose weight.. and I find it hard to be on the diet because I Love patatoes and rice.. m ostly rice..and fruits.
I need help, and advice. I'm 5'8 an d 138.. and i want to lose 8 pounds.
thanks.
Kate -
As someone who used to work in the weight loss industry, I can promise that you are not eating NEAR enough calories. I'm only about two inches taller than you, and yes, you need fewer calories than someone who is, say, 5'10", but you not this little. Any adult should always consume at least 1200 calories per day; your body will normally use this many calories just to function. The weight loss is probably stalling because your body thinks you are starving it, so even though you are only eating 600-800 calories per day, it's keeping all of it. Our bodies are still "programmed" to function in a feast or famine mode, even though this is not how most of us live now. So when you don't feed your body, it will keep everything you give it for survival. I think if you up your calories to at least 1200 per day, you will start to see weight loss again because your body won't be in panic mode.
Replywish I could help. It seems that I am stuck in the same limbo! not one pound lost :(
ReplyI've been on and off The South Beach diet since Nov. and I Followed the diet .... and lost six pound in the first week and another five the second week .It kind of scared me at first...so for those people that didn't lose any weight something is missing .I think you should stay on phase 1 until your ready to move on to phase 2. I actually lost weight during Thanksgiving and I treated myself on Thanksgiving and throughout the holidays and maintained the weight I lost. Stay away from sugar and exercise and you will see results fast i guarantee. My exercises of choice are swimming and running and walking.
ReplyI was on South Beach about three years ago, and I lost about 12 pound within the first two weeks. I got off the diet because I was not ready to commit. Now, I am back on the diet, and I am finding out that you can not lose weight so quickly in the first phase the second time around. Since, I have health issues that require me to eat better, I am sticking to it. It just gets hard since I am doing what I should and can not lose weight.
ReplyI'm on day 5 of SB and have lost 4 lbs!
My biggest challenge has been no wine :(
But as long as I can add it back in moderation in a couple of weeks I'm ok.
I really think I was drinking too much wine because my eating habits aren't much different than SB to begin with and the weight seems to be dropping off.
ReplyI'm on Day 3 of the SBD and I've already lost 3lbs! I'm really motivated to go. I get those crazy sugar cravings, so I went to the grocery and purchased sugar-free hard candies and nuts. They work! Though, the only drawbacks I've been experiencing are headaches (probably from withdrawal) and lack of energy. I do recommend swimming and brisk walking.
ReplyI was wondering can you have tomato sauce on Phase One? It was chunked tomatoes, I put it in my chili?
ReplyI was wondering, can you have crushed tomatoes in Phase One? Also is chili okay with ground sirloin in phase one?
ReplyI need to know the same thing, but I know on Atkins, I could have a 1/2 heavy whipping cream, 1/2 breve Sugar Free Vanilla Latte. They are WONDERFUL! The whipping cream gives them a rich, nutty flavor...but I'm not sure about the fat content being so high
Replyi am doing SBD and i heard that the the only reason we are limited to a certian amount of sugar free candy is because of the cramps. is this true, or does it affect my weightloss?
ReplyI have been on SBD before and lost alot of weight. I am studying to be a registered dietician and this diet is what we study that is healthy. Maybe not the phase one part. I started 3 weeks ago and did very well. I may need to eat more though, I just do not find myself hungery that much and I workout as well. I did not see a dramtic differance in the scale but I did find a differance in my overall appearance. I guess because protien is a natural diuretic. I started phase two on sunday, mothers day and had potatoes for breakfast along with eggs and steak and veg's. But the next day I had rice and a couple of bite of whole wheat bread. I know that I need to keep on track, do you have any advice on how to speed up any fat loss.
ReplyI'm on day 5 and haven't lost a pound. It's very discouraging because this diet is about the hardest thing I've ever done and I'm sticking to it tooth and nail (albeit a mistake or two realized after the fact)- The only thing I can think of is that I'm very small to begin with (just looking to lose a few pounds in the belly) at 5'4" 120 pounds. Any advice?
Replybridget, i'm wondering this myself (i wrote a post earlier). im only 5'2" and my frame is unusually small (5.5 size shoe and my pinky ring size is a 2). i'm hoping to lose an additional 10 pounds - i weigh 130 right now, which is VERY heavy for my frame.
maybe the 2000 calorie daily allowance is not for people with our proportions?? i've copied my earlier post below:
i have followed the book religiously. the first two weeks (phase I) i lost 4 pounds. when i changed to phase two, i lost an additional 2 pounds the following week.
since then i have not lost a single pound and i have been on the sb diet for about 8 weeks now. honestly after this many weeks weighing in at the same # and staying on track with this diet hardcore this is frustrating.
i really want this to work. i feel great and i like the food i'm eating, but i'm beginning to get depressed now that 5 weeks have gone by on phase two with not a single pound of weight loss.
there's got to be something i'm overlooking here.
ReplyI have been on the SBD for about 2 weeks now and have not seen much change. Although I do have more energy. Sometimes too much . I am 5'6" and weigh 168 I would like to lose at least 20 lbs. I am 61 years old maybe that
Replyis the reason. I do not know.
I don't know when you posted your comments, but it's been 3-1/2 weeks for me and I've lost 6 lbs. I'm 57 and weigh 164. I want to get down to 145. How have you been doing? What kind of exercise have you been doing? Do you take any pills?
ReplyI wish someone would post a good answer for us in the no-weight loss group. I've been doing SBD almost a month now and only lost 2 pounds (initial loss the first week). I am exercising AT LEAST 30 minutes every day, some days I get in an hour. I have followed the diet very well. I am also 5'2", but I'm heavier than the others, at 158. I am so frustrated. I do feel better, and don't get the shakes like I used to between meals, but I weigh wayyy too much!!
ReplyHello Janet, I have no answer for you but I have the same problem. I'm 5'2" and 163 lbs. I've been taking tae kwon doe 3 times a week for 4wks now and I still 163lbs. I've been on SB phase one for one week now with no results. The only thing that ever helped me was Weight Watchers.
ReplySame here, actually. For all the counting that Weight Watchers entails, at least you're able to eat everything and KNOW you're in the right caloric range.
I'm never hungry with the SB, even when I haven't eaten all day. I was cleaning out my garage the other day and almost fainted every time I bent over. I was wondering why the orthostatic hypotension and then I realized--I hadn't eaten anything all day. And I had to go force myself to eat.
ReplyIf you are not losing weight, don't worry about it, as long as you are following the guidelines of the diet. You may not lose weight in pounds, especially if you are not drinking enough water (body will try and store water instead), but you will lose weight in inches believe me. I have been on SB 3 or 4 times and have lost weight every time. I am not obese, so I don't lose huge chunks of weight (even in Phase 1). But as long as I stay on it (and don't cheat or make excuses why I can cheat), I end up losing weight eventually. However, I swear by the diet, and for me I usually lose fat in the face, belly, before I lose any weight on the scale. Hope this helps.
ReplyWeek 1 is done and I've lost 10 pounds already!!!
...though, for comparisons sake, I should say that I'm probably taller and thus heavier than most of you all to begin with, so weight will come off easier
ReplyI guess South Beach hates short people, LOL
ReplyI am also 5'2" looking to loose about 8-10 pounds. I have been on phase 1 for 12 days and I've lost ONLY one pound. I exercise 6 days a week and have strictly followed phase one. The book says I should expect to be 8-12 pounds thinner by the end of phase 1...why can't I loose the weight!? Does anyone have a good answer for us shorties??
ReplyI am also 5'2" and just started phase 1. I weigh 140 puunds Previous to starting this I was eating sensibly and exercising and lost about 14 pounds in about 1.5 months. I'm a little leary of Phase 1, but am willing to see how this works.
ReplyI just finished my first week and have lost 3 lbs.(on day 4). I'm frustrated at not losing more because this was really hard for me. I use treadmill 20 mins everyday (breaking sweat)& stick to diet. I'm 5'7" and 57 yrs old and want to lose 30 lbs. A lot of people seem to be in the same boat as I am and we all NEED HELP. Please isn't there any one out there who can tell us what we are doing wrong. Am I possibly eating too little....it seems a lot!
ReplyI am 5'6" and weight 210 pounds. I initially started the SBD a year ago and lost almost 100 pounds. I was so happy. When the holidays rolled around my mother (who is also on the diet) and I decided to let the diet go for a few months and enjoy the holidays. We had extenuating circumstnces (deaths in the family and going on a cruise) so we ended up "cheating" longer. We gained back all of our weight plus some.
We are now back on the diet. My mother has been dropping wieght like a rock, but I've been on phase 1 for almost 2 weeks now, following it stricter than my mother has, and have only lost 1 pound. It wasn't this hard to loose weight the first go round. Unfortunately, I'm also on medication that has the side effect of weight gain (which I was on the first go round). Its so frusting not loosing weight. I'm starting to wonder why I even bother.
ReplyAnother shorty here- and also having trouble losing the weight. Almost finished with week 2 and the scale went down two pounds but somehow up two so I'm where I started. And my time of the month is about to end- so yes, I dieted while having pms and did not cheat once! Very frustrated at this point. I thought for sure it would work. I was eating so much- and so many carbs before I started- I can't believe that five pounds hasn't just popped off my belly alone!
Anyway - happy for all of you who have dropped a ton but is there anyone out there that did not lose right away? Like maybe it took a month, but then the results finally came? I'm waiting for my body to catch up to this diet, but don't want to kid myself either. And the entire reason I chose this one is because I hate starving myself on low calorie diets. Help! (Oh, and I am drinking plenty of water and working out three times a week) I am almost 20 pounds overweight. Thanks so much for any advice - even if it's to just quit and try something else. I hate wasting my time if it's just not going to work for me. Is it back to my slimfast shakes again? And when I say shakes, I'm referring to my hands all day from not eating!!!
ReplyWell, I'm finishing week 3 - I had lost 6.6 lbs, but gained 2.4 back yesterday from eating instant oatmeal and a turkey wrap (split 1/2 lunch; 1/2 dinner). I'm just sick about it, so back on the phase I. I need to lose 30 lbs and I think those of us trying to lose less weight are having a harder time losing in the start. I'm going to give this a longer try. I was also taking Meridia (diet pills) but have stopped because my appetite is really suppressed and I was having a hard time eating the amount I should. I am on fat burner pills (from doctor)-my friends have had real success with these. I guess we should be happy with 1 lb a week but I don't have much patience! I know what you mean about how many carbs I was putting in my body and I, too, thought I'd drop at least 5 lbs once I hit ketosis, but it didn't happen. I wouldn't go back on slim fast - I believe you need to eat responsibly and shakes is not the way. I also have Designer Whey protein drink for those snack times when I'm really not all that hungry but need the protein (I probably have 3 a week). don't get discouraged - I need encouragement, too!
ReplyThis is what I have found to work for me. Im also short. I'm 5'2 and have always been pretty good about what I eat. However, carbs are def. my enemy. I was at 115 about two years ago, started eating ALOT OF carbs all the time and gained ALOT of weight. I started SB just this week. Mon. I weighed 141 and today im at 135. For me I just think it works for me because I was not used to eating a lot of carbs to begin with. I dunno. hope this helps! Also I have heard it takes almost a year to see the full results and its more of changing the way you eat than a diet.
ReplyQuestion....i have searched everywhere and had no luck......does anyone know if you can have fat free sugar free frozen yogurt after phase 1?
Reply