I've lost 20 pounds so far on the South Beach Diet!
Written: Jun 05 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: variety, good food, effective
Cons: title somewhat of a misnomer
The Bottom Line: Reading the book won't make you thin, but doing the plan might.
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| yenfur's Full Review: Arthur S. Agatston M.D. - The South Beach Diet: Th... |
The South Beach Diet promotes itself as easy, fast and foolproof. It’s not easy (especially if you don’t like to cook), the first pounds come off fairly fast, and it is far from foolproof (what diet is foolproof). The book is written by Dr. Arthur Agatston, a cardiologist from Miami. While the diet receives many comparisons to Atkins, I believe that the two are unfairly compared at times, simply because they are both “low carb.” South Beach proposes cutting out carbs for the first two weeks, while limiting your fat intake. After those first two weeks, you gradually start to incorporate carbohydrates back into your diet.
The diet
This diet suggests that you can completely change your blood chemistry (think cholesterol and all that) and lose weight. It states that you will lose weight around your belly first (which is the most dangerous area to hold weight, due to the proximity to major organs).
The diet is divided into three phases: the induction, the weight loss phase and the maintenance phase.
Phase I is the induction where you are supposed to eliminate carbs altogether. According to the book: no bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, baked goods, sugar, cake nor cookies. This two week long phase will supposedly abolish the cravings for the food which causes people to put on excess weight. As the doctor says. “The physical cravings that ruled your eating habits will be gone.” The diet for the first two weeks is based around vegetables and protein.
The first phase is only supposed to go on for two weeks; some people do it for longer. In those two weeks, you are supposed to lose 8-13 pounds.
Phase 2 is the weight loss phase. According to the diet, the weight loss will continue even though other foods (carbs) will be introduced). This is due to the change in the way that your body reacts to certain foods. Weight will continue to come off, but at a slower pace. This phase lasts until you get to your goal weight.
Phase 3 is the “stage that lasts the rest of your life.” Basically, you’re off the diet, but still following a couple of the South Beach Principles.
The plan calls for eating five times a day: breakfast, midmorning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner. You can have dessert if desired.
Foods that are not allowed with this plan are based on the “glycemic index.” This term is explained in more detail in the book.
The book gives you few indications on how much one is supposed to eat. When you are supposed to eat a certain amount of something, the book clearly states it. Otherwise, as it is stated on the first page of this book. “It will be your job to eat so that your hunger is satisfied.” That is different amounts for different people.
Also, there is room for indulgences. You may indulge every once in awhile. It isn’t going to make or break your diet. When you indulge every day, that is a different story. Also, if you go off the plan for a few days and gain some weight, it is possible to just do phase 1 again until you get that weight off. Then you can go back to phase 2/phase 3.
This diet does require preparation, planning and cooking. While the book does dedicate an entire chapter on eating in restaurants, driving through the drive through every night will not get you the results you want. You will have to plan meals and cook them if you decide that you want to go on this diet.
The book
The first part of the book is background information on the program. Throughout the book there are testimonials by people about the program and how it worked for them. Dr. Agatston explains the diet very well, providing many details about this. As a doctor, he does get loaded down with medical jargon at times. It was no problem for me, since my family is pretty medical, so I was familiar with most of the terms which he used.
The second half of the book provides plans for the course of the diet. Phases 1 and 2, there are lists of “foods to enjoy” and “foods to avoid.” Phase 3 does not have a list.
There are also meal plans for all three phases. There are many options on these plans, but I found the best way to use the meal plans was to simply use them for ideas. There are always foods that you may not necessarily like, and it is easier to use these meal plans as a guide, rather than a binding force.
The book also provides a variety of different possible recipes for all three phases. The recipes are very diverse, and serve to give the reader more ideas and information about all kinds of possibilities. I have made some of the recipes from the book, and I can honestly say they are not difficult (I am not a great cook by any means). The longest one took me was only a half hour, which makes things a lot simpler.
My experience/opinions
First of all, I have been on this diet for about a month and I have lost about 20 pounds. I don’t know if my blood chemistry has changed, but I have had the most brutally honest person I know (my mother) state that “every pound that has come off of you has come off your stomach.” Plus, I can feel it in my jeans. So the diet has worked for me so far. Granted, all of this weight coming off is not a complete result of diet. I have been exercising as well.
The thing that I like most about this diet is that there is room for variety. Even during induction. I eat chicken, steak, hamburgers, salmon…all kinds of great meats and fish. Plus, I have tried so many veggies other than carrots (they are not allowed on this plan). I eat wonderful romaine salads with cut up asparagus, napa cabbage, spinach and red peppers. I sauté bak choy. Raw broccoli, celery and hicama have become some of my favorite snacks. I eat a lot of cheese, and now that I am on phase two, I even have sandwiches for lunch sometimes (100% whole wheat bread). I am honestly enjoying the food I am eating; I don’t feel deprived in any way.
Dessert wise, this diet has plans. During Phase 1, I ate the Mocha Ricotta Dessert (the recipe is in the book). I also had sugar free jello. Now that I am on phase 2, I am eating a lot of fruit and yogurt. Also, I am having fat free pudding. All of these desserts were very enjoyable.
My least favorite part of the things that I have eaten during this diet is eggs. I am not a big egg fan in general, but in phase 1, eggs were a staple (there were really close to no non-egg breakfast suggestions). Now that I am on Phase 2, I don’t really have to eat them anymore, which is good. I didn’t enjoy that aspect at all.
In all honesty, I didn’t find induction all that difficult. Other than a small headache one day, I have felt great the entire time that I have been on this diet.
I have found that my cravings for certain foods have decreased and that I am eating smaller portions. All of which are wonderful things.
Dr. Agatston claims that his diet does a lot of wonderful things. I am not sure if all of them are true yet. Simply because, I haven’t gotten a blood test, so I don’t know if my blood chemistry is changing. I am very happy with what I eat, and do feel satisfied. I eat a good deal of food, and I continue to lose weight, even after phase 1 is over. This is practical for a lifelong eating plan, simply because the large part of the diet is based on protein, vegetables and good carbs. There’s even room for some sweets. A person can’t go read the book and then be able to say: “I’m thin now!” This plan is not the fastest plan for weight loss. Nor is it foolproof. It will take some work to actually do this diet. A lot of this work involves cooking and resisting some urges. Plus, drinking lots of water and exercising cannot be forgotten. Buying the book will not make you get to your goal weight, but if you work and make your own plan based on the South Beach principles, it is possible to get the body you want. The diet won’t work for everybody (wouldn’t that be nice), but it certainly is a worthy read. It states the obvious at times, but the different perspective on dieting has been able to help a lot of people, myself included. The book won’t do the work for you, but it might teach you something.
Recommended:
Yes
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yenfur
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