?South Beach Diet? is a name that comes on the lips of every person who has even an iota of interest in the world of diet and dieting. It is formulated by renowned Miami based cardiologist Dr. Arthur Agatston. The diet is a result of research undertaken by Dr. Agatston who wanted to reduce the incidence of strokes and other cardiovascular ailments in his patients. However, word-of-mouth ensured that the diet attained popularity throughout America.
South Beach diet stresses on avoiding the intake of bad carbohydrates, which are mainly found in processed items and products made from refined flour. It also asks the dieters to avoid food containing saturated fats
If you have already started following South Beach diet or are in the process of starting with it, it will augur well if you keep the following tips in mind.
Tip No 1:
Make sure that you take at least eight glasses of water. In fact, if you are following the South Beach diet, it is ideal if you can increase the intake of water. The first phase of South Beach diet restricts the amount of carbohydrates that enter your body. In the absence of carbohydrates, the body is compelled to use the fat stored in the cells. This also leads to drainage of water from the cells. Hence, when following South Beach diet, it is advisable to increase consume large amounts of water.
Tip No 2:
As far as beverages are concerned, South Beach diet does not allow the intake of soft drinks. Similarly, beverages containing caffeine are to be avoided. However, you are allowed to sip decaffeinated beverages such as club soda, tea, coffee, or decaffeinated sugar-free soda.
Tip No 3:
Vitamin and mineral supplements are necessary if you follow South Beach diet. Since many food items become off limit, the body may be deprived of essential nutrients. This is especially true in the first phase, during which the dieter is supposed to refrain from fruits, wheat and other grains etc. Hence the necessity to take vitamin and mineral supplements.
Tip No 4:
Ideally, while preparing meals for South Beach diet, you should try to balance all the three vital constituents i.e. carbohydrates, proteins and fats. The meal taken by you should be complete, wholesome and nutritious.
Tip No 5:
In case, you are accustomed to having a sustained workout or exercise which lasts for more than 90 minutes, it is advisable to go in for a low ? glycemic index carbohydrate snack, otherwise you will feel tired and might not be able to prevent yourself from overeating. The snack should be ideally consumed about an hour before the scheduled workout.
Tip No 6:
As a South Beach diet follower, it will do well if you try out different permutations and combinations. This will allow you to come up with food items that you like and avoid those that you don't. Take for instance cottage cheese. It is a good alternative to the full breakfast and many people find it convenient and tasty.
So follow these tips and you have launched yourself onto the road of success.
Well, the above figures have certainly scared the American health authorities. This has also spun the medical authorities into action. In fact, for quite a few years, researchers have been trying to locate the causes, which are responsible for the rising incidence of obesity and diabetes in America. The researchers, finally, concluded that the diet-which is filled with fats, oil, processed food and refined flour etc- is the primary reason for the upsurge in the number of unhealthy Americans.
The solution? Changes in the dietary habit and switching over to the traditional wholesome meal. In fact, some from the medical fraternity have come up with their own diet charts that not only promise to fight those bulges but will also help to maintain your health. Take for instance Dr. Arthur Agatston. A Miami based cardiologist, he is credited with the invention of the South Beach diet.
South Beach diet is one of the few diets that have taken the dieting community by storm. There are few principles, which are the nuclei of the South Beach diet. They are:
1) There are two kinds of carbohydrates- good and bad.
2) One should avoid the consumption of bad carbohydrates. This is because they are high in glycemic index. They rapidly get dissolved in the blood causing a sharp increase in the blood sugar levels. This is bad for the heart as well as the overall health. Instead, one should consume more of good carbohydrates found in food prepared from whole grains, lean poultry cuts etc. They are slowly dissolved in the blood and hence do not cause sharp fluctuations in the blood sugar level.
3) Similarly, one should stay away from saturated fats that cause arteriosclerosis and other cardiovascular complications.
The South Beach diet is divided into three phases. The first phase is the strictest and lasts for fourteen days. It calls for total abandonment of items made from refined flour, wheat, fruits etc. Instead, the dieters are put on foodstuff that is low in glycemic index.
In the other two stages, fruits, grains, low fat milk products are gradually introduced into the diet. However, restrictions remain imposed on processed food. South Beach diet recommends the trial and error method. This is because the dieter has to work with various permutations and combinations of different food items and quantities to come up with a plan that is more suitable to an individual body.
South Beach diet makes sure that you do not consume the sinful food. It also allows the body to ingest nutritious food that is high in good carbohydrates. Similarly, it also increases the intake of mono saturated food. For more info see on south beach diet phase three.
However, the diet has been criticized for being rich in animal protein. Similarly, the food items recommended by the South Beach diet is low in fiber. And that can lead to constipation in many cases.
South Beach diet, thus have its own shares of pros and cons. However, the common man swears by its success.
Both Wade Robins & David Faulkner are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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