O.K., why do we say South Beach Diet "revolution" here?

Diet revolution sounds like lots of hype, right?
Well, o.k. apologies... but then we think that the South Beach Diet by Dr. Agatston is leading the pack of the low G.I. (glycemic index) diets. And they are introducing two super important concepts into the mainstream:

• Be low on bad carbs and relatively high on good carbs!
• Be low on bad fat but relatively high on good fat!

And that is why the low G.I. family get our vote for best diet!

And of course, we think that the South Beach Diet / low G.I. concepts are a natural evolution of the Atkins Diet Plan. And that was a really, really, really big revolution...

So yep, we believe that the concept of the South Beach Diet and its brothers and sisters are leading a diet revolution that could ultimately spell the end to the global epidemic of obesity! But then, we will find out in the future how it plays out...

Fine, so, what is that South Beach Diet all about?

Well, you already know the first two of the three guiding principles of the low G.I. diets...

...be low on bad carbs and relatively high on good carbs!

...be low on bad fat and relatively high on good fat!

And the third is...

...be relatively high on proteins!

With these principles the low G.I. community overcomes the major problems of the two other main long-term diet families:

The traditional high carb and low fat diet plans are too hard to follow! The mental game is too often lost and even if we win it, the weight loss results are often not that spectacular.

The standard low carb or no-carb diet plans a la the Atkins Diet Plan are associated with some pretty bad health concerns over the long term. But then...good results...

The low G.I. diet plans put themselves in the middle between these two old school boys and beat them by using the latest nutritional research and knowledge available to us! They can get you the results of the Atkins Diet Plan and still be healthy over the long term by letting you eat all the good carbs an good fats your body needs!

The South Beach Diet Plan

So, after we have raved about how good the low G.I. diet plans are, let’s get specific about the South Beach Diet!

Dr. Agatston has three phases in his diet plan:

1.) The initial, strict low carb phase:
Before you move on to a traditional low G.I. diet, you will start off with a low carb diet for two weeks. Why do we say low carb? Because you are not supposed to eat any fruits at all and of course no bread, pasta, rice and so on! Definitely good for the first two weeks...
and you can see the cycle principle working in practice here.
During this low carb diet phase you should lose 3 to 6 kilos.

2.) The truly low G.I. phase:
In the second phase of the South Beach Diet the good carbs are increased and it turns towards being a true low G.I. diet. That means that you should eat all foods with a low G.I. value (good carbs). These include for example high-fiber fruit (except banana, pineapple and mango), vegetables and salads from phase 1, and whole wheat bread and pasta and brown rice.

High G.I. foods should be included only very seldom and never in the morning. The ideal breakfast is an egg omelet with cheese and mushrooms.

3.) Your long term eating habits:
Dr. Agatston is criticizing that most diets leave you on your own after you have finished them. The South Beach Diet wants to be for life. But not as a diet plan but rather as a result of changed eating habits after the diet.

When having achieved your weight loss goal with a low G.I. diet you have learned first hand about the good carbs and the good fats. Use this knowledge and follow the three guiding principles to keep your ideal weight for life!

During all there diet phases you should avoid or be low on foods that have lots of bad fat.

No need to measure?

Dr. Agatston does not propose to measure calories, the ratio of carbs, proteins and fat or weigh food. This is to keep the diet simple, easy and flexible. The theory behind is that difficult diets, taking up lots of your time are too hard to follow. Instead, eat normal size portions consisting out of good carbs, good fats and proteins and that’s it...

Good point... well, if you are really pressured for time or absolutely hate the idea of counting your calories and if that leads you to lose the mental game – o.k. – then don’t measure. Otherwise, measure!

As you can see from our 6th key to weight loss success, we really think that measuring will give you more insight into the relationship of what you eat and how much weight you lose. So we recommend:

Measure it!