South Beach diet

The South Beach targets certain "bad" carbohydrates as its prime focus. It is marketed as being easy to stick to (you eat three normal meals, and there are required snacks and dessert after dinner), and easy to understand (you don't need to count calories, fat grams, or measure out strict portions). It proceeds in three distinct phases:

Phase I: Avoid nearly all carbohydrates.

The South Beach diet identifies processed carbohydrates (such as those found in baked goods, pasta, soft drinks, breads and processed snacks) as your greatest enemies. In Phase I, you eliminate these foods almost entirely. Most people lose between 8 and 13 pounds in this phase.

Phase II: Gradually reintroduce some "healthy" carbohydrates.

South Beach dieters gradually reintroduce carbohydrates that have a low glycemic index. This includes fruits and whole grain pastas, rices and breads. In theory, dieters continue to loose weight during Phase II (moving from about a pound a day to 1 to 2 pounds a week of weight loss).

Phase III: Maintenance

Having met their weight-loss goals in phases I and II, dieters move into a maintenance phase, where they are expected to stay for the rest of their lives. The focus is still on eating the bulk of your carbohydrates in foods with a low glycemic index.

Who created the diet?

Dr. Arthur Agatston, associate professor of medicine at the University of Miami Medical School and dietician Marie Almon.

Medical Studies

Since Dr. Agatston's book, South Beach Diet was published in 2003, there has not been enough time to perform studies of the long-term effects of the diet.

Proponents of the South Beach Diet quote the following study: 40 overweight volunteers were divided into 2 groups -- one which followed the South Beach diet, and one which followed the American Hearth Association's (AHA) "Step II" diet. After 12 weeks, the AHA participants had lost an average of 7.5 pounds, while the South Beach dieters lost an average of 13.6 pounds. 5 of the 20 AHA dieters quit during the 12 week program, while only 1 of the 20 South Beach dieters quit.

Cautionary Notes:

People with kidney problems should talk with their doctors before beginning this diet. People with diabedes should have their kidneys tested before they begin this diet.

Additional Resources:

• The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss, Dr. Arthur Agatston