South Beach Diet

The South Beach Diet was developed by Dr. Arthur Agatston, a cardiologist who became concerned as he watched his overweight patients as they struggled to lose weight and failed time and again. The South Beach Diet consists of three phases which teach you how to eliminate bad carbohydrates from your diet. Best of all, with the South Beach Diet there is no counting. This simple, straight-forward plan allows you to eat enough to feel satisfied without counting calories or fat.

The first phase of the South Beach Diet is the strictest, but lasts for only two weeks. During this two week period, you'll be eating lean proteins and good fats, like those found in fish and nuts. You'll also be eating a wide variety of vegetables and legumes. The South Beach Diet discourages you from eating fatty meats, many fruits, dairy and sugar-laden desserts during this phase. By the end of this phase, you should notice a marked reduction in cravings for sweets.

During the second phase of the South Beach Diet you will be reintroducing healthy carbohydrates, like those found in whole grains, fruits, and sweet potatoes, back into your diet. You will stick to phase two until you reach your goal weight. If at any time you find yourself falling into old habits you can switch back to phase one.

Phase three of the South Beach Diet is designed to help you maintain a healthy weight for the rest of your life. You should have a strong grasp of which carbohydrates are good for you and which are not at this point of the South Beach Diet, and you can be confident that if at any time you slip back into old eating habits you can simply return to the earlier phases to get yourself right back on track.