South Beach Diet

South Beach Diet Phase 1

The South Beach Diet is made up of three different phases. The first phase is meant to get rid of cravings for refined starches and sugar and only lasts for two weeks.

Phase 1 helps to minimize the cravings by stabilizing your blood sugar. The food that is eaten during phase 1 is high in fiber and dense with nutrients.

The food you will eat during phase 1 includes fish, lean beef, white meat chicken, vegetables, eggs, nuts, avocados, seeds, and olive oils. Along with your meals, the South Beach Diet also supports snacks and desserts.

Those individuals who want to lose a large amount of weight or are diabetic should start with phase 1.

South Beach Diet Phase 2

Phase 2 of the South Beach Diet is meant to help you lose weight steadily. It is a good place to start if you don’t have cravings, want to lose less than ten pounds, want to improve your general health, or don’t have too much stomach fat.

Phase 2 includes all of the foods from phase 1 with the addition of complex carbohydrates like whole wheat pasta, brown rice, and whole grain bread.

South Beach Diet Phase 3

Phase 3 of the South Beach Diet is the plan that you will maintain throughout your life. This phase is about making food choices that are smart and fit into your lifestyle.

It begins once you have achieved your goal weight from following phases 1 and 2. The principles followed in phase 3 are similar to those in the previous phases but it allows for most kinds of food and an indulgence on an occasional basis.

South Beach Diet and Dr. Agatston

The founder of the South Beach Diet, Dr. Arthur Agatston, is a cardiologist who also teaches medicine at the University of Miami. He has done a lot of research in regards to cardiology and developed a score that helps predict heart disease in individuals. Dr. Agatston’s research has been published in a variety of medical journals.

Dr. Agatston also gives lectures both internationally and nationally on the topics of health, diet, and heart disease prevention. He is a consultant to many medical boards and committees and received the Alpha Omega Award for his outstanding work in the medical health profession.

His research led him to develop a diet for his diabetes and cardiac patients that had such great results a TV station in Miami asked him to share the diet with its viewers. So many people in South Florida lost weight with the plan that he eventually wrote The South Beach Diet book, which was released in 2003.

Dr. Agatston has followed up that book with countless other books and cookbooks relating to the South Beach Diet. He continues to research fitness and disease prevention.

South Beach Diet Website

The official website for the South Beach Diet contains a lot of useful information to help guide you through the diet. It talks in more detail about the different phases and offers success stories from people who have had great results from following the diet.

There is a section on the website for recipes and meal plans. Under the recipe portion, there are recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, sides, drinks, and desserts.

Each category includes recipes for foods that are appropriate for each phase.  Other tools and support include a meal planner, a shopping list generator, discussion groups, weight tracker, and restaurant guides.

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