The South Beach Diet
rules and regulations which make it unique or more or less complicated than another diet.
In the end, they all promise the same results – a healthier lifestyle or a weight loss. In this
paper, I will discuss the history, outline, and positive and negative aspects of the South
Beach Diet.
History of the South Beach Diet
The South Beach Diet is a book called The South Beach Diet: The Delicious,
Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss. It was written by
Doctor Arthur Agatston, a cardiologist and professor at the University of Miami Medical
School, during the 1990’s in South Florida. Doctor Arthur Agatston was inspired to write
his South Beach Diet book after believing that the low fat diet in which the American
Heart Association recommended, didn’t work effectively, and after seeing results in his
patients who had used some of his advice. Dr. Agatston promises that one can lose
between eight and thirteen pounds within the first two weeks of following his South
Beach Diet.
How the South Beach Diet Works
The South Beach diet is broken up into three phases. Phase one is the strictest part
of the diet. It lasts two weeks. In this phase one eats three balanced meals per day (and
also mid-morning, mid-afternoon snacks and a dessert) consisting of vegetables, eggs,
nuts, reduced-fat cheese and lean meats like turkey, chicken and fish. However, in this
phase, one cannot consume yogurt, pasta, potatoes, sugar, fruits (and fruit juices), baked
goods, alcohol, ice cream, sugar, or any starchy foods like bread. According to Dr.
Agatston, phase one helps us to put an end to cravings for foods that cause us to store fat.
Phase two is similar to phase one but not as strict. One is able to eat certain foods
that were banned in phase one. One is in control and can bring back cereal, fruits, pasta
and bread but with moderation and not eat them all at once or as often. Phase two lasts
until one reaches his or her weight loss goal.
Phase three, the final stage, is also called the maintenance stage. One tries to
maintain that weight loss goal. It is the least restrictive phase and only requires that one
continues to eat healthy, continues to follow some of the basic guidelines of Phase two,
and makes good eating choices. Phase three makes the South Beach Diet seem more like
a lifestyle than a diet.
A typical day of meals on the South Beach Diet
In Phase two, a typical day on the South Beach Diet would consist of a breakfast,
a mid-morning snack, lunch, a mid-afternoon snack, dinner, and finally a dessert. For
breakfast, one can have eggs Florentine, two slices of turkey bacon, vegetable juice
cocktail and tea with non-fat milk and no sugar (sugar substitute). As a midmorning
snack one can have a turkey roll-up. For lunch, one can have turkey salad, chicken salad
or tomato soup. As a midafternoon snack, one can have diced tomatoes and low fat
cottage cheese. For dinner, one can have skinless chicken, baked potatoes, and steamed
snow peas. Finally for dessert or snack, one can have peanuts or pistachios and fruits like
grapes or strawberries.
The Good Points about the South Beach Diet
One good thing about the South Beach Diet is that phase one helps people to
loose the urge for certain foods that cause us to store fat. Then after phase one, you have
more options to choose from to eat. Another good point in the South Beach diet is that
you can’t be hungry because of the five different times to eat. The South Beach diet does
not neglect any major food group. Finally, people who have participated in the diet can
continue to loose weight they reached the last phase.
The Bad Points about the South Beach Diet
One bad point about the South Beach Diet is that as Dr. Agatston said, “One must
buy the book to see the results”. Another bad point is, according to Dr. Mercola, that in
the South Beach Diet book, Dr. Agatston claims that French fries and potato chips are
healthier than baked potatoes because of the different fats that they are cooked in. Dr.
Mercola finds Dr. Agatston’s claims outrageous and calls it a ‘dangerous
misinformation’. Another bad point about the South Beach Diet book is that Dr. Agatston
says that while following the diet, one only needs twenty minutes of excerise a day.
However, everyone’s body is different. Some people may need more than twenty minutes
a day. Finally, Dr. Agatston does not include in his book an answer to the emotional
challenges that people may face while following his South Beach Diet.
My Opinion
I think the South Beach Diet book contains some errors and Dr. Agatston does not keep
in mind that everyone’s biochemistry is different. This diet seems like a one-size-fits-all
diet. It is definitely not intended for someone who wants to loose a lot of weight. I think
the diet also requires a lot of self-motivation and perseverance-something that many
people do not have. I would recommend this diet for people who want to loose a few
pounds for an occasion like a reunion or wedding.
