What Is The South Beach Low Carb Diet?
Based on the idea that there are good and bad carbohydrates and good and bad fats, the South Beach diet does not require calorie counting and you are expected to eat until you are satisfied. However, you are restricted on what foods you can eat. Foods are also rotated according to their sugar content (the glycemic index).
'Bad fats', which are mainly saturated fats and trans fats, are to be avoided because of their alleged contribution to heart disease. This means replacing high fat meats and dairy products with lean meats, oily fish and olive oil.
'Bad carbohydrates', which are the quickly absorbed, high glycemic index carbs such as sugar and refined grains (white flour, white rice etc) are replaced with whole grains and high fiber foods - plus fruit in limited quantities.
This diet consists of three phases. South Beach Phase 1 - the Induction Phase - which lasts 2 weeks, is the most restrictive - excluding almost all carbohydrates from the diet, including such items as potatoes, rice, bread, pasta, and fruit.
Some people think this diet is a little like the Atkins diet in the beginning, but even though both diets were created by doctors, the South Beach diet tends to be the more heart-friendly version of the two. Since this first phase is the most restrictive, it is during this time that you could experience a very quick weight loss of about 8 to 13 pounds in just 2 weeks.
In the second phase, more foods are gradually added back into the diet. Phase 2 lasts until you meet your target weight, hopefully losing 1-2 pounds per week during this time. Phase 3 - the maintenance plan - is even more flexible, and is what you follow once you have reached your ideal weight, hopefully for life.
The South Beach diet encourages dieters to eat 6 times a day (3 meals, plus 3 snacks) and to eat more non-starchy vegetables.
Why Does The South Beach Diet Work?
In the first phases of the South Beach diet, you will probably go into a state of 'ketosis', much like you would on the Atkins diet. In the absence of carbohydrates, the body uses its fat reserves for energy - inducing ketosis.
After the first phase of the diet, more fiber will be added back to the diet, which is good for us. The standard American or Western diet often does not contain even the minimum of fiber. Fiber helps in our weight loss efforts because it is a bulky substance that is not easily absorbed by the body - it fills us up while containing very few calories.
So, although you are not consciously restricting calories while eating South Beach meals, you are likely to reduce your calorie intake automatically, just because you will be filling your stomach with bulky, low calorie foods.
By switching to a diet containing more vegetables, most people will likely have more of the essential minerals than they have in their diets already. Having more essential minerals in our diet also increases satisfaction so that we will stop eating sooner. Often, people overeat partly because on a high-fat diet, a huge number of calories must be consumed in order to get the nutrients they need.
Another factor that makes the South Beach diet work for many people is the fact that research has shown that eating frequent, smaller meals is often better for weight loss than restricting yourself to 2 or 3 meals per day.
Any Negatives To The South Beach Diet?
Although there are vegetarian options with this diet, strict vegetarians and vegans may find the first two weeks very difficult. The same may hold true for people who have a very active lifestyle, as there is not a lot of emphasis on exercise in this program.
Artificial sweeteners, some of which have health risks themselves, are accepted and even encouraged on the South Beach diet. But using them will keep you in the habit of having sweet tasting foods, so you are likely to still crave sugar and candy.
Switching from the standard Western diet to the South Beach diet will most likely increase your grocery bill, as healthy food tends to cost more. So replacing junk food with fresh vegetables will be more expensive, but you might save on items like candy and alcohol (a small amount of red wine is allowed in the later phases, but no more).
The South Beach diet has the reputation of being a celebrity-driven fad diet, but this is probably just the result of the name and the hype that has surrounded it. Overall this is one of the better, healthier weightloss programs that has worked for many people.
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