South Beach Diet 101
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| Wed, 09-13-2006 - 6:57am |
"The South Beach Diet™ aims to strip away the label "diet" and encourage a long-term lifestyle of healthy eating. The South Beach Diet™ is not a low-fat or low-carb plan — instead, you'll be learning to choose the right carbs and the right fats. You'll enjoy lean meats, nourishing whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruits, heart-healthy olive oil, and the like." ~ The Daily Dish
"The principles of The South Beach Diet™ lifestyle — good carbohydrates and good fats, nutrient-dense whole foods, lean sources of protein, and plenty of fiber." ~ Dr. Agatston
From The Daily Dish, 12/05:
Welcome: The South Beach Diet 101
Did you know that The South Beach Diet™ is more than just a diet? It's a weight-healthy way of life — one that embraces good food and healthy eating. Here's what you need to know about the program before you begin:
Best of luck living The South Beach Dietâ„¢ lifestyle!
What is the South Beach Diet?
The South Beach Diet isn’t a low-carb or low-fat diet. It is a low-sugar, low-glycemic way of eating. The main principle of this way of eating is to consume the healthiest whole foods possible, avoiding highly processed and refined foods. Modern industrial processing removes the fiber and many nutrients from foods, and once that’s gone the very nature of the foods, and how we metabolize them, changes significantly for the worse.
Carbs: Even the stricter Phase 1 allows most vegetables and legumes, which are complex carbohydrates. After the first two weeks, South Beach includes many more good carbohydrates such as fruits, whole grain breads, high fiber cereals, brown and wild rice, sweet potatoes, and other complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals that our bodies thrive on. Carbs are our only sources of fiber. They contain antioxidants and phytonutrients. They are primary souces of nutrients. Complex carbs take longer to digest and are processed more efficiently. They’re more filling than high-glycemic and "empty" starches.
Fats: South Beach includes plenty of “good†fats, such as heart-healthy monounsaturated fats like olive oil, canola oil which contains omega-3, and polyunsaturated fats such as nuts, natural peanut butter, avocados, and omega-3 fish oil. The only fats we avoid are the artery-clogging saturated fats and the manmade trans-fats. Trans-fats (hydrogenated, partially-hydrogenated) are a “staple†ingredient in most packaged, processed foods. The saturated fats we avoid are the kind found in butter, fatty cuts of meat, chicken skin, and full-fat dairy. A great replacement for butter in recipes and for use as a spread are the trans-fat free spreads.
Sugars: South Beach is a low-glycemic diet, which means that sugary/starchy foods are avoided because of the effect they have on our blood chemistries and our metabolism. A “bad†carb on the South Beach Diet, things we avoid, would include highly processed refined flours (white and enriched), sugars, fruit juices, cake, and other items that are absorbed into our bloodstreams too rapidly. Most processed foods have many hidden sugars and starches such as high fructose corn syrup, which has been attributed to the fattening of America. These sugars/starches cause an increase in insulin, raise our blood sugar and create a hunger cycle, which ends with a dip in our blood sugar. This constant yo-yo is what causes many people to feel that they’re starving for more “junk food†not long after they’ve already eaten it. The purpose of Phase 1 is to help break out of this cycle. The “bad†carbs and the “bad†fats are the ones that contribute to weight gain, adult-onset diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Explaining the Phases of South Beach
Phase 1: The Strict Phase – For the first two weeks, eat normal-size helpings of meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, eggs, cheese, nuts, dairy, good fats, and more. The Phase 1 Foods To Enjoy list is extensive - this list is the foundation of your healthy food choices for life and doesn't change. Eat three meals a day, plus snacks, to keep your blood sugar levels consistent throughout the day. Eat until your hunger is satisfied. Desserts are allowed on this phase, including no-sugar-added Fudgsicles! Cravings for sugars and starches diminish and even disappear. Phase 1 is not meant to be used for more than two weeks.
Phase 2: The Weight-Loss Phase – Gradually reintroduce more “good†carbs into your diet from the Phase 2 Foods To Enjoy list, like fruits, whole-grain bread, high-fiber low-sugar cereal, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice and sweet potatoes. You're now eating a nutritious, well-balanced diet from both the Phase 1 and Phase 2 Foods To Enjoy lists. Learn to avoid the carbs that increase your blood sugar and make you gain weight. Typically, this phase allows for a weight loss of 1/2 - 2 pounds per week until you reach your ideal weight. Eating the right foods regularly thoughout the day helps rev up metabolism and makes you a fuel-burning machine. You'll have energy to spare. Exercise is highly encouraged and will increase metabolism, too. Eat treats while losing weight, such as SBD-friendly peanut butter cookies, sugar-free chocolate pudding and homemade muffins!
Phase 3: The Maintenance Phase – By the time the final phase of the diet is reached, blood chemistry is significantly improved (cholesterol and triglycerides) and there is a long-term benefit to the cardiovascular system. A condition called pre-diabetes, a fast-growing affliction among Americans, can be reversed. Continue to eat normal portions of healthy foods. Indulgences are allowed and aren’t considered “cheatingâ€, because South Beach was designed to be a way of eating, for life. However, by this phase, an awareness of how foods affect the body has developed, and we know how to quickly get back on track after indulging. Many South Beachers experience a real change in their tastes for food over time, and no longer crave many of their old comfort foods the way they once did.
The popular ad for The South Beach Diet talks about losing 8-13 pounds in the first two weeks. This is true for some people, but not for all. Those who start with much more weight to lose will lose more in the beginning than those with fewer pounds to lose. Be patient: you can’t lose in a day what it took years to put on. Permanent weight loss is a slow process, and people who lose weight gradually are more successful at keeping it off for life. Eliminating the “bad†carbs that cause cravings makes weight loss much easier.
Other South Beach Facts:
* The South Beach Diet doesn’t require you to weigh and measure food portions, count calories, count points, or count grams of carbohydrates. You can and should eat until your hunger is satisfied.
* Choose the foods you like from the extensive Foods to Enjoy lists and enjoy them in any recipe or combination that you choose. Continue to enjoy holiday and special occasion foods in moderation, if you want to. There are no strict meal plans. Many favorite recipes can be made SBD-friendly with a few adjustments. This is a healthy way of eating for the whole family.
* The South Beach Diet is a lifestyle change, not just another diet. Because it allows you to eat the way you actually like to eat, you can sustain it for the rest of your life.
from "The Daily Dish" -
The South Beach Diet™ differs from most other diets in that it doesn't ask you to measure out food or count calories. Dr. Agatston wanted his plan to be as realistic as possible — something that you could truly follow for the rest of your life. To that end, The South Beach Diet™ simply encourages you to choose the healthiest carbs and fats (whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, olive oil, etc). And Dr. Agatston doesn't want you to go hungry, as that only leads to binge-eating later in the day — so you'll have three complete meals along with snacks throughout the day.
Before you begin the South Beach Dietâ„¢, make sure you understand the principles of the diet and how it's structured. We hope you find this way of eating healthy, delicious, and something you can stick to for the long haul.
South Beach Diet for Good Health - Can this way of eating improve and maintain your health? From The Daily Dish:
Low-Fat or Low-Carb?
Two recent studies published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that dieters on low-carbohydrate and low-fat plans lose about the same amount of weight after one year. The studies showed that people with diabetes had better control of their blood sugar on the low-carb diet, but people following a low-fat plan lowered their cholesterol levels, thus reducing their risk of heart disease.
Having trouble deciding which diet is best for you? The South Beach Dietâ„¢ is the best of both low-fat and low-carb diets. Instead of cutting out carbs and fats, the emphasis is on choosing good carbs and good fats. Renowned cardiologist Arthur Agatston, M.D., designed The South Beach Dietâ„¢ to be both heart-healthy and easy to follow. You'll be enjoying whole grains, plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, olive oil, nuts, and the like.
By avoiding processed carbohydrates, you'll kick your cravings and help to keep your blood sugar levels steady all day. And as you choose healthy monounsaturated fats instead of saturated and trans fats, you'll help to lower your cholesterol and improve your chances of living a long and healthy life.



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