The New Eating Philosophy of the South Beach Diet
Founded
in 2003 by the cardiologist Dr. Agatston, the South Beach diet dictates
a new approach to eating whereby you learn to balance good fats and carbohydrates.
The philosophy behind Dr. Agatston’s hugely successful diet plan
involves three phases that can be described as the restrictive, reintroduction
and maintenance phases. By avoiding the bad fats and carbohydrates, you
can actually feel hungrier; however, the South Beach diet promotes a balanced
eating schedule that can help you to loose 8 to 13 pounds in the first
two weeks without starving.
Phase I
In the first phase of the South Beach diet, many of the bad foods that you may have previously enjoyed are cut out. During this time, you will eat lean proteins, fat-free or low-fat cheese, eggs, nuts, tofu, legumes, brown rice and low-glycemic-index vegetables. This phase lasts two weeks.
Phase II
When you reach the second phase, you are able to reintroduce fruit, whole grain bread, rice, pasta, fat-free milk and yogurt back into your diet. Generally, during this phase your weight loss is between 1-2 pounds per week. Note that you can stay in phase two of the South Beach diet until you loose your desired amount of weight.
Phase III
You should only move into phase three when you are satisfied with the amount of weight that you have lost and you are ready to maintain it. This stage does not have a time limit as it encourages the maintenance of a healthy body weight by eating properly for the rest of your life. If during this stage you feel that your weight fluctuates, you can choose to go back to stage two and restrict certain foods again from your diet.
Dr. Agatston’s promise
Dr. Agatston believes that the South Beach diet produces positive changes in cardiovascular health including lower cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and increased HDL levels. In order to help you stay committed to his diet, Dr. Agatston has worked with food experts to create a book of healthy and appealing South Beach diet recipes that are easy to make and loyal to the South Beach philosophy.
Be good to your heart
The South Beach diet is all about moderation and maintenance. By following this diet, you will learn which foods should be avoided, and in the process, discover a variety of foods that are as equally appealing, yet much healthier. Perhaps the single-most significant benefit of this diet is that it encourages heart-healthy eating. Not only will you look great, but your heart will feel great too!