South Beach Diet

It's been around for quite a few years now, and yet the South Beach Diet continues to be very popular. Perhaps it's this very longevity that is the reason so many people have false ideas about exactly what the South Beach Diet is and isn't. So let's take a look at this popular and effective diet plan in more detail.

Firstly, let's clear up a few misconceptions. The South Beach diet is not purely a low-carb diet or a low-fat diet. It does incorporate those elements to some extent, but not as obsessively as some media would have you believe. In many ways, the South Beach Diet is about teaching good eating habits. And the reality is that for most of us we need to eat less carbs and fats anyway, so it makes sense to develop a diet in which they play a small part. This is in contrast to the standard western diet, in which carbs and fats tend to be the major elements.

To follow the South Beach Diet properly, you need to complete three main phases. The first phase is known as the "Banishing Your Cravings" stage. This takes two weeks, and involves eating standard size helpings of chicken, turkey, meat, fish and shellfish. The dieter is also encouraged to eat lots of eggs, vegetables, nuts and cheese. Salads with real olive oil dressings are also introduced. The dieter needs to eat three balanced meals every day, to make sure they satisfy their cravings, as well as beginning the process of changing their eating habits.

In phase one, dieters are also encouraged to snack between meals, as long as those snacks are healthy ones. It's important to drink a lot of water, although you can drink coffee or tea if you prefer. You can also have dessert after your evening meal. Many modern nutritionists recommend having 5-6 small meals throughout the day, rather than 3 large meals, and the South Beach Diet leans towards this concept as well.

For phase two, carbohydrates are reintroduced, although only a very limited basis. The idea is to remain in phase two for as long as it takes to reach your goal weight. So there's no real time limit for phase two, because it will vary from person to person. Some people only need to lose a small amount of weight and can move into phase three quickly, whereas others may need to stay there for many months.

Phase three is known as "A Diet For Life", and is essentially a maintenance phase that should last for the rest of your life. Most people also find that by the time they reach phase three, they don't actually feel like they're following a diet plan any longer. In fact, their eating habits have changed and it feels quite natural to eat according to the principles of the South Beach Diet. In fact, as long as you remember a few simple guidelines, you don't really need to refer back to the South Beach Diet any longer.

One of the reasons the South Beach Diet has been so successful, despite the controversy, is because so many people find it works. When you take a closer look at this diet, that's hardly surprising to see why it works. Modern nutritionists are constantly telling us that most diet plans don't work, because they're fads that only last for a short period of time. Once you finish the diet, the weight comes back. The general consensus is that you need to make long term changes to your eating habits for a diet plan to be successful, and the South Beach Diet certainly fits those criteria.