South Beach Diet Phase

The South Beach Diet is broken down into phases. This article will take a look at each South Beach Diet phase and break it down for those of you who have heard of the South Beach Diet (and really, who hasn’t by now) and are curious about what it entails.

The first South Beach Diet phase is, appropriately: Phase One. This first phase is two weeks long. It is during this first phase that dieters really feel like they are on a regular diet. This is because the goal of the dieters is to get rid of their bodies’ resistance to insulin. In order to do this, dieters are supposed to avoid the moderately high to very high glycemic carbohydrates. These “bad” carbohydrates can be found in dairy products, sugars and candy, potatoes, bread, cereals, grains and fruit. If these foods are avoided for a while, the body will begin to use the fat it has been storing. It is theorized that dieters will lose a significant amount of weight. During this first South Beach Diet phase, the dieters are allowed to eat vegetables, fish, meat, some cheese, nuts and eggs.

The second South Beach Diet phase is usually called Phase Two. It is during this phase that dairy is reintroduced to the meal plan along with fruits and whole grain foods. The dieter has to take care to eat these foods in small portions because his/her body chemistry has altered and won’t process these foods as efficiently as it used to.

The last South Beach Diet phase (phase three) is begun after the dieter has reached his or her goal weight. It is the third south beach diet phase that the rest of the foods that were frowned on during phase one are reintroduced. By now the dieter has learned how to control portion sizes and prepare healthy, balanced meals. Phase three requires the dieter to eat three regular meals and three snacks every day. The frequent eating teaches the dieter to eat for satisfaction, not for fullness.

Here are some background tips about the South Beach Diet, if you are interested in learning more:

South Beach Diet Recipe Tip #1

The South Beach diet is named after the South Beach area of Miami Florida and was developed by Arthur Agatston. Agatston, at the time the South Beach diet was developed, was a cardiologist who believed that people should eat carbs and fats… good carbs and good fats. A cardiologist advocating carbs and fats carries quite a bit of authority in the dieting world.

South Beach Diet Recipe Tip #2

Kraft Foods conducted a study of the South Beach diet. The study involved sixty nine research subjects who were studied over a three month period of time. The research study backed up the information that was found by Agatston, who did his own study of the effectiveness of the South Beach diet a year prior to the Kraft Foods study. The results of both studies were favorable.

South Beach Diet Recipe Tip #3

The South Beach diet promotes eating habits that are low in “bad” carbs and “bad” fats. Examples of the good and the bad of each food category can be found in the South Beach diet books.