Vitality News Health Articles

The South Beach Diet book became extremely successful when the diet book by similar name was published and grew with fast succession among a dedicated inner circle. Each with dieting success stories to brag about, the South Beach Diet book, authored by Doctor Arthur Agatston, The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss, is still growing in readership, but the South Beach Diet Phase 1 continues to confuse readers.

The South Beach Diet Phase 1 is the shortest of phases 1, 2 and 3 of the diet, only lasting for a 2 week period. It was created to be confrontational, kick-start your body and how you think about eating from that point on. The opposite to popular thinking and one of the harder to understand parts to Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet, you do not have to limit yourself only eating low carb foods.

In a nut-shell, Phase 1 force feeds you the thinking to: get rid of bad carbs that are not providing anything nutritionally for yourself, substitute the bad carbs that are abundant in most American diets with large amounts of protein, good fats and low glycemic index (G.I.) carbs that satisfy your hunger and regulate your blood sugar balance.

Foods that cause you more harm rather than benefit: fruit, candy, cereal, potatoes, grains, etc. all are eliminated, or the dieter must phase themselves off of during the South Beach Diet Phase 1. A safe bet, if you should have any confusion, just eat all the salad, greens, and (most) vegetables you want, as they are on target because of their nutritional benefit.

It is during this South Beach Diet Phase that Doctor Agatston believes that your body’s resistance to insulin will lower, so depending on your body weight and condition, you may lose 4 to 9 pounds initially, even in the first two weeks, as your body begins to shed extra body weight.

The major purpose of the South Beach Diet Phase 1 is two fold: to test and discipline you into a routine that you stick with which keeps you feeling full and to lay the groundwork for a mindset that ensures you rid yourself of the bad foods and gravitate toward the food that sheds pounds, deliver energy and improve your lifestyle.

Finding straight talk and good for you insight about the healthy lifestyle you want to have in your life, is not ‘brain surgery’. No matter your interest: from water conservation at home tips to how to really lose weight, you name it. Becoming more aware and creating a healthy living isn’t frustrating, or at all challenging if you don’t want it to be, nor do you have to forgo all the tastes, joy and adventure you now appreciate as often is the misconception.

- Thor Daniels