SubscribeSouth Beach Diet Investigated
I purchased the latest edition of the South Beach Diet and read it anew. The most recent edition has updates to the foods, and a number of other fixes.
South Beach Diet Basics
The South Beach Diet is written by cardiologist Dr. Arthur Agatston. In essence, it's a reduced carbohydrate diet, that emphasizes the value of whole carbohydrates and the glycemic index. Some people have mis-interpreted the diet has being another "low-carb" diet or another version of Atkins. I believe this is incorrect.The South Beach Diet has also been derided as just another fad diet. Only time will reveal whether this is true. It may appear to some as being a fad diet, but I think the South Beach has more value than that. Apart from all our opinions, probably no other book has educated as many people in responsible nutrition. It emphasizes the values of healthy fats, and the blood sugar / insulin response of many of the processed carbohydrate foods that we eat.
The book itself is half filled with recipes and 14 day meal plans for each of the phases. The text is interspersed with testimonies and stories from various people who have used the South Beach Diet.
South Beach Diet On-line
The South Beach Diet has it's own on-line program with all the tools you would expect (meal/menu planners, forums, weight trackers). The only real advantage of signing up to the on-line program is that you get access to about 800 recipes, AND access to a complete vegetarian version of the diet. Quite frankly the extra recipes provide a lot more variation to the diet. You can see the on-line version here.The 3 Phases
The South Beach Diet is broken up into 3 phases: Phase 1 - An induction phase - no longer than 2-3 weeks. Phase 2 - A weight loss phase where Phase 3 - A life-long maintenance phase.Phase 1 - Induction
Phase 1 is most definitely a low-carb phase where most carbohydrates (and all starchy carbs) are completely eliminated. Agatston emphasizes that this phase should never go beyond 2-3 weeks. This phase causes the most weight loss (Agatston claims 8-13 pounds).To be honest, out of all aspects of the South Beach Diet, phase 1 is the only thing that I question. Agatston claims this phase is required in order to "break sugar addiction". I really wonder whether this is necessary. Many people find this phase quite hard, and I wonder whether it is a nod to instant gratification. Dropping carbs out of your diet often results in rapid weight loss for a short period, some will be fat, some may be muscle, and a lot will be loss of water.
Phase 2 - Weight Loss
The second phase of the South Beach Diet is excellent. It reintroduces whole carbohydrates along with good fats and lean proteins. It teaches you how to make good food choices, and how to satisfy your hunger.Phase 3 - Maintenance
I'm really not quite sure of the need of this phase. The foods appear no different than Phase 2. I'm obviously missing something.Vegetarians
The South Beach Diet book has very little about vegetarian options, however, the online version of the diet has a complete vegetarian version with meal plans and recipes.Exercise and Fitness
Agatston devotes a few pages to this, recommending at least 20 minutes per day of cardio activity. He also recommends weight training - particularly for women - not only for it's metabolism-boosting assistance, but also for building strong bones. But make no mistake - this is a diet book, and the emphasis on exercise is small.Criticisms
The South Beach Diet is not about calorie-counting - it emphasizes appropriate levels of fiber and fats in order to feel properly satiated. The opposite effect is eating empty calories (such as sugars) that do not satisfy our hunger but will ultimately convert to fat.Many people argue that to lose weight you must count calories. I believe that calories most definitely count, but not everyone need count them. I for one could not spend the rest of my life monitoring food intake - however calorie counting may be necessary for a short time. It's a personal thing.
Conclusion
The South Beach Diet has it's detractors, and no one diet is appropriate for everyone by any means. However the South Beach Diet has brought about a rebalancing in nutrition. We've come to realize the not all fats are bad, and not all carbs are good.The alliance between the South Beach Diet and food manufacturer Kraft brings Agatston's credibility into question. Considering Agatston criticizes processed food - it seems odd that he would partner with Kraft Foods. However one could also look at is as if Agatston is trying to bring change from the inside - by helping to improve the offerings the food company.
I think the South Beach Diet is worthwhile, but I question Phase 1, and don't necessarily see the need for it.
I started the South Beach Diet in January and have had excellent results (70 pounds lost). I too questioned the reasoning behind Phase 1 and I've decided it's not really a biological necessity, just a psychological one. When you lose a lot of weight the first two weeks, the immediate positive reinforcement makes you want to stick with the diet. Without that, I bet more people would quit. Phase 1 also serves as a good starting point from which you slowly start adding in more carbs until you figure out exactly how many you can have and still lose weight.
As for Phase 3, I too don't see how it's different from Phase 2. Really, I think the core of the diet is Phase 2.
ReplyThe South Beach Diet is not the only diet with an "induction" phase. I think you're right - it's psychological, and also about sales. "Lose 8-13 pounds in the first 2 weeks" is not a false boast. The massive drop in carbs allows this to happen.
ReplyI have been on the South Beach diet for a while now, and I'm starting to agree about phase 1. I think it's more for marketing and "quick results" than for healthy nutrition. My wife and I found it hard to cook as many times as was needed for the diet, too, so I'm actually glad they're coming out with pre-packaged South Beach foods. Not sure if they have the same benefit as doing it ourselves, but only time will tell. Great review!
ReplyI've tried a lot of other diets, and this one seems to be one of the most responsible when it comes to encouraging good nutrition and maintaining your health after reaching your goal. Going on SBD has actually encouraged me to eat a lot better. There are more healthy vegetables and more balanced nutrition in my eating habits now than there used to be.
Also, the partnership with Kraft seems like it might be a good thing. I bought a few of the frozen meals, and they're actually quite tasty. The quality of ingredients seems noticeable higher than with other frozen meals, believe it or not. If Agatston is hoping to improve the quality of Kraft's offerings, he's off to a good start.
ReplyCan you have sugar-free chocolate on South Beach?
ReplyI know that oyu can have sugar free fudge cycles, so I think that it would be okay to eat it, but make sure that there is no carbs in it.
ReplyI tried doing a vegetarian version of the South Beach diet (with fish occasionally). I had lots of egg whites, low-fat cheeses and low-carb meat substitutes as well as some fish and lots of green vegetables. After two days on phase 1, I was so ill that I had to stop. I had constant indigestion, terrible gas, constipation, stomachaches and nausea after meals, excessive bloating and very low energy (my mind didn't feel as sharp as usual and I could hardly make it to my normal workouts).
I don't know how people survive healthily on this diet. I've never felt less healthy and I'm switching back to a commonsense low-fat, higher protein, carb-based diet immediately (20-20-60).
Replychocolafiend - your experiences are why I question Phase 1. But what was your diet like before you began the SBD?
ReplyI started the South Beach Diet yesterday, and I am not hungry at all, but I am SO nauseous.
ReplyAny advice on how long this will last?
Anything I can do to make it better?
Thanks!
I started Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet a few days ago - the first and second days I was VERY hungry - I didn't plan well for lunch. There really is quite a bit of prep work it seems. Anyway, I learned from my mistakes and have been bringing more food to work, so I am not quite as hungry and I feel better.
I am also a vegetarian and would like to have access to the info on the SBD website without having to pay for it - it's really too bad that there isn't a SBD book dedicated to this. Thank goodness I eat fish occasionally.
I also have fibromyalgia, and I immediately noticed a change in how I felt once I eliminated "bad" carbs from my diet. I feel much better, have mroe energy, and I am not nearly as uncomfortable physically due to fibromyalgia as I was prior to starting SBD.
ReplyHello, I just came across this blog while doing a search for SBD vegetarian options/reviews. I am curious to hear the views of other vegetarians who have used this diet, I see a few people have written, can anyone else give me any input? I am considering trying this and would love to hear some thoughts.
ReplyI started the SB diet 13-days ago and thus far lost 9 lbs. I'm quite pleased. The diet is very easy to follow, however, I do agree my energy level has declined and I'm feeling fatigued. I thought there was something wrong with me but after going online and reading testimonials I found that I'm not alone. I'm going to stick with Phase 1 for 3 more weeks, it's extremely easy.
ReplyThanks, I highly recommend it.
I started the South Beach diet yesterday and I am extremely hungry! How much food are you supposed to eat because I am hungry every 2 hours. I thought I read somewhere that you are supposed to eat until you are full. Is this true?
ReplyThanks
I started SBD 17 days ago and have only lost 7 lbs. I am still on the first phase. I have noticed a difference in my stomach, but am disappointed in the amount of weight loss. I do feel fine, not tired like some other people. I am not really craving the carbs like before, but I wouldn't mind having some french fries, now and again. Not sure if I would recommend or not.
ReplyHas anyone tried the www.BiggestLoserClub.com diet?
Replyhi,today i ate 2 low-carb tuna organic wraps ,a small piece of chocolate ,8 eggs scrambled with little bit of syrup ,3 celery sticks and 4tb of Jif peanut butter .What do u think is this low carb enough ? OR NOT? I'm 13 and would like 2 loose 40lbs i weigh 140lbs and i'm 5'1.I jog 30min( at least ) 5min of lifting 5lb weights .I just started phase1 yesterday.I also do the Denise Austin BUNS,THIGH,ABS pilates workout.Can u give me any advice.any advice
ReplyI think it is great that you want to be in shape. You are 13 though so dont be so hard on yourself. Eat regular except for all that fast food stuff. I am 33yrs old and 5feet 6inch now. At your age I was 5'3" and was 120. I thought I was soooo fat. But guess what at 17yrs old I was 5'6" and 130. I still thought I was fat because I wore a size 11jrs. How stupid was I. I had a 36D bra and a 29inch waist. I was looked better than those skinny shrimps I went to school with. Well now I have a 8yr old daughter who is 5'1" tall and is 130. She is over weight for her age but because I have her eating good stuff and not on a diet, also keeping active (cheerleading, karate) I know she will be ok. She gets kids calling her fat but I tell her that she is a beautiful child of God. Please love yourself for you!! My sister was anorexic from age 15yrs to 21yrs and she almost died. She is 5'9" now and wears a size 14. At her lowest weight she wore a size 4. Thank God she got better. Please if you need any fitness advise my best friend is a personal trainer and so is my husband so please email me directly.
ReplyGod Bless,
Stacy P.
I am just restarting the SBD with my boyfriend. Last time i was on it was hard for me cause i just couldn't stay away from chocolate. I wan't to make it work this time, but i am just afraid that i will fall off again. I have the worst eating habits and so does my boyfriend but doctor says we both need it. We both need to exercise but i don't know where to start. He hasn't worked out in so long and the only work out i get is walking to work for a half an our. Can anybody help me...
ReplyTo Jennifer,
ReplyJust to let you know this is my 2nd time doing the South Beach diet, and the 1st time I stuck with it for 3 months and lost 25 lbs, went from a size 10 to a size 6 and was doing Bikram hot yoga 3x per week at the same time. I never felt so healthy! I am sure you can have the same results too. This time (3 yrs and one baby later) I am going on the SBD again with my 16 yo stepdaughter who is 5'11" and 180 lbs. Our goals are to take it slow & easy, but follow the plan. It is great because we are on the buddy system (with me doing most of the cooking) but it is great to have a fellow sufferer, I mean dieter! I think if you and your boyfriend can do it together it is better than being by yourself. More motivation. Also with regard to exercise, we just walk about 20-30 mins per day at the end of the day after dinner. We were not the healthiest of eaters but the great thing about the SBD is that they give you shopping lists so you know what to buy. A lot of the food is surprisingly yummy, with a lot of reliance on flavorful sauces & marinades. Also I don't do the brand name stuff like laughing cow, we buy the lowfat part skim mozzarella cheese & cut it into 1 oz portions. Good luck on your progress, you can do it!
Iv just started the sbd and im making my own meal plans taking ideas from the book.. is it necessary to follow the meals given to lose weight or will i still loose weight if i only eat the acceptable foods and make my own meals.. eg boiled chicken breast with lettuce...
ReplyFor phase I, you are supposed to stick fairly closely to the recommended meal plans. However, beyond this you don't want to be following the SBD recipes forever - some of them are a little tiresome to prepare. You also want to learn how to make good food choices forever, without having to follow a recipe book all the time.
ReplyI have been starting Phase 1 for a week now:) I've made some choices with regards to veggies I've eated with dinner, or have eaten things which I later found out were not permitted in phase 1. Turns out light Vanilla soy milk is not permitted - you must find low sugar and light everything. I'm having a hard time finding both low sugar and light products at Meijer and there are no specialty grocery stores nearby. The most difficult time of the day for me is between 3:30 and bed-time. I feel extremely hungry and my cravings are the worst.
Stay AWAY from the Carb Options ice creams. They taste better than regular ice cream and due to the fat content and uncertaintly regarding how sugar alcohols will affect you, these are a bad choice. These left me craving sweets like crazy. AHHHHHHHHH! Still looking to lose that first pound on Phase 1.
ReplyI HAVE BEEN ON THE ATKINS INDUCTION AND HAD LOST ABOUT 15 LBS LAST YEAR. DIDN'T KEEP IT OFF. WHAT DIFFERENCES ARE IN THE SOUTBEACH INDUCTION AND WHAT DO YOU FIND TO BE MORE ATTRACTIVE? ALSO, IS KETOSIS A PLACE THAT YOU TRY TO REACH IN SB INDUCTION?
ReplyPatti: Absolutely not. The SBD should NEVER induce ketosis - you should be eating enough carbohydrate to prevent ketosis. However I suspect that some of the weight loss in Phase I of the SBD will be water weight (i.e. glycogen stored in muscles and liver) - you don't need to in ketosis for this to happen. This is why I question the value of Phase I.
The SBD is not a low-carb diet in the sense of Atkins - it's about eating low-GI carbs in moderation.
ReplyI have a drink for relaxation almost every night. I drink a vodka and diet tonic water.....Is this REALLY bad on the SBD? I don't have a sugar craving, and I am used to not eating carbs. This is my only craving so to speak, on this diet.
ReplyI started the south beach diet on january 1st and so far it's been going well. At first I felt sick after working out, but now not as much. I do feel hungry every two hours so I try to have a couple almonds or a low fat string cheese to hold me over. I do feel more tired than usual but that's expected with so little carb intake. And I really think I've been peeing a lot...and I havn't been drinking an increased amount of fluids..I don't know if that means I'm loosing weight or just water weight or why this is happening.
ReplyGood news is that I've lost 4 lbs in 5 days! Working out is key...I recommend tae bo, walking, and yoga...it's a good combination.
Rose, 4lbs in five days certainly has to be some water weight, it takes a reduction of 7000 calories to lose 2lb of fat,so 4lbs would take 14000 calories to be dropped and thats not possible within 5 days so this is most likely 2lb of water and a 2lb of fat, still good though, well done.
Replycan some one answer my question from jan 4th please???!!! Everyone elses question has been answered....why not mine??
ReplyI have a drink for relaxation almost every night. I drink a vodka and diet tonic water.....Is this REALLY bad on the SBD? I don't have a sugar craving, and I am used to not eating carbs. This is my only craving so to speak, on this diet.
ReplyOlivia- Alcohol was my biggest problem as well. I would have two glasses of wine with dinner every night and i did not know how i was going to wind down without them. I had problems sleeping the first two nights but have been fine ever since (I am only on day 9 of ph 1). I did have three beers at a BBQ on day five so i did not officially consider that day 5. I know - huge mess up if you believe in they phase1 you purge all your cravings.
ReplyI really do not have a food craving problem. my problem is that when you drink beer you tend to munch out on chicken wings and dip and chips and all the rest of the junk that accompanies it with less judgment of what you put into your mouth.
so, I have decided to have a few drinks (no more beer unless it is great beer) for special occasions only and spare the calories and gain that accompanies the drink. I actually am sleeping better and feeling great without it.
Ann~
Hi Olivia, sorry i missed yours, but will give you my 2 cents ;) One fact with Alcohol no matter if you follow S.B.D or any other diet is that it slows the loss of fat. The reason for this, is its the first calories the body burns, so it has to work on those vodka calories before it starts on the any others !. Alcohol is a toxin ( poison) so basicly the body has to detoxify this, if the liver is doing the job of getting rid of the alcohol, its not helping burn fat.If you are on one vodka and tonic and you are losing weight consistently then you will be fine, my problem would be i can't stop at 1 !, so i have to cut it out completely. If you are exercising , then a vodka and diet tonic ( about 90 cals i think) should soon be burnt off, if you miss that one drink too much, have it,but then compensate for it in other ways. Best of luck Dave
ReplyOlivia, I agree with Dave but I remember reading something about that. I may be wrong, but what I remember is: there is no alcohol on phases I and II. On Phase III there is some mention of a weekly glass of wine or something like that - maybe it is twice a week?
But I think that the most important thing if you want to lose fat is to make drinking less frequent. If you were to drink on Saturday, it wouldn't hurt you as much as drinking everyday, or every other day.
ReplyI recently started phase one of the South Bach Diet and am now three days into it. I have never felt so nauseous after eating or between meals in my entire life. I saw your comment above concerning Chocolafiend's nauseousness and you asked this person what thier eating habits were before the diet. My own eating daily habits consisted of Coffee and a Whole grain english muffin right when I got up. A few hours later, a mid-morning snack of light yogurt and a banana. For lunch, usually a couple pieces of fruit, string cheese, and a sandwich (maybe a piece of candy or two). And then dinners were usually healthy chicken or fish or some meat with some form of vegetables (salad, steamed, etc). I have been eating this way for several years now and have lost about 30-40 lbs over two years. I switched to the SBD because my friends and family were having such success with it and I have kind of hit a wall losing weight...so I figured I'd give it a try. But now, with all this nausea and fatigue, I am wondering if this diet is a good fit for me. Are these side effects normal, even if my previous diet didn't consist of that many sugars? What I used to eat a lot of up until three days ago was fruit - usually 4-5 pieces a day. Are my symptoms a result of no more fruit sugars?
ReplyNate,
I have been on it since Monday and haven't noticed any of these effects. I have been following the recipe plan in the book for the most part....lots of colorful meals. Of course I am about 70 lbs over my ideal weight. I tried the Atkins diet before and felt horrible during the first phase and afterward....so it seems to be working for me. Honestly, I don't really feel any different.
ReplyNate,
It occurs to me that you might not be getting enough water. I have increased my already liberal water consumption two-fold since starting this diet. One of the things about phase 1 is that you lose water.
ReplyI am doing some research on the SBD, to see if it really does work, and see what is the results of other people for example how much weight has been lost and in how much time??? i want something that will be fast but that wont make me sick and still be able to eat some kind of food. please help!! to see if i should start.
ReplyI started on phase 1 two days ago. My goal is too lose about 15lbs worth of beer-belly. I've been very careful about eating only the foods on the list, but I can't help feeling like I'm eating too much. I've been pretty bloated since I began. I maintain a fairly active life style. Could that be the cause of my appetite?
ReplyWhy is my weight fluctuating so much? One day I will weigh 146 next day 143 next day 145. Am I doing something wrong. I am eating by the book. Please HELP!!
ReplyOlivia, weight fluctuates. I'd pick one day a week to weigh, like say, every Wednesday morning. If you weigh daily you are gonna drive yourself crazy.
Replyyesterday, on day 4 of phase 1, I'd already lost 2.5 - 3 lbs. I guess I wasn't eating too much. I've been closely following the diet and excercising daily dispite my general lack of energy. The bloating and gas is an ongoing and embarrassing problem. Anyone have a remedy?
ReplyI have another question to throw out there. Do any of you know if you're not supposed to eat a given amount of hours before going to bed? I wake up in the middle of the night and my growling stomach doesn't like to let me go back to sleep. I don't own the book and can't locate the info on the web.
I'm a vegetarian, and I followed a restricted SBD (I counted calories too.) Phase 1 helped me shed my last five pounds last year, and now I am working on losing some that I have gained back. I never experienced nausea or anything. I thought it was a good plan- I didn't follow any meal plans, I just used the P1 food list and planned my own meals (and my dad's as well.) I think that with proper planning, it can be very effective. I applaud all who make it through phase 1...it really is psychological. Dad and I broke down after about a week and splurged on some "low-carb" ice cream and sf chocolate...then we had to start over. Eek! Good luck to all.
ReplyChris, the book advocated a dessert (usually ricotta with splenda and flavorings, or a sf popsicle) after dinner, or light snack. If you're waking up hungry, have a snack before bed- be sensible!
ReplyWill the diet not work if I skip meals? Sometimes it is too hard to go searching for the right balance and I just skip meals and starve till I find it. But... due to hunger and not sweet craving per se, I ate some chocolate, 2 bars - eeek, does it mean I have to start over even though my intake that day was minimal, as in a salad, an egg and fish for that whole day? Other than that, I agree with the low energy and hunger. Where I live, food variety is hard to find, as are caffeine free diet drinks, so its been caffeinated cans twice a day. For those who DID lose weight on phase one, what slips did you allow and still lost weight? Did any lose weight during phase one without exercise? I am tempted to do phase one without exercise because of the low energy then resume my exercise during phase two.
ReplyIdeas and help, please???!!!
I have been doing the diet again 2nd time around, lost 18 lbs in a few months last time but went back to work full time and started eating out on the go all the time and put the weight back on. This diet works best if you really follow the meal plans. The only substitution I made was for the turkey roll ups instead of making the spread in the book I used Miricle whip and still lost weight. I also had milk and splenda in my tea every morning even on phase one. I just read that working out is not recommended until phase two because you are not taking in enough calories to support the exersise and you will feel fatigued. This is the beach body power 90 routine. I am on day 9 and lost 7 lbs. I will start power 90 again when I start phase two. I plan on sticking to this forever and teaching my children the same healthy habits I have learned from this diet. It takes time to prepare healthy meals but I spend the time doing it at home spending time with my family instead of spending the time in the car running around and eating out, not to mention the money I am saving! I was at 141 lbs now I am 134. I want to get to 118 and stay there.
ReplyThis is the end of week 2 of Phase 1 for me. So far I have lost 6 lbs (tomorrow is my official weigh in).
I was weak and shaky on day 3, but it only lasted a couple of hours. I ate lunch and felt better immediately.
I have found a glass of skim milk helps tremendously when I get hungry or weak. I am also taking a B-Complex vitamin daily which has increased my energy levels. I feel GREAT!
I have low blood sugar so this diet has stabalized the ups and downs of my day. I am used to eating every 3-4 hours and that is the trick to this diet. I eat every snack they reccommend and it keeps me on the plan.
It works if you work it, but you have to work it all the time!
Reply