Has any one tried the South Beach diet?

[fancy792]

I've been to so many different programs and diets. I had a trainer design a program for me about 2 months ago. It was mainely to eat every 2 hrs and lots of water and no carbs other the veggies.

I've lost 3 inche waist line and now just stabalised. My friend brought me the South Beach diet book and it seems excellent. I'm also ready on Atkins Diet and they are somewhat different and research are base completely different

Just looking for anyone that tried it and get some opinions.?

 

[David Baxter PhD]

See:

Return of the carbs: The Atkins craze is over
Side effects with Atkins diet after six months
Atkins Diet Alert
Low-carb diets unhealthy and a ripoff
Atkins - Depression link?
Scant evidence to back up claims of low-carb diets

Low-fat beats low-carb for keeping pounds off
Eating Fat Improves Mental Health

 

[fancy792]

Thank you for all the information on the Aktin diet....I will read it all in detail. :study:

I was wondering about the South Beach Diet that was written by Cardiologist, do you have any details on it?

It extremely hard for people to find the best program for their systems and stay away from all the different disorder.

This is an issue for so many people...I know That I'm not alone.

Thanks again for all the links

 

[David Baxter PhD]

I believe there were references to the South Beach Diet in one or more of those threads, Fancy.

See also:

No One Knows Which Diets Work Best
Which diet is best? The one that works for you

 

[Daniel E.]

What'll be hot now that South Beach diet is not?

 

[Eunoia]

this is a link I found...

The South Beach Diet

What It Is
They may seem similar, but the South Beach diet is more than just a heart-friendly version of the Atkins diet. All the same, they have a lot in common.

Both South Beach and Atkins diets are the creation of medical doctors. The father of the South Beach diet is cardiologist Arthur Agatston, MD, director of the Mount Sinai Cardiac Prevention Center in Miami Beach, Fla.

Both the South Beach and Atkins diets are best-selling diet books. Only someone living in a cave hasn't, by now, heard of Agatston's The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss.

Both South Beach and Atkins diets restrict carbohydrates -- carbs, as diet dilettantes like to say. True, "good carbs" are allowed. But South Beach dieters must say goodbye to potatoes, fruit, bread, cereal, rice, pasta, beets, carrots, and corn for the first two weeks. After that, most of these foods remain strongly discouraged.

Both South Beach and Atkins diets have a more severe induction phase, followed by a long-term eating plan.

The difference, really, boils down to two things:

• Fats. The South Beach diet bans unhealthy fats but strongly promotes healthy ones.
• Carbs. The South Beach diet doesn't count grams of carbs. The Atkins diet seeks to change a person from a sugar-burning machine into a fat-burning machine. The South Beach diet looks at how much sugar is in a carb. Low-sugar carbs -- those with a low glycemic index (they don't cause the blood sugar levels to rise and fall as quickly) -- are good (this point may sound very familiar to fans of the Sugar Busters diet)

As Agatston says, this means his diet is not -- exactly -- a low-carb diet or a low-fat diet.

What You Can Eat
You won't go hungry. In fact, like the Body-For-Life diet, the South Beach diet promotes strategic snacking. You're not doing it right if you don't snack.

There's no counting calories or strict portion sizes. But there's no gorging, either. The idea is to eat normal portions. To many of us, normal portions will seem small at first. They are enough to satisfy hunger, but no more.

As noted above, sugar-rich carbs are off the menu. These include rice and potatoes, and vegetables -- such as beets and corn -- with high sugar content. Also, there are no pastries or other sugar-filled desserts. And alcohol is forbidden in the induction phase and limited in the long-term diet.

What's on the menu? There are three phases.

The 14-day induction phase bans bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, baked goods, and fruit. And you can't have even a drop of beer, wine, or other alcohol. The diet promises that after a couple of days, you really won't miss this stuff.

The "reintroduce the carbs" stage gradually adds back in some of the banned foods. Not all of them, but if you are a pasta maniac, have some. Fruit makes a comeback, too. Just pick and choose. A little now and then, no more. How long does this last? Until you hit your target weight.

The final stage is your diet for life. Eat normal foods in normal portions, following a few basic guidelines.

How It Works
The diet is based on the observation that Americans are carb crazy. That's the reason for the induction phase. Those first two weeks are meant to help people quit craving carbs. And it's why carbs are minimized throughout the diet.

Highly processed carbs, according to the South Beach theory, get digested too quickly. That makes insulin levels (a hormone the body makes to process sugars) spike. And once those fast-burning carbs are used up, your high insulin level makes you crave more food. So what do you tend to eat? More carbs, of course.

By breaking this cycle, the South Beach diet promises to make you want to eat less food, but better food.

What the Experts Say
Cindy Moore, RD, a director of nutrition therapy at The Cleveland Clinic and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, discussed the South Beach diet in a May 2003 interview with WebMD.

Moore said the diet truly does meet several of the criteria for a healthy diet. It's rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein, she said. Most importantly, it doesn't leave out any major food groups.

Moore warned that during the induction phase, much of the lost weight is water weight. Losing this much water can throw your electrolyte balance off. So if you're following the diet, it's a good idea to work closely with a registered dietitian or your doctor.

Despite the popularity of the South Beach diet, Moore warned, there's no one-size-fits-all diet. A dietitian can help you individualize the South Beach diet to fit your health needs.

Food for Thought
Most popular diets work -- at first -- because of their novelty. Also, the first pounds lost usually are water from your tissues, not fat itself. Over time, your tissues will rehydrate. That's no reason to get discouraged. If you're eating less, eating better foods, and getting enough exercise, you will become leaner.

One big plus for the South Beach diet is that it doesn't leave you in limbo. It recommends healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle long after you give up on ever getting back a loaned-out copy of the book.

The reason you diet may be to look better. There's nothing wrong with that. But the reason to become healthy is to have a strong heart, strong lungs, and healthy bones. There's nothing wrong with that, either.

 

[Daniel E.]

Study casts doubt on 'good carbs' and 'bad carbs' (CTV.ca)

Updated Wed. Mar. 1 2006 9:56 AM ET

Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C ? Diets that distinguish between "good carbs" and "bad carbs" are not an effective way of controlling blood sugar levels, a new study suggests.

Although made popular by the South Beach Diet and others, the glycemic index has never been fully embraced by most dietitians and remains a point of debate among scientists.

Now, diabetes researcher Elizabeth Mayer-Davis of the University of South Carolina says the use of the index should be ended altogether in favor of more traditional methods of losing weight and reducing the risk of diabetes ? eating less and exercising more.

"The glycemic index is sufficiently flawed as an index that it is not helpful for scientists or people trying to create a healthy diet," Mayer-Davis said.

The glycemic index is a 100-point scale, with white bread at 100 points, that measures how quickly carbohydrates enter the bloodstream as sugar.

According to index supporters, people should avoid high-glycemic foods such as white bread and potatoes because they will quickly raise a person's blood-sugar level. Meanwhile, low-glycemic foods such as carrots and apples are absorbed more slowly, making a person feel full longer and reducing cravings, which helps with weight loss. Promoters of the diet also say that eating low-glycemic foods will result in less fluctuation in their blood sugar levels.

Both the Atkins and South Beach diets have raised interest in the theory, and an entire series, "The Glucose Revolution," guides consumers through a diet based on it.

Beth Kunkel, a professor of food science and human nutrition at Clemson University and president of the South Carolina Dietetic Association, said that while there is debate among dietitians about its validity, it would be a mistake to reject the concept altogether.

Kunkel was not involved in the University of South Carolina study.

"To just reject it out of hand and quit working on it would be a mistake," Kunkel said. "I just think we're five to 10 years away from really understanding it from a research viewpoint."

Previous studies have shown conflicting results. One small study showed that people on a low-glycemic diet were less hungry later in the day than a group fed a high-glycemic diet.

Another study, involving 39 overweight people, showed that those on a low-glycemic diet lowered their risk of heart disease. Both studies were conducted by Dr. David Ludwig of Boston's Children's Hospital.

However, American Heart Association officials have disputed the significance of those findings.

The new study, published in the February issue of the British Journal of Nutrition, relied on food questionnaires from more than 1,000 people over five years and assessed their consumption of high- and low-glycemic foods.

Researchers tested their blood sugar levels twice during the study period and found no significant correlation between the glycemic index of foods and the blood-sugar levels of participants.

Mayer-Davis said that researchers should develop a new measure of how different carbohydrates can affect health.

She said a better index would be based on the physical characteristics of foods, such as fat content and calories, because numerous factors influence a food's effect on blood-sugar levels.

 

[fancy792]

Eunoia and Daniel thank you so much for your contributions. Excellent information!

I'm still reading David's links. Lots of information and I'm still wondering what is better for me short term and for life.
I've been off my diet program that was design for me (I think it was more general knowledge)

I want to be healthy as well as returning to my regular size.

From staying away from carbs (all bread, pasta, rice and naturally any dessert) made a differences but it hard to say that you want to stay away for life. I love eating and normally pretty well. Sometime financially I harder to be able to eat right but I manage a close to possible. Well with the diet program I can't really follow in the harder time unless I want tuna all the time :frown:.

The diet program I on is:

1/2 cup of oatmeal with 1 sweetener or instant oatmeal - made with skim milk.
1 large glass of water

1 fruit any kind
1 large glass of water

Any veggies with 4once of lean meat
Low fat dressing if it with a salad and
Cook or add 1 tea spoon of virgin olive oil
1 large glass of water

10-12 plain almonds
1 large glass of water

Only green veggies with 6 once of protein
1 large glass of water

Plain popcorn for a snack
Large glass of water

****Can drink if your water still drinking all your water
****Diet drinks or green tea or coffee plain

I would love to get peoples opinion on this?
This is why both the Atkins and South Beach, I find they are similar to this one
The South Beach seems to be a bit more touching all the Canadian food guide and resection all the groups.

I've realized in the last 2 months that when I have any carbs other the veggies I'm more tired and "bloated"
It could be certainly more explanation but that is really how I can describe it.

I'm close to 35 years old and 2006 is my year of changes! It hard but I want to walk in 2007 healthy - mentally, physically and financially.

All opinion is all welcome! It can be negative, positive ~ It all good

 

[Daniel E.]

Your diet certainly seems very healthy to me. Personally, I am quite bored of oatmeal, but I try to eat it at least once a week since the soluble fiber can help lower "bad" cholesterol. (I usually have eggs or yogurt as the protein source for my breakfast. I find slowly cooked eggs can make for a gourmet-tasting breakfast.)

To add variety to my diet, I sometimes use a list of 12 "superfoods."
Personally, yogurt is one of my favorite health foods. Calorie-per-calorie, low-fat yogurt may be more filling than the no-fat variety. I buy both kinds.

You didn't mention exercise, but I assume you are exercising regularly.

BTW, I always cringe when I hear "low-fat dressing" since many low fat dressings have corn syrup as a main ingredient, which is not as healthy (or tasty) as olive oil.

 

[Peanut]

The diet looks very carefully and well planned out. I'm sure if you stick with it, it will yield the results that you want. The only thing I noticed is maybe you could use a little more calcium (I could be wrong). I saw that you had some in the morning, but given your age and gender it seems like more calcium might be good to help prevent osteoporosis. Just a thoght though. It's great that you're drinking all of that water though-I know that's supposed to be really, really good for you-I bet your skin looks great!

 

[Daniel E.]

That's a good point about the calcium. At your age, you need at least 1,000 mg a day. Though there is some calcium in oatmeal, nuts, and veggies, dairy has far more calcium. One cup of yogurt, for example, can provide over 400 mg of calcium (at least 40% of the minimum RDA requirements).

The American dairy industry, as well as professional health organizations, recommends 3 servings of dairy a day as a way to support weight loss and get enough calcium:

"Research indicates that enjoying 3-A-Day of Dairy ? 3 servings of milk, cheese or yogurt each day ? as part of a reduced-calorie weight loss plan can help adults achieve better results, when it comes to trimming the waistline, than just cutting calories and consuming little or no dairy."
-- http://www.3aday.org/3aday/DairyAndYourHealth/dairyAndYourHealth/

"Doctors and dietitians agree on 3-A-Day of Dairy. The American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Dietetic Association and the National Medical Association support 3-A-Day of Dairy for stronger bones and better bodies."
- http://www.3aday.org/3ADay/yourhealth/support.asp

BTW, both of my parents have had times when they didn't get a good score on a bone density test, so males also have to be concerned about calcium and osteoporosis.

 

[fancy792]

Thank you both! I really appreciate the input

 

[Thelostchild]

I've never tried it, Do you eat allot of fishy stuff. eeww. I have no idea I've herd of it but ive never tried it

 

[fancy792]

There are so many receipes that fish doesn't have a strong taste. You can choose lean meat or tofu instead also. Let me know if you would like some recepies!