South Beach Diet - How to Do it the Right Way?

Dr. Arthur Agatston, a cardiologist and an associate professor of medicine at the University of Miami Medical School, created South Beach Diet. It was charted mainly to work with your body safely and efficiently. This system helps you to rely on right carbohydrates and fats. Thus the consumption of bad carbohydrates and fats are completely avoided. Following this diet, one could reduce his/her weight up to 8 to 13 pounds in mere 2 weeks.

The South Beach Diet Consists of 3 Phases:

Phase 1

The duration of first phase lasts for fourteen days. In this phase, the South Beach Diet recipes include normal meals consisting of chicken, fish, beef, shellfish, turkey, eggs, lots of vegetables, nuts, cheese, and garden salads using original olive oil for salad dressing. That is, every day for two weeks the dieter consumes 3 well-balanced meals. Besides this, the dieter can also have snacks between his/her breakfast and lunch. During this phase the dieter is recommended to take lots of drinking water.

However, there are several things the dieter has to avoid during the first phase of the South Beach Diet. The South Beach Diet recipes which are avoided in phase 1 include rice, bread, baked foods, pasta, fruits, ice cream, cookies, sugar, and cake. There is nothing to worry about eliminating all these foods as all these foods will be included into your diet in the second phase. Even though you will find it difficult to adjust o the diet, on seeing the results, you will be extremely happy that you won't give up.

Phase 2

Phase 2 is quite different from that of phase 1. The dieter needs to continue with the second phase until he/she has lost the desired weight. Hence, the duration of this phase will vary from one individual to the other. The length of this phase purely depends upon the individual, how he/she follow the diet program, and how his/her body reacts to the program.

It is to be noted that, by the time you start the second phase, you would have already reduced the weight by 8 to 13 pounds, provided you have strictly followed the South Beach Diet program.

One of the main advantages of South Beach Diet program is that, by following this diet program, you are not limiting your daily food; instead you are consuming foods that deposits less fat in your body. In phase 2 some of foods you have avoided during phase 1 will be added back. Though the weight loss during phase 2 will not be dramatic, it will be constant. Generally, the weight loss in this phase will be around 1 to 2 pounds.

Phase 3

Phase 3 starts when you have reduced your weight to the desired level. By the time you have reached phase 3, the diet will be similar like your normal eating habit and you can follow that for the rest of your life. In between, if you feel your weight is increasing, you only need to modify the food and the amounts slightly.

Besides reducing the body weight and reducing fats, the South Beach Diet helps to improve one's cardiovascular system. This helps one to reduce the risk of heart attack to a great extend.

Keep in mind that the end result of South Beach Diet program purely depends on how well an individual follows the diet recommendations. Hence make sure that you follow it correctly.