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As a practicing cardiologist Dr Arthur Agatson was getting more and more frustrated when his patients failed to lose weight. They were faithfully following the standard, low-fat American Heart Association diet on his advice, with no results. He noticed that, not only didn’t they lose weight, but their blood chemistry did not improve. The results he was looking for was an increase in HDL (good cholesterol) and a decrease in LDL (bad cholesterol). Eventually, he developed a new diet specifically for his patients, which later became the basis for his best seller book, The South Beach Diet, which was first published in April 2003. The South Beach Diet was on the New York Times best seller list for more than 96 consecutive weeks, and in excess of 8.5 million copies have been printed. The book was listed as #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list for 38 weeks.

Like many other so-called “low carb” diets, the South Beach Diet assumes that many of us are addicted to carbohydrate-rich foods. The South Beach Diet is very similar to the Atkins Diet. They are so similar that many people believe the South Beach Diet is just a revised version of the Atkins Diet. The first phases for both diets are designed to get rid of the body’s addition to carbohydrates. Where the Atkins Diet has four phases, the South Beach Diet only has three, with a single phase replacing the second and third phases of Atkins. The last phases of both diets, again, are very similar. Since greater variety of foods are introduced earlier on in the South Beach Diet Plan, dieters tend to lose weight at a slightly slower pace than those on Atkins, but many find the South Beach Diet easier to follow because it is less restrictive.

This diet focuses heavily on balancing the blood sugar levels, and as such, the Glycemic Index plays a very important role in this diet. The Glycemic Index is a ranking system for carbohydrates based on their effect on blood sugar. On the South Beach Diet, carbohydrates are selected using the Glycemic Index tables; the lower the ranking the better. This also leads us to one of the South Beach Diet’s major differences from the Atkins diet. The South Beach Diet allows most carbohydrates (preferably only those high in fiber, like multi-grain bread and wild rice), while these products are typically just too high in carbohydrates for an Atkins follower, even on the maintenance phase.

Another area where the approaches of Atkins and Agatston differ quite drastically is on the healthy intake of fats. Atkins followers are encouraged to ingest saturated and monounsaturated fats in the first phase, and then gradually reduce the saturated fat content of meals during later phases as more carbohydrates are introduced. Dr. Agatston advocates mostly monounsaturated fats, like those found in olive oil, nuts and oily fish like salmon, throughout his diet. You will not find butter, bacon or anything fried in the South Beach meal plans, whereas they are positively encouraged during the first Atkins phases.

One of the benefits of the South Beach Diet over many of its competitors is that Kraft Foods entered into an alliance with Dr Agatston. Together they launched a whole range of South Beach Diet convenience products, which covers breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and even snacks. Examples of the convenience food on offer include breakfast cereal, meal replacement bars, frozen pizzas and frozen entrees. Dr Agatston once stated “My goal is to help change the way America eats, and these great-tasting, nutrient-rich products from Kraft are convenient, making it easier for people to follow The South Beach Diet – whether for a healthy lifestyle or weight loss.”

As with many of the other popular diet books on the market, it is very difficult to find specific scientific proof for the South Beach Diet. Some aspects of the diet may have been scientifically studied and reviewed, for example the benefits of monounsaturated fats, or the benefits of regulating your blood sugar. In general though, it is safe to say that the South Beach Diet is based on sound principles, and can offer you a well-balanced and sustainable way of life.

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The South Beach Diet is one of the most popular diets in decades. All over the world, people are taking off weight by stripping carbs and, in the process, learning to eat healthier meals. One of the true beauties of South Beach is that it teaches you a whole new way of eating for a healthier, happier lifestyle. Eating healthy the South Beach way requires an adjustment in your cooking styles, too, though. Once you learn to cook low-carb, you’ll find it easier to maintain your new weight and your new healthier lifestyle. Here are some tips to help you put it all together.

1. Invest in a good cookbook.

The third phase of the South Beach diet is a lifetime maintenance plan that lets you eat a wide variety of healthy foods. If your recipe repertoire was based on high-fat meals with creamy sauces and processed foods, you’ll need to build up a stock of new recipes. The South Beach Diet book is a good start. It contains a lot of easy to cook recipes that will get you started on building a new repertoire of healthy meals. You’ll also find dozens of South Beach cookbooks on the market that will give you some ideas on the best ways to put your new-found food savvy to use.

2. Think fresh!

Processed foods are the very antithesis of healthy low-carb eating. Even processed meats are packed with fillers that add in carbs and calories without offering anything in the way of nutrition. Try to shop the outside aisles of the supermarket – fresh fruits and veggies, meats and dairy – and avoid all the filler meals in between.

3. Learn simple cooking methods.

Learning to cook the South Beach way is surprisingly simple – a lot simpler than the techniques you probably use for cooking now. Steaming, poaching, braising, roasting and grilling involve very little prep time. If a recipe calls for dredging in flour or dusting with breadcrumbs, throw it out. You’ll learn a whole new appreciation for real, whole foods when you cook them simply.

4. Color your plate pretty.

A healthy plate is full of vibrant, brilliant colors. When you prepare a plate for yourself, think in color. Deep green, dark orange and bright red vegetables are low in healthy carbohydrates, minerals and vegetables. White potatoes, rice and breads are not. Your best bet is to eat your veggies when they’re at their peak of color – before overcooking robs them of their minerals and vitamins.

5. Spice it up!

Spices are a great way to brighten up flavors in your foods. There’s a whole world of spices at your fingertips, and learning to use them can really wake up your plate and your palate. Learning about the spices used in various regional cuisines can help you turn a meal from bland to POW with just a few shakes of the spice bottle. Some spices and spice combinations to try are:

Curry isn’t just for Indian food anymore. A sprinkle of curry (use a light hand!) can really wake up the flavor in a fresh fruit salad, especially when you add a dab of vanilla.
Cinnamon is an unusual and delicious spice addition to chicken dishes.
Lemon grass oil adds a tart edge to salads and vegetables. Just a dash added to the olive oil when you sauté chicken also brightens the flavor and really wakes up your taste buds.
Rosemary gives everything an earthy, sharp flavor that is the perfect foil for poultry and pork.

6. Add a little garnish to your life.

Garnishes are more than just pretty things on your plate. Fresh herbs, slices of fruit and strips of raw vegetable are more than a treat for your eyes. They add a healthy balance to your diet as well. Choose edible garnishes – a slice of lemon can be squeezed over fish or chicken to brighten flavors, for instance.

The most important things to remember about cooking low-carb for the long term are these:
Skip the white foods. They’re almost always processed
Cook simply. Cooking low carb is usually quick, easy and uncomplicated.
Use olive oil for dressings and sautéing.
Get colorful. The more color there is on your plate, the healthier your meal will be.

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You have to starve to lose weight, right? Wrong! I had always thought the only way to lose a few pounds was to starve myself until the weight was gone. Boy was I ever wrong.
When I first heard about the South Beach Diet, and watched the people around me eating all kinds of great foods, I figured this was just another fad diet that would disappear after everyone realized it didn’t work. But it does work. People are losing weight and eating too.
Completely flabbergasted at how much food my brother was eating on the program, I logged onto the South Beach Diet website to find out what it was all about. That’s when I learned the simple truth about dieting: not only do you not need to starve yourself to lose weight – you actually lose more weight if you eat!
Unlike a lot of other diets that make you count calories, count carbs and either eliminate all fats and protein, or gorge on them all day long, South Beach doesn’t require counting anything, and it lets you eat plenty of nutritious foods like all the other people around you.
Developed by a leading research cardiologist with Mount Sinai Medical Center, I found South Beach to be completely safe and heart healthy – a plus for someone like me in their 50s who’s worried about their cholesterol and what it’s doing to their heart.
Unable to completely give up food – even to lose a few pounds – I was thrilled to discover that the South Beach Diet would allow me to eat until I was satisfied, as long as I chose highly nutritious foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats and cheeses and low-sugar snacks.
Scrambled eggs for breakfast, all types of soups and salads for lunch, and plenty of grilled or sauteed fish, chicken, pork and even lean beef are all allowed in Phases II and III. Believe it or not, dessert isn’t even off limits with this diet.
So, how does South Beach work if you’re allowed to continue eating until you’re full? The answer is in Phase I, which by the way, is the hardest part of the program. During this first 2-week time period, the diet does severely restrict what you can eat, but not how much you can eat.
In the first two weeks of the South Beach Diet, followers are required to give up all sugars and carbohydrates in order to break their body’s unhealthy addiction to processed foods, starches and sugars.
Since you’re basically going “cold turkey” on sugar and carbs, you can expect to feel pretty lousy for the first several days. I personally experienced headaches, listlessness and severe crankiness. But, to be honest, it didn’t last long, and since I had plenty of other food choices to keep me feeling full, I wasn’t hungry at all.
Once my addiction to the junky foods was broken, and my body’s glucose levels were able to naturally even out and stay at the same levels throughout the day, I suddenly felt a burst of energy like I hadn’t had in years. No more ups and downs during the day depending on what snack food I was relying on to keep me going. Better yet, my cravings for sugar and carbohydrates were disappearing – a miracle!
Once my addiction was broken and my cravings subsided during Phase I, I was able to reintroduce some of those forbidden foods like breads, brown rice, fresh fruit, juices and even some desserts. Funny, though, with my carb addiction broken, I didn’t crave those foods like I once had, and a few bites of a baked potato along with a nice piece of chicken and some grilled vegetables straight from my garden now satisfied me.
Before long I was noticing that my pants were getting bigger and my waistline was getting smaller, all while I continued to eat as much as I wanted of the foods that were good for me.
I can honestly say that South Beach has been less of a diet for me and more of an awakening on how good I can feel eating the foods that my body most deserves. Try it. You’ll be surprised at how good you can feel – and look!

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You can get people worried and anxious with the mere suggestion of following cooking low carb recipes routine or any other diet for that matter. Nobody wants to count what one is eating. But unfortunately we must, and have to do it. We should make it our daily habit. The best thing about Atkins’ Low Carb Recipes is you are allowed to eat stuff that you can’t imagine while undergoing a regular diet routine. You can eat eggs, shellfish, and lots of vegitables, cream, tea and coffee without milk, cheese, avocados, nuts, butter etc. Please also remember the stricts no-nos too while we are discussing all that we can eat. You can’t have fruits, potatoes, rice, pasta, and alcohol.

There are books published by Dr Atkins, which is full of interesting and easy to make Low Carb Recipes especially for people who’d like to follow the Atkins way of life. Atkins Diet recipes books are easy to get, and you can even order them online.

 A normal Atkins day-to-day diet will look like this: Breakfast may comprise Italian sausage frittata with a cup of herbal tea. Lunch that people ideally prefer is tuna salad with mixed leafy greens topped with some bacon. Again dinner can be bacon cheeseburger, cauliflower and broccoli, with fresh fruit kebobs and if you are used to munching snacks then visit any low sugar high protein snack/salad bar!

Celery is a food that is low in calories and it’s also said that it helps to prevent cancer. Celery, Avocado and Walnut salad can be a very delightful option plus good to taste.

The new report from the researchers and scientists may be pretty close to finding out and proving why low-carb recipes or low carbohydrate diet, such as the one developed and promoted by Atkins diet, are more effective than low-calorie diets. In a paper published in the Nutrition Journal, researchers from SUNY Downstate Medical Center, show that low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets can be expected to be more effective for weight loss than low-fat diets.

 There was a study conducted on Mexican women (the study was conducted on 1,866 of them) and it was found that women who got about 62 percent of their calories from carbohydrate were more than twice as likely to develop breast cancer compared to women whose carbohydrate intake was less than 52 percent. Including more Low Carb Recipes in your daily food is a far healthier option

 There are hundreds and thousands of Atkins recipes doing the rounds online. The secret  is to get organized. Prepare yourself in advance because tossing up atkins diet recipes is not going to be easy on a day to day basis. Being overweight is  hardly easy either. So instead of settling for the latter lets make peace with the former. And I am hardly trying to discourage you by saying it. I am trying to state facts without mincing words. Don’t let some vague surprises hit you on the face. The only surprise that you can be open to is the pleasant one – that you are losing weight and gaining self confident and good health. And Atkins Diet promises you that – if you follow them as per instructions. Atkins Diet recipes do what only Atkins Diet recipes can- Make you thin, fit, and happy. And all this with eggs, fish, butter……wow!

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Gene test claims to show you which diet works
Diet not working? Blame your genes. That’s the pitch behind a new test that claims to show whether people will do better on a low-fat or a low-carb weight loss plan.

Looking back at the original study’s results, researchers saw that women whose diets matched their genetic makeup lost more than 13 pounds in a year compared to less than 3 pounds for women on mismatched diets, Nelson reported at a heart association conference this week.

Some scientists were unpersuaded. Sticking with a diet is more important than what diet you choose, as is not regaining weight, Eckel said.

“I have serious reservations with this study and studies like it,” Rodriguez agreed. “The idea that genetic variants in these genes can predict the likelihood for weight loss in such a small population, particularly since the tendency for weight loss is probably more behavioral than genetic, is simply hard to believe.”

However, one of the study participants, Jacqueline Gardner, 55, of Evergreen, Calif., does believe. She went from 200 pounds at the start of the study to 185, but was back to 200 pounds two years later.

“I now know why I gained it back,” she said — the gene test showed she does not metabolize carbohydrates well. More recently, she has been on a high-protein diet and weighs 180.

“I wish I had had a DNA test 10 years ago,” she said.

The researchers also tested themselves.

“It confirmed my suspicion,” Nelson said of her result. “When I eat a lot of carbohydrates, I tend to put on weight.”

Do we really need a gene test to tell us that?

“We were able to explain why some people were successful” and others were not, even though they ate the same way, said Mindy Dopler Nelson, a nutritional biologist at Stanford University who led the study but has no financial ties to the maker of the test.

Some scientists find this hard to swallow. It’s another test being peddled without enough research to show it really works, they say.

“I’m afraid this may be another attempt to lure the public into purchasing genetic tests that provide little value for those struggling with their weight,” said Raymond Rodriguez, director of the National Center of Excellence for Nutritional Genomics at the University of California, Davis.

The research shows “nothing that should move the American public out to get their genome tested,” said Dr. Robert Eckel, a former American Heart Association president and cardiologist at the University of Colorado-Denver.

But it sure has appeal.

Gene testing originally was aimed at finding risk for things like cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. Lately, genes have been linked to things you might not suspect, such as stuttering or compulsive leg-jiggling.

The latest trend is to connect genes to lifestyle counseling, determining what type of diet or exercise is best. That’s what the maker of the new diet test hopes to do.

The company, Interleukin Genetics Inc., of Waltham, Mass., looked at studies on hundreds of genes and chose three genes that show a pattern for metabolizing fats and carbohydrates, said its chief scientific officer, Ken Korman.

The company then hired Stanford researchers to do a validation study of its $149 test, using people who took part in diet research that was published in 2007. That study tested four diets: Atkins (ultra-low-carb), the Zone (low-carb), Ornish (very low-fat) or a low-fat diet following the federal Food Pyramid.

AP medical writer Marilynn Marchione wrote this story

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The South Beach diet has become one of the most popular dietary plans for people who desire to lose weight. It came out in good timing since cardiovascular diseases and Diabetes have affected already millions of people in and outside of the country becoming top-notchers in the list. On the other hand, South Beach was not the only choice available. There are many other options but what makes South Beach diet different is that it is safe, systematic, dieter-friendly, and long-term.

Why is South Beach Diet safe?

Many people are still hesitant to commit to such dietary plans as South each thinking it may compromise their health despite the superficial effect. Is South Beach diet safe, really? To find out, here is something to think about.

South Beach Diet comes in three phases. Phase I involves a two-week carbohydrates restriction. This means that the dieter should avoid intake of carb-rich foods such as pasta, rice, fruits, potatoes, bread, carrots, corn, and cereal. However, lean beef, poultry, cheese, nuts, vegetables, and seafood are still permitted. This will allow the dieter to lose up to 18 pounds in two weeks. The intention is, aside from bad carbohydrates and bad fats restriction is to get the body used to them.

In Phase II, these foods must still be put off the daily meal although some of it are slowly re-introduced but with minimal consumption. At least 2 pounds will continue to be shed while the body learns to adjust gradually to this way of eating.

In Phase III, which is the final but long-term or maintenance dietary plan, the person should be fully adjusted to the South Beach way of eating, thus achieving the desired weight, fitness, and already enjoying proper health status. Mostly, large servings of vegetables and fruits (up to three servings per day) are highly recommended plus whole grains. At this stage, the body is used to taking foods high in fiber but low in bad fats and bad carbohydrates.

This dietary system fine-tunes the body and eliminates unhealthy fats and carbohydrates that cause insulin malfunction and cardiovascular diseases affecting millions of people worldwide. For all we know, eating inconsiderably leads to many other diseases such as heart problems and diabetes. Being able to have the ideal amount of minerals in the body makes South Beach diet safe.

The South Beach diet was founded by cardiologist Arthur Agatston in connection with his patients who experience heart problems. This highlights the burning up of good fats and good carbohydrates. With this being related, the South Beach diet’s main goal is to diminish if not to eliminate, the possibilities of developing heart diseases.

Despite a number of people attesting to the good effects of South Beach diet, some remain hesitant to try and the reason can be due to lack of details. Knowing that it consists of foods known to play major parts in other healthy diet plans that work, people will be convinced that South Beach diet is safe with guarantees to good health for life.

Other great options

The Fat Loss For Idiots also suggests a healthy way to reduce weight and get the figure you want and the good news is that it won’t take you a month to achieve it. In just 11 days, you will lose at least 9 pounds unlike in other low-fat, low-carb diet plans that do not seem to work.

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for example, if i where to keep up the low carb diet for about one month and then i start eating regular, will i gain more weight? or what are the “side effects” if i where to do this?

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Join my twitter mafia! twitter.com Follow & Subscribe to my blog! www.thebeautybrat.com Here is the list of foods to eat and avoid during phase 1 as well as a mini shopping list of some of the foods i eat a lot! http Be sure to check out my Non-makeup channel where I show you recipes that are South Beach friendly and other detailed weightloss vlogs www.youtube.com

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In a search for a good low carb bread alternative that I can make easily without a bread machine, I found this great recipe by Jennifer Eloff (www.sweety.com It’s best toasted, but also makes a mean french toast as well. It holds up well to being dunked as well as holding your sandwich together. Fast Cheesebread low-carb-news.blogspot.com 1 cup ground almonds 2/3 cup gold flax meal 1/3 cup vital wheat gluten 1/3 cup vanilla whey protein 4 tsp baking powder 1 cup Shredded Cheddar cheese 1/4 cup butter 2 eggs 1/2 cup heavy cream/water mixture Mix Dry ingredients together in large bowl. Cut in the butter. In a separate dish, beat eggs and then add the heavy cream mixture. Stir egg/cream mixture into the dry ingredients just until mixed. Scrape into 8×8 well-greased baking pan. Cook at 350 for 35-45 minutes until inserted knife comes out clean. Once done, let cool, and cut the bread into quarters. Each quarter is further cut into 3 slices. Yield: 12 slices, 1 slice: 152 calories: 10g protein; 12 g fat; 2.25 g carbs

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